No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bites

I found this recipe in a gluten free Better Homes & Gardens magazine.  These are really good little snacky things, or good for breakfast too.  They are a big hit here because of the peanut butter and chocolate.  I use Skippy Natural peanut butter, which has the texture of commercial peanut butter but without the other oils...but I don't think that the natural peanut butter that you have to stir and keep in the fridge would work in this recipe, because of the texture/structure.  I made a double batch of these just now (at like 2:30 in the afternoon) and they are almost half gone (of course two of the kids have friends over).  I secreted away a few of them so I can eat them over the weekend. 

No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bites
½ cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1 ¼ cups shredded unsweetened coconut, divided
1 cup rolled oats
¼ cup semisweet chocolate pieces
¼ cup dried cherries, cranberries, or raisins

In a medium bowl, stir together peanut butter, honey, and vanilla until well mixed.  Stir in 1/2 cup of the coconut, the oats, chocolate, and fruit.  Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Place the remaining 3/4 cup coconut in a food processor.  Cover and pulse until chopped.  Using hands, shape peanut butter mixture into 30 balls, each about 1" in diameter.  Roll balls in chopped coconut to coat, pressing slightly to adhere.  Cover and chill for 30 minutes before serving.  Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

I used my Pampered Chef cookie scoop to scoop them from the bowl and onto a plate, all at once.  Then shaped them into balls, then dipped them in the coconut and put them in the container.  This way my hands only had to get gross one time, and I didn't get the scoop gross going from rolling into a ball and then back to the scoop to scoop more, because I hate that.  The picture above is a double batch, minus the 7 that I hid in the fridge in a different container.  So if you even remotely think your kids will like this one, you should make a double batch.

Also, if you buy the unsweetened shredded coconut in the green bag ("Lets do...Organic" is the brand name...which wouldn't have been my first choice but whatever), it's the perfect size already and you wouldn't have to chop the coconut before rolling the balls into it.

Easy and yummy AND healthy...perfect storm. Enjoy ;)