These super healthy chocolate snack balls are so rich, fudgy, and delicious!
Healthy chocolate snack recipe
No bake chocolate bites are dipped in melted chocolate, resulting in a healthy snack that is totally addictive!
You will fall in love with the rich, fudgy texture.
Low calorie, gluten free, refined sugar free, vegan, and packed with protein, the decadent dark chocolate energy balls have absolutely no business tasting so good.
Pack them in a lunch box, or serve as a healthy after school snack. It is pretty much impossible to stop at just one.
Also try these Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients for the chocolate snack bites
The recipe calls for cocoa powder or chocolate protein powder, pure vanilla extract, coconut oil or nut butter, a little salt, sweetener, and black beans.
Unlike many other chocolate snack balls, this one contains no dates, butter, corn syrup, powdered sugar, or heavy cream to achieve the rich and fudgy texture.
We have not tried substituting chickpeas, lentils, red beans, pinto beans, or anything else for the black beans. Be sure to report back for others if you experiment.
Feel free to use any nut butter or seed butter here. Options that work well include peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, hazelnut butter, or coconut butter.
For nut free chocolate snacks, choose sunflower butter or coconut oil.
Or turn them into double chocolate bites by going with Homemade Nutella or chocolate peanut butter or macadamia butter.
You can also change up the flavor by adding a fourth teaspoon of pure peppermint extract to make mint chocolate snack balls or a few drops of pure almond extract and a pinch of instant coffee granules for mocha bites.
Dip the finished chocolate snack balls in melted chocolate. Or roll them in unrefined powdered coconut sugar, diced toasted hazelnuts or almonds, chia seeds. Roll them in shredded coconut to make your own chocolate coconut balls.
Chocolate snack ball health benefits
If you’ve tried and enjoyed the famous recipe for Black Bean Brownies published on my blog many years ago, there is a good chance you will love this recipe too.
While beans in desserts may seem unusual to many Americans, they have been a staple ingredient in Asia for centuries, and for good reason.
Black beans are anti inflammatory and full of fiber, protein, vitamins, and antioxidants.
The cholesterol free superfood legumes also contain iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper, phosphorus, potassium, folate, selenium, vitamin B6, and zinc.
Peanut butter provides additional protein and healthy fats, and cocoa powder is high in antioxidants, iron, and fiber.
Most importantly, these healthy chocolate snacks supply an immeasurable amount of endorphins due to their delicious taste!
Step by step recipe video
Watch the healthy chocolate snack ball recipe video, above
How to make healthy chocolate snack balls
Start by draining and rinsing the beans very well in a colander. This is an important step to remove salt and any bean flavor.
Add all of the ingredients to a high quality food processor.
While this can technically be done in a blender with a tamper, the texture is much better in a food processor.
Blend everything together until the mixture is completely smooth.
Use a spoon or a mini cookie scoop to form truffle shapes or balls, and place the homemade chocolate snack balls on a parchment lined plate.
Refrigerate or freeze until firm or while you prepare the optional chocolate coating.
Chocolate healthy snack balls
If you wish to cover the chocolate bites in melted chocolate, the easiest way to make your own chocolate coating is to carefully melt six ounces of chocolate chips or white chocolate chips in a microwave or by using the double boiler method.
Optionally, stir in two teaspoons of vegetable or coconut oil for a smoother sauce. Then dip each chocolate fudge ball into the chocolate coating.
Place on a parchment lined plate and let the chocolate set.
A second chocolate coating option is to stir together three tablespoons each of pure maple syrup, cocoa powder or raw cacao powder, and warm coconut oil. Dip the balls in the chocolate sauce, then refrigerate or freeze to set the coating.
Storage tips
These healthy chocolate snack balls are easy to transport, and they are a popular book club or party recipe.
It is fine to leave them at room temperature for a few hours in a cool environment.
Due to the possibility of the chocolate shell melting, we do not recommend these snack bites at outdoor summer events.
For optimum freshness, store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Or freeze in an airtight covered container for up to about two months.
Healthy Chocolate Snack Balls
Ingredients
- 1 can black beans or 1 1/2 cups cooked
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder or chocolate protein powder
- 3 tbsp coconut oil or nut butter
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup (or make keto No Bake Brownie Bites)
- optional 1/4 tsp pure peppermint extract or pinch instant coffee
- optional chocolate coating recipe above
InstructionsÂ
- Drain and rinse the beans very well. Blend everything until completely smooth. While a blender technically works, the texture and results will be much better in a food processor. Use a spoon or mini cookie scoop to form balls or truffles. Place on a parchment lined plate. Roll in shredded coconut, or refrigerate while you make the optional chocolate coating recipe above. View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
More Healthy Snack Ideas
I take a blob of this dough, pat it out smooth and as thin as I can, then I wrap it around a frozen sweet dark cherry, and seal it all the way around. Then I let them sit out at room temperature so that there is a liquid-y interior. It is what I have always wanted chocolate covered cherries to taste like! I tried it with the chocolate coating around it, but I liked it better without.
Can you sub honey instead of maple syrup and would it be equal parts?