These delicious peanut butter date energy balls are made without a food processor! Yep that’s right, you can make them with zero fancy equipment. Sweet, chewy and creamy, and flecked with crunchy peanut pieces. So good. This is a vegan recipe.
Most of my snack obsessions some and go, but the love for energy balls / bliss balls / protein balls / whatever you want to call them continues to live on. And it seems like many people might be in the same camp as me, seeing as my No Food Processor Protein Balls is still one of the most popular recipes of all time on the blog!
I’ve got a new energy balls recipe for you now that’s also just made in a bowl – no food processor required for these peanut butter and date bites.
I wanted a bit more texture in this version, so in this recipe I’ve used a base of crunchy natural peanut butter so each ball is studded with peanut pieces. It also intensifies the peanut butter flavour which is definitely not a bad thing.
Together with the oats, chia seeds and chewy date pieces, there is just so much good stuff going on in every bite of these energy balls!
Now you might be asking, how to you get the dates to blend in with no food processor?
Well, this recipe uses medjool dates, which physically are a bit larger and more squishy than other types of date. Medjool dates are not totally dehydrated like the other dates you see in the supermarket – they’re actually a “fresh” fruit and while they have dried out a bit on the tree before they’re harvested, they still retain some softness. (This is also why you will probably find medjool dates in the fresh section of the shop instead of with the dried fruit).
By chopping the medjool dates up into small pieces, you can take advantage of that sticky, caramel-ish texture and the pieces can blend right into the energy ball mixture and actually help it all stick together. Pro tip: if you have a nice sharp pair of kitchen scissors or kitchen shears, use these to chop up the dates in no time!
Okay, now that we have solved that mystery, the only thing left is for you to make these energy balls! They make such a yummy snack – actually I quite like having one or two for dessert with a cup of herbal tea as well. Wouldn’t be a bad idea to even dip them in some dark chocolate…hmmm…
If you make my Peanut Butter Date Energy Balls, let me know! Comment below and let me know how they turned out, or take a snap and tag me on Instagram, I’m @moniquecormacknutrition 🙂
Peanut Butter Date Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 6 medjool dates
- 1/2 cup crunchy natural peanut butter
- 1/3 cup quick oats
- 4 tbsp vanilla protein powder
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- pinch salt
- 2 tbsp hot water
Instructions
- Remove seeds from medjool dates. Chop the dates into small pieces.
- Place dates in a large bowl with all other ingredients. Mix firmly with a wooden spoon or spatula to bring the ingredients together, then use your hands to press into a crumbly dough. If the mixture seems too wet add another spoonful of protein powder.
- Use your hands to shape the mixture into small balls.
- Place the balls in the fridge or freezer to set. Keep the balls stored in the fridge or freezer depending on how firm you would like them.
Notes
Nutrition
Super easy & convenient as you don’t need a food processor! They’re delicious & are the perfect afternoon sweet treat.
These are so good! My first attempt at making energy/protein bites. Recipe is definitely a keeper! Thank you!
Thank you so much for your positive feedback, Roxanne! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
These are very yummy!! I try to keep these ingredients on hand for this recipe. I make these a couple times a month. They’re great to have in the fridge for a treat. The only adjustment I make is a little less protein powder just because I didn’t want the flavor to overpower.