These energy bites are irresistible and are easy to customize. If you don’t have walnuts on hand, use almonds or pecans instead. You can even make them nut-free by using sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. If you’re not a fan of shredded coconut, replace it with extra nuts, or try adding some ground flax seeds or rolled oats for extra fiber. As written, these date balls are gluten-free and vegan friendly, without using dairy or refined sugar.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Look for Medjool dates that are soft and squishy in the produce section of your grocery store. They should be easy to split apart with your fingers to remove the pits. If you can only find dates in the dried/bulk section, you might need to soak them in hot water for at least 10 minutes, to help them soften up before processing. Drain away the water before using them. You can also add any other extras you love to this recipe, like chia seeds, oatmeal, or nut butter. It’s easy to taste and adjust as you go! For a cookie dough flavor, pulse in a few mini chocolate chips before rolling them into balls. Or you can add raisins or dried cranberries, if you prefer.
How to Make Date Energy Balls
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 until the texture looks crumbly which takes 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. 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. Enjoy these date balls right away at room temperature, 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. Looking for more energy ball recipes? Try Chocolate Date Balls (made with cocoa powder) or Peanut Butter Date Balls, if you don’t want to guess on the ratio of ingredients. If you try this date ball recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them.
