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By Melissa
5 from 7 votes
on Jan 18, 2021, Updated Jun 15, 2024
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Date Energy Balls are packed with fiber, protein and healthy fat. All you need are some dates and nuts, a few extras, and a food processor and you’ll be rolling up these healthy snacks in a few minutes.
These simple fruit and nut treats are healthy snacking perfection. There’s something magical about the combination of the healthy fat and protein from the nuts, and the natural sweetness and carbs from the dates. This is the ultimate whole food pick-me-up.
While you’re at it, prep a Veggie Box, some Extra Protein Oatmeal Bites or a couple of these 10 Snacks to Prep in Advance so you have easy, healthy snacks for you and your family when hunger strikes.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Recipe Ingredients
- Popular Substitutions and Variations
- How to Make Date Energy Balls
- Recipe FAQs
- Expert Tips
- More Healthy Snack Recipes to Consider
- 9 Date Energy Balls Recipes Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Super easy and fast to make – thanks to the food processor.
- Each recipe calls for just a handful of whole-food ingredients.
- They make a simple breakfast or snack and a great addition to lunch boxes.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chocolate Peanut Butter: dates, peanut butter, cocoa powder, peanuts
- Lemon: dates, cashews, shredded coconut, lemon, salt
- Almond Joy: dates, almonds, cocoa powder, shredded coconut, salt, vanilla extract
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: dates, pecans, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, salt
- Piña Colada: dried tropical fruits, dates, cashews, almonds, salt
- Coconut: shredded coconut, dates, cashews, almonds, coconut oil, vanilla extract, salt
- Dark Chocolate Cherry: almonds, dried cherries, dates, salt, dark chocolate chips
- Peanut Butter and Jelly: dates, peanuts, peanut butter, dried blueberries, almonds
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Popular Substitutions and Variations
Nuts – The nuts that you use don’t really matter; use what you like. I normally do half almonds because they are a nice “neutral” nut with a firm texture. The other half I’ll use what I have and it’ll end up being pecans, peanuts, walnuts, cashews, or a combo of any of those.
Dried fruits – I like to use dried fruit with no added sugar because these recipes are sweet enough thanks to the dates. You can customize these healthy snacks with any dried fruit you want.
Dates – Fresh dried dates should be a bit sticky. If your dates are a bit older, they will be drier. They are still fine to use but you may need to add a little water if the mixture isn’t coming together into a dough.
How to Make Date Energy Balls
- Step #1. Put all of the ingredients into a food processor.
- Step #2. Turn the food processor on and process for 3 to 5 minutes or until it turns into a thick “dough.”
- Step #3. Remove the blade and roll about a tablespoon of the dough into a ball with your hands.
- Step #4. Store completed balls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer for longer.
Recipe FAQs
What kind of food processor do I need for this recipe?
You are going to need a at least an 8-cup food processor. I have this 13-cup Kitchen Aid Food Processor and it’s awesome. If you have a smaller food processor or a weak motor, make a half batch so that you don’t burn out the motor.
Can I make Date Energy Balls in a blender?
Maybe. If you have a high-power blender, it should work but I haven’t tested it.I have only made these energy balls in a food processor.
How long do I need to run the food processor to make the dough?
About 3 to 5 minutes. Try not to run it so long that the nuts turn into nut butter because that will pull the oil out. They are still fine to eat but will be greasy when you roll them into balls.
Do I have to roll the dough into balls or can I press it into a pan?
If you don’t have time to roll the dough into balls, you can press the mixture into a square baking dish lined with parchment paper. Chill for at least two hours, remove them with the paper, cut into bars, and store.
What are the best nuts to use in Date Energy Balls?
I like to use raw unsalted nuts for these, but I have tried them with roasted and/or salted nuts too and they were great. If you are using salted nuts, don’t add any salt to the recipe.
Expert Tips
- Make sure to check whether your dates are pitted or not. If they aren’t pitted, remove the pits by carefully slicing them open with a paring knife and popping the pit out.
- If the ingredients are chopped into super small pieces but the dough isn’t coming together, try adding a teaspoon of water at a time (up to a tablespoon or two) to encourage everything to come together.
- Be sure to add at least some salt (it really heightens the sweet), and if you like a sweet and salty treat, go heavy on your pinch.
More Healthy Snack Recipes to Consider
Healthy Snacks
8 Easy Homemade Granola Bar Recipes
Gluten Free Recipes
8 No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
Granola Recipes
Healthy Homemade Granola
Healthy Snacks
Homemade No-Bake Snack Bars
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5 from 7 votes
9 Date Energy Balls Recipes
By: Melissa Griffiths
These date and nut energy bites are backed with fiber, protein and healthy fat and make for one in amazing healthy snack.
Prep: 15 minutes mins
Total: 15 minutes mins
Servings: 10
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Ingredients
Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites
- 1 cup dates
- 1/2 cup peanut butter, (natural, normal, chunky, smooth, doesn't matter much)
- 2-3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup peanuts
Lemon Energy Bites
- 1 cup dates
- 1 cup cashews
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut, (I like this brand of unsweetened shredded coconut)
- zest from one large lemon
- juice from one large lemon
- pinch of sea salt
Almond Joy Energy Bites
- 1 cup dates
- 1 cup almonds
- 2 to 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut, (I like this brand of unsweetened shredded coconut)
- pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pumpkin Pie Spice Energy Bites
- 1 cup dates
- 1 cup pecans
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of sea salt
Piña Colada Energy Bites
- 1/2 cup dried tropical fruits, (I used mandarin oranges, pineapple, and mango)
- 1/2 cup dates
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1/2 cup almonds
- pinch of sea salt
Coconut Energy Bites
- 1 cup shredded coconut, (I like this brand of unsweetened shredded coconut)
- 1/2 cup dates
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of sea salt
- additional shredded coconut for rolling
Dark Chocolate Cherry Energy Bites
- 1 cup almonds
- 2/3 cups dried cherries, (I like dried tart cherries)
- 2/3 cup dates
- pinch of sea salt
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips, melted
Peanut Butter and Jelly Energy Bites
For the Peanut Butter side:
- 1/2 cup dates
- 1/2 cup peanuts
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
For the Jelly side:
- 1/2 cup dried blueberries
- 1/2 cup dates
- 1/2 cup almonds
Instructions
Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of your food processor and blend until the nuts are well chopped and a thick “dough” starts to form, about 3-5 minutes of processing. If the ingredients are chopped into super small pieces but the dough isn’t coming together, try adding a teaspoon of water at a time (up to a tablespoon or two) to encourage everything to come together.
When the ingredients are well incorporated, remove the blade from the food processor.
Take 1 large tablespoon of the “dough” and roll it into a ball in between your hands.
Repeat with remaining dough.
Keep the balls in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer much longer.
Additional instructions for the dark chocolate cherry version:
Take 1 large tablespoon of the “dough” and roll it into a ball in between your hands. Repeat with remaining dough. Drizzle the top of each ball with melted dark chocolate. Keep the balls in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer much longer.
Additional instruction for the peanut butter and jelly version:
Add all of the ingredients for the peanut butter side to the bowl of your food processor and blend until the nuts are well chopped and a thick “dough” starts to form, about 3-5 minutes of processing. If the ingredients are chopped into super small pieces but the dough isn’t coming together, try adding a teaspoon of water at a time (up to a tablespoon or two) to encourage everything to come together. When the ingredients are well incorporated, remove the blade from the food processor and scrape the mixture out into another bowl.
For the jelly side, add all of the ingredients to the bowl of your food processor and blend until the nuts are well chopped and a thick “dough” starts to form, about 3-5 minutes of processing. If the ingredients are chopped into super small pieces but the dough isn’t coming together, try adding a teaspoon of water at a time (up to a tablespoon or two) to encourage everything to come together. When the ingredients are well incorporated, remove the blade from the food processor and scrape the mixture out into another bowl.
Take a large teaspoon of the peanut butter mixture and roll it into a ball. Take a large teaspoon of the jelly mixture and roll it into a ball. Press the two balls together and roll into one larger ball. Repeat with remaining mixture. Keep the balls in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer much longer.
Video
Notes
- If you are using salted nuts, omit the additional salt until you can taste the processed mixture and see if you’d like a little more salt or not.
- You can usually find pitted dates in grocery stores near the raisins – get them if you want to save the step of pitting them yourself.
- Watch your food processor for when the nuts are chopped finely but haven’t started turning into nut butter. If you overprocess the nuts, the oil will come out. They are still fine to eat but will be greasy.
- You may need to add 1 to 2 teaspoons of water to the mixture if it’s too dry and not forming a dough.
- Date Energy Balls can be stored in an airtight container (I love this container!) in the fridge for about a month, and in the freezer for much longer. I love to eat mine cold out of the freezer best.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 bite (chocolate peanut butter bite), Calories: 142kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 57mg, Potassium: 212mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 1IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 17mg, Iron: 1mg
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