Healthy Peanut Butter Balls with just 4 ingredients! Yes, I did! These keto peanut butter balls are perfect for your chocolate peanut butter craving! This easy pb balls recipe is low carb, keto, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, and Trim Healthy Mama friendly.
Oh, peanut butter balls. These are one of my Christmas favorites. Almost every year my friends Joy and Mel host a cookie exchange at one of their houses. Mel is known for making chocolate PB balls. Last year she made something else and when I got home the first thing my husband said was, "where are the peanut butter balls?" Sorry, honey, Mel didn't make peanut butter balls this year. The look on his face was priceless.
I decided a few weeks ago when I began planning all the delicious Christmasy things I wanted to make this year that healthy keto peanut butter balls were near the top of the list.
Ingredients Needed
These low carb keto energy balls need just 4 ingredients. No almond flour or coconut flour, no protein powder, or other expense ingredients are needed! Just peanuts, peanut butter, sweetener, and sugar free chocolate.
No Sugar Added Peanut Butter - I buy the two packs of organic peanut butter from Costco but any peanut butter that is only peanuts and salt is fine. Smuckers Natural is one that is easily found.
Finely Chopped Roasted Salted Peanuts - Using roasted salted peanuts in place of the rice crispy cereal in the original version gives these a nice texture and kicks up the peanut flavor.
Powdered Sugar-Free Sweetener - I've been taking the shortcut method and using powdered swerve when a recipe needs a powdered sweetener but you can grind your own erythritol or xylitol in a food processor or blender.
Sugar-Free Chocolate - This recipe calls for a full 8-ounce bag of sugar free chocolate chips, such as Lily's Chocolate Chips, if you'd like to completely cover the healthy peanut butter balls in chocolate. I know good sugar-free chocolate is not cheap so you alternatively you could roll these in cocoa powder and just do a drizzle of chocolate or roll them in coconut.
How to Make Keto Peanut Butter Balls
By swapping in a sugar-free sweetener for the powdered sugar and chopped peanuts for the rice crispy cereal I make the filling for these much healthier than the original. Just coat with a sugar-free chocolate and no one will ever know you converted this recipe to be sugar-free. This energy balls recipe is bound to be one of your favorite low carb snacks!
Step One: Finely grind fresh peanuts.
Step Two: Mix the peanuts with the peanut butter and sweetener.
Step Three: Form into balls.
Step Four: Coat in melted chocolate.
Tips for making No Bake Peanut Butter Balls
My tip for having even peanut butter balls is to scoop with a cookie scoop. I love my set of cookie scoops. I have 3 different sizes and use them for everything from cookies and cupcakes to meatballs and chicken nuggets.
I used the medium scoop and made 18 keto peanut butter balls from this recipe. You can make more and make them smaller but you might need additional chocolate to be able to coat them all.
More Ideas for Keto Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
These have plenty of room for customization in low carb peanut butter balls. Here are some ideas:
Protein Peanut Butter Balls - Mix in a few tablespoons of collagen or peanut butter protein powder to make peanut butter protein balls. You may need to add a little more peanut butter, keto maple syrup, or regular butter to balance out the additional dry ingredients.
Coconut PB Balls - Stir in some unsweetened shredded coconut flakes.
Crunchy Peanut Butter Balls - Add in some coarsely chopped peanuts as well as the finely chopped peanuts.
Chocolate Chip PB Balls - Boost the chocolate and throw some chocolate chips into the filling.
White Chocolate Balls - Sub in some ChocZero White Chocolate Chips.
These do flatten a little from the ball shape as they chill. If you really want round peanut butter balls I think adding a mixin would help.
More Easy Keto Recipes:
Tagalong Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
Gluten Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Keto Protein Bars aka Sweet & Salty Peanut Bars
Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
I hope you enjoy my Keto Peanut Butter Balls!
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted peanuts finely chopped (not peanut flour)
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup powdered sweetener such as swerve
- 8 oz sugar-free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Mix together the chopped peanuts, peanut butter, and sweetener. Divide the dough into 18 pieces and shape into balls. Place on a wax paper lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until cold.
- Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave or on top of a double boiler. I microwave chocolate chips, stirring every 30 seconds until they are 75% melted. Then I just stir until the rest melt.
- Dip each peanut butter ball in the chocolate and place back on the wax paper. Refrigerate until the chocolate sets.
Notes
Nutrition
PegB says
OMG!!!!! Seriously delicious. So many of my gym friends are now as addicted as I am.
Depending on which peanut butter brand you use, the filling can be a little too soft. The add in suggestion is great. What I found worked best for me, was a scoop or 2 of unflavored whey protein powder.
These have become my go to treat post workout - protein, carbs & fats. Perfect!
Thank you sooooo much!
Pauline Springer says
So instead of peanuts you used the whey powder??? My hubs can’t do the peanuts(no teeth). He loves peanut butter balls. If I can make them without the peanuts. Would be awesome!
Mimie says
These look so yumm, definitely going to try! Thanks you 🙂
Judy Lynn says
These were delicious! I cut each ball in half and froze them in a ziplock ~ lasted me a month! I liked them in the evening as my treat with a cup of decaf coffee. Half of one was just perfect! I am now going to try them with almond butter and either chopped almonds or coconut. Thank you SO much ~ appreciate all the hard work you did on this recipe for us!
Sharon Frost says
I don't understand why you need to add sweetener to this recipe when the Lily's non sugar chips already have lots of stevia and eryth. in them.
Taryn says
Because the filling is unsweetened. The powdered sweetener also helps dry put the peanut butter. They are not overly sweet.
Jodi says
Hi- just a suggestion. You had mentioned you like the glossy look on your treats? When melting your choc chips add a table spoon of black coffee. This gives the chocolate a nice finish when it sets 😊
Shannon Novak says
Black coffee cold or hot? Brewed or ground bean?
Lynn says
I saw your suggestion to add coffee for a shinier finish but I tried this with hot black coffee as chocolate was on dbl boiler melting and the chocolate went from smooth and liquid creamy to pasty😐
Taryn says
Adding water can make chocolate seize so I would think coffee could do that too.
Matt says
How long do these last?
Taryn says
For 2-3 weeks in the fridge. You can probably freeze them too but I haven't tried. They don't last that long in my house.
D says
Hi! Love this recipe.. just wondering as I’m doing Keto how you got 7g carbs and when I logged it in my fitness pal mine is 18g carbs 🙁 as far as I can see same ingredients??
Thank you 🙏🏻
Taryn says
MFP does not subtract the sugar alcohol in the sweetener. I have to do that manually.
D says
Oh ok thank you 😊
Cynthia says
Can't tolerate those sweeteners. Is there any way to use maple syrup or dates for a sweetener?
Taryn says
Granulated maple sugar would work. Maple syrup would make them too thin. You would have to add nut flour to get the right consistency. I think dates would work. Just add finely chopped dates to taste.
Leslie says
Could you use almonds and almond butter or macadamia nuts and macadamia butter?
Taryn says
Sure!
Shannon Novak says
If u have no peanuts but peanut Butter and almonds ground up....does that work?
Taryn says
Ground almonds could work as long as they are like almond meal, not almond butter.
Sarah says
So if I was going to use THM gentle sweet, would I just use 1/2 cup to convert it from Swerve? Can’t wait to try these!
Taryn says
Yes, 1/2 a cup. I highly recommend grinding it to a powder first or it will be gritty. You may need to add additional chopped peanuts (or a little peanut flour) to make up the missing bulk from the powdered erythritol.
Kim Smyth says
I used a mixture of peanuts, almonds, and hazelnut and the only peanut butter I had on hand which was Skippy. It is low in carbs and sugar so I don’t mind the tiny cheat. I melted chocolate bars that were 85% and 90% cacao with a little coconut oil to dip them in. I used powdered Pyure sweetener and they turned out great, I’m keeping them in the freezer because they are a little soft. Maybe the longer they’re in, the more solid they will get.
MoodyMoody says
Hello! My husband can't tolerate erythritol, xylitol, or other sugar alcohols in even minute quantities without severe digestive repercussions. Is the sugar alcohol necessary for bulk or texture? Could I substitute straight stevia or even Splenda instead? Thank you!
Taryn says
You could use straight stevia but you will need to increase the chopped peanuts to make up the difference. Or add something like finely shredded coconut. Otherwise they will be too soft to make balls.
Anne says
My daughter made them as a dessert as I am on Keto , they are delicious😋. Im keeping them in freezer to have as a treat!
Melissa says
These are delicious. Thank you for the adaptation to make a holiday favorite healthy.
Nikki says
Thought you might like to know that Vitacost sells 3 lb bags of Xylitol and Erythritol and they are powdered! It was a pleasant surprise!
Taryn says
Good to know! Thanks for sharing that.
Linda Sampsel says
What is ratio of your sweetner blend of xylitol, erythritol and stevia?
Taryn says
There are clickable links within the post and my sweetener recipe is here: https://joyfilledeats.com/sweetener
Nikki says
I buy 3 lb bags of xylitol and erythritol from Vitacost and use a whole container of Trader Joe's 100% stevia extract (1 oz). I mix it all together and store in containers. It makes a lot!
Bonnie Alton says
What if you can't eat peanuts? I can eat peanut butter but can't have nuts.
Taryn says
You can leave them out. The dough will be a little softer though. You might need to freeze it before dipping in the chocolate.
Stacey says
Is the 1 cup of chopped peanuts measured before or after you chop them?
Taryn says
I measured before. If thr dough seems too soft you can always add more.
Robin says
I've been lazy and dunking low carb chocolate into almond butter. These look so much better.
Christy Odham says
What do you think about using smukers natural peanut butter with peanuts in it?
Taryn says
That's fine but you will still need to add finely chopped peanuts or the dough may be too soft.
Renee Goerger says
These are just the kind of healthy, keto snacks I've been looking for. Thanks for the recipe!