Coconut Almond Energy Balls

Make easy Coconut Almond Energy Balls with dates, almond butter and dark chocolate. A chewy no-bake snack that's ready in about 15 minutes!

Coconut almond energy balls are an easy no-bake snack made with dates, almonds, coconut, almond butter and dark chocolate chips. They take about 15 minutes to prepare, keep well in the fridge and can easily be adapted for vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free diets.

At their simplest, energy balls and protein balls are a mixture of dried fruit, nuts and other ingredients processed until everything becomes sticky enough to shape.

This version leans towards almond and coconut, with small pieces of dark chocolate running through the mixture.

Dates are doing more than providing sweetness here. Once chopped in the food processor, their sticky flesh binds the ground almonds and coconut together.

Almond butter adds richness and makes the texture softer, while desiccated coconut absorbs a little of the moisture so the balls don't feel excessively sticky.

The almonds shouldn't disappear completely. I prefer a mixture that looks fairly fine but still contains tiny nutty pieces. That gives each ball more texture and stops it becoming a dense paste.

One thing worth checking before you begin is the condition of your dates.

Very soft Medjool-style dates usually need no preparation.

Firmer dates can struggle to break down and may leave the mixture frustratingly crumbly. Ten minutes in warm water usually sorts that out, but drain them thoroughly afterwards.

Chocolate chips go in at the end rather than through the food processor. Processing them with everything else can leave you with chocolate dust rather than those little pockets of chocolate that make the finished balls much more interesting.

There is no baking, chilling or complicated shaping involved. Once the mixture holds together when squeezed, it's ready to portion and roll. I use a small cookie scoop to make sure they're all about the same size.

We're huge fans of energy balls and protein balls in my house for quick breakfast or snack options. Be sure to try Date Protein Balls, Chocolate Brownie Energy Balls, Matcha Balls and Banana Bread Energy Balls!

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• Food processor tips
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Dates
• Variations
• Storage
• Recipe tips
• FAQ
• 📖 Recipe
• Recipe Tips
• 💬 Comments

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• It requires no baking. Everything comes together in a food processor, making this particularly handy when you want a homemade snack without switching on the oven.
• The ingredients are easy to adjust. Different nuts, nut butters and chocolate can be substituted without completely changing the method.
• There's no refined sugar in the base mixture. Most of the sweetness comes naturally from dates, although the chocolate chips may contain added sugar.
• The texture stays interesting. Almonds provide a gentle crunch against the softer dates and almond butter rather than leaving you with a completely smooth paste.
• They're genuinely useful for meal prep. A chilled batch can be portioned straight from the fridge throughout the week.
• You control the size. Small balls work well for lunchboxes, while slightly larger ones make a more substantial snack.
• They travel well. Once chilled, they're considerably less fragile than many homemade snack bars and don't produce many crumbs.

Food processor tips

The easiest mistake with date energy balls is assuming a crumbly-looking mixture needs lots of water. It often doesn't.

A date and nut mixture can look loose while it's moving around the processor, yet become quite sticky when pressed between your fingers. That's why I always judge it by squeezing a spoonful before adding liquid.

If it forms a cohesive lump, carry on. If it immediately falls apart, add water a teaspoon or two at a time.

A full tablespoon is sometimes useful with particularly dry dates, but too much can make the finished energy balls soft and tacky. If you've soaked your dates, use the soaking water for extra flavour.

Ingredients

• Pitted Dates - Choose dates that feel soft when pressed through the packet. If they're firm or leathery, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes, drain well and pat dry.
• Whole almonds - Raw, unsalted almonds give you control over the salt level. Roasted almonds can also be used and produce a deeper, toastier flavour.
• Desiccated coconut - In the US, look for finely shredded unsweetened dried coconut. Sweetened shredded coconut will make the energy balls noticeably sweeter and usually has a moister texture.
• Almond butter - Smooth almond butter distributes most evenly. Natural almond butter is fine, but stir it thoroughly first if the oil has separated. Alternatively, use peanut butter.
• Vanilla extract - Vanilla rounds out the dates and chocolate without making the mixture taste overtly vanilla.
• Sea salt - Don't leave this out unless you need to limit sodium. A small amount makes the almond and chocolate flavours clearer and balances the sweetness of the dates.
• Dark chocolate chips - Mini chocolate chips are particularly good because they distribute evenly through small energy balls. Check the label if you need dairy-free or vegan chocolate. You can also leave out the chocolate chips completely.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Follow this step-by-step photo tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.

1. Check the dates

Remove any stones and feel the dates between your fingers. If they're already soft and squidgy, they're ready to use.

For firm dates, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes. Drain them very thoroughly. They need to be softened rather than dripping wet. Save the soaking water in case you need to add more liquid when processing.

2. Pulse the dates and almonds

Put the dates and almonds in a food processor. Pulse several times until the almonds are chopped and the dates have broken into smaller pieces.

Starting with these two ingredients helps the processor chop the almonds evenly before the softer almond butter enters the mixture.

Don't worry if it looks crumbly at this point.

3. Add the remaining base ingredients

Add the desiccated coconut, almond butter, vanilla extract and sea salt.

Process until the mixture begins gathering into clumps.

You'll usually hear a change as this happens. Instead of dry ingredients rattling freely around the bowl, the mixture becomes heavier and starts sticking to itself.

4. Test the consistency

Stop the processor and squeeze a little mixture between your fingers.

If it holds together, it's ready.

If it crumbles immediately, process it for another 15 to 20 seconds before adding water. Sometimes that extra processing is all it needs.

Still dry? Add water gradually, starting with one or two teaspoons and processing again. Use up to about 1 tablespoon if necessary.

Avoid pouring in several tablespoons at once. It's much easier to correct a slightly dry mixture than an overly wet one.

5. Add the chocolate chips

Transfer the mixture to a bowl if necessary and stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons dark chocolate chips.

Adding them by hand keeps the chips intact. If they're processed with the dates, they'll be chopped into the mixture and you'll lose those distinct pieces of chocolate.

6. Portion evenly

Scoop roughly one tablespoon of mixture for each ball.

A small cookie scoop is useful here, particularly if you're making these for lunchboxes or meal prep and want similar portions.

This quantity makes approximately 16 energy balls, although the exact yield depends on the size of your dates and how generously you scoop.

7. Roll into balls

Gently compress each portion first, then roll it between your palms.

That initial squeeze is useful. Trying to roll a loosely packed scoop straight away can make it crack around the edges.

If the mixture begins sticking to your hands, dampen your palms very lightly with water. You want barely wet hands rather than enough water to soak the outside.

8. Add the coconut coating

For a coconut-coated finish, roll each ball in extra desiccated coconut.

Press lightly as you roll so the coconut adheres. I prefer a thin coating rather than burying the balls in coconut, which can make them feel dry.

You can eat them immediately, but they're firmer after 30 to 60 minutes in the fridge.

Dates

Dates are the ingredient that determines whether these energy balls come together easily or fight you all the way.

Soft dates break down into a sticky paste that coats the chopped almonds and coconut. If they're very dry, they tend to break into small pieces instead, and the mixture stays crumbly.

Medjool dates are an excellent choice because they're usually large, soft and caramel-like. Other pitted dates work too, so there's no need to buy a particular variety if yours are already moist.

Check every date for stones even when the packet says they're pitted. An occasional stone or fragment can remain, and neither your food processor nor your teeth will appreciate finding it.

If the dates are hard, cover them with warm water for about 10 minutes. Drain and pat them dry before processing. Leaving lots of water clinging to them can make the mixture unnecessarily wet.

Dried figs or prunes can technically replace some of the dates, although the taste and texture will change. Prunes are softer and tangier, while figs introduce their characteristic tiny seeds.

Variations

Vegan: Use dairy-free dark chocolate chips. The remaining ingredients are naturally plant-based.
Gluten-free: The core ingredients are naturally gluten-free, but check packaged chocolate and other ingredients if cross-contamination is important.
Dairy-free: Choose chocolate chips made without milk ingredients.
Higher protein: Add a tablespoon or two of unflavoured or vanilla protein powder. You may need a little extra almond butter or water because protein powder absorbs moisture.
Cashew version: Replace the almonds and almond butter with cashews and cashew butter for a milder, creamier flavour.

Storage

STORE: Keep coconut almond energy balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. I prefer a shallow rigid container because it prevents them being squashed and makes individual balls easy to remove.

They become firmer when chilled. That's usually an improvement, particularly if you've used very soft dates or runny natural almond butter.

FREEZE: For longer storage, freeze them in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to three months. If you're stacking several layers, put baking parchment between them to stop the balls freezing together.

They thaw quickly. Transfer however many you need to the fridge the night before, or leave one at room temperature briefly before eating.

FAQ

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