Crispy Pistchio Balls (Healthy Dubai Chocolate)

chocolate pistachio balls on a white plate.

Crispy Pistchio Balls (Healthy Dubai Chocolate)

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: healthy

Keyword: pistachio date balls

Prep Time: 23

Cook Time: 2

Total Time: 25

Servings:

Calories: 125kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

These pistachio balls are my take on a healthy Dubai chocolate bar. The center is naturally sweetened with dates and gets a crispy texture from rice cereal. You can eat these on their own as a healthy snack, or coat them in melted dark chocolate for a truffle-like experience.

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Ingredients

1 cup shelled pistachios (I use salted ones)
1 cup Medjool dates (pitted)
1 cup crispy rice cereal (gluten-free, if needed)
⅔ cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

Add the shelled pistachios to a large food processor fitted with an S-blade. Secure the lid and process until the pistachios are finely ground, about 60 seconds.
Then add the pitted dates and rice cereal. Secure the lid on the food processor and process again until the mixture sticks together when pressed between your fingers. (It will still look crumbly, but once it sticks together, it's done!)
Use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon to make balls, then roll each ball between your hands. Place them on a parchment paper-lined pan or plate. Repeat until you've made approximately 15 balls. (You may wind up with slightly more or less, depending on how heaping your scoops are.) Place the pan in the freezer to chill.
Fill a small saucepan with an inch of water. Bring that to a boil over medium-high heat, then arrange a heat-safe bowl on top of the saucepan. (It should fit snugly on top!) Pour the chocolate chips into the bowl and let them sit for 2 minutes. They should start to look shiny as they warm up from the steam below. Then stir well until the chocolate is melted.
Turn off the heat, then remove the balls from the freezer. Use a spoon to coat each ball, one at a time, in a thin layer of melted chocolate. Return the chocolate-coated balls to the parchment-lined pan to cool. While the chocolate is still warm, you can sprinkle some finely chopped pistachios on top, or a pinch of flaky salt. Once you've coated all the balls, place the pan in the freezer for 10 minutes to ensure the chocolate sets. Then they are ready to eat!

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 15 chocolate-coated balls. This assumes you'll use all of the melted chocolate, which may not necessarily happen. This information is calculated using ingredient data from an online database, so it's just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Gluten-Free Note: Not all rice cereal is gluten-free, so be sure to check the packaging. For example Rice Krispies® brand cereal is not gluten-free. I used Whole Foods 365 brand brown rice cereal for this recipe. If a brand is gluten-free, it will clearly say so on the packaging.

Dairy-Free Note: If you need a dairy-free recipe, shop for dairy-free chocolate chips. Enjoy Life is a popular allergy-friendly brand that makes them!

Nutrition