These Chocolate Coconut Energy Balls are naturally sweetened only with DATES, yet they taste sweet and decadent, similar to an almond joy.
They are the perfect paleo/whole30 friendly afternoon snack, and since they pack a huge nutritional punch, they’ll give you a great burst of energy!
Plus, they’re super easy to make.
If you follow my blog, you know that I’ve done a Whole30 challenge. These were the perfect little morsels to get me through the tough times.
For those of you unfamiliar with the program, the Whole30 is not just a diet. It’s supposed to help you form new habits, train your body to not crave the “bad-for-you” stuff, and hopefully pinpoint exactly what kinds of foods don’t work well with your body.
The Whole30 definitely helped me develop more healthy habits that I’ve continued to follow well past the program!
And these AMAZING energy balls as a midday snack are definitely one habit I can get on board with- I love keeping them in my fridge for a sweet treat without the guilt.
These delicious chocolate coconut energy balls are the perfect edible pick-me-up in the middle of the day, and are 100% Whole30 and Paleo approved.
They are sweet, decadent tasting, and energy boosting. And, they are the perfect healthy thing to contribute to a party or potluck. My toddler also gobbles them up whenever I make them!
I find that the ritual of a midday break/light snack is super beneficial for me and my mental health during the day. Here’s why:
- It helps fight midday hanger. When I get home from a long day at work, or after a day of wrangling my kids while also somehow trying to cook, write blog posts, and take pretty photographs, I’M STARVING. That means going in for the tortilla chips before I even think about making dinner, no matter how quick and easy that dinner is. And don’t even try to stop me. With a snack like these energy balls, I should be able to make it without accidentally snapping at my kids or feeling super stressed.
- It enables a brain break. My brain gets so tired toward the late afternoon. I need a mental break from work. The ritual of taking a break, and sitting down for a fifteen minute break to sip a delicious beverage, munch on these chocolate coconut energy balls, and maybe read my favorite magazine or a few pages from my book is unbelievably rejuvenating during a work day.
This recipe for chocolate coconut energy balls makes 16, so you can stock your fridge, and they are SUPER easy to make.
And this may be a little dangerous to say out loud, but they taste almost exactly like Almond Joy candy bars. Smooth, creamy, chocolatey, coconuty, nutty, and sweet… but only sweetened with dates! That’s right- pure, natural dates.
These little bite-sized morsels really are a nutritional powerhouse to completely satisfy you. All you need is one, and you’re set!
Just add some pecans to your food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Feel free to use almonds, cashews, or other nuts if you want.
Add chopped, pitted dates, some unsweetened coconut, coconut oil, cocoa powder, a pinch of salt, and just a little bit of water to make it all come together. Turn your food processor on until it is well-mixed and holds together when you press it.
Using a tablespoon measure, roll the mixture into uniform ball shapes and roll in some more unsweetened coconut.
Place on a parchment covered sheet and refrigerate until more solidified (because coconut oil can melt or soften at room temperature, you’ll need to keep these refrigerated so they stay together).
After about thirty minutes, you can transfer the energy balls to a container or plastic bag to keep stored in the fridge.
I also love how versatile this recipe is. Don’t like pecans? Use almonds or walnuts. Nut allergy? Use sunflower seeds. Can’t find dried dates? Try figs.
The key is the consistency. If you watch the recipe video, you’ll see a point in which I squeeze the energy ball mixture together and it stays that way.
You want all the ingredients to be very small, and you want there to be a good liquid to “stuff” ratio so that they hold their shape.
Are you doing a Whole30 challenge? I have an entire archive of paleo and whole30 recipes, or recipes that are easily adaptable to be compliant.
Make sure you check it out!
And if you love these chocolate coconut energy balls, you’ll love this Coconut Granola with Almonds and Cardamom and this Two-Ingredient Vegan Chocolate Banana Ice Cream.
Try out these Gingerbread Energy Balls, too!
Recipe below! Enjoy :-)
Chocolate Coconut Energy Balls with Pecans and Dates
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 15 whole pitted dates roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut divided
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon water (if needed)
Instructions
- Put pecans (1/2 cup) in food processor and pulse until roughly chopped.
- Place 1/4 cup of the shredded coconut in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Add the remaining ingredients except for the 1 tablespoon water to the food processor. Turn food processor on until very well mixed. If mixture seems too dry to stick together, add the water.
- Using a tablespoon measure, spoon out mixture and roll in balls.
- Coat each ball in the reserved 1/4 cup shredded coconut.
- Place on a parchment covered baking sheet and refrigerate for at least thirty minutes, until they harden.
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to two weeks.
Video
Notes
- Make it nut free: Substitute the pecans with sunflower seeds.
- Other substitutions: You can use almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts instead of pecans.
- A note on yield: I got 16 energy balls out of this, but the dates I used were big and the scoop I used was tiny. You may get a different total amount than I did depending on the size of your dates and how big you make them!
- The provided nutrition information does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. Feel free to calculate it yourself using this calculator or by adding the recipe to Yummly.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
Bec
These were terrific! The only problem was that we ate them too quickly :)
I made a couple of small changes: I had no coconut oil, so left it out, and they held together just fine. I also soaked the dates in water for an hour or so, which made them softer and easier to chop.
We will definitely make them again –thank you for sharing the recipe!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked them! Great to know it worked well without coconut oil, and good tip about softening the dates.
Natalie
Hi. Not used to using coconut oil. Do you place it in the food processor as a solid or heat it and use as a liquid? Thank you.
Elizabeth Lindemann
You can do either! But if it’s a liquid, the energy balls might be a little harder to form. Coconut oil is interesting- it solidifies at around 74 degrees, so often in the summer it’s liquid and the winter it’s solid inside your house. That’s the reason why it’s good to keep these in the fridge after making them- they won’t fall apart as easily if the oil is solid from the refrigeration. But when you’re making them you can do either. Hope that helps!
Rajni
The bliss balls turned out so delicious! I didn’t have coconut oil, so I used the olive oil. Thank you for the recipe.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it, and glad to hear olive oil worked well for you!
Izabela
So delicious!! My new favorite dessert! I followed the recipe but I made one change. Just toasted the coconut with a half of teaspoon of coconut oil and one teaspoon of coconut sugar.
Thank you for the recipe!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Oh I LOVE the idea of toasting the coconut like that! Glad you liked it and thanks for the tip :-)
Doris
I absolutely love these! I wouldn’t change the recipe at all. I started making them last year when I did the whole 30 diet and I’ve been making them ever since! Soooo easy to make! I’m glad I found your site!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you like them!
Melissa
This is my first time finding your site…and I ever glad I did! I made these today and they were amazing! Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked them! :-)
Caroline
Just made these and they were so tasty! I added half a banana to mine and it was great!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
I never thought about adding banana to these- thanks for the tip, and glad you liked them!
Lindsay Ex
These are SO Good!! Super easy and a great alternative to peanut butter for one of my kiddos who doesn’t enjoy that.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked them!
Kirstin Davis
So simple and even more delicious! My friends and I really enjoyed these. Tasted so much like a guilt free Almond Joy, but better! They were so easy and quick to make. I will definitely be making them again.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked them!
Jean
What could you use if you don’t have coconut oil? Olive Oil? Thanks for any thoughts.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hm, coconut oil is nice because it’s solid at room temperature so they hold together a little better. But I think you can use olive oil but you may want to chill the mix before forming the balls, or you could replace with some peanut butter or other nut or seed butter! Hope that helps.
Isabelle S.
We did not have coconut oil and I did not think olive oil would taste so good, so we used Unsweetened applesauce. We also added an extra date or two. Put everything in the fridge before rolling. They turned out fantastic!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Shara
These are SO good! Instead of using nuts I used 1/2 C of old fashioned oats, 1 T of ground flax seed, and 1 T of chia seed, and the consistency was perfect. Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it and thank you for sharing your substitutions for a nut-free version!
Mia
As a working mom of 2 and lover of fitness & Whole30, I found these super easy to make & very delicious! Thank you! @miacraigfitness
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked them!
Suzanne Blaum
I just made these and popped them in the fridge. Please confirm how many calories each ball is. It says each one is 67kcals, which would be 6,700 each? Surely that’s not correct. I’m hoping each one is closer to 67 calories! Thank you!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Great question! I did some research and turns out, calories in food are actually kcals, so these have 67 calories for all intents and purposes. Phew! I learned something today, and so did my science teacher husband! Here’s the info from the FDA :-)
What is the difference between calories and kilocalories?
The “calorie” we refer to in food is actually kilocalorie. One (1) kilocalorie is the same as one (1) Calorie (upper case C). A kilocalorie is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water one degree Celsius. (https://www.nutrition.gov/faqs)
Vicki
Nicest energy balls I’ve ever made…by far!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So happy you liked them!
Lynn
love the idea, thx for sharing!
Wanda
Just made these, don’t have a food processor but worked just as well after I soaked the dates for a few minutes and chopped everything really fine. Didn’t have pecans neither but chopped up almonds very small and they came out great Super delicious!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked them!
Shirl
Delicious and so easy to make. I keep a batch of them in my fridge at all times.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you like them!
dinacarless@gmail.com
Could I add Chia seeds to this recipe?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Definitely! This recipe is very flexible, and chia seeds might actually help bind them together a bit. You can add probably anywhere from 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of chia seeds into the mix. Some people actually like to roll their energy balls in ground chia seeds (instead of flaked coconut in this recipe). Hope that helps and hope you like it!
Karen
Easy to make and delicious!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Thank you! Glad you liked them :-)
Alexia
I just made these balls. Everything about them is perfect. They’re soft and contain just the right amount of each ingredient. Thanks for the amazing recipe, I’ll make a double batch next time!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So happy you liked them!
Natalie
Are you supposed to use a particular type of date?
Elizabeth Lindemann
I used Medjool, which are fairly common, but I imagine any kind will do!
Marissa J Cassimatis
Delicious! I had almond on hand so used those and just pulsed in my nutri bullet, was so easy and delicious :)
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
rosepkid
I made these tonight! It took 5 minutes and I used pistachios and almonds – they were INCREDIBLE!! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Yay! So happy you liked them :-)
Allie
This recipe is so tasty! Do you think I could put some in the freezer if I can’t make it through the batch?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Hm, I don’t see why not! You can probably flash freeze them on a baking sheet for 30 minutes, then pop them all into a bag or airtight container and grab one when you want it. So glad you liked the recipe!