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:
Jill
How do you think these would turn out with “deglet noor” dates instead? I bought them by mistake. They are a little smaller and lighter than medjools
Elizabeth
I think it will be fine! I don’t really know anything about the difference, but this recipe is so forgiving that I’m sure it will work well.
Jill
Thanks! Yes, it worked perfectly.. and THANK YOU so much for this whole recipe, it’s been made so many times in this house and we all love it. <3 kids included.
Elizabeth
So happy you and your family liked it!
Emma
These are easy to make, somehwhat guilt free, and SO delicous! I’M ashamed to say ive made them 4 times already
Elizabeth
So glad you liked them! You made a mistake though- I think you meant to say you’re PROUD to say you’ve made them 4 times already :-)
Nancy
AMAZE-BALLS!!!! So ridiculously good! I’m a little late to the party but so happy I found my way to your site. I’m living a mostly whole 30 lifestyle with my “cheats” being a little paleo treat every once in a while. These little wonder balls made me so happy. I’m bringing them to a Christmas party tomorrow, I won’t even tell anyone they’re healthy!! Thanks for helping a sister out.
Elizabeth
Hahaha WHY didn’t I name this recipe “AMAZE-BALLS?” So glad you liked this recipe- it saved my life when I did the whole30 and when I was eating mostly paleo.
Areej
This looks delicious.. can’t wait to make it this week
But what can I use instead of coconut oil?
I don’t have and I never used it.
Thank you
Elizabeth
Hm, good question! I’m actually not sure that anything but coconut oil would work here, unless you completely omit the oil all together. They will have it at whatever grocery store you usually shop at with the other oils- you’ll want to buy virgin coconut oil, the kind that looks solid, not liquid, in the jar. The thing about coconut oil is that it is solid at most room temperatures, similar to butter, so the energy balls maintain their shape better. My guess is that if you omit the oil, you may need to add a little more water and pulse the mixture together a bit more in order to get it to stick together better. If you do decide to buy some, and you’re nervous you won’t use the rest of the jar- it makes a great all-natural lotion for your skin! Hope that helps :-)
Elaine
These are amazing!!!! I rolled mine in cocoa powder. Perfect recipe.
Elizabeth
So glad you liked them, love the idea of rolling in cocoa powder!
Jessica
I don’t have a food processor :'( Do you think I could make these with a blender or a immersion blender? or maybe just try to dice things up very small?!!?
Elizabeth
I think a blender would probably work but I’ve never tried it… dicing things up very finely should be fine! I wouldn’t use an immersion blender for this.
Rae
I could only find a package of chopped dates at the store so I bought the chopped dates. How much would you use instead of 15 Dates chopped? Thanks
Elizabeth
It’s funny, I’m actually making a batch of these right now! I stopped to measure the dates after roughly chopping them for you, and it looks like it’s about 1 cup packed full of chopped dates. Luckily, the proportions really don’t matter much in this recipe, so if you’re a little over or under it should be fine. Hope you like them!
Laura
These are totally amazing- thank you so much for sharing the recipe! Quick question – can you freeze them? And if so, how long for do you think? Thank you in advance :)
Elizabeth
So glad you liked them! I haven’t tried freezing them before but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. I recommend wrapping them individually in plastic wrap just to make sure that there isn’t too much air around them, OR flash freezing them on a baking sheet and then storing them in a bag or container. My gut is telling me they’d last about 6 months that way!
Carolyn Healy
Not a fan of nuts.. could i make them wothout?? Or replace with something else??
Elizabeth
Hmm… I think you could probably make them without! But they do act as a bit of a binding agent- so you might want to omit the water until you can test the texture to see if it holds up. I think you could also substitute seeds, like sunflower, for a bit of a crunch. Hope you like it!
M.D.
Awesome stuff…and very creative! I like the user of natural sugar! I am assuming that taking the seeds from the dates is advised. One question: would it be possible to include some dried fruits and what kind?
Elizabeth
Thanks! And yes, remove the pits from the dates (unless you want to break a tooth) :-) You could definitely include some other dried fruits. The only thing that may be affected is the texture. If it seems too wet after blending it in with other fruits, just add a little more coconut, and if it’s too dry and crumbly, add a bit more water. You’ll know the texture is right when you can easily roll it into a ball. I think dried cranberries or figs would be awesome with these flavors! Hope you like it :-)
Claire
What a great recipe – these are amazing! One tip I used from another recipe was to soak the dates in some warm water for about 10 minutes/drain then add to the mix. It really plumps them up and makes them super smooth. Thanks so much for sharing – yum!
Elizabeth
Thanks Claire! Love that tip about soaking the dates- this works well especially if they’ve been sitting in your pantry for a while and have dried out a bit.
Vania
Hello, what a lovely recipe! I am aiming to make it. I just need the exact measurements, I mean how many grams is a cup of pecans? Thank you in advance!
Elizabeth
Here’s a nifty conversion calculator and basic chart for converting US measurements to UK! Looks like 1/2 cup of pecans is 57.5 grams. Hope this helps :-) http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/531168/cups-to-grams-converter
Jill
I try to eat all natural, non-processed foods with little or no added sugars. So I was anxious to try these bars. I think I would have said they were great EXCEPT I had read in your blog that they tasted just like an Almond Joy candy bar. I just didn’t find that to be the case. If you think they do, then it has probably been a while since you had a real Almond Joy! To make it more like an Almond Joy, I will try subbing almonds for the pecans, adding a bit more coconut,a bit more cocoa, and perhaps using a half tablespoon of honey or maple syrup in place of some of the water.
Elizabeth
Great suggestions- thank you! It HAS been a while since I’ve had one. I find when I’ve been off of sugar for a while and then I have actual candy, I’m surprised by how sweet they are! To anyone reading this comment- adding honey or maple syrup would keep it Paleo compliant, but not Whole30 compliant.
Alison Griffiths Samuels
I would love to try this, but need the nutrition information – please provide!! :)
Elizabeth
Hi Alison! Providing nutrition information on my blog has been something I’ve been considering, but haven’t made the commitment yet (partially because of the added time, but mostly because I myself pay more attention to the ingredients of my food rather than the nutrition information). In the meantime, may I suggest an AWESOME tool that you can use to figure it out? Just copy and paste the ingredients and enter the servings, and it gives you a breakdown of the nutrition information. Hope this helps! https://www.caloriecount.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php
Hilary
These are wonderful! I roll some of mine in plain cocoa powder instead of coconut. They are delicious and just a tad messy, Thanks for the recipe
Elizabeth
So glad you liked them! Good idea with the cocoa powder- definitely going to try that next time.
Angie
My kids and I love these!!! I doubled the recipe and may have added a bit too much water. What they are not staying together? What do you suggest I do?
Elizabeth
Glad you and your kids liked these! There are a few reasons why these may not have stayed together. You may have added too much water… or not enough. Or, perhaps the pieces of dates were a bit too large. Make sure to chop the dates before you put them in the food processor, and then process them until they turn almost to mush. Add the remaining ingredients and process together, and then add just a little bit of water at a time (like when you make pie dough). That way, you can check periodically to see how well the dough binds together if you press a little in your hands. Also, it’s possible that the dates you used were too dry- sometimes, they can get super dried out if they’ve been on a shelf for too long. If that’s the case, it may help to soak them in water for a few minutes before making the recipe, which will help bind everything together and will also ensure they get processed to a very small size. Hope that helps! Truthfully, the texture and the way they bind together comes out differently for me almost every time. Hopefully next time will work out better for you! :-)
Tika
This was delicious. I will be doubling or tripling my next batch for sure.
Elizabeth
When I posted this recipe, it was the only time I made a single batch. I’ve been doubling ever since! Glad you liked them :-)
Christa
These got me through my whole 30 challenge. Delicious! I’m sending the recipe to my mom to help her with hers. Thanks for sharing a great recipe.
Elizabeth
Oh my gosh they were a LIFESAVER for me during the Whole30. So glad you liked them- hope your mom does too! :-)
Colleen
I’m sure my lactose-intolerant husband will love these. They are “delishioso.” They are definitely satisfying (without the guilt.) :)
JanetGoingCrazy
These energy bites look and sound amazing! I bet they pair really well with the green tea. [client]
Elizabeth
Thanks, Janet! :-)
Heather Murphy
Hey there these look fabulous – do you have the nutrition Profile?
thanks
Elizabeth
Thanks! Since I personally don’t count calories, I haven’t made it a priority to include nutrition information on my recipes. It’s something I’m working on trying to add :-) These have about 71 calories per ball. I use this handy tool to get an approximation of the nutrition information- it may be helpful for you! Also, I copied and pasted the info from the nutrition table (per ball) below. Hope this helps :-) https://www.caloriecount.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php
Total Fat 5.0g
Saturated Fat 2.2g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 13mg
Potassium 94mg
Total Carbohydrates 7.3g
Dietary Fiber 1.5g
Sugars 5.3g
Protein 0.8g