Healthy Energy Balls Recipe with Dates, Oats, and Dark Chocolate
These Healthy Energy Balls combine the natural sweetness of Medjool dates with hearty oats and rich dark chocolate for a quick, wholesome snack that’s perfect anytime.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 16-18 energy balls 1x
- Category: Snack
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups (225g) Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 cup (90g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- ¼ cup (45g) dark chocolate chips or chunks (70% cocoa or higher)
- 2 tablespoons (30g) natural almond butter
- 1 tablespoon (15g) chia seeds (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- If dates are not soft, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain well.
- Add rolled oats to a food processor and pulse 5-7 times until slightly broken down but still textured.
- Add pitted dates and almond butter to the oats. Pulse continuously for 1-2 minutes until mixture clumps and looks sticky.
- Add vanilla extract, cinnamon, and sea salt. Pulse briefly to distribute evenly.
- Transfer mixture to a bowl and fold in dark chocolate chips and chia seeds by hand.
- Using hands or a small cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon/15g), roll mixture into 16-18 tight balls.
- Place balls on a baking sheet or plate lined with parchment and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze for up to three months.
Notes
If mixture is too dry, add more almond butter or a splash of water. If too sticky, add more oats. Soaking dates if dry is essential for smooth texture. Fold in chocolate chips by hand to prevent melting. Chill to firm up and improve texture. Mixture can be made a day ahead and rolled later for deeper flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 energy ball (about
- Calories: 95
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 35
- Fat: 5
- Saturated Fat: 1.5
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 2
Keywords: energy balls, healthy snack, dates, oats, dark chocolate, homemade snack, quick snack, nutritious snack