You can look at these as energy balls (similar to a lara bar), or as a healthier version of buckeye peanut butter balls—they pretty much fall into both categories equally.


Often those bars or balls using nuts/seeds/dried fruit call for so many assorted ingredients, you either have to make a massive shopping trip or substitute with dubious results. But these use just two ingredients—dates and peanuts—which was definitely part of the appeal on my end.




I prefer to keep these in the freezer, but if you know you'll be using them in the next couple of days the fridge is just as good.


Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole pitted dates (approximately 30-40 dates, depending on size)
  • 1 cup roasted salted peanuts

Directions

  1. Place the dates in the bowl of your food processor. Process until dates resemble a chunky paste. Add in the peanuts and pulse until nuts are chopped and mixed throughout the dates.
  2. Use a tablespoon-sized measuring spoon to scoop the mixture into evenly-sized balls. Roll each ball with the palms of your hands so it's smooth and round.
  3. Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 2 hours. Transfer energy balls to an airtight container.
  4. Optional: coat some or all of the balls with chocolate (recipe below).

Chocolate Coating Ingredients

  • ¾ cup coconut oil, melted
  • 6 tbsp. cocoa powder
  • 6 tbsp. pure maple syrup or honey

Directions

  1. Whisk together the coconut oil and cocoa powder so that there are no lumps. Slowly drizzle in the maple syrup (or honey) while whisking.
  2. Dip the energy balls into the mixture and return to the freezer.

Yields: 20 balls