Chocolate Date Balls (Energy Bites)

Healthy and filling, these chocolate date balls are a fast and simple snack perfect for lunch boxes, an afterschool treat, or a nutritious after-dinner dessert. These easy-to-make energy bites come together in quarter-hour with just 5 easy ingredients, making them perfect for a straightforward meal prep recipe!

As we get back into the routine of going back to high school I even have been attempting to get back into the flow of meal planning for lunch boxes, prepping lunch boxes for the week, and ensuring I’m stocking my kid’s lunches with healthy and nutritious snacks.

Considered one of the snacks my family likes to eat are Larabars. They’re made with easy ingredients and are available quite a lot of flavors. Unfortunately, they’re fairly expensive and with two kids, they go fairly quickly. In an effort to make my very own version of Larabars, these easy chocolate date balls were created!

Why we love this recipe

Beyond being a less expensive alternative to Larabars, these healthy date balls are an awesome homemade snack for quite a few reasons.

• Easy to make – With just 5 ingredients and lower than quarter-hour you’ll be able to quickly whip up a batch of those healthy date bars.
• Healthy – Full of fiber, no added sugars, and naturally sweetened, these energy bites are a healthy snack you’ll be able to be ok with indulging in.
• Great for snacking – They’re bite-sized, easy to pack, portable, and excellent for having fun with on the go.
• High in fiber. Dates are LOADED with fiber. Each of those delicious date balls incorporates 2 grams of fiber keeping you full and satisfied.

Health Advantages of Dates

Dates are certainly one of nature’s superfoods. The fruit of a date palm tree, dates are most frequently sold dried and used as a snack, a natural sweetener in desserts, or at the same time as a sugar alternative.

Apart from being a flexible ingredient, dates are also extremely nutritious. A number of the health advantages related to dates include:

• High in fiber, roughly 7 grams per serving.
• Great source of minerals like selenium, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and copper.
• Wealthy in antioxidents.

Something to bear in mind about dates is the calorie content. Because they’re wealthy in natural sugars also they are high in calories in addition to carbs. Because of this, they ought to be consumed carefully.

The BEST Dates for Date Balls

While there are quite a few several types of dates to select from, one date truly stands above the remaining. Medjool Dates are the most effective dates with regards to making date balls.

These sweet dates taste sweet like caramel and mix beautifully right into a paste. Available at most stores and supermarkets, Medjool dates are also easy to seek out making them the right fit for these healthy energy balls.

Softening dates

Depending on where you get your dates or how they’ve been stored they could need a bit assistance to melt before making into date balls. If the dates are hard, follow the method below –

• Place the dates in a big bowl.
• Pour boiling water over the date and soak for 10 minutes.
• Drain the dates completely.
• If the dates aren’t pitted, remove and discard the pits before putting the dates into the food processor.

How one can make date balls

Ingredients at a look

• Dates– As mentioned above, the most effective dates for these date balls are Medjool dates. They sweeten the energy balls and offers them a chewy texture.
• Cashews– Raw cashews work great for making these nutritious and filling date balls.
• Peanut Butter– Creamy peanut butter gives these balls a bit extra protein and helps bind them together.
• Cacao Powder– Adds a bit chocolaty flavor to the date balls.
• Salt– Only a pinch of salt helps balance the sweetness of the dates and brings out the chocolaty flavor of the cacao powder.

Step by Step Instructions

1. In the bottom of a high-performance food processor add the .
2. Pulse the ingredients together until they .
3. Transfer the mixture right into a bowl. Scoop about of the mixture and roll right into a ball. Repeat until you’ve about 20 date balls.
4. Note– If the dough is simply too sticky to roll, place the bowl within the freezer uncovered for about 10 minutes.
5. Store in an within the refrigerator for a couple of month and the freezer for 2-3 months.

Recipe Notes

Ingredient Substitutions

The most effective things about these healthy chocolate date balls is their ability to be adapted in quite a few other ways. With the fundamental measurements staying the identical you’ll be able to swap in some different ingredients.

• Nuts – Substitute the cashews for peanuts, walnuts, pecans, or almonds.
• Peanut Butter – Try replacing the peanut butter with hazelnut butter, almond butter, and even sunflower butter (for a nut free option).
• Cacao Powder– In case you wouldn’t have cacao powder you need to use cocoa powder as an alternative but you’ll lose a couple of dietary advantages from the cacao powder. Cacao is higher in fiber and has a rather more bitter taste than cocoa powder so take this into consideration if you end up swapping it out.

Serving Suggestions

In case you are on the lookout for some fun and delicious ways to decorate up these easy date balls you’ll be able to try rolling them in:

• Unsweetened coconut shreds
• Chia seeds
• Flax seeds
• Powdered sugar

Equipment You’ll Need

These easy, no-bake energy balls with dates whip up with one vital kitchen appliance, a food processor. You should make sure you’re using a high-power food processor because the smaller ones won’t have the ability to mix the ingredients together well.

Meal Prep Tip

This whole recipe is the right meal prep snack. It takes about quarter-hour from start to complete to make these healthy energy balls.

In case you are planning to make this recipe as a meal prep for the week, and even for the month, I might suggest doubling the recipe then freezing half of the balls so you’ll be able to have a stash ready each time the hunger hits!

Storage instructions

I LOVE these healthy date balls because they make meal prepping easy they usually can be stored for a very long time (not that they ever last too long in our home).

• Refrigerating – Keep your date balls in an airtight container within the refrigerator for as much as a month.
• Freezing – For longer storage, keep the date balls in a freezer-safe container for as much as 2-3 months.

Often Asked Questions About Date Balls

Healthy Snacks to Try Next

1. Air Fryer Roasted Chickpeas– This crunchy and spicy chickpea recipe comes along with 6 ingredients and may be ready in under half-hour
2. Homemade Trail Mix– Learn the best way to easily make your individual trail mix at home with this easy and filling snack mix recipe!
3. Air Fryer Roasted Nuts– Making roasted nuts at home is less complicated than you’re thinking that and barely takes a couple of minutes!
4. Easy Pot Hard Boiled Eggs– These hard boiled eggs not only cook in 5 minutes, but also they are super easy to peel and also you get perfect eggs each time!
5. Roasted Phool Makhana– A healthy alternative to chips, this crispy and lightweight snack produced from puffed lily seeds is prepared in 10 minutes.
6. Chocolate coconut balls – These decadent chocolate coconut balls (ladoo)are perfect for the vacations. Make this easy dessert together with your kids – all you wish is 3 ingredients!