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Powerball Cookies

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By Rachel Tiemeyer
March 16, 2020 | Share:
Powerball cookies have been a longtime favorite in my home. Look no further for a great make-ahead, freezer-friendly snack. 
 
No Bake Powerball Cookies on a plate

What’s in these no-bake Powerball Cookies?

With a few simple pantry ingredients, you can whip these up in no time! The beauty of this recipe is the ingredients are somewhat fluid. Add or subtract based on what you like or what you have on hand. Here is what you’ll need:

  • Peanut butter or almond butter
  • Honey
  • Old-fashioned oats
  • Flax seed (Why eat flaxseed?)
  • Dark chocolate chips (or 3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips)
  • 1 cup any combination of these add-ins:
    • chopped nuts (i.e. chopped pecans, sliced almonds, etc.)
    • unsweetened shredded coconut
    • chia seed
    • soft dried fruits (i.e. raisins, dried cranberries, etc)
Powerball cookie ingredients in white bowls

Once you’ve gotten all of your ingredients beautifully placed in nice, neat, white bowls like above … (JUST KIDDING! No one actually does that unless they are a food blogger, right?!)

Anywhoo, once you’ve rounded up all of the ingredients you want in your powerball cookies, you’ll add them all into a big ‘ol mixing bowl.

Tip: I’ve found that if I warm the peanut butter and honey just a tad it makes it easier to stir all of the ingredients together.

Powerball cookie ingredients being mixed together

Watch How Easily Powerball Cookies Come Together…

How do I store Powerball Cookies?

Here’s the fun part. Using wet hands and/or a small ice cream scoop, form small balls and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.

You’ll freeze them this way so that they hold their form. Once they are frozen, transfer them to an airtight freezer container and store them in the freezer.

Be sure to train the kids to know where they are at. They’ll be asking!

A hand holding a powerball cookie

Make sure to make a double batch too. Not only do these make a great afternoon snack, they can also be a great breakfast!

Closeup of powerball cookies
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Powerball Cookies

★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Thriving Home
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 30–35 cookies 1x
  • Category: Cookies
  • Method: Mix
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

Powerball Cookies are a healthy, real-food snack. Careful, it’s hard to stop at just one!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-natural peanut butter or almond butter (crunchy peanut butter is really yummy!)
  • 1 cup honey (I often cut this back to 3/4 cup and make up the 1/4 cup with more nut butter)
  • 3 cups old-fashioned oats (quick-cooking works fine)
  • 1/2 cup ground flax seed (Why eat flaxseed?)
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips (or 3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips)
  • 1 cup any combination of these add-ins:
    • chopped nuts (i.e. chopped pecans, sliced almonds, etc)
    • unsweetened shredded coconut
    • chia seeds
    • soft dried fruits (i.e. raisins, dried cranberries, etc)

Instructions

Make It Now:

  1. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the peanut butter and honey until smooth. (Tip: You may want to warm them in the microwave first to make this step easier.)
  2. Stir in oats and flaxseed.
  3. Add the chocolate chips and your 1 cup of preferred add-ins. Stir until well combined.
  4. Using wet hands or a wet cookie scoop, shape the mixture into 30-35 balls. Use a heaping tablespoon of mixture per cookie.

Freeze For Later: Follow Steps 1-4. Place the rolled cookies on a sheet pan (line with parchment paper for easier clean up). Place in the freezer for an hour or so, until hardened. Place them into a freezer bag or airtight freezer container for up to 3 months. Prepare From Frozen: Either set cookies out on the counter to thaw slightly or warm in the microwave for about 15 seconds.

Hand grabbing a powerball cookie
 

More Healthy Snacks You Might Like:

 

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies: BEST EVER Soft Batch Version

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By Rachel Tiemeyer
August 22, 2016 | Share:

A perfect Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip cookie does exist!

Whole wheat cookies on a baking sheet and plate

Yes, it is true. A real food, whole wheat version of a soft, chewy chocolate chip cookie does exist! I’ve searched high and low and baked many failures over the years. But, this one. Oh, this one. It works.

Whole wheat cookies on a plate

In fact, just to prove my point: My farm boy husband, whose mom is a fabulous baker, straight up told me, “These taste just like mom’s.” I didn’t tell him that they don’t have shortening or white flour in them. That’s just our secret, k?

A whole wheat cookie broken in half

Here’s the deal. To make this cookie taste just like the white flour version, you MUST buy a variety of whole wheat called “White Whole Wheat”. It’s a softer, less grainy whole wheat variety that still retains all the nutrition of the one you’re used to (typically hard red wheat). White Whole Wheat is becoming more and more prevalent in stores. Although King Arthur has a version that’s delicious, I’ve bought the off-brand and it works well too. So buy it in store or order online to have on hand for all your baked goods.

Stack of whole wheat cookies

Now on to the recipe that I tweaked from my America’s Test Kitchen cookbook, The New Best Recipe, a must-have cookbook in my summation. Feel better about making this soft batch whole wheat chocolate chip cookie!

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A perfect Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip cookie does exist! These are the best soft batch ones ever.

Soft Batch Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • Author: Thriving Home
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 2 dozen small cookies 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

These are the BEST EVER soft batch, whole wheat cookies. They include all real food ingredients but retain the flavor and texture of the classic version.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour (this wheat variety is very important!)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until just warm
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 – 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat to 325 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or cooking spray.
  2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined.
  4. Add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
  5. Scoop a heaping tablespoon per cookie and roll in a ball. Place dough balls on lined sheet pan, spacing them out so they won’t touch when baked.
  6. Bake until the cookies are light golden brown, the outer edges start to harden, and the middle is still soft and puffy, about 15 minutes or so. Note: If baking two sheet pans of cookies at a time, be sure to rotate top and bottom and turn them front to back halfway through the cooking time.
  7. Let cookies cool slightly on the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack using a metal spatula.