Date Balls

These date balls are so easy to make using simple ingredients. They're chewy, sweet, and the best way to get healthy superfoods in your family's diet. Perfect for snack time, lunch boxes, or an energizing afternoon pick-me-up.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Kosher, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Low Salt, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 10

Set Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings balls

Calories 140kcal

Author Alana Lieberman

Cost $10

Equipment

Ingredients

1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup natural peanut butter
4 tablespoons cacao or unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup pitted dates (about 12 dates)
Pinch of salt, if your peanut butter is unsalted
4 tablespoons water
¾ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips SEE NOTE

Instructions

Add all ingredients besides water and chocolate chips to the bowl of your food processor. Pulse until it forms fine crumbles.
Add water. Pulse again until the mixture turns sticky and starts to combine.
Scoop date mixture into a mixing bowl. Pour in chocolate chips. Use your hands to incorporate chocolate chips into the mixture.
Using a cookie scoop, form small balls of the mixture, about 1 to 2 tablespoons each.
Place balls on a cookie sheet and put in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set.

Notes

I highly recommend using mini chocolate chips because they stick inside the balls better than regular sized chips. The regular sized chocolate chips are much heavier and tend to fall out.
If your mixture isn't coming together, slowly add more water until it becomes sticky and starts to combine.
Remember to remove the pits from the dates! The pits are very hard and unpalatable.

Nutrition