It has been too hot to bake even in the early morning hours, but I have been craving something sweet. This filled satisfied my sweet tooth.
THE BACKSTORY
This recipe is from EatingWell.com and doesn't require an oven! Well, you could use a microwave oven to melt the chocolate if you don't want to use a double boiler.
THE BAKE
This recipe, Crispy Peanut Butter Balls, was posted back in January 2017. It can easily be modified to use your favorite nut butter and chocolate. For one of my favorite taste testers, sunflower seed butter and Enjoy Dark Chocolate Morsels is used due to their food sensitivities. The final product could be topped with sea salt if you like. You can even use a flavored maple syrup. I tried a couple recently at a farmer's market that were fantastic.
For 12 somewhat consistent balls, a small cookie scoop such as the OXO Size 60 2-teaspon scoop. Not having one handy, used my OXO Size 70 1-tablespoon scoop for fewer larger balls. Not complaining at all.
The total time for start to finish is about 45 minutes that includes two 15-minute freeze times.
The ingredients are straightforward.
- 1/2 cup nut butter
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate, melted
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 3/4 cup crispy rice cereal
Mix the peanut butter, maple syrup and crispy rice cereal. I microwaved the peanut butter for 20 seconds at 60 percent to make it easier to mix in the crispy rice. Use a cookie scoop, 2-teaspoon measure spoon, or spoon to create balls. Place them on the parchment or wax paper lined baking sheet. Freeze for 15 minutes or until firm.
While the balls are freezing, melt the chocolate. My microwave's "Melt Chocolate" setting allows me to do this mostly hands free. If yours doesn't, in 30-second bursts, melt your chocolate. Stir for a few seconds to make sure all morsels are melted.
Roll the balls in the chocolate, placing them back on the baking tray. Freeze for an additional 15 minutes or until set.
Store in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator for 3 weeks or so.
THE RESULT
Lovely delicious treat without heating up the house.
WILL I MAKE IT AGAIN
I've made this recipe three times already. The last time, I used the wrong scoop and ended up with double the size balls. Not quite golf ball sized but pretty close.
