Date Energy Balls are a healthy snack that you can whip up in minutes, and they taste like cookie dough! All you need is 5 simple ingredients to get started.
Why You’ll Love Them
They’re quick to make. Just add the ingredients to a food processor, and process until the dough sticks together when pressed between your fingers. The whole process takes about 10 minutes!
They taste amazing. The combination of sweet dates, crunchy nuts, and a touch of salt makes these energy bites irresistible. They develop a chewy texture you’ll love!
They are easy to customize. If you don’t have walnuts on hand, you can use almonds, pecans, or you can even make them nut-free by using sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. If you’re not a fan of shredded coconut, you can replace it with extra nuts, or try adding in a little ground flax seeds for extra fiber.
They’re a nourishing snack. These bite-sized balls are loaded with vitamins and minerals, so they will keep you feeling satisfied! This was my go-to snack while breastfeeding, when I needed something easy to grab with one hand.
They are great for special diets. These date balls are gluten-free and vegan friendly, without using dairy or refined sugar. They’re also oil-free, for those following a whole food plant based diet.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Date balls are easy to customize, so this recipe is just a general suggestion for the ratios. If you don’t love coconut, you can leave it out and simply use a few more nuts.
Look for Medjool dates in the produce section of your grocery store, as they tend to be soft and squishy, and a little larger than other types of dates. If you can only find dates in the bulk section, you might want to soak them in hot water for at least 10 minutes, to help them soften up before processing.
Looking for more ideas? Try Chocolate Date Balls or Peanut Butter Date Balls, if you don’t want to guess on the ratio of ingredients.
How to Make Date Energy Balls
1. Process.
Add the dates, walnuts, coconut, vanilla extract, and sea salt into the bowl of a food processor fitted with an “S” blade. (I use a 12-cup food processor for this.)
Process the ingredients together until they break down and look crumbly, about 60 seconds. You’ll know the mixture is done when it sticks together easily when pressed between your fingers.
Note: You can over-process the date mixture into a greasy mess, so it’s better to stop and check when it looks crumbly. As soon as the mixture can be squeezed together into a ball, stop processing!
2. Roll into balls.
Use a tablespoon or 1-ounce cookie scoop to scoop the date mixture, then squeeze or roll it into balls between your hands.
Line a baking sheet or large plate with parchment paper, and place the balls on the prepared pan as you go. You should get roughly 18 balls from this recipe, but you can double it if you’d like to make more for the week ahead.
3. Enjoy!
You can enjoy one of these date balls right away, or store them in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. They will keep well in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
A high-speed blender is almost too powerful to blend the sticky dates, so it will require a LOT of patience, and stopping to scrape down the sides to keep everything moving. A food processor is wider, and therefore moves the ingredients around more easily without burning-out the motor.
If you want to use honey or maple syrup instead of dates, try my Peanut Butter Protein Balls recipe, which is made without a food processor.
Feel free to add a teaspoon of cinnamon for some spice, some chocolate chips for a cookie dough ball, or cocoa powder for chocolate date ball that tastes like a brownie bite.
Looking for more healthy snacks? Try Banana Snack Cake, Homemade Granola Bars, or Chocolate Hummus for more ideas.
Date Energy Balls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Medjool dates , pitted
- 1 cup walnuts (or other nuts/seeds)
- ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- In a large food processor fitted with an "S" blade, add the pitted dates, walnuts, coconut, vanilla extract, and salt. Process briefly, until the mixture looks crumbly.
- As soon as the mixture sticks together when pressed between your fingers, it's ready to roll into balls. Be careful not to over-process the mixture, as it can become quite greasy when blended for too long.
- Use a 1-ounce cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop the mixture, then roll it between your hands to form balls. (Sometimes you'll need to squeeze it first to stick together, then roll into balls.) Repeat the process with the remaining mixture, until you've made roughly 18 date balls.
- You can enjoy these date balls right away at room temperature, or store them in an airtight container with a lid. They will keep well in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
If you try this easy date ball recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it!
These are a staple in our house! Thank you!
I hate dates…like umm…ugh, can’t stand sight, texture or smell. BUT I am expecting a baby any day now and know the importance of compact energy sources so I ventured into making these. They are like crack! OMG…too good for words. I don’t even know what else to say but thank you, thank you, thank you!
These are amazing!! I cut the recipe in half because i didn’t need 2 dozen and the only recommendation i would make is to just use a little less than 1/2 a teaspoon of sea salt. Other than that these are great!!
These are sooooo good!!! Recipe came out fantastic! The touch of sea salt is perfect!
For my taste, this is the best healthy ball recipe I’ve found online.
Delicious as is or add a tablespoon of your fav protein powder or cocoa nibs.
A really good recipe to start with & make your own.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you so very much for all your wonderful recipes!!!
Loveeeeee!!!
These are SO delicious! I didn’t use walnuts (I don’t like walnuts) I used cashews in their place but damn! I’m going to making these again for xmas!
What is the recommended serving size? When people have these for a snack.. are they talking about just having one?
It depends on my appetite and time of the day. I usually have 1-2 at a time.
I’ve tried adding orange zest & sunflower seeds. Still is missing something….any suggestions?
Try cardamom!
Thanks for another easy, super yummy recipe!!
Delicious, yum and thank you! I’m avoiding all sweaters, natural and otherwise for awhile but need a healthy sweet treat once in awhile. These are excellent. I love your recipes and am sharing your website with friends.
Thanks for this great recipe but you don’t need a food processor. I put nuts/seeds in a plastic snap bag and bashed them with a rolling pin and roughly chopped the dates/berries with a sharp knife, I added Goji berries and a handful of chia seeds. Perfect for people on the go!!
Thank you for the base recipe! I used the left-over crumbs in a cashew/almond cluster bag, added pepitas, walnuts, and almond meal until I had the 2 cups. I threw in some cinnamon and grated nutmeg. Tastes great!
It’s funny because I also made these because I was nursing at the time (still am!) and it’s a great energizing snack. But I wanted my extremely picky toddler to eat some too so I turned then into “Date Pops”!
http://honeyanddates.com/2014/07/16/date-pops/
I’ve made these twice now and I never get a “sticky” batter or 24 balls! What am I doing wrong? They taste great tho 🙂 Just super hard to form into balls and I never get more than 18
It sounds like maybe your dates aren’t soft enough. Try soaking them in warm water for 15 minutes before processing them to see if that helps! And I do make the balls pretty small, using my trusty cookie scooper, but I always eat at least two of them at a time, too! 🙂
Thank you! I will try soaking the dates 🙂 Appreciate the reply!
I had this problem the first time too. I found that buying pitted dates just doesn’t work. I buy regular dates and “pit” them myself. Sooo much easier and makes for a stickier consistency. I’m addicted, I make them at LEAST once a month;) hope that helps!
I did not put the oil in and it turned out great.
Thanks to this wonderful recipe, my 7-year old finally ate walnuts! He has some sensory issues with food so I processed for a lot longer until everything was really smooth. It’s already a favorite of his. Thank you so much!!!!
My husband and I loved these! But I had to add like 3tbs of coconut oil.I processed it for like 7minutes and it just wouldnt get to a sticky consistency.any tips?
It sounds like your dates might have been on the drier side. Try soaking them in warm water for 15 minutes beforehand to soften them up, then drain before adding them to the food processor. That should help!
Adding a very small amount of warm water to the processing helps a lot if you are using pitted dates. I made them with Tangerine Olive oil instead of coconut oil, and used raw almonds. Delicious..
Love this recipe. I used pecans instead of walnuts and Ghee instead of coconut oil. Great snack for my daughter who is breastfeeding.
So….I’ve been reading a lot about how we should soak or even sprout grains and nuts before using them. This has really become a bit of an obstacle to using nuts in recipes b/c after I soak them, I have to decide how to dry them off. I have tried drying them in the oven at the lowest setting, but they still have a very different texture than raw nuts. I have a whole bag of pre-soaked and dried nuts in my freezer now. I will try to just use them directly in the recipe, but I was wondering if you had experience using soaked nuts in recipes like this. Thanks!!
Put them in the oven on the lowest setting for 24 hours. I got this idea from the Nourishing Traditions cookbook and it always works for me. The nuts come out crisp and better than raw!
I substituted a cup of ground oatmeal for one of the cups of nuts,to give extra slow-release energy for my daughter’s snack box. And a splash of lemon juice to balance out the sweetness of the other ingredients. Yum!
I prefer to soak walnuts for eight hours. Only thing I wonder if I should dehydrate at 105 degrees the walnuts prior to food processor or other process? I usually use a blank in my twin gear juicer vs. food processor for a more refined creamy texture. I like combination of 1 Cup Walnuts, 1 cup almonds, 1 cup raisons and/or 1 cup of dates. HOWEVER, I prefer above recipe for better balance of ingredients. Thanks for sharing. I am thinking about making it happen for vegan bake sale benefiting local wildlife center. 🙂
This is a great recipe! I think you could cut back on the salt, probably only using about 1/2 tsp for a lower sodium version. Also, there is so much oil in the walnuts that coconut oil really isn’t necessary, so I made them without it and they are still very fatty (and delicious!). Overall very tasty, will be making them again! Great snack on-the-go.
Agreed. They’re a bit too salty for my taste. I’m using less the next time I make these.
what size food processor do you use for this? (how many cups capacity)? thanks!
I used a magimix compact 3200. Plenty of room for this recipe.
Cal
Incredibly delicious!
I’m not a vegan but was looking for a nice “sweet” treat for a boxed lunch. As a caterer we must look for ideas for our clients that may have different food orientations than us carb-evours, I found that this recipe was easy and very well liked, had a wonderful review from my client. And complemented my other vegan/vegetarian options! Will use this recipe and also share with others!
These are SO GOOD! I’m off refined/added sugar of all types and was looking for something sweet. These are so amazing and delicious. You don’t need salt at all and I added a little more vanilla, but that’s just my taste. They’re very satisfying, too. It really helps sate my sweet tooth.
YUM! I also was looking for something healthy but sweet. These are so delicious. Almost too sweet. I will eat them in moderation. The little amount of salt is a nice addition. It gives it a sweet-salt taste.
Did you soak the dates?
Thank you!!
I used sunflower seeds but my mixture is too dry and wont form the balls.
Were the seeds used in substitution for something listed on the recipe? Or were they in addition to what the what it lists?
Thank you for all your wonderful & delicious recipes – this one in particular is our favorite! My 3 year old eats up to 4 a day & I serve it as desert to all our guests along with fresh berries. Everyone who tries them asks for the recipe so I forward the link to your site everytime!
One tip that I would offer is that I find leaving out the coconut oil to be much nicer – the shredded coconut, dates & walnuts are enough to bind it all together without it becoming so greasy when you roll them into balls.
Thanks for your great work!
These are super yummy and so easy to make! My 3 year old and 1 year old love them as well. My 1 year old loved them so much the first time I made them he cried when I wouldn’t let him eat more of them. I’ve made them with pecans and with almonds. Every time they turn out perfect. Great healthy treat to keep on hand!!!
These are absolutely delicious! I used table salt instead of sea salt (tho less than recommended) and found them on the verge of being too salty – won’t make that error next time! I think I may use a little less coconut oil too as my hands were super greasy after rolling them out 🙂 My tip is use the most succulent dates you can find and add a small handful of cocoa nibs to the mix – they add a lovely bit of crunch!
The key is using “Medjool dates” as the recipe specifies. They are always super soft and delicious and never need soaking. I get them at Costco!
How long do the date balls keep? Do you have to store them in the fridge?
I just made some “date energy balls” Soo delicious and filling.
I didnt have Medjool dates in store cupboard so used ordinary no soak prunes instead with a mix of sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds – delicious.
(Medjool dates are now on my shopping list).
Would love to know how many calories if followed your recipe?
Do you have the Nutritional breakdown for these?
Thanks!
I did not have 2 cups of anything. So I used some pecans and some almonds. Some dates and some dried cranberries. When I mixed it the paste was a little dry. After reading other posts I added about 1-2 tbsp. Of hot water during the process. Only cause I didn’t know it was going to be dry till I started mixing. Did not use the oil only because I forgot it.
These little balls are amazing, and so simple to make. I will definitely be making them again, and again, several times.
Thanks for sharing.
I’ve made this recipe several times with success. I used toasted almonds and added a little orange juice instead of coconut oil. That way it added enough moisture without being greasy to roll in my hands. Also added orange zest from one orange. Stored them in an air tight container in refrig. They’ stayed fresh for several weeks.
I just made these and had to sub out nuts for sunflower seeds, I added a little bakery emulsion Butter flavor because I wanted the rich buttery flavors that nuts impart :{} They turned our fabulous!!! Thank you so much for all of your delicious recipes 🙂
These looks delicious. I’ve been using Deglet Noir dates in my recipes since I haven’t wanted to spend the extra money for Medjool dates. I wonder if there is a big difference! I like to make a date compote for brown rice pudding that adds a perfect sweetness, just like in these energy balls. http://oldworldtaste.com/brown-rice-pudding-with-dried-fruit-compote/
I just used date and raw mixed nuts and put them in my ninja and made into bite sized balls. They were good just like this and no extra liquid was needed. I used about 10 dates to maybe a cup of the nuts.
I have been making these for the past few years and the whole family loves them. We usually add a bit of cocoa powder for chocolate kick. I have shared them with friends, family and neighbors and every time I’m asked for the recipe!
I’ve made these multiple times, including occasions where I made them as food gifts for my boss! They are DELICIOUS! Thank you!!!
I’ve made them several ways:
Mixing Almonds, Pecans and Walnuts
Just Almonds
Almonds and Walnuts
Almonds and Pecans
Even added in 100% cacao chocolate
By far the best way to have these is….Mixing Almonds, Pecans and Walnuts and rolling them in coconut after formed into balls.
Excellent job on the recipe and I felt nothing needed to be changed! You’re an official date ball Rockstar!
When I made these, I pressed them in a pan and let them get hard in the fridge. Then I cut them in small squares. I took them on a retreat and the ladies loved them! Yum!
I tried these over the weekend! Was simple and amazing! Thank you!
I’ve made these a couple times but just now read the introduction- I’m also using them for a midnight snack while nursing my newborn! Perfect satisfying but healthy treat for this hungry mommy. I like them with a combination of cashews and walnuts.
I am wondering if anyone tried something other than walnuts. I have made them with walnuts and LOVE them, but not I need to make them “nut” free for my daughter to take to school. Any ideas on the best substitute? TIA.
Check out my nut-free version here: https://detoxinista.com/2017/03/3-ingredient-nut-free-energy-bites/
Any ideas for substitute I can use for the coconut oil? Or can I omit it? Thanks!
Yes, you can omit it and just blend them longer until they stick together. Or, you can add a tiny splash of water to help them stick together. Water can make them “too sticky” really fast, so just be careful– I’d start with 1 teaspoon at a time, if you go that route.
Thank you! Can’t wait to try that.
Ok. I made these today, and they turned out awesome! I only had 1 cup of walnuts left on hand so had to substitute 1 cup of flaxseed meal. Then I simply omitted the coconut oil (used 1.5 tsp water) and rolled them in dark cocoa powder. My 3rd is now 2 mo old but my appetite is still insane! Just can’t seem to kick my nighttime snacking habit. Anyway, these should come in handy. Thanks for posting!