Date Energy Balls (100% fruit-sweetened!)

date energy balls with mini chocolate chips stored in a glass container.

Date Energy Balls (100% fruit-sweetened!)

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: date balls, date energy balls

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 0

Total Time: 15

Servings:

Calories: 93kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

These Date Energy Balls taste like cookie dough, but better, because they're made with no refined sugar. If you have dates and walnuts on hand, you can make them in about 10 minutes with a food processor! I like to store them in the fridge for a fruit-sweetened treat that's easy to grab on the go.

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Ingredients

1 cup Medjool dates , pitted
1 cup walnuts (or other nuts/seeds)
½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut (see notes)
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 16 date balls.

Optional: Press a few mini chocolate chips into each ball for more of a "cookie dough" experience, or roll these in extra coconut to make them look like truffles. You can also cover them in melted dark chocolate like I do for Pecan Pie Truffles.

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 information is for 1 date ball, assuming you get 16 from this recipe. This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Coconut Note: I love using shredded coconut for texture and flavor, but if you're not a coconut fan you can use rolled oats instead. (Make sure to buy certified gluten-free oats if you need a gluten-free recipe.)

Texture Note: If you find your date ball mixture is too dry, you can either add 1 tablespoon of water or melted coconut oil and process again briefly. This will help the mixture stick together for rolling, but again, be careful not to over-process or the balls will become greasy.

Fixing a Greasy Texture: If you do happen to over-process the mixture, try rolling the balls in something, like shredded coconut, crushed nuts, or cacao powder. The flavor will still be great!

Nutrition