These are quite literally, the balls. The DB’s. Or as my 5 year old would say, “the dodge-balls”. SO many great things about this recipe:
1. 4 INGREDIENTS: Very likely to already have them in your cupboard at midnight when you’re jonseing for a sweet treat.
2. SUGAR, GLUTEN & DAIRY FREE: If you require such things.
3. NO BAKE: The dough IS the finished product, so you can get stuck in as fast as you can sneak your hand in past the slowing kitchen aid beater.
Faff Factor: 4/5 * Flavour 5/5 * Fridge to Face: 30 mins
(Makes approx. 50 balls)
Ingredients
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup peanut butter (I use salted)
2/3 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Alt. Ingredients
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup ground flax
1/2 cup Rice Crispies
1 cup peanut butter (I use salted)
2/3 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Method:
– Put all ingredients into a large bowl and mix until all incorporated. (Kitchen stand mixer makes quick work of this if you have one.)
– Test the mixture by pressing some of it together with your fingers. If it sticks together you’re good to go, if it crumbles apart, add water or nut milk a tablespoon at a time until mixture sticks together.
– Grab about a golf ball sized chunk of mixture and mould into a ball using your hands. Scoop a bunch, then mould a bunch, in batches.
– Repeat with all the mixture, makes about 50 balls. Store in a tub in the freezer. Can be eaten directly from the freezer. Especially good with a hot cup of builder’s tea.
Modify:
– This recipe makes about 50 golf ball sized balls. This fills 2 1/2 (650g) yogurt containers for the freezer. Recipe can easily be halved.
– I’ve only tried these with peanut butter, but pretty sure they’d work well with any nut butter. May have to play with the quantity of oats to get the right consistency for rolling. Can be sprinkled while mixing in until desired consistency achieved.
– Sub out chocolate chips for cranberries or raisins… although not sure why you would…
– Roll finished balls in coconut or hemp seeds
– Dip finished balls 1/2 way into in melted chocolate and put on a parchment papered tray in the fridge until set
– Toasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds would also work in these.
Faff Notes: Not going to lie, rolling the balls is, well, a ball-ache. I get some tunes or a podcast on, grab a cookie scoop and make them in batches. I scoop out about 10 chunks of mixture onto the parchment paper, then form those 10 into balls using my hands. I find having a little bowl of water on hand to dip my finger tips into occasionally helps the dough not stick as much. After I’ve rolled the 10, I run my hands under the tap to get most of the dough off, then scoop 10 more and repeat.
Flavour Notes: Everyone in the family LOVES these. They’re awesome for a hit of something sweet after dinner, great for keeping you going on the trails, fabulous for the wee one as a park snack. Winner, all round.
Plantish 