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square photo of date balls on a silver rack

Date Balls


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5 from 7 reviews

Description

My favorite date balls! Just 4 ingredients for deliciously soft date centers topped with melty chocolate drizzle and crunchy nuts for the perfect texture combo.

 


Ingredients

Units Scale

Tools You Need

  • Food processor
  • Stainless steel rack
  • Cookie scoop
  • Cookie sheet

Date Balls

  • 1/2 cup (packed) Medjool dates, pitted (about 7 dates)
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted, natural creamy almond butter
  • 1 cup unsalted, roasted almonds
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
  • 1/4 cup melted chocolate

Chocolate Drizzle

  • 2 tablespoons melted chocolate – can use more if you’d like heavy drizzle
  • 1/4 teaspoon coconut oil (optional)

Topping

  • 12 tablespoons unsalted, roasted almonds, finely chopped

 


Instructions

  1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or wax paper. Set aside. Clear some space in the freezer for this sheet—you will need it later.
  2. Add dates and almond butter to a food processor. Blend until you get a somewhat cohesive, sticky mixture, like chunks of dough—the mixture will begin to pull away from the sides of the processor and roll into bits of dough. This will take about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the processor frequently, making sure to scrape and press the mixture together to make it more cohesive and work in any almond butter that’s stuck at the bottom of the bin.
  3. Take breaks in between to avoid overheating. You’ll know you’re done when you can pinch the mixture between your fingers and it turns into a smooth bit of dough.
  4. Once the date “dough” has formed, add in 1 cup almonds, vanilla and salt. Blend until the almonds are fully-incorporated and very finely chopped. The mixture will be soft and crumbly. Thoroughly blend the almonds to avoid crumbly balls. The mixture is done when you can pinch it between your fingers and it holds firmly together.
  5. Add melted chocolate. Pulse to combine.
  6. Once the chocolate is evenly dispersed, pulse and blend until the mixture pulls away from the sides and slightly more moist “dough” forms. The mixture will start clumping up a bit. It’s ready when you barely have to press it together for the mixture to hold.
  7. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop and drop almond butter date balls onto the prepared cookie sheet, evenly spaced apart.
  8. Melt chocolate and coconut oil for drizzle using the double boiler method or heat in the microwave in 10-second increments until just melted. Make sure to stir in between melting to create smooth melted chocolate.
  9. Drizzle the balls with melted chocolate. Top with chopped almonds.
  10. Enjoy immediately if you like it soft with melted chocolate topping, or freeze for 20 minutes. Remove from freezer. Enjoy! Storing instructions below.

 

Notes

Storing Instructions: Store date balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks, or, in the freezer for 1-2 months.

How to make Vegan: Use vegan chocolate.

How to make Gluten Free: Keep the recipe as-is.

  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Category: Snacks, Dessert
  • Method: No Bake, No Cook
  • Cuisine: American