These coconut date balls are the healthiest chocolate truffle alternative to end a sweet date night. They are also based on a traditional Indian sweet.
Sometimes you just want something sweet to snack on like chocolate. These coconut date truffles look similar but without additional fat or sugar.
These naturally sweet truffles would be a healthful ending to after a homemade meal of 15 minute beef ramen noodles or oysters with ponzu sauce.
Paleo/Vegan Balls of Energy
Energy balls made of dates appear to be all the paleo/vegan rage of late. For good reason. Dates are naturally sweet like honey.
However, few know that a very similar recipe has long been a treasured dessert in India.
The Festive Indian Sweet
Also known as ladoo or laddu in Indian cuisine, these spherical sweets contain a mix of dried fruit, nuts, ghee, chickpea flour, and sugar.
This version, however, pairs it down to just 3 ingredients: dates, macadamia nuts, and shredded coconut.
Only 3 Ingredients
Dates comes in all different shapes and sizes and stages of dryness. You’ll need to adjust the amount of coconut added so the balls are just sticky enough to hold together.
This recipe is based off the Liar Bars recipe from the Nom Nom Paleo Cookbook by Michelle Tam. The quantity of ingredients has been altered along with the shape.
Why? Dates come in all different shapes, sizes, and stages of stickiness. This will affect how much shredded coconut you will need to shape them into balls.
Ultimately, you will need to get your hands dirty and test it to see if it’s sticky enough to hold it’s shape but not too dry that it doesn’t hold together.
How long can you keep energy balls?
These particular energy balls can be kept for 2-3 weeks in an airtight container. Note that they do get drier the longer they sit.
Do energy balls need to be refrigerated?
These chocolate coconut balls do not need to be refrigerated. They can sit on the counter or be thrown into your backpack for a hiking snack too.
How to make Coconut Date Balls
Step 1: Pit dates
If your dates have pits, they need to be split open and removed. These Medjool dates pictured above also have a little tough stem that should be plucked off too.
Can you eat the pit of a date? No. It needs to be removed along with the tough stem end, if your dates have them.
There are many varieties of dates too. I prefer big Medjool dates, but use what you can find.
Step 2: Grind Nuts
Blitz the nuts in a food processor until the texture of coarse breadcrumbs or panko. This recipe can be made in a mini food processor.
Roasted, salted macadamia nuts are used in this recipe, but you could also use your nut of choice.
Pecans, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, peanuts, or other nuts would make a good alternative. Seeds would work well too.
Step 3: Grind Dates
Remove the nuts from the processor, and pulse the dates until they are chopped fine.
Add the nuts back into the food processor.
Make sure to grind the nuts first separately before adding to the chopped dates.
Step 4: Combine all ingredients
Add the shredded coconut to the food processor with the dates and nuts.
Start with 1/4 cup and add additional coconut as needed to easily shape the mixture into a ball in your hands without being too sticky.
The amount of coconut you will need to add will vary depending on how sticky your dates are. Add a little bit as a time and test by squeezing small handfuls into a ball until it sticks together.
Step 5: Shape into balls
Here comes the most tedious part: squeezing small handfuls into balls. I tried shaping this into bars, unsuccessfully, since they just fell apart when I tried to cut them.
The best shape truly are little balls. They are pictured here about 1″ in diameter but they need not be all the same size.
The only trouble with the ball shape is the name. Little balls just don’t sound very appetizing to eat.
When you serve these balls to people, be sure to call them “faux truffles” instead. That will conjure images of chocolate bliss rather than a low caloric treat.
Once the mixture is rolled into balls, they’ll look a bit prettier if rolled in additional coconut shreds, shaved chocolate, or chia seeds.
Once you’ve made all your balls, you can optionally roll them in additional coconut shreds for that snowball effect. But did someone say chocolate?
Chocolate coconut date balls
To make chocolate coconut date balls, just roll the balls in finely shaved chocolate. A bittersweet chocolate bar rubbed on the finest holes of a box grater would be fine.
The Best Sweet Ending
Whether you have a romantic date or date night with yourself, you’ll feel no guilt diving into a bowl of these look alike chocolate truffles.
Most of all, your night will always end on a sweet note.
If only all date nights could end so sweetly.
Helpful Tips
- This recipe makes approximately 18 balls, 1″ in diameter or 3 date balls per serving.
- If you do not use salted nuts, add a pinch of sea salt to the food processor when blending in the coconut.
- Serve these to people as “coconut date truffles” rather than balls because that sounds way more appetizing.
Korean Melons + Late Harvest Viognier
DIY Vietnamese Fresh Lemon Soda Chanh
Coconut Date Balls with Macadamia Nuts
Ingredients
- 6 oz dates about 10 large medjool dates
- 1/3 c macadamia nuts or your nut of choice
- 1/4 c shredded dried coconut made need up to 1/2 c if dates are very moist
Optional
- additional shredded coconut or shaved chocolate for garnish
Instructions
- Split open dates to remove the pit. Remove the tough stem if it is still attached.
- In a mini food processor, pulse macadamia nuts until finely ground, like large breadcrumbs or coarse ground panko.
- Remove the macadamia nuts and pulse the dates until smooth or broken up into 1/4" pieces.
- Add ground macadamia nuts and coconut to the processor. The dates should come together when squeezed into a ball. If too sticky to handle, add additional coconut shreds a tablespoon at a time until the mixture is easier to handle.
- Shape into balls about 1" in diameter, or your preferred size. Roll in shredded coconut or finely shaved dark chocolate if desired.
Notes
- This recipe makes approximately 18 balls, 1" in diameter or 3 date balls per serving.
- If you do not use salted nuts, add a pinch of sea salt to the food processor when blending in the coconut.
- Serve these to people as "coconut date truffles" rather than balls because that sounds way more appetizing.
- Recipe is adapted from the Nom Nom Paleo cookbook by Michelle Tam. The ingredients are the same but quantities have been modified.
Nutrition
Do you love sweet dates? Please spread the Asian ♥ and share!
Teresa
Hello!
Can I use date macerate instead of regular dates?
Thank you!!!
asiantestkitchen@gmail.com
Hi Teresa! Thank hou so much for your question. My understanding is that date macerate is a pureed date product. I completely understand wanting to use that rather than having to deseed and dirty up the food processor to chop regular dates. While date macerate could work, I think you will have to adjust the amount of coconut you add to it. It might be a little too wet to hold the shape of a ball. I would add more dried coconut until it is firm enough to roll into a ball. Hope that helps, and please reach out if you have any other questions!