Chocolate Energy Balls are a great tasting, really easy to make snack with dates, nuts, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, vanilla and sea salt.
If you’re looking for a new snack recipe that isn’t loaded with extra sugar, may I suggest this recipe for chocolate energy balls? I found the original recipe online after a dinner conversation with a dear friend about recipes using dates that she had tried.
After making a couple slight tweaks to the original recipe, I was hooked on these wonderful little treats! We keep them in our refrigerator and grab one whenever we have a “chocolate craving.”
They are made very quickly using a food processor, require zero cooking time, taste great, and can be finished and ready to eat in about 10 minutes! I consider that a good thing! Here’s how to make delicious chocolate energy balls.
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
Process Ingredients Using A Food Processor
Place pecans (or walnuts), cashews, pitted medjool dates, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and sea salt into a food processor fitted with a standard S-shaped blade. NOTE: I start using 10 dates, then add 1or 2 more later, if necessary (see below).
Process these ingredients until they’re finely “chopped”, fully combined and the mixture looks like it is beginning to stick together. Stop the processor and test it.
Test The Date And Nut Mixture
To test it, remove a teaspoon of the mixture and press it together firmly with your fingers to see if holds together in a cohesive unit. This is important for the texture of the energy balls, so make sure to do this!
Add a couple more dates and/or a teaspoon of water if you find the mixture is still a bit too crumbly. I usually need to add 2 more dates (which makes 12 total). Process the mixture again until it all sticks together when pressed and tested.
Add Chocolate Chips
Place chocolate chips (1½ Tablespoons) into the food processor, then pulse the ingredients 2-3 more times. this will help distribute the chocolate chips in the date and nut mixture.
Unplug the food processor and remove the cutting blade once you’re done. Now the mixture is ready to be shaped and finished into a lovely snack!
Shaping The Chocolate Energy Balls
Remove about 1 Tablespoon of the mixture at a time from the food processor. Roll it between your (clean) hands to form a firmly shaped ball.
The mixture doesn’t really stick to your hands, so it’s quick and EASY to shape the entire batch in a very short amount of time!
As you finish shaping each energy ball, place it on parchment paper, leaving a little space between each one so they don’t stick together.
Each batch will yield about 15 chocolate energy balls, which are shown in the photo below. It is very easy to double or triple the recipe if you require a larger quantity.
NOTE: If you plan on doubling this recipe, I recommend making one batch at a time, so the food processor doesn’t become overcrowded.
Enjoy Them Right Away Or Refrigerate
When you’ve formed all of the chocolate energy balls, they can be eaten immediately! How’s that for a fast snack that your family and/or friends will enjoy? My favorite way to eat them is to chill them first, because I think the flavors really come together that way.
To store the chocolate energy balls, place them in an airtight container. I put a layer of parchment paper down and then put the energy balls on top. Store them in the refrigerator (they’ll last for days if you don’t gobble them all up first!)
This treat is nice and sweet thanks to the dates, slightly chewy and chocolate-flavored, and really, really good! When I first made them, my husband was a bit apprehensive to try them, but he ended up loving them, too! Hooray!
I hope you have the chance to make these little bites of yummy goodness and trust you and those you love will really enjoy them, too!
Thank you so much for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day!
Looking For More SNACK Recipes?
You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have quite a few delicious snack (or appetizer) recipes to check out, including:
- Taco-Spiced Cheese Crackers
- Apricot Pineapple Kielbasa Bites
- Cheddar Jack Cheese Spread
- Crunchy Caramel Corn
- Fruit Kabobs
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Original recipe source, and with thanks to Brittany Mullins at: Brownie Energy Balls – Eating Bird Food
↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
Chocolate Energy Balls are a great tasting, really easy to make snack with dates, nuts, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, vanilla and sea salt.
- 10 pitted Medjool dates (approx. 1 cup)
- ¾ cup pecans (raw) or walnuts
- ¼ cup cashews raw or roasted
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder or cacao powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1½ Tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon water (only if needed)
Fit a food processor with a standard "S-shaped cutting blade."
Place pecans (or walnuts), cashews, dates, cocoa powder, vanilla and sea salt in food processor. Process until finely "chopped", fully combined, and mixture has begun to stick together. Stop processor and test it.
To test, remove a teaspoon of the mixture; press it together firmly with your fingers to see if holds together. Add 1-2 more dates and/or a teaspoon of water if the mixture is still a bit too crumbly. Process until mixture sticks together. Add chocolate chips; pulse 2-3 more times to distribute chocolate chips. Unplug food processor; remove cutting blade.
Remove 1 Tablespoon of the mixture at a time from the food processor. Roll it between your hands to form a firmly shaped ball. Place each formed ball on parchment paper, leaving space between each one.
Chocolate energy balls can be eaten right away or serve chilled! To store, refrigerate them in an airtight container. Enjoy!
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!