3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Balls Recipe

If you like to have a stash of snacks and are limiting processed foods, you're probably always on the lookout for something that's simple, fresh, nutritious, and easy to make. Look no further — these soft and chewy peanut butter balls are calling your name, and you can whip them together without even getting out the food processor or heating up the oven. Loaded with nutrients and protein, these balls boast only 3 ingredients: peanut butter, honey, and hemp seeds. They are rich and sweet, with great texture from the hemp seeds, which offer a gentle crunch that contrasts nicely with the creamy peanut butter. The honey brings a sweet note of caramel that deepens the flavor of the treats. After you make your first batch, you might find yourself making these peanut butter balls on repeat.

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "I love having these balls as a pre-workout boost when I need a little something that won't weigh me down. The mix of protein, fat, and fiber is satisfying and acts as an energy source for exercise."

To make this recipe, you may not even need to hit up the store. You'll only need peanut butter, honey, and hemp seeds.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl stir the peanut butter and honey until smooth.

Add 1 cup of the hemp seeds and stir to incorporate.

Cover and refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes.

Roll the mixture into 20-22 balls, roll each in the remaining hemp seeds, and place them on the prepared baking sheet.

Cover and refrigerate again for 1 hour to firm up.

Serve or store the peanut butter balls in the fridge or freezer.

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Hemp seeds, also known as hemp hearts, are the seeds of a hemp plant. Although the hemp plant is in the same family as cannabis, it doesn't contain THC, the active compound in cannabis, making hemp seeds safe to eat. They are considered nutrient-dense because they provide plant-based protein, omega-3s, magnesium, and iron, and a small amount goes a long way. They have a mild earthy flavor, a note of nuttiness, and are a versatile ingredient to bump up the healthiness of anything you're making.

You can add a tablespoon to your next smoothie or acai bowl, and you won't even know they are there. To make your own natural protein powder, add equal parts of hemp seeds, ground flax seeds, and chia seeds. Keep the mixture in a jar in the fridge, and add a tablespoon to anything you would add protein powder to. You won't have the chalky taste or store-bought protein powder or any of the ingredients you can't pronounce. They also blend incredibly well into sauces and dressings. Try them in pesto, hummus, lemon tahini dressing, and vegan ranch dip. Use them as a crunchy topper on soups, salads, and stir-fries.

There are several ways to customize these peanut butter balls based on your individual preferences or to use ingredients you have on hand. To start, if you want to swap the peanut butter for another nut butter, you can easily use almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower butter. Using a homemade nut butter is always an option, too. To add a little more protein, mix in 1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds. To add a chocolatey taste, fold in ¼ cup of mini chocolate chips after you add the hemp seeds.

Dried fruit is another great option. Try chopped medjool dates, raisins, or dried cranberries. For a tropical twist, roll the balls in shredded coconut instead of hempseeds. An easy way to change up the flavor of the balls is to enhance the taste with spices. 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice offers a warm and cozy element, a pinch of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and cloves will give you a delicious chai spiced ball, and just ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract will twist the flavor depth to make it buttery and warm.

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