These date and nut energy balls are the BEST healthy snack! Sticky, sweet, and studded with chocolate chips, they taste like little balls of cookie dough.
These no-bake energy balls are my favorite healthy snack. Sticky, sweet, and studded with chocolate chips, they taste like little balls of cookie dough, but they’re made with simple, wholesome ingredients. Dates bind them together, oats add fiber, and walnuts and almond butter pack them with protein and healthy fats.
They’re quick and easy to make in the food processor, and they keep for weeks in the freezer or fridge.
At least they do in theory. If you love these energy balls as much as we do, there’s no way they’ll stick around that long. Between speedy breakfasts and on-the-go snacks, you’ll polish them off in a few days flat!
No-Bake Energy Balls Ingredients
This energy bites recipe calls for 8 basic ingredients:
- Medjool dates – They make these energy balls deliciously sweet without using a sweetener like honey or maple syrup. Their sticky texture also helps bind the balls together.
- Oat flour – For fiber and protein. I like to make homemade oat flour out of old-fashioned or whole rolled oats. Store-bought oat flour works here too. Make sure to use certified gluten-free oat flour if you need these energy balls to be gluten-free.
- Walnuts – They add rich, earthy flavor and healthy fats.
- Almond butter – Like the dates, the almond butter helps bind these energy bites together. Make sure to use really smooth, well-stirred almond butter for this recipe. The dry, stiff stuff at the bottom of the jar won’t work well here.
- Vanilla extract – For warm, cookie-like depth of flavor.
- Water – For extra moisture. A few tablespoons make these date energy balls perfectly cohesive.
- Mini chocolate chips – Use dairy-free chips to make this recipe vegan. I like the Enjoy Life brand.
- And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Energy Balls
These yummy date balls are SO easy to make! Here’s what you need to do:
First, check the dates. They should be soft, sticky, and pliable. If they feel stiff or dry, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes.
Next, pulse the ingredients together. Place the soft, pitted dates in a food processor along with the oat flour, almond butter, walnuts, vanilla, water, and salt. Pulse until the mixture sticks together when pinched.
If it feels dry, pulse a bit longer, until the mixture starts to form a ball in the food processor. If it still feels dry, pulse in more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it feels cohesive and sticky.
Then, form the balls. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and fold in the chocolate chips. Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the dough. Roll the scoops into balls…and that’s it!
How to Store Energy Balls
These no-bake energy balls keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
They also freeze well for up to 3 months. They thaw quickly at room temperature. Grab one when you need an easy, on-the-go breakfast or quick healthy snack. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
In my second cookbook, I shared a chart of six different energy ball recipes and variations! So while this recipe is delicious, it’s not the only way to make energy bites. Here are a few fun ways to change them up:
- Use a different nut butter. Try peanut butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter.
- Skip the chocolate chips. Dried fruit is a nice alternative! I like to add dried currants, chopped dried cranberries, or chopped raisins.
- Make them grain-free. Replace the oat flour with almond flour or shredded coconut.
Let me know what variations you try!
More Favorite Healthy Snacks
If you love these no-bake energy balls, try one of these healthy snack recipes next:
- Homemade Granola Bars
- Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies
- Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
- Chia Seed Pudding
- Healthy Banana Muffins
- Or any of these 49 Best Healthy Snacks!
Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 1½ cups oat flour
- 1 cup walnuts
- ⅓ cup creamy natural almond butter*, well-stirred
- 10 soft Medjool dates**
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a food processor, place the oat flour, walnuts, almond butter, dates, vanilla, water, and salt. Pulse until the mixture sticks together when pinched. If it’s too crumbly, pulse in more water, 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the chocolate chips. Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop and roll into balls.
- Store extra energy balls in the fridge. They also freeze well. To thaw, leave them at room temperature until soft.
I made these and they are yummy, but they came out a little dry. Wondering if I ground the oat flour fine enough (or used too much) or should have added more water. They stuck together OK and they’ll definitely get eaten, but I may need to tweak a few things next time!
Hi Katie, it sounds like there could have been a little too much oat flour. I recommend spooning and leveling it when you measure it so that you don’t accidentally pack too much into the measuring cup.
how many calories per stk ??
Hi, we don’t calculate nutrition info for our recipes. If you like, you can plug the recipe into an online nutrition calculator such as MyFitnessPal.
Please show calories and nutrition for these recipes. Without that info I can’t eat them.
Hi Sheila, we don’t calculate nutrition info for our recipes, but if you like, you can plug them into an online nutrition calculator like MyFitnessPal.
Hi, can I use Almond flour in place of the oat flour? Thanks!
Hi Karyn, I haven’t tried but another reader said it worked well. I think it would be fine!
Do you have the calories for this recipe?
Hi Casey, we don’t calculate nutrition facts but you can plug the ingredients into a site like my fitness pal.
These are yummy and so easy. I pulsed 2 cups of whole oats in my food processor and just left the resulting oat flour in the food processor to proceed with the recipe. Also, my store did not have Medjool dates, so I softened the dates in hot water while pulsing the oats. Haha, my husband said “Uh oh” when I said they were called Energy Balls. He thought they would taste “healthy.” He tasted them and said they were really good.
Could these be made in a Vitamix?
Thanks bunches!
These have the best consistency! I’ve made many an energy ball recipe before and they’re either too sweet or too sticky, but these are the perfect balance of both. The dates give the right amount of sweetness and the ground up walnuts really help give a hearty flavor and texture. I just made a batch as a postpartum gift, and I’ll be making a batch for myself very soon 🙂
I’m so glad you loved them!
These are so delicious! The vanilla and salt truly trick you into thinking you’re eating chocolate chip cookie dough. I made a batch and put them in the freezer, and know already I’ll be making another batch soon!
I’m so glad you loved them!
Do you think oat bran would work in place of oat flour? Thanks!
Is there an alternative to the Almond Butter? I am allergic to almonds….
I am looking for gluten free and vegan options. This seems amazing – except for the Almond part. LOL
Hi Trudi, another nut butter or sunflower butter should work great here.
These are amazing! Do you ever calculate nutritional information on recipes?
These were amazing! I usually have so much trouble with dates! However these AND your peanut butter cookie dough bars came together so nicely! L Both a 10/10 for me (for the taste, simplicity and the little clean up! ?
Hi Leah, I’m so glad you loved them!
The energy balls were amazing and so easy to make. I’ve made 2 batches this week!
I’m so glad you loved them!
I’m excited to try these! Can I sub sunflower butter for PB? My son has a peanut allergy.
Hi Shannon, I think that would be just fine.
I was so surprised by these, they are really tasty, I have replaced my ‘tea and biscuit’ with ‘tea and energy ball’ and it’s so filling and satisfying. Will definitely be checking out more recipes from love and lemons
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
These are delicious. Very filling and satisfying. A couple keep me going for hours! I forgot to add the chocolate chips (yeah, I know!) and they’re still great!
I’m so glad you loved them!
Such a classic recipe, I love it! I’ve never used oat flour, however, so looking forward to trying this variation tonight 🙂
nice snack, like these ingredients, creative way to sweetness, thank you!
These look delicious. The perfect no/low? guilt snack to take to work.
Question: what can I use in place of the mini-chocolate chips? I am not big on chocolate.
Hi Amber, you could skip them or maybe mix in some more walnuts in addition to the ones that get blended? I hope you enjoy them!