Soft, fudgy, and finished with a salted dairy-free caramel drizzle, these Dark Chocolate Bliss Balls feel like a treat but are really a healthy mini snack. Made with dates and walnuts (plus a touch of collagen for staying power), they’re an easy no-bake energy bite that’s perfect for busy days and chocolate cravings alike.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 30 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 12
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 140 kcals and 5 grams of protein
- 📋Main Ingredients: Dates, walnuts, cacao powder, collagen powder and maple syrup.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, high-protein, and paleo.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: These chocolate bliss balls are rich, naturally sweet, and incredibly delicious, making them a perfect make-ahead snack with no baking required.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
Do you ever hit that mid-morning wall where you realize all you’ve eaten are a few bites off your kids’ plates, and suddenly you’re starving but also want chocolate? That’s exactly why I keep these bliss balls on hand. I pair them with other easy grabs like espresso overnight oats for a quick, grab-and-go snack that actually holds me over.
As a mom of three, I love that they satisfy a serious chocolate craving and deliver some real nourishment. Since they’re date-based, they don’t freeze rock solid, which means you can grab one straight from the freezer and eat it immediately, kind of like this chocolate turtles recipe or my date bark recipe, but way more snack-friendly for busy days.
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💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
Simple ingredients: You don't need anything out of the norm for these bliss balls. Only 6 ingredients, and you probably already have them on hand.
Blood sugar stable: Thanks to the collagen powder, these energy balls won't spike and crash your blood sugar.
Quick to make: You can whip up the bliss balls in about 10 minutes to make a super energizing snack, thanks to the dates.
Texture: These healthy chocolate bliss balls have an almost fudy texture to them that both kids and adults love.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Dates: Soak the dates before you need them in water to make them easier to blend. Then, use a food processor to make a paste, and it'll help everything stick together. This is true for my chocolate mint protein bar recipe, too.
- Cacao Powder: Though unsweetened cocoa powder can be used, cacao powder is more nutritionally beneficial (learn more about the difference between cacao and cocoa powder).
- Collagen powder: The secret ingredient that gives these chocolate bliss balls a hint of protein. Learn more about what collagen powder is and know that it's one of the cleanest sources of protein. Learn more about collagen versus protein powder.
- Caramel sauce: If you choose to drizzle coconut milk caramel sauce on top (and you should because- yum), you'll need runny almond butter as well as more maple syrup and vanilla extract.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Flavor Variations
Chocolate chips: Add a bit of crunch into the chocolate bliss balls with dates by mixing in a few dairy-free chocolate chips or even white chocolate chips for a new look.
Dried fruit: Skip the full-on chocolate flavor and add in some dried blueberries or cherries.
Zests: Orange or lemon zest makes for a refreshing pick-me-up. I'd replace the cacao powder with collagen if I were doing this.
Nuts: Walnuts are delicious, but so are toasted pecans or pistachios. Even hazelnuts can be added for a Nutella-like taste.
How To Make Dark Chocolate Bliss Balls
Step 1: Grind the nuts in a food processor.
Step 2: Add them to the remaining dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 3: Blend the dates, maple syrup, and vanilla until mostly smooth.
Step 4: Mix the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well.
Step 5: Roll the mixture into balls and freeze. While the balls are freezing, mix together the caramel sauce and portion it into a plastic baggie before cutting off the tip.
Step 6: Pipe the caramel sauce onto the bliss balls and enjoy.
Expert Tips
Make the balls nut-free by using sunflower seed butter in the caramel sauce and sunflower seeds in place of walnuts. Though they won't be as indulgent, they're still delicious and school-safe. Toast them first if you want to maximize flavor.
Use runny almond butter for the caramel sauce, or it will be too thick to pipe.
If the mixture is excessively sticky, add 1 tablespoon more collagen powder to help thicken it up.
You want a high-quality collagen powder for the protein balls. I personally use Perfect Supplements because they source their collagen from pasture-raised (grass-fed) cows. Try it with code mamamabear10 to save some money.
How To Store Them
These chocolate balls are best stored in the freezer. Since dates don't freeze solid, technically, you can enjoy them right out of the freezer or let them sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.
However, the balls themselves are very sticky when left out at room temperature or even eaten out of the fridge.
If you need to do this, either roll the balls in cacao powder or shredded coconut before topping them with the homemade caramel sauce, or pop a cake stick in them to make them easier for little hands.
Dark Chocolate Bliss Balls FAQs
Bliss balls are another name for energy balls or energy bites. They get their name because they're sheer bliss to eat. They are normally made from a combination of dates and healthy fats, though figs work as well (learn how to make energy balls step by step). Typically, they are plant-based, but that's not always the case (especially when I make them).
Basically, they're an easy, bite-sized snack that's delicious and healthy!
If your energy balls are too sticky, you can add more dry ingredients like collagen or protein powder to the mixture to firm them up. Or, roll the balls in shredded coconut or cacao powder to help hold them together.
When bliss balls don't stick together, it's because too much of a dry ingredient was used. One teaspoon at a time, add a splash of water, non-dairy milk, or nut butter until you reach a stickier texture that holds together.
Yes, protein powder can replace collagen powder, but the texture will be different depending on the one you choose. Vegan protein powder absorbs more liquid, so you'll need a bit extra, whereas beef protein powder creates a stickier textur,e and you may not need extra liquid.
More No-Bake Snacks You'll Love
If you tried this Dark Chocolate Bliss Balls Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Dark Chocolate Bliss Balls With Dates
Equipment
- Parchment paper
- Plastic bag for piping
Ingredients
For the bliss balls
- 1 cup dates pitted & soaked
- 1 cup walnut halves
- ¼ cup cacao powder
- 2.5 tbs collagen powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tbs pure maple syrup
- 2 tbs water if needed
For the caramel sauce
- ⅛ cup almond butter fresh and runny
- 1 tbs maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the balls
- Grind the walnuts in a food processor and set aside in a large bowl
- Add in the remaining dry ingredients to the bowl.
- Create the date paste by blending the dates, syrup, and vanilla in a food processor. You may need to stop and scrape the sides.
- Mix the date mixture into the dry mixture.
- Once firm, grease your hands with coconut oil and roll the mixture into 12 balls with your hands. Place the balls on parchment paper and into the freezer.
Make the drizzle
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk with a fork until smooth. If you prefer your sauce thinner, add water one teaspoon at a time.
- Put the sauce into a piping bag and cut the tip. Remove the balls from the freezer and pipe the caramel onto the date balls.
- Store the balls in one line (not stacked) in the freezer until ready to eat.
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Shelby S says
I lvoe that these taste like dessert but are totally healthy!