Monster Cookie Energy Balls
Boo Everyone! Happy Halloween! I hope that you all have some spooky fun and plenty of your favorite treats today! I can’t honestly say what my favorite Halloween candy would be. It would definitely be chocolate. There would probably be some sort of peanut butter or caramel involved. I am not a huge nougat fan so I could rule that out. Hmmm. This requires some deliberation and most likely some taste tests.
Anywho…..I wrote this post a couple of weeks ago and am just now finding the time to polish it up and smooth it out for sharing. It seems pretty appropriate for today since it is all about Monster Cookie Energy Balls. Get it…monsters…Halloween…chuckle, chuckle? Well, enough hilarity. On to the recipe.
So, a couple of weeks ago I was sitting in the back seat of a campus car on my way to Chicago for a conference. I figured that I might as well get some writing in while I was sitting there on my tush. And, I happened to have a container of Monster Cookie Energy Balls right next to me. They were hidden in a bag so that I was not tempted to pop them in my mouth one after another. Who am I kidding? I was tempted. I could seriously eat an entire batch. You see, I love the monster cookie flavor and texture. The combination of peanut butter and oats and chocolate in a chewy cookie is a seriously delicious force of nature. When I am trolling Pinterest and I see a recipe that has anything to do with monster cookies, I click. And, to be honest, I don’t make many of them, but I want them all just in case. I used to limit my monster cookie fix to the once a year Christmas baking but then I decided that there is no reason not to enjoy this obsession the whole year through. One of the best decisions ever! A few years ago, I found this energy ball recipe and thought I would give it a try. To tell the truth, I was not convinced that so few ingredients could give me the monster cookie flavor that I love. Well, I soon realized that my doubts were unfounded. These little suckers are so, so good. Monster Cookie Energy Balls are power-packed and flavor-packed. The peanut butter and honey combine in a soft and sweet base for the slightly chewy oats and little chunks of chocolate and candy-coated heaven.
There are only a few ingredients and you probably have most of them in your pantry right now. I don’t always have the mini M&M’s and mini chocolate chips on hand which is probably a good thing. I would be too tempted to make these more often and then eat them all. Seriously, if you make these you will love them. If you share with others, be prepared to share the recipe too. I guarantee that you will be asked.
You will need peanut butter, old-fashioned oats, honey, vanilla extract, mini chocolate chips and mini M&M’s. I use the mini baking M&M’s but you can also use the regular mini M&M’s.
You do not have to use a mixer for this, but I do just so that I know everything is mixed thoroughly – and I’m lazy sometimes. This is a no-bake recipe, but you will need a baking sheet. I cover mine in parchment just to make sure that the balls don’t stick after chilling.
Combine the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla in your mixer bowl and mix until completely combined. Mix the oats in until everything is evenly distributed.
Mix in the chocolate chips and M&M’s. You can do this with the mixer on low speed or by hand. Once mixed thoroughly, use an ice cream or cookie scoop to measure out mounds that are about 2 or 3 tablespoons full. Roll the mounds into balls with your hands and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill the energy balls for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Enjoy these chilled or at room temperature.
These keep very well. Since none of the ingredients are perishable you can pack them in lunch boxes or take them to a party or practice. The peanut butter, honey, and oats provide great energy and the little bursts of chocolate are a special treat. Enjoy!
Monster Cookie Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 5 cups old-fashioned oats
- 2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup honey
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 10 oz mini chocolate chips
- 10 oz mini M&M candies
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, honey and vanilla until evenly mixed. I use my mixer for this but it isn't necessary.
- Mix the oats in until everything is evenly distributed.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and M&M's. You can do this by hand or with the mixer on low speed.
- Use an ice cream or cookie scoop to measure out mounds that are about 2 or 3 tablespoons full. Roll the mounds into balls with your hands and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Chill the energy balls for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Enjoy these chilled or at room temperature.
