Chocolate Coconut Nut Balls

These coconut cocoa energy balls are an easy no-bake snack made with dates, cashews, cocoa powder, and toasted coconut. They’re lightly sweet, chocolatey without being rich, and hold together well. Naturally vegan, paleo, and refined sugar-free.

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword bliss bites, chocolate, cocoa powder, dairy-free, dates, energy balls, gluten-free, grain-free, healthy snacks, paleo, protein balls, snacks, snacks for kids, vegan

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings

Calories 75kcal

Author Erin Dooner

Ingredients

3/4 cup pitted dates, packed
1/3 cup roasted, salted cashews or raw, if you prefer, but then add 1/8 tsp salt
6 tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut not the long shreds, divided
2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 °F (165 °C). Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
Place the shredded coconut evenly on the pan and pop it in the oven for 3 minutes. Then, gently stir with a spatula so that it gets evenly toasted, and bake until it is golden brown (up to 1-4 minutes more). It will toast more around the edges, so be sure to stir it well. Keep an eye on it because there is a very fine line between toasted coconut and burnt coconut. Once it’s perfectly golden, let it cool thoroughly.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the S-blade, add everything - but just 1/4 cup (80 grams) of coconut, reserving 2 tablespoons for rolling.
Blend until the mixture sticks together easily when pressed.
If it doesn't hold together easily, add 1/2 teaspoon of water and pulse again.
Roll into twelve 20-gram balls (slightly less than 1" big) and roll in reserved coconut.
Store in a container or bag at room temperature for 1-2 weeks. They can also be refrigerated for a few weeks and frozen for up to 3 months.

Notes

I think these balls taste best with roasted rather than raw cashews.
These won't stick together well if you use the long strands of coconut. Make sure to use the shorter strands, like what you see in the photos.
The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.

Nutrition