Healthy Cookie Balls (aka Energy Bites)

These healthy cookie balls are a staple in our refrigerator. When our two-year old grandson visits, he knows that he can always find this healthy treat in Nana and Papa’s refrigerator. It was our grandson that actually named these little gems. We always called them energy bites. Our grandson thought they were a cookie in a ball shape so we changed the name to cookie balls. Don’t fret though – they are still a healthy energy bite. They are perfect to pack in a lunch,  throw in your backpack,  grab as your walking out the door,  offer guests who stop by,  pass out to neighbors in cute decorative boxes, have post workout or enjoy yourself. These can also be a healthy carb to add onto your breakfast or as a quick pick-me-up afternoon snack.

Chocolate Chips: We prefer dark chocolate in our house but milk chocolate could be substituted. We use and recommend 60% Cocoa Bittersweet Chips which can be found and ordered through Ghiradelli. Not a huge chocolate fan? No problem. You can omit the chocolate chips and enjoy these healthy cookie balls the chocolate. Or, you could always swap out chocolate chips for walnuts, white chocolate chips or anything that you think would mix well with the peanut butter.

Another favorite chocolatey treat is the Healthy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins. A common ingredient to both the healthy chocolate chip pumpkin muffins and the healthy cookie balls is our homemade vanilla extract that I LOVE. The taste is incredible and the aroma is amazing. My husband makes our own vanilla from vanilla beans from Mexico, Madagascar and Tahiti from premium vanilla beans purchased from Beanilla . Not only do they offer premium vanilla beans, they are also a wonderful small Midwest business we like to support.