These Healthier Energy Balls Are Made With Medjool Dates

If you’re a fan of any of the delicious energy ball recipes that have been surfacing the internet lately, then you’re in for another treat.

I've been a huge fan of the sweet and energizing oat balls, but after indulging in dozens and dozens of them (no shame), I decided that I wanted to try and make them a touch healthier (mostly to calm my guilt while still satisfying my sweet tooth). So instead of adding sugar or honey to the mixture, I decided to use Medjool dates.

Dates are considered the oldest cultivated food in the world and have been eaten as far back as 5,000-6,000 B.C.E. Medjool dates are softer and make for a perfect, nutritious sweetener for these energy balls. They provide an excellent source of dietary fiber and contain almost no fat. Although Medjool dates are a good sugar substitute, one should still be mindful and eat them in moderation as they do contain a high sugar content.

This simple recipe requires little time, no baking, and makes for a perfect midday snack!

Energy Balls with Medjool Dates

• Prep Time:15 mins
• Cook Time:0
• Total Time:15 mins
• Servings:10
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 6-8 Medjool dates pits removed
• 1/3 cup coconut flakes preferably unsweetened
• 1/2 cup ground flax seed
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sunflower seed butter or peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

• Step 1

  Remove the pit from about 6-8 dates (depending on sweetness preference) and place them in a blender. Add 2 tablespoons of water and begin to pulse the blender to eventually puree the dates. You might need to add some water to create the right consistency.

  

• Step 2

  Once the right smooth consistency is reached, scrape the date puree from the blender into a bowl and set aside.

  

• Step 3

  Combine oats, flax seeds, coconut flakes, cinnamon, and chocolate chips in a medium sized bowl. Mix well.

  

• Step 4

  Add sunflower seed butter (or peanut butter), date puree, and vanilla extract to the bowl and stir fully until all ingredients are combined. (You might want to use your hands for this process as it can get sticky.)

  

• Step 5

  Refrigerate dough for about 15-20 minutes to harden dough. (This isn't required, but will make it easier to roll up the dough.)

  

• Step 6

  After 15-20 minutes, remove the dough from the fridge and form it into tablespoon-sized balls.

  

So there you have it—delicious energy balls that only take about 15 minutes to make and contain no added sugars. The Medjool dates add the perfect touch of sweetness to these simple energy balls. The best part about this sweet snack, though, is that you can easily mess around with the ingredients to better match your taste and satisfy that sweet tooth while boosting your energy.