Healthy S'mores Balls

s'mores balls on a counter surrounded by mini marshmallows and chocolate chips

These protein-packed energy balls are a healthy twist on s'mores. Store them in the freezer to grab when you want a sweet treat.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Refrigeration 30

Total Time 50

Servings balls

Calories 156kcal

Author Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

Equipment

Food processor

Ingredients

8 sheets graham crackers 32 total small rectangular crackers, about 1 cup ground
1 15-ounce can navy beans drained and rinsed
½ cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons maple syrup decrease to 1 or 2 tablespoons for less sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup mini marshmallows
¼ cup mini chocolate chips can sub cacao nibs

Instructions

Add the graham crackers to a food processor. Pulse until ground into fine crumbs. Keep ½ cup of the crumbs in the food processor. Transfer the rest to a plate or bowl for later.
Add the beans, peanut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the food processor with the crumbs. Pulse until a smooth batter forms. It will be sticky.
Remove the bowl with the batter from the food processor. You can remove the blade at this point too. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least a half hour until firm enough to roll.
After refrigeration, stir in the mini marshmallows and mini chocolate chips. You can also add these before you refrigerate the batter, but the texture of the marshmallows holds up better if you add them after refrigeration.
Scoop out a rounded tablespoon of the batter and form it into a ball with your hands. Roll the ball in the reserved graham cracker crumbs. Place the ball into a freezer-safe container. Repeat this step with the rest of the batter. Your hands will get sticky during this step, FYI. Try to roll the balls quickly because the batter will get softer/stickier and harder to roll the longer it's at room temperature. You should have between 12 and 15 balls.
Seal the container with the balls and transfer it to the freezer. Let the balls freeze for at least an hour before enjoying. Once the balls are frozen solid (if they've been in the freezer overnight, for example), I like to let them thaw for 10 minutes at room temperature before enjoying to make them easier to eat. They will last for up to 3 months in the freezer but are best when enjoyed within 1 month.
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Notes

If you need this recipe to be strictly vegetarian or vegan, use a vegan, honey-free brand of graham crackers (such as Nabisco), dairy-free/vegan chocolate chips (such as Enjoy Life), and vegan mini marshmallows (such as Dandies).

Nutrition