If the holidays have left you surrounded by cookies and confections made with white sugar and refined flour, you’re not alone. While I enjoy a classic sugar cookie now and then, sometimes a lighter option is welcome. These peanut butter snowballs are a healthier, satisfying holiday treat — lower in refined ingredients but still delicious enough to enjoy one (or two) guilt-free. The recipe came together out of necessity one evening when I had a sweet craving but nothing sugary in the house. I combined a few simple pantry staples and ended up with a fantastic snack. We liked them so much I doubled the batch the next day to bring to a Christmas party. They also make a festive neighbor gift: the white coconut coating next to the red dried fruit looks very holiday-appropriate.
Healthy Holiday Treat: Peanut Butter Snowballs
No reviews
- Author: Healthy Happy Mama
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 27 balls 1x
Description
A healthy, festive snack that’s simple to make and perfect for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup natural peanut butter
- 1 cup honey
- 1 cup rolled oats (not instant)
- 2 cups dried fruit of choice, preferably red (a blend of cranberries, cherries, black currants, and pomegranate works well — or use a single variety)
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the shredded coconut in a shallow bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter and honey until smooth. Stir in the rolled oats and dried fruit; the mixture will be quite sticky. With slightly wet hands, roll the mixture into roughly 1 1/2-inch balls.
- Toss each ball in the shredded coconut to coat, then arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake about 20 minutes, or until the coconut is lightly toasted. Remove from the oven and let cool briefly, then transfer the tray to the freezer for 20–30 minutes to firm up. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Snacks
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ball
- Calories: 156
- Sugar: 18.8g
- Sodium: 51.1mg
- Fat: 6.4g
- Carbohydrates: 24.4g
- Protein: 2.4g
A quick note: I accidentally used waxed paper instead of parchment on one batch. Fortunately the oven wasn’t hot enough and the balls weren’t in long, so I was able to peel the paper off without damage. Lesson learned: use parchment.
My daughter Meghan wasn’t in the mood to help with the cooking, but she had fun doing her own version of kitchen play while I prepared the treats.
We’re in the middle of potty training, so she’s often without pants — not my favorite phase of parenting, but it’s part of life right now.
There’s still time to enter to win TWO jars of organic coconut oil. Check out the giveaway on the original blog post!