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
Loved these. Thank u!
🙂
It looks really good 😀 and I really love your recipes, they’re amazing !!
I was wondering since I ran out of black beans can i substitute by using brown fava beans? crazy idea I know but just wondering & Thanks .
I can only vouch for variations I’ve tried, but you can always experiment… and be sure to report back if you do! 🙂
Hi Katie! My daughter is your biggest fan, and she chose this recipe to make with me yesterday. She is ten yrs old. We both loved it!
Black beans?! Never would’ve guessed! How interesting! Will have to give these a try!
Just got these in the freezer now… I ended up having the balls all sitting on a plate and dumping the chocolate coating on top of them all and rolling them around. I dumped them onto a plate that had coconut on it that was in the freezer to combat any sticking problems. I did have to scrape up extra chocolate sauce left on plate and just plopped it on top of the balls…put them into freezer for few mins then took them out and put alittle bit more coconut on the tops … I was going to roll them in coconut but didn’t have enought
I used a small food proceeded and had to keep emptying it out as it did clump all together only blending the bottom inch ( I did put apricots in for sugar replacement and they kinda clumped up… I probably should have used a bigger food processer… Next time I’ll do it in smaller batches as I did just over double the recipe to use the whole can of beans up. Next time I’ll put coconut in first to make it powder to add for a different flavor and hubby suggested throwing some peanuts in too for a peanut butter chocolate taste… Endless options with bits of dried fruit in them … There are delicious on their own. IIIIII loveeeee theseeeee lol
These are soooo addicting. I noticed they tasted better after sitting in the fridge for a bit. I tried a little cinnamon on them and it was great, so I think I might try to make them Mexican hot chocolate flavored next time. 😀
I love love LOVE!! I am literally a chocoholic and I can’t wait to try this out!! By the way Katie, I am a new blogger looking for tips- please check out my website and comment!
I also tried these with homecooked beans. I didn’t know how much of the dried beans would be 2/3 cup cooked beans. FORTUNATELY i took 2/3 dried beans, which adds 3 times the recipe when cooked :-))
BUT, how to get the chocolatesauce so nice and evenly over the balls? Nobody seems to have a problem with that? I tought of putting the dough in a pan and cover them with the sauce, then cutting out squares. Would be nice also eh?
I made these for Halloween. A trick and a treat! Thanks for this great recipe.
Have you tried avocado instead of oil or pb in recipes?
Avocado Chocolate Cake:
https://lett-trim.today/2014/10/14/avocado-chocolate-cake/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Oh my gosh. I’ve been following your blog for a while, but didn’t have the guts (or full ingredient list) to try to make anything. Just made these fudge balls…and I have to say they are absolutely AMAZING. I doubled the recipe to make enough for my big blender to smooth out the ingredients, but I am definitely going to be making more of your recipes!!! Wonderful!!! 😀
can i substitute the black beans for chickpeas? or would that change the flavor too much?
I make these every so often, but I changed the recipe a bit. Thought maybe other people would want to know:
First of all, it doubles very well. I usually make 5x (2 cans of beans) the recipe at once so I don’t have to wash the food processor as often. More than that doesn’t fit in my food processor.
Also, instead of stevia or granulated sugar, I add either more maple syrup or coconut sugar or honey in a 1-to-1 ratio. When I make a lot at a time, though, I usually need to add extra sweetener. I think it doesn’t blend in as well for some reason.
Everything I have made from this website I have loved! Which is why I am sad to say that I made these **with the peanut butter substitution noted at the end of the recipe** and they were terrible. Like, inedible. I should have made them strictly with coconut oil as the original recipe states. I believe they came out way too salty and the peanut butter just added a really negative flavor, I can’t figure out why. Anyway, just wanted to warn others who may be inclined to try the peanut butter! I may try the original recipe in the next day or so..
Thank you so much for all your recipes!!! I use your website TOO often lol! Just made those chocolate balls and this is something amazing! I changed it little bit though, added soy butter in stead of coconut oil and walnuts inside the “dough” and on top, oh yeah also some cognac! Tastes like HEAVEN!!! Just one question: how were you able to dip them in chocolate sauce? I couldnt figure out… So i just purred some on top…
Put it on a spoon or pierce it with a fork and dip into the chocolate. Pouring on top works too though 🙂
Hi Katie, I just came across your website and saw this recipe….made these today with my son and I can’t BELIEVE how good they are! I’m trying to cut out refined sugar, wheat and junk foods but it’s tough when the “healthy” treats just don’t come close to the unhealthy ones you are used to. But with these this is not the case! They are the best healthy treat I have ever made and they will be one of my sweet treats for the foreseeable future. Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes!