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
Instructions
- 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
These look fantastic! I ahve made a black bean Brownie before and it came out delicious, but I bet it will be even better in bite-size covered in chocolate, mmm! 😀 Great recipe Katie! x
I’ve always been too scared to use beans in a dessert/sweet dish but it totally makes sense in this recipe – I can totally see how the texture of the blended beans can become decadent chocolate fudge balls! I think I will try this (plus it will make a quick dessert with ingredients I usually always have!) – thanks for sharing your recipe 🙂
WOW !!!! These are GOOD !!!! Almost kinda like a hedge hog in texture on the inside. I didn’t have sugar so threw in a few dried apricots into the food processer. The longer you have the food processer on the smoother in texture they turn out. I threw abit of coconut inside the filling too. I’ll makes these for ever now.. They were quick to make and satisfies your chocolate craving. No one would ever be able to detect these were made from black beans. I saw this recipe and about 1/2 later hubby says he wanted a chocolate bar treat so I made these… Thank you so very much for posting this recipe.
Whelp, the first recipe I ever tried of yours was the critically acclaimed black bean brownies and DIED WITH LOVE at every bite, so I’m sure these are the bomb! (and actually “the bomb” since they’re round lil’ balls). Loving the nut butter option too as I keep NO coconut products in the house. I’m sorry, I hate it….
TRIPLE the RECIPE!!!!!!!!!
Seriously!!!
I just made them and most of the batter didn’t make it to the refrigeration process because I kept eating them! So so good!
If you use a 540ml / 19 fl oz can of black beans, the tripled recipe uses the full can 🙂
Thank you for making them!! 🙂
When I try to search for recipes, I can’t get past double ad banner. Not enjoying the new advertising. So sad. I’m a big fan.
You do realize that having ads on the site is what enables Katie to keep these recipes free so people like you do not have to pay anything for them, right? I’m sorry to say your comment comes off sounding rather self-centered to me 🙁
Yum…this sounds interesting! And I do believe that you can’t taste the beans! I make a raw black bean pudding (that my kids and I love…maybe it’s time to switch it up! 😉
http://www.bitesforbabies.com/recipes/raw-chocolate-black-bean-avocado-mousse/
I never think of using black beans in stuff like this, I always just think of savoury dishes, but they really are so versatile! These truffles look soooo fudgey and good- definitely going to try them 🙂 I even have all the ingredients at home. Do you think subbing in a little banana for sweetness instead of the other sugars would work?
Thanks so much for the recipe! 😀
I can only vouch for ingredients I’ve tried; but if you experiment, be sure to report back!
Yummie! Honestly, this looks so super delicious I couldn’t resist grabbing a glass of beans and starting to mix. 😉
Anyways, I didn’t exactly follow the recipe cause I wanted a pudding-like dessert for today. I left out the coconut oil and extra sugar and instead added a banana to the mix – and it turned out wonderful. Super rich and dark and only a pinch of sweetness… Thank you so much, Katie!
🙂
I made them this morning and they ROCKED MY FACE OFF. Yes this morning. For breakfast. Don’t judge 😉
I’m in the middle of cooking these – the truffle part tastes SOO GOOOD and is currently setting in the fridge and I just realized I don’t have any chocolate chips. Do you think these would be ok without the chocolate coating?
Yup! It’s optional.
I think I made these wrong. Mine didn’t blend smoothly, or even really at all… I just ended up with a salty bean lump that crumbled and fell apart. I covered it with melted chocolate and it tasted like beans covered in chocolate… I used homemade black beans instead of canned (no salt added to the cooking liquid) but I followed the recipe to a T. Any suggestions?!
Did you read through the Recipe FAQ page? There’s a troubleshooting section on there. If you read through it and still can’t figure out what went wrong, please do report back with as many specific details about what specific ingredients you used as you can (type of food processor, sweetener, etc.).
The only thing I used that was a variant really was that I used home-cooked beans (water only). I have a Black and Decker Food Processor, which is what I use when I make bean brownies and I’ve not really ever had a clumping problem before. The way it all lumped I just have to wonder if there wasn’t enough moisture in the beans…? I used the same brand stevia you do. I used sea salt as my salt and a bulk dutch cocoa powder from a Mennonite store nearby. Used a pure maple syrup from a local source.
I hope it’s ok if I chime in. We also used homemade beans and did not have a problem. Possibly yours were undercooked or just naturally more dry. Try adding a little extra liwuod next time. These are worth giving another shot, trust me!
Thanks! I was sort of wondering if maybe my beans were too dry. I’ve always liked using beans in place of flour and never had a problem until this recipe… looking forward to trying again.
I made these today. I used dry beans that had been cooked and frozen. I thawed them out and added water to rinse. Did u rinse your beans? I also mashed them with a fork after using the food processor. My processor is big so the little mix just went to the edges so i mashed them until there were no whole beans visible and it was mostly a paste. If it felt a part i would suggest up the coconut oil and /or the liquid sweetener, just a bit. These were amazing and i cant believe the beans are so undetectable. Good luck!
I need an intervention! I literally cannot stop eating these!
It started when I tasted the “dough” before I even made them into balls, and it hasn’t stopped since!
They are so good and you’d never know there were beans in there. I want to try these in my boyfriend but am not sure they’ll last that long! 🙂
I am in heaven. I had everything in my pantry… made them tonight and they are AMAZING! I am not very good with the coating part of it…but its not about looks, right?! 😉 Now to try your BB Brownies this weekend. My previous attempts at bean brownies weren’t tasty at all.
Thank you for making them!
I love using beans in chocolate dishes and then seeing the look on people’s faces when I tell them the ‘secret’ ingredient 🙂 These truffles look so rich and chocolate-y! Can’t wait to try!
Beautiful. I never would think of putting beans in a raw dessert!
I don’t know if this has been asked before (it probably has!) but have you thought about making baking videos? I would L O V E to watch them!
It’s definitely on my list of something I want to do!