These simple 5-ingredient chocolate coconut energy balls are the healthy treat you want to have at hand when a sugar craving strikes. Plus, they will last in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. This means you can make a whole batch, and have these ready for busy mornings, road trips or afternoon slumps.
5 Reasons to Love These Chocolate Coconut Energy Balls
These no-bake energy balls are:
- Naturally plant based
- Gluten free
- Free from refined sugar
- Raw
- Made with only 5 ingredients
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Chocolate Coconut Energy Balls
Cashews – you can replace them with pine nuts, almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts, but the taste will be different.
Dates – soaked and drained. Medjool dates work best, but you can also use Deglet Noor dates, though they might need to be soaked a bit longer for that soft, creamy texture.
Agave syrup – you can substitute it with maple syrup or omit it altogether for energy balls with no added sugar.
Cashew butter – can be substituted with almond butter or even peanut butter, but this will impact the flavour.
Desiccated coconut – use unsweetened coconut for healthier energy balls.
How to Make No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Balls
Step One – Process the Ingredients
In a high quality food processor, chop cashews until only a few larger chunks remain. Transfer the cashews into a medium-sized bowl, and blend the dates, agave syrup and cashew butter into a fine paste. Stir this into the cashew mixture in the bowl.
Step Two – Mix the Dough
Mix all ingredients until a large ball of raw dough forms. It’s important not to process all ingredients together, as the resulting paste can turn out too sticky, and you want to keep little bits of nuts and coconut.
Step Three – Shape the Balls
Form equally sized balls and spread them onto a plate or a baking sheet. Place the balls in the fridge for at least 1 hour to firm up. Once firm, transfer them to a sealed container and store them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Chocolate Coconut Energy Balls FAQs
How many servings does this make?
The recipe makes approximately 16 walnut-sized energy balls.
Can I substitute any of the ingredients?
You can substitute cashew butter with almond or peanut butter, but the flavour will be slightly different. You can also replace cashews with pine nuts, almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts, but this will alter the flavour and texture of the balls slightly.
Can I make these energy balls sugar free?
It’s possible to omit the one teaspoon of agave syrup, as the balls will still be sweet enough because of the dates. However, dates are high in naturally occurring sugars. So even though the balls contain no added sugar, they still have a high sugar content (50% of their carbs comes from sugar). If you’re looking for energy balls with low sugar content, I recommend checking out these high-fat, low-carb balls.
More No-Bake Treats
Chocolate Coconut Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup (130g) cashews
- ½ cup (80g) pitted dates soaked and drained
- 1 tablespoon agave syrup
- 1 tablespoon cashew butter
- ¾ cup (70g) desiccated coconut divided
- Raw cocoa powder, optional
Instructions
- Grind the cashews in a food processor until finely chopped, with a few larger chunks left. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl.
- In a food processor, blend the dates, agave syrup and cashew butter into a fine paste. Stir this into the cashew mixture in the bowl.
- Add half of the coconut and stir well with a spoon until all the ingredients are thoroughly blended.
- Taking 1 tablespoon of the cashew-date paste at a time, roll into balls.
- Roll half of he balls in the remaining coconut, and the other half in raw cocoa powder.
- Chill in the refrigerator for about an hour, or until firm, before serving.
- You can store these balls in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
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