Description
These Chocolate Coconut Date Balls are a delicious, no-bake vegan and gluten-free treat made with raw nuts, dates, cocoa powder, and coconut. Perfect as a healthy snack or dessert, they are easy to prepare by blending ingredients in a food processor and rolling into bite-sized balls coated in coconut.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 3/4 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 cup raw walnuts
- 1 cup pitted dates
- 1/2 cup unsweetened dried coconut
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder (100% natural, such as Hershey’s Cocoa)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Rolling
- 1/2 cup unsweetened dried coconut
Instructions
- Soften Dates: Place the pitted dates in a small bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let them soak for 5 minutes to soften.
- Process Nuts: While the dates are soaking, add the raw cashews and walnuts to a food processor. Process until the nuts are completely broken down into small pieces.
- Add Dates: Drain the softened dates thoroughly and add them to the food processor with the nuts. Process until the mixture is well combined and sticky.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the unsweetened dried coconut, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt. Process again until the mixture is crumbly but holds together well, scraping down the sides if necessary.
- Form Balls: Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Roll the mixture into approximately 1-inch balls. If the mixture feels oily, this is normal due to the nut oils.
- Coat Balls: Roll each ball in the 1/2 cup of unsweetened dried coconut to coat them evenly.
- Chill: Cover the balls and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up before serving. Enjoy chilled for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Store the balls in a ziplock bag or sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- To freeze, place the balls on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. They will keep up to 3 months in the freezer.
- For a variation, roll the balls in melted chocolate instead of coconut. Chill the balls before rolling them in chocolate for best results (see Vegan Truffle recipe for details).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ball
- Calories: 95
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 35 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
