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Have you been searching for a healthy snack that you and your kids can eat without feeling guilty?
As a dietitian and mom, I’m always on the lookout for healthy snacks that also taste delicious.
These chocolate strawberry bliss balls are jam packed with protein, fiber, iron, and even some fruit too!
Table of Contents
What You Need to Make Bliss Balls
Other than the freeze dried strawberries, these chocolate strawberry bliss balls require pretty basic ingredients that are frequently found in most pantries.
Ingredients for Chocolate Strawberry Bliss Balls
- Quick oats
- Ground flaxseed – I like to use TinySprouts Milled Flaxseed
- Cocoa
- Honey
- Nut or seed butter of choice – I like to use natural peanut butter without any added sugar
- Freeze dried strawberries – I always have luck finding these at Target
- Mini chocolate chips
Equipment for Bliss Balls
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
- Scooper – optional, but makes scooping uniform bliss balls easy!
How to Make Chocolate Strawberry Bliss Balls
The hardest part about making these bliss balls is stirring all the ingredients together. You’re going to have to get your hands dirty, or let your kids get theirs dirty if you can handle it..
While it might give your arms a workout, they’re worth it.
Before you mix all your ingredients together in a bowl, you need to smash the freeze dried strawberries into smaller pieces by placing them in a Ziploc bag and using a meat tenderizer, spoon, or just your hands to break the strawberries up into small pieces.
You’re welcome to use a mixing spoon or rubber spatula, but eventually you may have to get your hands dirty. I recommend taking off any rings or any jewelry you have on your fingers or hands for this part.
If you feel like your bliss ball mixture is too sticky, add a little more quick oats.
And if your bliss ball mixture is too dry and isn’t sticking together very well, add more nut butter or honey.
Once your bliss ball mixture is well combined, roll 1-2 tablespoons into a ball and place on a parchment-lined sheet tray. I like to use a scooper for this part to make consistently shaped bliss balls.
Once you have all your chocolate strawberry bliss balls rolled out and on your sheet pan, place them in the freezer for a few hours or overnight until they are individually frozen. I like to lay a piece of parchment paper down on the sheet pan so I have less dishes to wash.
From here you can place them all in an airtight container or freezer bag.
I like to store my bliss balls in the freezer and pull out as needed since they thaw quickly. However, you can also store them in the fridge for a week at a time.
Your bliss balls will last in the freezer for three to six months, but I promise you you’ll eat them all before then.
Variations
There are endless variations to these chocolate strawberry bliss balls. We made Christmas peanut butter bliss balls this past winter and they were also a huge hit!
Keep the base ingredients of nut butter, honey, ground flaxseed, and oats and add your favorite mix ins:
- Mini M&Ms
- White chocolate chips
- Craisins
- Raisins
- Reeses pieces
- Shredded coconut
- Butterscotch chips
- Pistachios
Or skip the add-ins, cocoa, and freeze dried strawberries and make peanut butter chocolate chip bliss balls.
What if I Can’t Stop Eating Them?
Because these chocolate strawberry bliss balls are so tasty, it’s understandable you and your kids may want to eat them all in one sitting. I watched my son take one after the other until he probably ate around nine of these delicious bliss balls one day.
As with any sweet, treat, dessert, or any food for that matter, if you feel out of control around it that typically means we need to find a more sustainable way to incorporate it into our diet.
Maybe add one or two to your daily afternoon snack or lunch every day. This way you know you’ll have more tomorrow, making the chocolate strawberry bliss balls more accessible and less of an off limits food.
I’m a big fan of including sweets, treats, and desserts with meals for kids and adults to help minimize the novelty and obsession.
The forbidden fruit is always the most desired
To learn about how to successfully incorporate sweets, treats, and desserts into you and your child’s diet, along with the research that backs this philosophy up, read here.
Can You Use Fresh Strawberries?
I’m going to have to say no to this one. The moisture in the fresh strawberries likely won’t work out well in this recipe. However, fresh strawberries are a great option to pair with these chocolate strawberry bliss balls.
How to Store Bliss Balls
Store bliss balls in an airtight container or freezer bag in the fridge for seven days or freezer for three to six months. I love the Rubbermaid Brilliance containers!
What to Serve With It
These chocolate strawberry bliss balls are great to enjoy by themselves, but I always like to pair a fruit or vegetable with any snack to either increase exposure to your picky eater or simply help you eat more fruits and vegetables in general.
Pairing options for bliss balls
- Fresh strawberries
- Celery
- Apple slices
- Banana
- Orange slices
Chocolate Strawberry Bliss Balls
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
- Scooper optional
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 3 cups Quick oats
- 1 cup Peanut butter
- 1/2 cup Honey
- 1/2 cup Ground flaxseed
- 1/2 cup Mini chocolate chips
- 1 cup Freeze dried strawberries crushed
- 2 tbsp Cocoa
Instructions
- Place freeze-dried strawberries in a Ziploc bag and crush strawberries into small pieces with your hands, meat tenderizer, or potato masher.
- Mix all ingredients together until well combined using rubber spatula, spoon, or hands.
- Roll 1-2 Tbsp of mixture into a ball and place on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Freeze bliss balls for 1-2 hours or over night, then place bliss balls in an airtight container or Ziploc bag and store in the freezer. Pull bliss balls out as needed and enjoy!
Other Recipes You’ll Love
Christmas Peanut Butter Bliss Balls
Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal
