If you’ve been in search of a delectable snack or guilt-free chocolatey indulgence, you clicked on the right recipe. Enjoy these raw vegan date balls as an after dinner treat, mid-afternoon snack, or pre-workout snack for satiety and energy. Dates provide the sweetness, but the bitterness from 100% raw cacao powder balances those natural sugars. The raw walnuts act as a binder, but also provide nuttiness that complements the other ingredients.

When it comes to choosing the dates for these energy balls, Medjool dates are excellent. Not only do they have a soft texture that makes them easy to blend, but they also have a rich, caramel-like flavor. Deglet Noor dates are often smaller and have a firmer texture. That means that they may not blend as easily, and your energy balls may have an unpleasant texture. As mentioned previously, walnuts provide an earthiness and nuttiness, plus a lot of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. If you do not like walnuts, you sub them out for raw almonds, cashews, or pecans. The flavor will not differ too much if you choose one of those other nuts.

After blending the ingredients in a food processor, you’ll need to form them into balls and freeze them so that they can harden. Once you remove the chilled date balls from the freezer, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. If you only want to enjoy them from time to time, store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months. When ready to enjoy, remove them from the freezer and allow them to warm up at room temperature for 10 minutes before enjoying.