These no-bake peanut butter and jelly inspired energy balls are a healthy grab and go snack made with dried fruit and nuts! 
Peanut butter jelly. Peanut butter jelly. Peanut butter jelly and a baseball bat.
So. You guys know that peanut butter is my life. Like, I don’t go a day without eating peanut butter in some form. I always have at least 6 jars in my cabinet at all times just in case one runs out. Better safe than sorry. I even put nut butter packets in my liquid bag at the airport so that my peanut butter can get through security safe and sound.
Obsessive? Mehhhhhh.
PB + J = LOVE.
Perfectly sweet and perfectly salty all in one swirled bite.
These balls are grain free made with a date
+ nut base. If you have a peanut allergy (I don’t know how you people survive), feel free to sub for almonds/almond butter on the pb side.
STORAGE
I’ve gotten questions on how I store my balls. I prefer to freeze them instead of refrigerate because they stay good for a longer amount of time! What I do is place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and spread the balls out on the sheet. I pop them in the freezer for about an hour or two before transferring into a gallon-size bag. They should stay good for a few months! #winning
Ingredients
For the Peanut Butter
- 10 medjool dates pitted
- 1 cup peanuts
- 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter all natural
- 1/4 teaspoon water*
- 2 tablespoons honey
For the Jelly
- 10 medjool dates pitted
- 1/2 cup dried blueberries
- 1 cup almonds or cashews
- 1/4 teaspoon water*
- pinch of salt
Instructions
For the Peanut Butter Side
- Place peanuts in a high-speed food processor and process on high for about a minute or until the peanuts turn into a meal. Then, add in medjool dates, peanut butter, and honey. Mix for 1-2 minutes or until your dough is formed. If the dough is too dry at this point, add some water in 1/4 teaspoon increments. NOTE- add water in very small amounts, you don't need much! I used 1/4 teaspoon.
- Scoop out a heaping teaspoon of dough and roll between palms. Repeat.
For the Jelly Side
- Place nuts in a high-speed food processor and process for about a minute or until the nuts turn into a meal.
- Then, add in medjool dates, dried blueberries, and salt. Process on high for about 1-2 minutes or until your dough is formed. If things are too dry, add some water in 1/4 teaspoon increments. NOTE- add water in very small amounts, you don't need much! I used 1/4 teaspoon.
- Scoop out a heaping teaspoon of dough and roll between palms. Repeat.
For the PB and J Swirl Energy Balls
- Press a peanut butter ball and a jelly ball together and roll between your palms to create a PB and J Swirl Ball.
Similar recipes:
Today on the Healthy Maven you can find Davida’s second ball recipe —> Lemon Coconut Energy Balls. How good do these look? Obsessed with the coconut outer layer. #swoon
These energy balls are super good! They take a little bit more time to prep than other recipes, but it’s completely worth it to make your PBJ dreams come true. I’ve only used blueberries to make these, but I am pretty sure you could use various other dried fruits too and they’d taste delightful! Great recipe!
How many pitted dates would I use if I don’t have Mejdool dates? I tried to google it but could not find a definitive answer. I think it would be easier if you could mention the quantity in cups. I know Mejdool dates are larger, so I would need more pitted dates in the recipe.
Has anyone tried omitting the jelly side portion of the recipe and just incorporating the dried fruit of choice into the main portion? My thought is the other ingredients within the jelly side are just more of what’s already in the recipe which is amping up the calories as a whole. The only downside, if you see it this way, is you sacrifice the swirl effect…but personally I would rather sacrifice that in the interest of calorie savings given I don’t see this change sacrificing the flavor or the final outcome.
These were great! But mine turned out pretty oily…. anyone else have that problem?
Love peanut butter and jelly. YUM!
Can you sub a different dried fruit, such as strawberries? Dried blueberries are really pricey, but I don’t want to compromise the taste either
These all look amazing, I will be making both the lemon coconut chia ball as well as the PB& Jelly. Super excited…..
Just curious : any idea how many calories in one of these?
PS: I also obsess over and crave pb or any nut butter! LOVE!
Oh I am totally the same with peanut butter! And PB&J if you don’t like that there is something seriously wrong with you!
YES. I couldn’t agree more. Anyone who doesn’t like pb&j just isn’t my friend!
I never would have thought to put those two flavors together in an energy ball. Genius!
😛 …What can I say 😀
Yum, I love the combination of sweet and salty in one bite! And also love their Yin-Yang look 😉