In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener), and vanilla with a whisk until smooth.
Crumble the rice cakes. Personally, I do this by placing them in a ziplock bag and crumbling them with my hands, and then using a can of beans to roll over the bag to get an even finer texture. I use the same method for crushing the walnuts.
Add the crushed rice cakes and nuts to the bowl with the batter and stir well to incorporate. Reserve some of the nuts for topping.
Use about 1 tablespoon of the batter to form a ball and pack it well. The mixture makes about 10-12 balls depending on how big you make them.
In a separate small bowl, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, stopping and stirring about every 20-30 seconds until smooth.
Submerge each ball in the chocolate and roll until they are coated well. Transfer to a plate or platter lined with wax paper to prevent sticking as you coat each ball.
Sprinkle the shredded coconut and crushed walnut toppings as soon as all of the balls are chocolate-coated.
Refrigerate for about 30 minutes until the chocolate has hardened. Then serve!
