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These coconut cacao date balls are quick, easy and nutritious as a snack or dessert. They’re perfect for kids and make a wonderful healthy Valentine’s day treat. This recipe includes dates, walnuts, coconuts, freeze-dried raspberries, and more wholesome ingredients!
Coconut Raspberry Cacao Bliss…Balls.
*Excuse me while I try to control my eye twitch.*
The word “balls” brings back memories of an unfortunate nickname I once had.
It all started when a red-haired boy in my 4th-grade class developed a crush on me. And you know how 4th graders express romantic interest. They don’t pick dandelions for you during recess or buy you candy with their lunch money.
Nope.
They mercilessly pick on you. They make fun of you. They decide to give you traumatic nicknames like “Izzah-balls”.
*eye twitch*
I have no recollection of why this nickname came into being.
But the idea went viral.
Soon allll the boys in the class were shouting “izzahbawwwlls!!” from across the room. Glad we didn’t have the Internet back then. #izzahballs
*eye twitch*
Now that I’ve unloaded all that emotional baggage, I can finally share this delightful recipe with you.
These coconut cacao date balls bear a close resemblance to my 5-Minute Chocolate Energy Bars. I often made those bars, but a little change here, a minor addition there, and they eventually morphed into these too-good-not-to-share date balls.
Whatever the variations, some form of these date and nut balls (aka bliss balls) can often be found in my kitchen. They fit the trinity of qualities we’re all searching for circa 2018: tasty + nutritious + easy. No wonder they’re called bliss balls!
I make them alllll the time because they are an excellent snack for my daughter. They contain walnuts, dates, and coconut (i.e. things you feel good about feeding your child). Try adding probiotic powder, chia seeds, or whatever nutritious goodness you want to sneak in.
On Making Them Aesthetically Pleasing
I credit my friend and allergy-friendly food blogger Shahla at My Berkeley Kitchen!
She posted her own nut-free sunflower balls covered in crushed freeze-dried raspberries, and I longed to do the same. When I couldn’t find any, she even offered to mail them to me. She’s always been such a nice person, but I was genuinely touched by her offer. Thank you, Shahla!
Now that I moved to Houston (and have access to all the foods! YAYY!), I was able to get my hands on some of these magical dried raspberries.
And oh my, they take the ‘addictive status’ of these date/nut bars up a notch. They also make them particularly festive for Valentine’s Day.
So if you’re trying to gain someone’s affection, I recommend making them these date balls. Maybe cover them in melted chocolate to up the decadence.
But whatever you do, please don’t bestow the name “balls” upon them.
Coconut Raspberry Cacao Bliss Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw walnuts
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 tbsp coconut oil melted and at room temperature
- 1 1/3 cup (around 12) pitted Medjool dates
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-3 tbsp cacao or cocoa powder
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- small handful crushed freeze-dried raspberries plus more for garnish
- pinch cardamom powder optional
- shredded coconut for garnish
Instructions
- Add the walnuts and shredded coconut in a food processor. Process until the walnuts have broken down well. Add the rest of the ingredients except the garnish and process until the mixture is combined well, about 2 minutes.
- Divide the mixture into tablespoon sized balls. Roll the balls in crushed freeze-dried raspberries and coconut to coat them.
- Cover and store them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes so the oil can solidify.
Hi from New Zealand! I’ve made these several times now and we love them, especially my two preschoolers. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
I’m so glad to hear that, Jennifer! Feels great knowing they’re getting good calories in. 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
The bliss balls look delicious! So happy that you found the freeze dried raspberries! I agree that they definitely take these yummy bites to a whole other level! Thank you for the mention. Also your story brought back memories for me too, kids at school would sometimes call me radish head( for my last name) but eventually I got over it too ( although I didn’t touch radishes for years!)
Of course! 🙂 Haha, you know..I’m glad to hear I wasn’t the only one. Haha @ no radishes. Funny how at that time the nicknames are such a big deal. :p
How much calories in 1 ball?
Hi Maryam, I’m not sure of the exact calories but it is a (good) calorie-dense food because of the nuts, dates, etc.
These look and sound soooo amazing! I’ll look around for the freeze dried raspberries here, sometimes I get lucky. How much are they usually by the way?
Oh gosh, elementary school nicknames! I was simultaneously giggling and cringing. How the heck Rebecca became “Rollin'” I have no idea. Apparently, my tormentors were inspired by a Walmart “rolling prices” commercial. How original.
Beautiful photographs, Mashallah Tabarakallah, love how they evoke the feeling of winter!
Thanks, Becky! 🙂 They cost a few dollars for a small bag if I remember correctly but I’ll double check. hahaha @ giggling and cringing. Exactly my reaction. Rollin is so lame it’s not even offensive. Haha. Thanks so much for your encouragement, my friend!
I’m usually not a fan of dates but these sound so yummy that I have to try and if my kids like it, it’s a win win! Question on the shredded coconut- I have some sweetened coconut flakes. Is that what you used ? Or unsweetened? Thanks!!! Ps tried your coconut chicken potato curry and it was awesome !!
I used unsweetened but I think sweetened will be fine too! Thanks very much!
I love raw date and nut style snacks of all varieties (I have like 5 variations on my blog!!)!! Your story cracked me up…with my name Tessa, testicles was a common term of affection as soon as junior high rolled around, of course!!
haha Thank you, Tessa! I’ll have to try one of yours. It’s so fun to try different combos!