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Home » Recipes » Budget Meals

April 5, 2021

Coconut Date Energy Balls

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A pinterest pin for date energy balls with a white plate full of the date balls this Recipe
A pile of date energy balls on a white plate
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Made with just 4 ingredients, these Coconut Date Energy Balls are simple to make and satisfy sweet cravings!

Jump to Recipe

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!

An up-close shot of no-bake energy balls on a wooden counter
A pinterest pin for date energy balls with a side shot of a plate of the date balls.

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.

Date balls on a white plate

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!

Table of contents

  • These Date Balls Are...
  • Ingredients:
  • Substitutions:
  • How to make no-bake energy balls:
  • Energy ball recipe pro-tips:
  • How do you pit Medjool dates?
  • Dietary preference adaptations:
  • Storage directions:
  • Tools needed to make this recipe:
  • Other healthy and easy snack recipes:

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!

A few date balls on a table in front of a white plate of them.

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.
All  the ingredients for the date energy balls: dates, peanuts, shredded coconuts, and chocolate chips

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!
  • A food processor with peanuts and dried coconut
  • pulverized peanuts and dried coconut in a food processor
  • Pitted dates in a food processor bowl with peanuts and coconut
  • Up-close shot of the peanut, coconut, and date mixture in a food processor
  • Mixing chocolate chips in with the coconut and date mixture
  • A few date balls rolled out on a plate next to the clear glass bowl of the date and coconut mixture

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.
Date balls on a piece of wood in front of a plate of the balls

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)
  • A plastic crate of medjool dates
  • A small cup of chocolate chips in front of a measuring cup of peanuts

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
a pinterest pin for date energy balls with an up-close shot of the balls on a counter

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!

If you make and like this recipe, please review and rate it 5 Stars at the top of the recipe card. This helps other people to find the recipes and helps this reader-supported publication, too!

Thank you so much for your feedback and support of Mae's Menu!

A side angled shot of a white plate of date energy balls

Date Energy Balls (Gluten-Free!)

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Chelsea | Mae's Menu 2023

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

4.56 from 9 votes
Print Recipe
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Additional Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course Snacks
Cuisine American
Servings 18 -20 Date Balls
Calories 136 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • ¾ cup unsweetened dried coconut chips or flakes
  • ¾ cup dry roasted peanuts
  • 1 ⅔ cup pitted Medjool dates
  • ⅔ cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Process the peanuts and coconut in a food processor for 15-20 seconds, until the size of large pieces of sand.
  • Add the pitted dates to the food processor and blend for 15-30 seconds, or until the dates are broken down and blended into the nuts.
  • Pour the date and nut mixture into a medium-size mixing bowl.
  • Stir the chocolate chips into the date and nut mixture.
  • Roll and press the mixture into 2 tablespoon size balls, using a large cookie scoop for uniformity, if desired.
  • Enjoy immediately or store refrigerated for later!

Notes

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 softened throughout.

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)

Nutrition

Serving: 1ballCalories: 136kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 10mgFiber: 3gSugar: 15g
Keyword coconut date balls, date balls, date energy balls, energy balls, energy balls recipe, no bake energy balls
Tried and Loved This Recipe?Mention @MaesMenu or tag #MaesMenu!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kim says

    July 10, 2020 at 1:50 pm

    What amounts of the ingredients?

    Reply
    • Chelsea @ Mae’s Menu says

      July 11, 2020 at 7:38 am

      All the ingredient amounts are listed on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. 🙂

      Reply

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MEET CHELSEA MAE PLUMMER

Hi!  Join me in making quick and healthy recipes for active families!  Many of my recipes can be made gluten-free or lactose-free because life with food allergies doesn't have to lack flavor!
A bit about me: I'm a self-taught home cook of 20+ years, food lover, runner, and dog lover!

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