Energy Balls are the perfect alternative for all those who regularly have a craving for something sweet but still want to eat a healthy snack instead of a candy bar. The sugar-free raw bites consist mainly of dried fruits and nuts but can be pimped with a lot of ingredients. We show you 8 simple and quick energy ball recipes that you will love.
The basic recipe for energy balls
Theoretically, energy balls do not need a fixed recipe. The great thing about this healthy snack is that you can vary the ingredients to suit your taste. Of course, some combinations are better than others. That’s why we’re going to show you our favorite variations. If you prefer to experiment on your own, you should have the following in mind:
For 20 energy balls you need:
2 cups of dried fruit (like dates, prunes or apricots)
1 cup of nuts/dry ingredients
Of course, you can vary the amount, as well. It is important that the ratio between juicy and dry ingredients is about 2:1 so that the dough will be neither too dry or too sticky. If you want to mix in honey or almond milk, for example, you should use a little less fruit. If you mix in sesame or flaxseed, you should use less dry ingredients. The energy balls will last in the refrigerator for up to a week in a jar. They can also be frozen for later use.
To achieve a good consistency, you also need a very good food processor, especially if you work with whole nuts. If you only have a blender with less power, it is recommended to use ground nuts. If you want to make energy balls without a food processor, you can check out our recipe with banana, peanut butter, and oats.
The best ingredients for Energy Balls
Before we get to our favorite healthy snack recipes, here is a list of the best ingredients for Energy Balls for you to get creative with.
Fruits:
Dates
Dried apricots
Dried figs
Raisins
Cranberries
Goji berries
Prunes
Nuts:
Almonds
Peanuts
Hazelnuts
Cashews
Macadamia nuts
Grains & seeds:
Oatmeal
Coconut Flakes
Quinoa flakes/Puffed quinoa
Chia seeds
Hemp seeds
Sesame seeds
Flaxseed
Sunflower seeds
Amaranth
To make ingredients stick together add:
Peanut butter
Almond butter
Tahini
Maple syrup
Honey
For a power boost add superfood powders:
Cinnamon
Spirulina
Maca
Turmeric
Matcha
Protein powder
Energy balls with dates, cocoa and coconut
An absolute classic for all chocolate fans are the energy balls with dates and cocoa. In general, dates are the best choice for Energy Balls with chocolate flavor, because they have the most natural sweet taste.
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups Medjool dates, pits removed
1 cup of almonds
1/2 cup of coconut flakes + a few coconut flakes to garnish
3 tbsp cocoa powder
With only 4 ingredients, this recipe can be made super quick. Simply put all ingredients into the food processor and mix until you have a smooth mixture. Depending on the machine, this takes 1 to 5 minutes. Then sprinkle a few coconut flakes on a plate. Shape the dough into small balls in your hands and roll them in the coconut flakes. The perfect substitute for a chocolate bar.
Energy Balls without dates and nuts
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups of apricots
1/4 cup of cranberries
1/4 cup of raisins
1/2 cup of oats
2 tbsp flaxseed
2 tbsp chia seeds
If you want to make nut-free energy balls without dates, you need a few more ingredients. Also, the preparation sounds a bit more complicated at first sight but is actually quite simple. First of all, put the apricots and 1/4 cup of oatmeal in the food processor and let it process for a minute or two. Then stir in the remaining ingredients and form your balls by hand.
Apricot coconut energy balls
The combination of apricot and coconut is also very popular. For these delicious energy balls, you even need only 3 ingredients.
2 cups of apricots
1/2 cup of cashews
1/4 cup of coconut flakes + a few coconut flakes to garnish
Put all the ingredients in the food processor, then form small balls by hand and roll them in coconut flakes.
Easy High Protein Balls
Nuts have a lot of proteins, but first and foremost they have a lot of (healthy) fats. And with dried fruit, the focus is on carbohydrates. So how do you manage to make the snack rich in protein? To do this, we actually have to change the proportions a little:
1/2 cup of vanilla or chocolate protein powder
1/4 cup of oats
1/4 cup of dates, pits removed
1/2 cup of almonds
3 tbsp almond milk
Some cocoa powder to garnish
Also with this recipe, all ingredients go into the blender together. Then balls are formed and rolled in cocoa powder. The protein powder and almond milk reduce the shelf life a little, so you should eat the Protein Bites as soon as possible.
By the way: So far all our Energy Ball recipes are vegan. Now it depends on whether you use whey protein powder or a vegan version such as soy or rice protein.
Almond butter Coconut Bites
With these Raffaello Energy Balls you can imitate one of our favorite sweets almost true to the original – and much healthier. For this you need:
3/4 cup of dates (5 dates), pits removed
1/2 cup of almond butter
1/2 cup of blanched almonds
1/2 cup of coconut flakes + a few coconut flakes to garnish
Again, we work according to the old familiar procedure: Put all the ingredients in the blender and let it make a dough. Then form the balls by hand and roll them in coconut flakes.
Energy balls with banana, peanut butter, and oats
And here is an idea of how to make energy balls without a food processor.
Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas
1 1/4 cups of oats
2 tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp chocolate chips
2 tbsp protein powder (vanilla)
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp cinnamon
Place the peeled bananas in a medium-sized bowl and crush them with a fork. Then stir in the protein powder and all other ingredients. Place the whole thing in the freezer for 20 minutes and then form about 15 balls of the same size. Finished!
Energy balls lemon coconut
1 1/2 cups of cashews
1/4 cup of coconut flakes
1 tbsp lemon zest
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1/4 cup of runny honey
2 tbsp liquid coconut oil
0.5 tsp turmeric
0.5 tsp ground ginger
4 tbsp ground almonds, optional
Crush the cashew nuts with the remaining ingredients in the food processor. If the dough is too moist, add the almonds, otherwise, it is not absolutely necessary.
Let the dough soak in the refrigerator for about 1 hour and then shape into walnut-sized balls and roll in the coconut flakes. Then keep in the fridge or freeze.
Energy balls recipe with puffed quinoa, prunes, and pistachios
1 1/2 cups of prunes
1/4 cup of puffed quinoa
1/2 cup of pistachios
The juice from half an orange
0.5 tsp of cinnamon
Chop the pistachios finely in a blender. Then, blend the prunes until you get a puree, and add it to the pistachios. Combine the plums and pistachios with the quinoa and add the orange juice and cinnamon and mix well. Make small balls and chill in the fridge for about 2 hours.
How many energy balls should you eat?
The Energy Balls are definitely healthier than traditional sweets, as they do not contain processed sugars, preservatives, and unhealthy fats. However, this does not necessarily make them less caloric. After all, they have their name for a reason. Thanks to many carbohydrates and healthy fats they are real energy providers. Nevertheless, you should not eat too many of them at once, especially if you are on a diet and want to lose weight. 1 energy ball can have up to 120 calories or more depending on the ingredients. So keep an eye on the calorie amount per serving or too many energy balls can make you fat.