Granola Energy Bites
- Laura
- Jul 22, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 23, 2020
Healthy bliss balls made with peanut butter, dates, oats and chocolate!
Energy balls, also known as bliss balls, power balls or protein balls, are a great way to keep you going throughout the day, without resorting to processed snacks! Made with super yummy vegetarian-friendly ingredients, the energy in these granola energy balls comes from healthy sugars from ingredients such as the dates and protein from the peanut butter. This results in a bliss ball recipe that is delicious and also guilt-free!
My Notes:
I am really getting into energy balls lately and this has become one of my favourites! I initially tried to make a cookie dough type of bliss ball, but didn't like all of the ingredients so mixed it up and changed the quantities to create these wonders! I really like them as they taste mainly like peanut butter and chocolate (an excellent combination in my opinion) and don't taste like 'typical healthy' food that sounds better than it tastes!
Serves: 8-10 Balls
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cooking Time: 0 minutes
Allergies: Contains Nuts & Dairy
Please note these are only rough nutritional facts and will depend on the specific ingredients used.
Ingredients:
75g Medjool/Pitted Dates
40g Peanut Butter (Crunchy or Smooth)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
40g Dark Chocolate Chips/Chunks
75g Oats
Method:
Line a baking tray or plate with baking paper.
Place the dates into a blender or food processor and blend until a thick paste.
Add the peanut butter and vanilla extract and blend until completely combined.
If your mix still seems a bit dry, add 1-5 tsp water (one at a time!) until it is slightly sticky.
Transfer the mix into a bowl and fold in the chocolate chips/chunks and oats.
Take just below a golf-ball sized amount of the mix and roll into a ball with your hands. Repeat until all the mixture is gone (8-10 balls).
Place on the baking paper, making sure they're not touching so they don't stick together.
Leave in the freezer for 15 minutes or the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.
Place in an air-tight container and keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Enjoy!
My Tips:
Make sure to use fresh dates for this recipe - not dried! This is because the dates provide the moisture and need to be sticky to keep the mix together. Medjool dates are ideal, but pitted dates will also do, you may just need to add a bit of water with these.
If your mixture is still a bit dry and is not sticking together properly, try adding a small amount of water a little at a time until you get the right consistency. Don't make it too wet though as then it won't for uniform balls!
For this recipe, I personally like to use crunchy peanut butter as it adds a nice extra texture, but feel free to use smooth if you prefer. You could also switch it up to use a different type of nut butter, such as almond, but remember this will change the taste.
If you don't have a very powerful blender or food processor, try blending the dates as much as you can in the machine, then mixing the rest of the ingredients in by hand.
When rolling your energy balls, don't worry if they're not perfect spheres! As long as you enjoy eating them, that's all that counts! If you prefer, you can also make them into squares or bars.
These are great stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks if you have a big family to eat them, but if it is just you, don't worry! Keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months and you can enjoy them whenever you like without having to worry about them going stale!
This recipe is vegetarian-friendly, but if you want to make it vegan, simply swap out the dark chocolate for a vegan alternative! It
If you don't like this particular flavour combination, you can try something different! Just remember to keep the same ratio of dates, nut butter, and dry ingredients. If you want to try a different type all together, why not give my chocolate coconut energy ball recipe a go!
If you do decide to try out my chocolate coconut energy ball recipe, I'd love to see some pictures of your unique creations! Tag me on instagram @lauras.bakery_ so I can have a look!
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