Date Energy Balls – The Almond Eater

Enjoy these easy Date Energy Balls in three different varieties: original, chocolate peanut butter and banana. Made with simple ingredients, they make for a healthy snack or dessert that’s ready in minutes! 

Date energy balls are the snack to have on hand at all times. They’re quick to prepare, no bake, vegan-friendly, gluten-free, and of course kid-friendly as well. 

This recipe features three different flavors that taste completely differently, so you can pick and choose depending on what you’re craving. 

Truthfully, no bake recipes have always been some of my favorite because anyone can make them — they’re that easy! My no bake chocolate pie and no bake breakfast cookies are two of my favorites for just that reason. 

Recipe features

• These date energy balls are loaded with fiber, and can easily include protein if you’d like.
• Can be made three different ways, so there’s something for everyone.
• A great no bake snack to have at home or take on-the-go. 

Ingredients

I’ve included 3 different varieties of date balls so the ingredients vary, but this is the main base ingredient list. See below in the recipe card for the full list of ingredients. 

Dates – There are two main kinds of dates, Deglet Noor dates and Medjool dates. For these balls, I opted for medjool dates, but either kind should work.  

Rolled oats – Use gluten free oats to keep these balls gluten-free.

Nuts – Walnuts, pecans or almonds; just make sure to use raw, unsalted nuts.

Sweetener – One recipe uses honey, one uses mashed banana and almond butter and another uses peanut butter. To keep all three recipes vegan, use maple syrup instead of honey, but know that it will impact the texture slightly.

Topping – Anything from hemp seeds to cinnamon to unsweetened coconut flakes. The toppings help to add texture and make these balls even more nutritious. 

Salt – These balls are naturally pretty sweet, so adding a pinch of salt to the food processor helps to balance things out a bit.

Instructions

See recipe card for the full recipe-specific directions.

Step 1: Blend the dates. Add dates to a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds or so. 

Step 2: Add remaining ingredients. Then, add the remaining ingredients and pulse until the mixture comes together and forms a large ball. This may take a minute or so.

Step 3: Form into balls. Use your hands to scoop the mixture up and roll it into balls about the size of a golf ball, or slightly smaller. Then, roll the balls into any desired toppings if you’d like (think: hemp seeds, chia seeds, coconut flakes), and place onto a parchment-lined plate. 

Tips & variations

• Deglet vs. Medjool dates: Deglet Noor dates are smaller in size and firmer in texture and often come pitted, whereas Medjool dates are larger, softer and you usually have to manually remove the pits. Both should be easy to find at most grocery stores. For “ball” recipes, Medjool tend to blend a bit better since they’re softer, but either kind of date works. 
• Make these into protein balls by adding a scoop of your favorite protein powder. I suggest chocolate for the chocolate variety and vanilla protein powder for the other two.
• Add-ins: I wouldn’t alter the recipes too much, but feel free to add a tablespoon of chia seeds or ground flaxseed into the mix, or roll the balls in mini chocolate chips or pumpkin seeds for added texture and flavor. 

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. I like to place parchment paper in between layers so the balls don’t stick together. 

Freezer: Alternatively, you can place balls in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before eating. 

More easy snack recipes

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Date Energy Balls

Enjoy these easy Date Energy Balls in three different varieties: original, chocolate peanut butter and banana. Made with simple ingredients, they make for a healthy snack or dessert that’s ready in minutes! 

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 balls

Ingredients

For the chocolate peanut butter:

• 1 cup dates
• 3 tablespoon peanut butter
• ¼ cup dark chocolate
• 1 tablespoon hemp seeds plus extra for rolling
• ⅔ cup rolled oats more or less as needed
• salt to taste

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Instructions

• Add the dates to a food processor and blend until they’re small pieces, about 30 seconds.

• Add in the remaining ingredients and blend until mixture forms a large ball in the food processor.

• Use your hands to roll the mixture into 1” balls, then roll the balls into any toppings you’d like (for the chocolate peanut butter, use hemp seeds; banana with a pinch of cinnamon on top and the original use coconut flakes). NOTE: The banana balls are a little more moist, so I suggest wetting your hands first so the dough doesn’t stick.

• Place the balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.

• Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days. Enjoy!

Notes

*Calories are per serving and are an estimation.
*This mixture is a little more wet than the others; simply wet your hands before rolling into balls to prevent it from sticking to your hands.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 198mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg

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