No-Bake Healthy Peanut Butter Balls Recipe - My Natural Family (2024)

Rebecca Baron 2 Comments

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This no-bake healthy peanut butter balls recipe is a LaraBar copycat recipe. I like them better than LaraBars and they are super simple to make and less than half the cost.

No-Bake Healthy Peanut Butter Balls Recipe - My Natural Family (1)

So, we're a little obsessed with these at our house right now. I love them because they only have 3 ingredients, are quick to make, taste yummy, are gluten-free, only have natural sugars, and cost a lot less than LaraBars. Every single one of my children begs for them.

The great thing is they taste just like raw peanut butter cookie dough. They are a lot healthier so I can give them to my children often and not worry about them eating a bunch of junk. I roll them into balls, hence the name, peanut butter bites but you could shape them any way you like.

The only tricky part of this recipe is that a food processor really does work best. After my husband watched me try other methods, he went out and bought me a food processor so I didn't ruin my blender.

Hopefully, it should pay for itself in a month or two since we make a batch of these every few days and they cost significantly less than LaraBars. Another thing I want to point out is that dates are getting easier to find. We bought ours at Costco, plus they have them in the bulk section at Winco.

As for the peanuts, it makes a huge difference in what peanuts you use. If you make them and they don't taste peanuty, you probably need to try a different brand of peanut. The best ones I've found are in the bulk section at my natural food health store.

I like to hide these balls in the back of my fridge and try to make them last a week or two, but they are usually gone in a few days. My children love them in their lunches or for an after-school snack. My favorite indulgence is to wait until the children and my husband are all in bed and then make coconut oil popcorn in a pan with Real Salt *.

Then I take a little bite of one of these and a few pieces of popcorn. It's so good. It's hard to explain, but the salty and sweet together are SOOO good. You've GOT to try it! And let me know if you try it. I would love to hear if anyone else likes these that way.

If you want a little less sugar in your life, you can get away with putting fewer dates, but they will be dry and crumbly. As for the number of dates stated in the recipe, it's not a hard and fast number. I slowly put them in and check the consistency and stop putting them in when they easily form a soft ball. It totally depends on how dry your peanuts and dates are.

Here is a shot of the ingredients (less salt), so you can see how simple the recipe is:

No-Bake Healthy Peanut Butter Balls Recipe - My Natural Family (2)

This is about what the mixture should look like after you've blended it. Sometimes I like to just turn it on and let it run for a while until it starts sticking together. That makes them more blended than this. Or sometimes I like them to have a texture, so I do it like the photo below. It's totally up to you how course your peanut balls are.

No-Bake Healthy Peanut Butter Balls Recipe - My Natural Family (3)

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Recipe

No-Bake Healthy Peanut Butter Balls Recipe - My Natural Family (4)

No-Bake Healthy Peanut Butter Balls Recipe (Copycat LaraBar Recipe)

★★★★★5 from 1 review

  • Author: Rebecca Baron
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 12 1x
  • Category: Snack
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

I love that the only ingredients are peanuts, date and salt. They only take a few minutes to make and I love them for either breakfast, a snack or a quick, healthy dessert.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 Cup dry roasted peanuts
  • 1 Cup dates
  • 1 Pinch Real Salt *

Instructions

  1. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and process until it stops.
  2. Roll them in to balls or bars.

Keywords: Easy, Quick, Healthy, Snack

No-Bake Healthy Peanut Butter Balls Recipe - My Natural Family (5)

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cheryl

    I'm excited to try it. I love dates and peanut butter so the combo sounds delish.

    Reply

  2. Robin

    Larabars for more than half the price that taste better and take only few minutes to make! I'm excited. I actually made some and I really liked them. I'm going to make them all the time.

    Reply

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No-Bake Healthy Peanut Butter Balls Recipe - My Natural Family (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to make your own peanut butter? ›

You get to watch whole peanuts transform into the smoothest, creamiest nut butter you've ever seen. Its oozy texture beats any store bought brand I've tried, and its rich peanut flavor is out of this world. You won't be able to resist eating it by the spoonful!

Can I use Nutella instead of peanut butter? ›

Can you substitute Nutella for peanut butter in cookies? While Nutella is similar in texture to peanut butter, the differing levels of sugar and oil make it a harder to swap 1:1 in a peanut butter cookie recipe. What is this? Nutella has significantly more sugar and oil than creamy peanut butter.

Is peanut butter healthy? ›

Peanut butter can be a healthy part of a balanced diet—just a small amount packs plenty of protein, healthy fats, and essential vitamins and minerals. However, added sugar, salt, and unhealthy oils may make it more of a junk food. And people with peanut or nut allergies may have to avoid it altogether.

Why is my homemade peanut butter not smooth? ›

The more you pulse and blend the peanuts the smoother it will become. If you see that your mixture is still too dry after several pulses, you may add a bit of oil to help make it creamier. The process does require you to stop your blender or food processor from time to time to prevent it from overheating.

Why you shouldn't eat peanut butter every day? ›

While most of the fat in peanut butter is relatively healthy, peanuts also contain some saturated fat, which can lead to heart problems when consumed in excess over time. Peanuts are high in phosphorus, which can limit your body's absorption of other minerals like zinc and iron.

Is peanut butter bad for you if you eat it everyday? ›

Yes, it's OK to eat peanut butter every day (in moderation), says Largeman-Roth. That means sticking to the recommended serving size of two tablespoons, or close to that amount.

Can Nutella be healthy? ›

It does not have anywhere near the nutritional content of nut butters and is much higher in sugar and fat. Nutella has caught on worldwide with its creamy texture and sweet taste. Having some in moderation can be done without serious health damage. But it should be used as a dessert spread, just as it is marketed.

How healthy is Nutella compared to peanut butter? ›

Nutrition. Peanut butter has more protein, with 8 grams per 2 tablespoon serving compared to 3.5 grams in Nutella. It also has more fiber, with 2 grams versus 1 gram in Nutella. However, Nutella contains calcium, potassium and iron, while peanut butter has little to none of these minerals.

Is Jif peanut butter healthier than Nutella? ›

Peanut butter is a better source of vitamins than chocolate hazelnut spreads, since each 2-tablespoon serving provides you with 21 percent of the daily value for niacin and 14 percent of the DV for vitamin E and chocolate hazelnut spreads aren't a particularly good source for any vitamins.

Which type of peanut butter is healthiest? ›

"I recommend opting for one that say 'natural' on it, which usually means it's just peanuts with a dash of salt," Rizzo adds. When peanut butter does contain added salt, Largeman-Roth recommends choosing a brand with less than 100 milligrams of sodium per serving.

Can I eat a spoonful of peanut butter everyday? ›

It is OK to eat peanut butter every day, but in moderation. Do not eat more than 2 tablespoons, approximately 32 grams, a day. This protein-packed spread is made by blending roasted peanuts into a thick paste and contains various nutrients that promote good health.

What peanut butter has been recalled in 2024? ›

(Cape Town, 3 February 2024) Pick n Pay is recalling No Name Smooth Peanut Butter, Eden Smooth Peanut Butter and Eden Crunch Peanut Butter, which are sold throughout the country. All stocks of these products have already been removed from all stores countrywide.

Is it cheaper to make your own peanut butter? ›

Making your own peanut butter is a win/win because you control the amount of salt and sweetener, if any, that goes into it. And it's also a lot cheaper than store brands.

Should I roast my peanuts before making peanut butter? ›

All Natural Peanut Butter Recipe

It's best to start with raw or roasted peanuts. Even if you buy the roasted option, we recommend re-roasting them in the oven to help bring out the flavor. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Using a square or round cake pan, roast the nuts in the oven for 3 minutes.

Is homemade peanut butter better than store-bought? ›

While many commercial brands add unnecessary oils, making it yourself is a much healthier option because you control what goes into it. Homemade peanut butter is also cheaper than most natural brands in the stores.

Is making peanut butter cheaper than buying it? ›

Making your own peanut butter is a win/win because you control the amount of salt and sweetener, if any, that goes into it. And it's also a lot cheaper than store brands.

Which is better, homemade peanut butter or market peanut butter? ›

Store-bought peanut butter typically has a longer shelf life due to the addition of preservatives and specialised sealing techniques. Homemade peanut butter, lacking these preservatives, is more susceptible to spoilage, especially in hot and humid conditions.

Is it actually cheaper to make your own peanut butter? ›

If you want one ingredient peanut butter with no extra sugar or preservatives, making peanut butter at home with peanuts purchased in bulk is the cheapest option.

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