Naturally sweet and rich in chocolate flavor, these Date Chocolate Coconut Energy Balls are made from whole food ingredients and are the kind of snack you can feel good about. They come together quickly and are loaded with fiber and healthy fats. Plus, they're bite-sized, so great for kids!
"I made these and omitted the syrup and they were still great! We're going to use these while out and about doing summer activities with the Kids. Thank you." -Jennifer
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 30 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 15 balls
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 142 kcals and 5 grams of protein
- 📋Main Ingredients: Dates, walnuts, cacao powder, shredded coconut, and old-fashioned oats.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, and can be made vegan or paleo.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: These coconut chocolate date balls are rich, naturally sweet, and packed with wholesome ingredients that make them the perfect grab-and-go snack.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
Energy balls are a weekly staple in my kitchen (learn more about how to make homemade energy balls). I love that they’re made from real, recognizable ingredients and take just minutes to prep. Keeping a batch in the freezer means I always have a naturally sweet, whole-food snack ready to hand over, whether it’s for a hungry toddler, a lunchbox add-in, or a quick bite between school drop-off and emails.
These chocolate coconut bliss balls are also amazing when you need steady, natural energy, especially during busy seasons like breastfeeding or long, chaotic afternoons (check out these healthy breastfeeding snacks). The dates provide quick fuel, the healthy fats help you stay satisfied, and the chocolate keeps everyone happy, kind of like my chocolate mint protein bar recipe.
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💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
Rich texture: With a fudgy, chewy texture, these chocolate coconut date balls are delicious to pop in your mouth.
Kid-friendly: Kids love the date-based chocolate flavor, and they're perfect for little hands.
Healthy: Minimal ingredients, and sweetened with only dates and maple syrup. They're a whole foods, fiber-packed snack.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Dates: The base of these chocolate energy balls is dates, which provide natural energy. They're also used for the base of recipes like chocolate covered pecan turtles. You'll want to soak them in warm water before you need them, as it helps them blend better.
- Hemp hearts: These are optional but a great add-in for all energy bites because they're packed with plant-based protein an omega three fatty acids. We use them the most to make homemade hemp milk.
- Cacao powder: Chocolate in its purest form. Cocoa powder will work, but learn the benefits of cacao powder to see what you're missing out on.
- Collagen powder: Another optional ingredient, but one that provides a hint of really clean protein. Learn more about what collagen powder is and why you may want it.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Flavor Variations
Extra nutty: Add 1 tablespoon of almond butter to the mix and roll the energy balls in chopped almonds. You could use ⅛th teaspoon of almond extract, too.
Double chocolate: Add mini, dairy-free chocolate chips to the batter and roll the chocolate energy balls in cacao powder to coat them. I actually do this with coffee protein balls sometimes, too.
Nut-free: Make chocolate coconut date balls nut-free by replacing the walnuts with sunflower or pumpkin seeds. If you toast the, you'll have even more flavor.
How To Make Date Chocolate Coconut Balls
Step 1: Process the dates into a paste in a food processor.
Step 2: Add the dates, hemp hearts, and cacao powder into a bowl.
Step 3: Mix and add the oats and remaining ingredients.
Step 4: Roll into shredded coconut and enjoy!
Expert Tips To Make It
If you need the chocolate coconut date energy balls to be vegan, simply replace the collagen powder with almond flour or ground oats.
Troubleshooting texture:
- If the mixture is too sticky to roll, you need to add more oats, cacao, and collagen powder until it balances out. It should be tacky, but not dripping off your hands. Ground oats would be even better.
- If the mixture seems too thick, add a splash (one teaspoon) of extra non-dairy milk to get them rolling.
- It's almost better to have energy balls that are too thick than too wet; they still roll into the coconut well.
Time hack: If you don't have time to roll the balls in coconut, just add the coconut TO the mixture.
Coconut energy balls can be stored in either the fridge or freezer in an airtight container. In the fridge, they'll stay fresh for 7 days and in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Dates don't freeze totally solid, so you can actually grab these right out of the freezer. However, for kids, I would let them sit on the counter for 5 minutes so that they're softer.
Date Chocolate Coconut Balls FAQs
Typically, energy bites are made with a blend of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. They’re a great source of natural sugar (energy) and flavor. Likewise, because they contain so many healthy fats they’re healthy, on-the-go snack.
Yes, soaked dates blend better and smoother so you'll want to let them sit in warm water for 15-20minutes before you blend them. This is what helps energy balls hold together so well.
Energy balls should be stored in the fridge or the freezer as they tend to be too soft at room temperature and lose their shape. Thankfully, dates don’t freeze solid so when storing them in the freezer the balls need minimal time to thaw.
More No-Bake Snack Recipes You'll Love
If you tried this Date Chocolate Coconut Balls Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Coconut Chocolate Date Balls (Dairy and Gluten-Free)
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Dates soaked in warm water for twenty minutes
- ⅔ cups Walnuts chopped
- 3 tablespoons Cacao powder
- 3 tablespoons Hemp Hearts
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ¼ cup Old Fashioned Oats gluten-free if needed (rolled, not quick)
- ⅛ cup collagen powder
- ⅔ cup Shredded Coconut
Instructions
- In a food processor grind walnuts into almost a flour. Leave a tiny bit for texture. Add in the dates and process/blend until combined and smooth. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides or use a tamper.
- Scrape the mixture into a bowl and add in the cacao, hemp hearts, collagen powder, and maple syrup. Stir.
- Mixture will look wet and sticky. Add in the oats and mix again.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper and place the coconut into a shallow bowl.
- Rub some coconut oil on your hands (or wet them with water) to prevent sticking and portion the mixture into balls rubbing each ball into the coconut until coated and placing it on the parchment paper.
- Place the balls in the freezer for twenty-thirty minutes to set.
Notes
- Adjust the texture as needed by adding one teaspoon of liquid at a time if the batter is too thick, or extra dry ingredients if the mixture is too sticky.
- To make the recipe nut-free, use pumpkin seeds in place of almonds
- If using collagen powder, use a quality brand. I like Perfect Supplements. Code mamabear10 will save you some money.
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Shelby S says
These energy balls are my kids' favorite snack! I make them weekly and they never get sick of them.
Jennifer says
I made these and omitted the syrup and they were still great! We're going to use these while out and about doing summer activities with the Kids. Thank you.
fitasamamabear says
You just made my day! I'm so happy you enjoyed them! The dates keep them super sweet still (and they're less sticky if you omit the syrup) so it;s not needed. I love it 🙂
Sara says
These sound delicious! We love making energy balls. Have you tried them with toasted quinoa mixed in? It adds such a nice crunch!
fitasamamabear says
Oh my god you just made my LIFE. No, I never thought of adding toasted quinoa but how tasty! You rock.. so making them tomorrow 😀
Teresa says
These look like a yummy treat! I look forward to trying them.
fitasamamabear says
They're super tasty.. and chocolate 😀