These Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Energy Balls make a great after-school (or after-work!) snack. You can whip them up in a jiffy and they'll be gone just as quickly. They also freeze beautifully!

Photography Credit: Leela Cyd Ross

On any given day I have a pack of wild children roaming the halls of my home. Bite-sized sweet treats are always in demand, which means these easy-to-make, easy-to-eat energy balls are on the rotation.

These chocolate chip peanut butter treats take only minutes to throw together. I often swap out one ingredient for another to create endless variations on the recipe, and I can freeze big batches so my children always have something quick to grab for an after-school snack.

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HOW TO MAKE PEANUT BUTTER ENERGY BALLS

These peanut butter balls are made with just a handful of simple ingredients.

I use old fashioned oats pulsed in the food processor as the foundation. It gives the balls a nice texture without being too chewy. Next, I combine honey, peanut butter, chocolate chips, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. To finish the job, I add the oats to the honey mixture, then shape it into little balls about the size of a teaspoon.

Once shaped, I like to roll my Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Balls in a mixture of ground almonds, powdered sugar, and cinnamon. This helps absorb some of the oil from the peanut butter, which keeps your fingers oil-free and makes these snacks easier to eat while typing, running kids from one place to another, and going on about the general business of life.

HAVE A PEANUT ALLERGY?

Do you have peanut allergies in your house? Substitute the peanut butter in this recipe with seed butter or another nut butter.

MAKE THIS RECIPE YOUR OWN

Instead of honey, you can also try molasses, maple syrup, or agave. You can add hemp or flax seeds, or switch out the chocolate chips for raisins, dried cranberries or dried cherries.

Variations are the name of the game with these creamy, sweet treats. And they’re easy enough that you can get your kids involved in making them!

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