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    Home >> Candy

    Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Balls

    Published: Dec 17, 2018 · Modified: Jul 28, 2022 by Emily · This post may contain affiliate links · 26 Comments

    Peanut Butter Balls made healthier! No sugar or grains, but they're still DELICIOUS. Who knew low carb could taste so good?!  (Keto, Dairy-free & Vegan) Jump to Recipe
    PB Balls (Keto, Vegan) PrettyPies.com

    The Classic Holiday Treat!

    Way way back, a million years ago, when my husband and I had just started dating, I remember his grandma making peanut butter balls for Christmas. And they were OUT OF THIS WORLD. (How is it that grandmas make the absolute BEST food.. ever?! #goals) I've been dreaming of them ever since.

    It's no secret I have a thing for peanut butter and chocolate. I mean, there's like a DOZEN pb recipes on my blog lol (like my Healthy Reese's and Healthy Reese's Fudge!)

    But now that I discovered my new FAVORITE sugar replacement, it has opened up the possibilities for so many MORE recipes-- just like the ones I had growing up (but healthier!)

    PB Balls (Keto, Vegan) PrettyPies.com

    WHY DO THEY PUT SO MUCH SUGAR

    Several years ago (when I still ate sugar sometimes) my hubby decided to try making peanut butter balls around Christmas time. He used his Mommom's recipe. And they just didn't turn out like I remembered lol! (Sorry hubs)

    First of all, they were SO loaded with sugar. The sweetness was sickening. I know my taste buds have changed since I gave up sugar. Food tastes much sweeter to me now. So you can use SIGNIFICANTLY less sugar than conventional recipes, and these pb balls still taste deliciously sweet.

    The original recipe calls for 1 ½ CUPS of powdered sugar. Omg. No. That's just crazy town.

    My recipe is just 2.5 TBS of sugar-free sweetener. These have the same amount of peanut butter (½ cup) so they're super flavorful, but the thickness comes from coconut flour instead of sugar.

    Without the cups and cups of sugar, there is obviously less volume, so this recipe makes a smaller batch (8 big balls or 16 small). But the good news is, it's easy to double it! 

    How to make (Sugar-FREE!) Powdered Sugar

    You GUYS. This is one of my favorite kitchen "hacks." Did you know you can EASILY make your own powdered sugar?? (AND sugar-free sugar haha)!

    • Step 1: Put granulated sweetener (such as Lakanto classic monkfruit) in a small blender (you want enough so that it blends easily. I do about ⅓ cup) in my Ninja personal size blender cup.
    • Step 2: Blend for 10-20 seconds until it's completely powdered.

    THAT'S IT! You don't have to buy an extra bag of sweetener so you can have powdered monkfruit. You can make it yourself! YAY!

    Mix-Ins or No Mix-Ins?

    Mommom's original recipe used rice crispies in the peanut butter filling. But most conventional recipes *don't* actually use any add-ins.

    I didn't use any because they tasted delicious without any (plus I didn't want the extra carbs from the rice cereal) BUT I do remember how friggin scrumptious Mommom's recipe was.

    So I was thinking, maybe there's a low-carb replacement for those rice crispies.. What about finely shredded desiccated coconut?! Yeah! Or finely chopped peanuts! Or maybe just a LITTLE bit of rice cereal if you don't mind the carbs 😀

    Another option that can add a crispy texture is actually using granulated sweetener instead of powdered! If you like a little bit of grit - which I do sometimes - then use ½ granulated and ½ powder. PB Balls (Keto, Vegan) PrettyPies.com

    WAX FREE

    I'm sorry, I just can't wrap my head around eating paraffin wax lol. People say it's "safe" to eat, but it just doesn't seem right to me. I'd much rather get a paraffin pedicure than eat that stuff for dessert, ha.

    I melted down about a half a bar of dark chocolate to coat these babies (but chips work, too). Plus a ½ teaspoon of coconut oil just to thin it out and make the coating harden more. You won't need a double boiler. I just microwaved it about 30 seconds. Super simple.

    And SUPER delicious. Seriously I can't get over how much these taste like the conventional recipe (but even BETTER imo, cuz they're not sickening lol).

    So now I'm so excited about enjoying these balls for Christmas. And I'm excited about having my family taste them and see how GOOD monkfruit is!! They probably won't even realize these are sugar-free! Dang, I should've made a triple batch cuz I know they're going to disappear quickly, haha. 

    Click the image below to save this recipe on Pinterest

    Peanut Butter Balls made healthier! No sugar or grains, but they’re still utterly DELICIOUS. Who knew low carb could taste so good?! (keto, dairy-free, & vegan, too!) #prettypies #lowcarbrecipes #healthydesserts #ketodesserts #peanutbutterballs
    Peanut Butter Balls made healthier! No sugar or grains, but they’re still utterly DELICIOUS. Who knew low carb could taste so good?! (keto, dairy-free, & vegan, too!) #prettypies #lowcarbrecipes #healthydesserts #ketodesserts #peanutbutterballs
    PB Balls (Keto, Vegan) PrettyPies.com

    Low Carb Peanut Butter Balls

    Healthier peanut butter balls will make your old recipe obsolete! No sugar needed!
    4.80 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Author: Emily

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Metric

    PB Filling

    • ½ cup natural peanut butter
    • 2 ½ Tbs powdered monkfruit - *see notes
    • 2 Tbs + 1 tsp coconut flour
    • Splash of vanilla extract
    • Optional mix-ins such as finely chopped peanuts, desiccated coconut, or a small amount of rice crispies

    Chocolate Coating

    • 1.5 oz sugar-free dark chocolate
    • ½ teaspoon coconut oil - optional

    Instructions

    • Stir together all ingredients (except chocolate) in a medium mixing bowl. Mix well.
    • Add enough coconut flour so it's scoopable and not too sticky. Taste and adjust, if needed. Optional: add mix-ins.
    • Scoop into balls into desired size (~1 Tbs or ½ Tbs) and place on a parchment lined plate. Freeze for about 15-30 minutes to firm up. Then roll balls smooth in your hands. 
    • Chop chocolate into small pieces and place in a small glass bowl.
    • Add coconut oil and microwave in 20-30 second intervals until melted. Whisk smooth.
    • Dip balls in chocolate and turn to coat. Lift out with a fork and return to plate lined with parchment. Repeat with remaining balls. Drizzle extra chocolate on top.
    • Freeze 5 minutes until firm. ENJOY 🙂

    Notes

    Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate and Lakanto Affiliate I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases made through referral links in this post (at no additional cost to you).
    *To make powdered monkfruit: blend about ⅓ cup granules in a small blender for 10-20 seconds.
    Organic peanut butter from ALDI (super inexpensive!)
    Storage: I like to keep mine frozen (and eat them straight from the freezer). Or keep refrigerated in an airtight container for about 1 week.
    Macros exclude sugar alcohol and are approximate
    Nutrition Facts
    Low Carb Peanut Butter Balls
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    139
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    11
    g
    17
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    6
    g
    2
    %
    Fiber
     
    3
    g
    13
    %
    Net Carbs
     
    3
    g
    Protein
     
    4
    g
    8
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe?Tag @emily.likes.food #prettypies!
    « Low-Carb Christmas Tree Pie (Gluten, Dairy & Sugar-Free)
    Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies (Paleo, Vegan, Keto) »

    Filed Under: Candy, Low-Carb Tagged With: bites, chocolate, keto, low carb, monkfruit, no-bake, peanut butter

    About Emily

    Emily is the creative force behind the food blog, Pretty Pies, a destination for people interested in healthier eating, and for those with dietary restrictions and preferences, such as dairy-free, gluten-free and egg-free.

    Emily specializes in healthy desserts that are low-carb, keto, and made with plant-based natural ingredients. She is the author of two cookbooks in the low-carb sweets niche, "PS It's Healthy," and "Yay It' Sugar-Free!"

    Her recipes have reached millions of people across the globe over a 7-year time span, and helped countless readers enjoy delicious desserts without detriment to their health.

    When she's not creating in the kitchen, she loves spending time with her family and petite Goldendoodle, Eevee, spending time in nature, and eating Tex-Mex.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lyn

      December 18, 2018 at 6:20 am

      I was wondering if these have to stay cool and not be left out on a plate. I have had recipes made with coconut oil and chocolate and they melt fast.

      Reply
      • Emily

        December 18, 2018 at 7:01 am

        They can stay out for a while. The Pb dough is actually what will start to soften/melt. It depends on how much coconut flour you use (less flour loses its shape quicker)

        The chocolate doesn't melt quickly on these unless you put it the plate a hot surface.

        But I recommend trying them straight from the freezer. Love!

        Hope that helps! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Jaylen

      January 07, 2019 at 3:15 pm

      First off great recipe. Its absolutely amazing. But hear me out. When i was melting together my coconut oil and white bakers chocolate i thought ide add some vanilla. But when i did that it had some kind of chemical reaction and got sizzly and ended up turning the chocolate crumbly. So i restarted and made the chocolate as you suggest. However i topped it off the finished dessert with the chocolate vanilla crumbs and boy let tell you not only does it make plating look better but it adds additional flavor and texture. Like a toffee. Insanely delicious. Just sharing my experience. Keep up the good work.

      Reply
      • Emily

        January 07, 2019 at 3:19 pm

        Oh no, I'm glad you were able to salvage it and make it even better! Yum! Enjoy and thanks!

        Reply
    3. HimalayanSalt

      January 08, 2019 at 6:02 am

      Thanks for sharing such a nice and simple recipe.

      Reply
      • Emily

        January 08, 2019 at 8:17 am

        You are welcome!

        Reply
      • Courtney McCormick

        December 12, 2020 at 5:19 pm

        How many balls does this recipe make? I'm not sure what 8 servings means. Thanks!

        Reply
        • Emily

          December 12, 2020 at 5:37 pm

          8 🙂

          Reply
    4. Karen

      January 18, 2019 at 10:25 pm

      I love this recipe but I've been having issues with the type of PB! I'm finding the PB too runny even with extra coconut flour. Any suggestions? I think the original one I used was in the fridge for ages but the new stuff I bought is too fresh? Now I get blobs that are too hard to shape even when cold.

      Reply
      • Emily

        January 18, 2019 at 10:32 pm

        Oh no! Well what you could do is add 1-2 Tbs melted coconut oil and then freeze the mixture for ~ 15 minutes until it firms up enough to be scooped into balls. Hope that helps! Let me know how it goes.

        Reply
    5. Terry

      February 17, 2019 at 6:38 pm

      I made these and the choc on the outside is very bitter. I tried adding stevia but didn’t help..

      Reply
      • Emily

        February 17, 2019 at 7:02 pm

        Stevia sometimes has a bitter taste. I like to use homemade chocolate sweetened with monkfruit. (Recipe here.) Use a little less cacao if you don't want it as "dark." Or use a sugar-free milk chocolate bar. Hope that helps! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Pam

      May 15, 2019 at 4:48 pm

      I have not tried the finished balls, but I’m sure they will be delicious. The execution of coating these soft PB Balls made it next to impossible. I am a very seasoned baker and could tell I was going to end up with little mini flat pancakes instead of balls. I placed them back in freezer for an hour and just drizzled the coating on. They don’t look like a nice round peanut butter ball, (nothing like the photo) but I know they will taste good.

      Reply
      • Emily

        May 15, 2019 at 4:51 pm

        Hmm, maybe they needed some extra flour. Peanut butter can vary in consistency. And even almond flours vary. Next time I would add a little more until it’s a workable dough.
        A bit of coconut flour to absorb the moisture can help, too. Hope you still enjoy them flat 🙂

        Reply
    7. Britney

      July 02, 2019 at 4:33 pm

      8 SERVINGS IS THE MACROS FOR 1 BALL??

      Reply
      • Emily

        July 02, 2019 at 4:34 pm

        Yes 🙂 I always list macros for 1 serving of a recipe

        Reply
    8. Sandy

      July 20, 2019 at 10:23 pm

      I made these this afternoon but it seems the two tablespoons plus one teaspoon of coconut flour is way too little I had to use like eight tablespoons otherwise it would have been a sloppy mess.

      Reply
      • Emily

        July 20, 2019 at 10:27 pm

        Yeah, different brands of Pb & coconut flour can vary in consistency. But you can adjust it easily 🙂 I am surprised it took so much flour though. Did you use Pb with added oil maybe?
        Hope you still enjoyed them!

        Reply
    9. Jennifer

      November 30, 2019 at 2:24 am

      It really looks tasty. such an amazing recipe. Sugar free peanut butter balls is looking tasty as well as healthier.. Thankyou for sharing this recipe.. I will surely make it soon.

      Reply
      • Emily

        November 30, 2019 at 11:24 am

        Thanks! Let me know if you make them. Hope you enjoy

        Reply
    10. Hannah Flack

      June 03, 2020 at 3:15 am

      5 stars
      "This was great! Really enjoyed it - thanks for sharing. I do agree with another commenter who said it was a bit sweet - I will definitely reduce the sugar next time (I used regular granulated sugar).

      Can't wait for leftovers tomorrow! :)"

      Reply
    11. Diane

      December 30, 2022 at 12:30 pm

      5 stars
      What about using something like crushed pork rinds in place of the rice krispies ?? That sounds lovely to me!!

      Reply
      • Emily

        December 30, 2022 at 12:51 pm

        That should work! Let me know if you try it

        Reply
    12. Standard Salts

      March 01, 2023 at 1:34 pm

      The finished balls have not been tried by me, but I am confident they will be delicious. It was nearly difficult due to how these squishy PB Balls were coated. As a very experienced baker, I could tell that instead of making balls, I would finish up with tiny little flat pancakes. 

      Reply
      • Emily

        April 04, 2023 at 2:50 pm

        Some peanut butters are softer/runnier than others. If your mixture is too soft, stick it in the fridge or freezer for a little while to firm up. Hope you enjoyed!

        Reply

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