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!
These vegan dessert balls are irresistibly good because they combine rich, chocolatey flavor with wholesome ingredients, offering a quick and easy treat that’s both satisfying and delicious. Perfect for a dessert or energy-boosting snack!
You might also want to try our easy energy oat balls as well. Or, this amazing edible vegan cookie dough that can be ready in 15 minutes without any cooking!
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.
Variations and substitutions
- 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.
How to make vegan chocolate balls
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and 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 this 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.
Sprinkle the shredded coconut and crushed walnut toppings as soon as all of the balls are chocolate-coated so the toppings will stick.
STEP #7: Refrigerate for about 30 minutes until the chocolate has hardened. Then serve!
Topping choices
I love to use crushed walnuts and shredded coconut for toppings because of their taste 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, crushed almonds, or pistachios. We have an easy homemade powdered sugar recipe on this site as well.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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 Vegan Desserts
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Easy Chocolate Balls
Ingredients
- 2 plain rice cakes
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup maple syrup (agave nectar, date syrup, or honey)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons walnuts, crushed
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips non-dairy
- 2 tablespoons coconut, shredded (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener), and vanilla with a whisk until smooth.
- 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.
- 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.
- Use about 1 tablespoon of the batter to form a ball and pack it well. I made a video that demonstrates how to do this as well as the other steps. The mixture makes about 10-12 balls depending on how big you make them.
- In a separate small bowl, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, stopping and stirring about every 20-30 seconds until smooth.
- 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.
- Sprinkle the shredded coconut and crushed walnut toppings as soon as all of the balls are chocolate-coated
- Refrigerate for about 30 minutes until the chocolate has hardened. Then serve!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
These were AMAZING!!!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THEM!!!!!
Thanks for the answer about this he puffed rice cereal. Can’t wait to eat these!
Hello, can you substitute PB or Cashew powder? Always looking to cut the “fat”.
Yes, I’m sure that the powder will work after it’s reconstituted. Enjoy!
Thanks so much! I love these –they were quick and easy to make and soooo good!
I am so glad that you liked them! They are on our dessert menu for Thanksgiving this year by request. 🙂
I made these as your recipe stated, just subbed in toasted pecans for the walnuts. So YUMMY!! Thanks for another great recipe!
Diane- YAY! I’m so glad that you liked them. We will be making another batch soon because the first 2 didn’t last 24 hours because we had company that loved them. ♥
What is the amount of crushed rice cakes, if they’re measured? I have some GF crispy rice cereal that I’d like to use as a substitute for the crushed rice cakes.
Hilda- That’s a good question. To test it out (because I had no idea), I crushed a rice cake to measure it, and it came out to about 3/4 cup (10 grams according to the package). Since 2 rice cakes are required, that would be 1-1/2 cups of rice crispy treats.
These look delicious! But, at 15g of fat for EACH ball, I think I’ll keep these for very special desserts/snacks.
Valerie- Thankfully, the fat content is actually 7.5 grams per ball. The program that automatically calculates nutrition grabbed incorrect ingredient information. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. 🙂