Peanut Butter Truffles

On the Friday before we left for our trip, we were invited to a friend’s house for a tapas & appetizers party.  At the last minute, we decided we’d better bring a snack, but I only had 30 minutes to come up with something genius.  Yep, I was freaking out a little.

I thumbed through my phone apps; I wanted something healthy but indulgent-tasting (this was seeming like a physical impossibililty).  I came across a recipe entitled “Chocolate Earth Balls” on the Whole Foods Recipes apps.  Great recipe, terrible name!  It consisted of peanut butter, cocoa, honey, coconut…but, really…”earth balls?!”  Lol.  They looked really easy, so I made them (with a few personal touches, of course) and re-named them “Peanut Butter Truffles.”  Voila!

They were a huge hit, even with the kids at the party!  Actually, the recipe recommends making them with your kids ‘cuz it’s a little bit messy and they can use their hands.  I made them a week and a half ago, and they’re still good! 

*my saving grace, time-wise, was that I kept the peanut butter in the fridge, so they only needed to re-chill while I did my makeup & got dressed for the party!

Peanut Butter Truffles….a.k.a. “Earth Balls”
1 c. peanut butter
1/3 c. honey
2 tsp. cocoa powder
1/2 c. dried cherries (the original recipe called for raisins, but you could use any dried fruit!)
3/4 c. unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 c. chocolate chips (you could use white chocolate or cinnamon or whatever)
1/4 c. sesame seeds
1/4 c. finely chopped nuts

In a large bowl, mix the peanut butter, honey, and cocoa until well combined.  Stir in the dried fruit and 2 Tbsp. of the coconut, then stir in the chocolate chips; dough will be pretty stiff.  Refrigerate 1-2 hours (less if you refrigerate your peanut butter).

In a small bowl, add the remaining coconut, sesame seeds, and nuts for topping.  Remove dough from refrigerator; scoop 1 1/4 inch scoops of dough and roll into a rough ball (try not to handle it too much or it will stick all over you!)  It should look kind of shaggy around the edges still. 

Drop the ball into the topping mixture and coat with topping.  Re-roll the ball to a more rounded shape and roll it in the topping once more, coating it evenly.  Repeat until all of the dough is rolled into balls.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

-Like I said, these were a huge hit at the party with people of all ages!  Just be sure the kids don’t have peanut allergies!

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