Description
These super yummy, no-bake chocolate-covered pumpkin protein balls are made with good-for-you ingredients and are dairy and gluten and refined sugar-free! They’re also easy (and fun!) to make.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
- 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- 1/4 cup unsweetened peanut butter (or nut butter of your choice)
- 1/2 cup pure unsweetened pumpkin puree
- 10–12 pitted, fresh dates (I used Medjool dates)
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon unrefined coconut oil
- Flaky sea salt, for finishing
Instructions
- PREP: Line a large baking sheet pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
- BLEND: Add the oats, hemp seeds, pumpkin spice mix, and salt to a food processor (or blender). Pulse the mixture almost resembles flour. Then add the dates, pumpkin puree, peanut butter, and vanilla extract. Mix again until the ingredients are thoroughly combined, and the mixture starts to come into a sticky ball.
- SHAPE & COOL: Using a small-sized ice cream/cookie scooper (or your hands) to shape your pumpkin mixture into 1-inch balls. The place them on the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate.
- MELT THE CHOCOLATE: While the protein balls are colling, place the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a medium heat-safe bowl. Place the bowl into your microwave and melt in 30-second increments until melted (it helps if you stir the mixture after each heating session). Whisk until smooth. If you prefer, you can also melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler.
- DIP: When the chocolate is ready, remove the balls from the refrigerator and dip them into the warm melted chocolate. I use toothpicks to make it easier (and less messy). Allow any excess chocolate to drip off, and then place balls back onto the baking sheet.
- COOL: Sprinkle the bites with some flaky sea salt and refrigerate or freeze until chocolate is completely set about 10 minutes.
Notes
- STORAGE: You can store your pumpkin bites in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Or freeze them in a freezer-safe container for up to a month.
- COOL BEFORE DIPPING: Make sure your balls are cooled before dipping them in the chocolate. The cooling process will make the texture firmer and help keep the bites from falling apart when adding them to the warm chocolate.
- LET THE CHOCOLATE SET BEFORE MOVING: Let the chocolate on the dipped bites harden before trying to pick them up or move them. Otherwise, you’ll rub off the chocolate shell — and end up with messy hands!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Blender