Chocolate Balls (No-Bake)

Chocolate balls are simple, no-bake chocolatey truffles that are easy to make and loved by adults and kids alike. Whether you need a chocolate fix or a quick dessert to serve, these will be a big hit!

When it comes to satisfying your sweet cravings with ease, these no-bake chocolate balls stand out as the perfect homemade delight. They are made from wholesome, plant-based ingredients and offer a much better option than store-bought chocolate candies. You might also want to try our easy energy oat balls as well.

Ingredients you need

The things I like best about these chocolate peanut butter balls are that only 7 ingredients are needed and no baking or cooking is required. It just doesn’t get much easier than that. This is what you will need.

• Rice cakes– You will only need 2 rice cakes, and they will provide a nice crunch to the balls.
• Peanut butter– I use peanut butter, but you could use other nut butters as well.
• Sweetener– Maple syrup is my sweetener of choice, but I have listed other options below.
• Vanilla– Because who doesn’t love a yummy vanilla flavor with chocolate?
• Walnuts– Crushed walnuts are used in the batter as well as for a topping.
• Chocolate– Melted chocolate chips are what help make this a chocolatey delight.
• Shredded coconut– Coconut is an optional topping, but it tastes great and makes the balls look pretty for serving.

Chocolate ball step-by-step instructions

You don’t even need a blender or food processor to make the batter for these chocolate balls. It’s as simple as mixing the batter with a whisk and then a spatula in a mixing bowl.

• Step #1: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener), and vanilla with a whisk until smooth.
• Step #2: Crumble the rice cakes. Personally, I do this by placing them in a ziplock bag and crumbling them with my hands, and then using a can of beans to roll over the bag to get an even finer texture. I use the same method for crushing the walnuts.
• Step #3: Add the crushed rice cakes and nuts to the bowl with the batter and stir well to incorporate. Reserve some of the nuts for topping.
• Step #4: Use about 1 tablespoon of the batter to form a ball and pack it well. I made a video that demonstrates how to do thi as well as the other steps. The mixture makes about 10-12 balls depending on how big you make them.
• Step #5: In a separate small bowl, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, stopping and stirring about every 20-30 seconds until smooth.
• Step #6: Submerge each ball in the chocolate and roll until they are coated well. The video included shows how I use a spoon to do this. Transfer to a plate or platter lined with wax paper to prevent sticking as you coat each ball.
• Step #7: Sprinkle the shredded coconut and crushed walnut toppings as soon as all of the balls are chocolate-coated so the toppings will stick.
• Step #8: Refrigerate for about 30 minutes until the chocolate has hardened. Then serve!

The best topping choices

I love to use crushed walnuts and shredded coconut for toppings because of tastes and appearance. The white shredded coconut against the dark chocolate just looks appetizing. However, there are plenty of other options to choose like powdered sugar, cinnamon, or crushed almonds or pistachios.

Variations and substitution options

• Sweetener swaps- Though I use maple syrup, other options might be agave nectar, date syrup, or honey.
• Nut variations- Almonds, cashews, or pecans can be used in place of the walnuts to give them a different taste and profile.
• Nut butter options- Peanut butter is my favorite, but you could also use almond butter or cashew butter as well.

Best tips for success

This is such an easy recipe to make that it’s actually hard to mess it up, but there are a few tips I like to give to make sure you are successful.

Be sure to crush the rice cakes enough and not leave big chunks that are still whole. This makes for much better incorporation into the batter. But, don’t go crazy and put them into a blender or food processor because that will just turn them into powder, which you don’t want either.

When forming the balls from the batter, pack them well so they won’t fall apart when you start to roll them in the melted chocolate.

Chill them for at least 30 minutes before serving or they will be too messy. Chiling makes the chocolate harden, so you can eat them perfectly without getting sticky fingers.

Can you make these ahead of time?

Absolutely! I actually recommend making them ahead of time because they keep so well in the refrigerator and are better served chilled to keep the chocolate from getting soft and messy.

Storage and freezing chocolate balls

You can keep these no-bake chocolate balls refrigerated in an airtight container for as long as one week. Simply make sure you place them in a tightly sealed container to maintain their flavor and prevent them from becoming dry or chewy.

They can also be frozen and pulled out as desired. I’ve eaten them frozen and love the extra crunch. However, to soften them up, allow them to defrost for about 30 minutes at room temperature.

More no-bake chocolate desserts

• Chocolate Mug Cake in 5 Minutes!
• No-Bake Chocolate Pie
• Vegan Tootsie Rolls

For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!

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