Chocolate Energy Balls
Ingredients:
- ½ cup nut butter of choice
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup diced dried fruit blend
- ¼ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 Tbsp shredded natural coconut, divided
- 2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions:
In a small mixing bowl combine the nut butter, honey and cocoa, then stir in the dried fruit, chocolate chips and 1 Tbsp of the coconut, mix till well blended.
Cover tightly and let chill for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Take two small bowls, and put the remaining 2 Tbsp coconut in one bowl and the toasted sesame seeds in the other.
Scoop out 1 tablespoon-sized ball, drop in either ball and coat lightly. Roll into a ball quickly, then coat with more toppings.
Store tightly sealed in the refrigerator till trail time.
Notes:
I used cashew butter for mine – any nut butter will work, either smooth or chunky. If you use ‘natural’ style butters your balls will be softer (which is fine!) over peanut butter that doesn’t separate.
You can use other sweeteners as well; use what you like. For a vegan recipe, you can use Agave Nectar or maple syrup.
On the dried fruit I used a blend from Trader Joe’s of golden raisins, cranberries, cherries and blueberries. Any dried berry or fruit will work but keep the size small and uniform.
When making the balls, a 1 Tbsp-sized ‘disher’ works great. These are often found in restaurant supply stores and are used for making uniform cookies and other things. It’s well worth owning one!
While these carry well, they will soften quickly in hot weather – consider them a 3-season treat!