Coconut Date Energy Balls

Made with just 4 ingredients, these Coconut Date Energy Balls are simple to make and satisfy sweet cravings!

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This post was originally published on June 19, 2019. It was updated with new recipe information, photos, and an updated recipe on April 5, 2021.

Chewy, chocolaty, and with just the right amount of crunch, these grain-free Coconut Date Energy Balls taste like a Girl Scout's Samoas (also known as "Caramel Delites") cookie! These no-bake energy bites are naturally gluten-free, grain-free, and super low on processed sugar. Whip up a batch today!

My favorite cookies have always been the Samoas (also known as "Caramel Delites"). With the buttery shortbread cookie, caramel and coconut covering, and chocolate drizzle, I can and do eat those bad boys all day long (see note above about their rapid disappearance).

What are we to do when these cookies disappear (other than cry)? We make a date energy ball that tastes exactly like them!

With dates that mimic the flavor of caramel, peanuts that give a hit of butter and crunch, coconut that contribute nuttiness, and chocolate that keeps you coming back for more, these date balls are the real deal.

And even though I believe there's a place in every healthy diet for cookies, I also sometimes crave more nutritious options (or just run out of cookies...) that give me the same flavor experience. That being said, this energy ball recipe is full of whole foods ingredients and is naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, and grain-free!

Make a batch of these cookies and enjoy them for afternoon snacks at work, pop them in your kid's lunches for a healthy treat, or bring them with you on the hiking trail. You'll be so glad you did!

See me make this recipe on Portland's KATU Afternoon show by clicking here.

These coconut date energy balls...

• Rich
• Nutty
• Crunchy
• Chocolaty
• Satisfying
• Naturally grain-free, gluten-free, & vegetarian
• Easily made vegan

This 4-ingredient recipe comes together in about 10 minutes and is perfect at just about any time of day!

Ingredients:

• Unsweetened dried coconut - flakes or chips
• Peanuts - dry roasted is best
• Pitted Medjool dates - please note: not Deglet Noor dates
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Substitutions:

• Nuts - other neutral nuts like cashews or almonds can substitute for peanuts. If using almonds, blend them for 15 seconds on their own before blending in the coconut
• Chocolate - chocolate chunks or mini chocolate chips can work in place of the semi-sweet chocolate chips. If using chunks, roughly chop them up before rolling in.

How to make no-bake energy balls:

• Process the peanuts and coconut in a food processor until the texture of small pebbles or large pieces of sand.
• Add the pitted dates to the food processor and run until the dates are blended into the peanuts and coconut.
• Pour the date and nut mixture into a medium-size mixing bowl.
• Stir chocolate chips into the date and nut mixture.
• Roll and press the mixture into 2 tablespoon size balls.
• Enjoy immediately or store covered in the refrigerator!

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Energy ball recipe pro-tips:

1. Use Medjool dates - other types of dates, in particular Deglet Noor, don't have enough moisture and are too waxy for this recipe
2. Use unsweetened coconut - many brands of dried coconut have added sweeteners; double-check your brand to make sure yours doesn't. You can find unsweetened dried coconut at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, or most other natural food stores here in the United States.
3. Blending - to keep the balls crunchy, blend the mixture until it forms coarse crumbs, but no further. The dates will naturally hold the balls together without needing to blend down the peanuts further.

How do you pit Medjool dates?

Slice the date from top to bottom, open them up and remove the seed from the middle. You can also push down on the end with the "navel" and peel it open (like you would an orange) to get the seed out.

Dietary preference adaptations:

These coconut date balls are naturally gluten-free and vegetarian. Here's how to adapt them further to your preferences:

• Vegan - use vegan chocolate chips
• Dairy-free - use dairy-free and/or vegan chocolate chips
• Processed sugar-free - use processed sugar-free chocolate chips (like Lily's)

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Storage directions:

• Refrigeration: leftover date balls keep refrigerated in an airtight container for 7-10 days
• Freezing: you can also freeze leftover energy balls in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
• Defrosting from frozen: to defrost frozen energy balls, let them sit covered at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or until at room temperature

Tools needed to make this recipe:

• Food Processor
• Measuring cups
• Silicone Spatula
• Glass Mixing Bowl
• Cookie Scooper

Other healthy and easy snack recipes:

• Peanut Butter & Jelly Larabars
• Oat Protein Cookies
• Vanilla Spiced Coconut Granola
• Healthy Yogurt Popsicles

Looking for other healthy snack ideas? Check out my 10 BEST Thrive Market Snacks!

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