Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Energy Balls

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup whole roasted almonds
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

Directions

1. Add the oats to a food processor and pulse for 10 seconds, just enough to rough them up. You should see a mix of fine, sandy bits and larger oat pieces, which is exactly the texture you’re after.
2. In a small bowl, stir the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the oats and chocolate chips, then mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon. The dough will be dense and moldable, a little like playdough.
3. Without washing the food processor bowl, add the almonds, powdered sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Pulse until the coating resembles coarse sand. Aim for a fine mixture, with almond pieces smaller than the mini chocolate chips.
4. Scoop about 1 teaspoon of dough and roll it between your palms into a ball. It may seem slightly crumbly, but it should come together when you press it firmly. If it will not hold, stir another 1 tablespoon of peanut butter into the dough. Repeat with the remaining mixture, setting the balls on a wax paper-lined sheet pan or platter as you go.
5. After all the balls are shaped, roll each one in the almond coating. Once they have all been coated, repeat the coating process. The initial layer tends to sink into the dough, while the next one stays on the outside and makes them neater to eat.
6. Refrigerate the energy balls for 2 weeks. To freeze them, arrange them in a single layer on a platter or baking sheet until firm, then move them to a zip-top bag for up to 3 months.