A wonderfully short list of ingredients and a 10-minute preparation time make these chocolate peanut butter fat bombs one of the easiest keto treats in my repertoire.
It took me a while to realize that the panicky “OMG I will never get to eat sweets again” sinking feeling that I had when embarking on a low-carb diet was completely misguided. You absolutely do get to enjoy keto desserts – you just use different ingredients to make them.
And while I used to vehemently object to the concept of fat bombs, believing that artificial ways of upping one’s fat intake were unnecessary, I now make them simply as a treat – I love having one of them with espresso as my after-dinner dessert.
The ingredients you’ll need
One of the best things about this recipe is its ultra-short ingredients list. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
Natural creamy peanut butter: I use Trader Joes’. The only ingredients listed are peanuts and salt, and you need to stir it well before using. I highly recommend using a freshly opened and stirred jar. This will ensure the peanut butter is fairly liquid and not too thick. Once refrigerated, it thickens. And no matter how well you stir, the peanut butter near the bottom of the jar tends to be too dry.
Sweetener: I use stevia glycerite, which nearly eliminates the bitter aftertaste typical to other stevia products. A link to the specific product I use is provided in the recipe card below. See the discussion below about stevia alternatives.
Cocoa powder: I use unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder. It’s milder, darker, and less acidic than natural cocoa powder. But if all you have on hand is natural cocoa powder, you can use that instead.
Can I use a granulated sweetener?
If you’d rather use a granulated sweetener, you should use a powdered sweetener, or the fat bombs will have a grainy mouthfeel. And you’ll need to add a little water to the mixture to prevent it from being too dry and chalky.
In my experiments of this version, I determined that 2 tablespoons of water work. But start with one tablespoon, mix it well into the batter, then decide if you want to add another one. Your goal is to have a smooth dough that you can shape with your hands.
How to make fat bombs
The short ingredients list is one big advantage of this recipe. Another advantage: It’s so easy to make! The detailed instructions are listed in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
1. In a medium bowl, add the peanut butter, the stevia, and the cocoa powder. If you’ve used a powdered sweetener, add 1-2 tablespoons of water. In fact, even if you use stevia, you might need to add a teaspoon of water if the mixture feels very dry.
2. Mix the ingredients with a fork or with a rubber spatula until smooth. The mixture will be very thick. Kind of like edible playdough.
3. Use a scant cookie scoop to portion the mixture out, then shape each portion with your hands into a smooth ball. If you used stevia you’ll probably get six balls. If you used a powdered sweetener, you should get seven of them.
How to use them
I consider them a dessert, similar to keto truffles but easier to make, so that’s how I tend to use them. As mentioned above, I like to have one of them with an espresso after dinner.
Many people view them as a snack and that’s fine too. You can just grab one and pop it into your mouth for a quick and tasty pick-me-up. They are also very portable, as long as you place them in a container that would prevent them from being squished.
How to store keto fat bombs
I store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days (although we usually polish them off on the very first day!). I don’t recommend storing them in the fridge – they harden and become dry.
However, if your kitchen is very warm, you might need to place them in the fridge. To decide if they need to be refrigerated, I suggest keeping them at room temperature for a few hours and checking on them to see how they’re doing and whether they’re becoming too soft.
You should also store them in the fridge if you plan on keeping them for longer than a day or two. In the fridge, you can keep them in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
If you determine that they should be refrigerated, please remove them from the fridge an hour before you plan on enjoying them, to allow them to soften.
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Fat Bombs
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter (use a freshly opened jar)
- 1 teaspoon stevia glycerite (scant; equals a scant 1/3 cup powdered sugar)
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder Dutch-processed*
Optional ingredients:
- Pinch sea salt (only if your peanut butter doesn't contain salt)
- 1-2 tablespoons water (if using a powdered sweetener instead of stevia)
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a medium bowl, add the peanut butter, the sweetener, and the cocoa powder. If using a powdered sweetener, you'll also need to add 1-2 tablespoons of water (start with 1). Even if using stevia, you might need to add a teaspoon of water.
- Mix the ingredients with a fork or with a rubber spatula until smooth. The mixture will be very thick. It should be like an edible playdough.
- Use a scant cookie scoop to portion the mixture out, then shape each portion with your hands into a smooth ball. If you used stevia, you should get 6 balls. With a powdered sweetener, you should get 7.
- Store the fat bombs in an airtight container on the counter. If your kitchen is very warm, you might need to store them in the fridge. If you do, remove them from the fridge an hour before enjoying them.
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NOTES
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, Reader's Digest, and Better Homes and Gardens.