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GET IT NOWMy Bliss Balls Recipe Is Sweet, Satisfying, And Packed With Good-For-You Ingredients
Bliss balls are one of my favorite healthy snack, and this date balls recipe is the one I make most often. My girls love dates, so I came up with these sweet little bites as an easy way to work more dates into their snacks. They’re quick, tasty, and still packed with good stuff. Here’s why you’ll want to keep a batch in your fridge:
- So easy to make – These bliss balls are made with just 4 simple ingredients, come together in minutes, and are perfect for meal prep or tossing in a lunchbox.
- Wholesome ingredients – These little bites are full of healthy fats, with no refined sugar, and perfect for on-the-go snacking, dessert, or a pre-workout boost. They’re also gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and paleo.
- Totally customizable – You know I love giving you options, and this bliss ball recipe is no different. Check out my variations below to make these bliss balls your own.
Make a batch with me and see why we can’t stop snacking on them!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my date balls recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Bliss Balls:
- Nuts – I like using roasted cashews and almonds because they give the best texture, but pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts work too.
- Desiccated Coconut – This is my go-to because it blends in easily, but if all you have is shredded coconut, that’s fine too. Just know the bigger pieces might make the balls a little trickier to roll. I usually add extra for coating the outside.
- Vanilla Bean Powder – Totally optional, but I love the flavor it adds. You can also use 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract if that’s what you have on hand.
- Pitted Medjool Dates – These are what make the bliss balls naturally sweet and help everything stick together. If yours are on the dry side, check out my tips for soaking them first. You can also switch things up with dried apricots, cherries, dried cranberries, or figs for a different flavor twist.
- Sea Salt
Optional Toppings:
- Desiccated Coconut – I like rolling the date balls in this for extra texture (and a little fiber boost). Shredded coconut works too if that’s what you’ve got.
- Almond Flour – I use my Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour to keep the balls from sticking together, and it adds a nice nutty flavor too.
How To Make Bliss Balls
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Blend the dry stuff. Toss the cashews, almonds, coconut, salt, and vanilla into a food processor. Blend it up until everything’s pretty fine, but not totally powdered.
- Add the dates. Throw in the Medjool dates and keep blending until the mixture sticks together and you can easily roll it into balls. It should be tacky, but not super sticky.
- Roll the date balls. Grab a tablespoon or cookie scoop and scoop out the date mixture. I just press and roll it in my hands until it forms a ball, then keep going until I’ve used it all up.
- Add toppings. If you’re feeling fancy, roll the bliss balls in almond flour or coconut for extra flavor and less stickiness.
My Recipe Tips
- Roasted cashews give the best flavor. If you’re using raw, just bake them at 320 degrees F for 6 to 8 minutes and let them cool before adding to the mix.
- You want the nuts finely chopped, not turning into nut butter. I use this food processor to get the right consistency, but any high-powered blender should work as long as you don’t overdo it. I stop when there’s still a little texture and a few bigger pieces.
- The amount of dates depends on how soft they are. If the mixture isn’t sticking together, I just add a couple more dates. If it gets too sticky, a little extra coconut helps.
- I use this medium cookie scoop to portion them out evenly. It makes about 1.5 tablespoon-sized date balls, which are perfect for snacking. You can also just eyeball it and roll by hand if you don’t mind a little size variety.
- Using dry dates? Soak them in warm water for about 15 minutes to soften. Drain and pat dry before blending so the texture turns out right.
Date Balls (4-Ingredient Recipe)
My bliss balls recipe is sweet, chewy, and naturally energizing. Made with nuts, coconut, and dates, they're perfect for snacking!
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Date Balls
Optional Toppings
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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In the food processor, combine the cashews, almonds, coconut, sea salt, and vanilla bean powder.
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Process until fine consistency. Be careful not to process too much, so they don’t start to turn into nut butter. It’s okay if there are some slightly bigger nut pieces.
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Add Medjool dates and process until the ingredients stick together and are easily formed into a ball, and not too sticky. If the dough is too dry, add more Medjool dates, 1-2 at a time. If it’s too wet, add more desiccated coconut, 1 tablespoon (15 g) at a time.
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Using a tablespoon or a medium cookie scoop spoon the ingredients, press/squeeze in your hands and roll them into balls. (Use about 1.5 tablespoons of dough per ball.)
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If desired, roll the date balls into almond flour and/or desiccated coconut for additional flavor and so they don't stick to each other.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 date ball
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the best flavor, nail the perfect texture, and make your date balls turn out just right every time.
- Variations: Don’t miss my recipe variations for switching up the flavors, adding extra nutrients, or making these date balls completely your own.
- Store: I keep these in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll stay fresh for at least a week.
- Meal prep: These are my go-to make-ahead snack. Just 10 minutes to make and you’re set for the whole week (or longer).
- Freeze: Pop them in a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge or on the counter when you’re ready to snack.
- Note on nutrition info: The nutrition info doesn’t include the optional toppings like desiccated coconut or almond flour.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Date Balls
Recipe Variations
Want to change things up a bit? Here are a few easy ways to make this bliss balls recipe your own:
- Peanut Butter – You can swap in 1/3 cup peanut butter and 1/4 cup regular honey or sugar-free honey instead of the dates. Or just make my peanut butter balls instead.
- Chocolate – I like to swap half the coconut with 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, or stir in some sugar-free dark chocolate chips after blending. You could also try my chocolate chip energy balls or cookie dough balls instead.
- Oatmeal – No nuts? Rolled oats work great in their place and give the bliss balls a softer, more classic texture.
- Add Superfoods – I sometimes toss in chia seeds, goji berries, or cacao nibs for an extra boost. Start with 1 to 2 tablespoons and adjust to your taste.
- High Protein – You can add a little protein powder, but too much will throw off the other ratios. Try my oatmeal protein balls if you want a lot of protein and less sugar.
More Healthy Snack Recipes
If you’re looking for more easy and wholesome snack ideas like these bliss balls, here are a few of my favorites to try next:
9 Comments
Sandy
0We can have cashews but not almonds. Would it be better to just replace the almonds with the oats or to completely eliminate both nuts?
Wholesome Yum A
0Cashews will work great here, Sandy! You can just replace the almonds with more cashews and keep everything else the same, or swap in other nuts, such as pecans or hazelnuts. See the ingredients and substitutions section in the post for more options.
Lee Osenton
0Are the dates chopped or added whole? Probably a dumb question, but I’m not a cook and just want to make these with my wife. Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lee, No worries, no dumb questions here. 🙂 Either way would work but I just add them whole. Just make sure they don’t have pits (I just buy pitted ones). Very sweet of you to make them for your wife, let me know how they turn out!
Addison
0I am always looking for healthy snacks! These were easy, healthy and delicious!
Bella
0These bliss balls were so tasty! We are big date fans here. I packed them for our hike the other day and they disappeared so fast!
Elizabeth S
0These were so good! I didn’t have vanilla bean powder so I added a half teaspoon of vanilla extract and they turned out great. Will make again.
Claire
0My daughter made these all by herself this morning and she was so proud of her efforts. We all were!! They were so delicious. The coconut was the perfect coating. Truly delish and I am so happy how easily she followed the recipe.
Lindsey
0These bliss balls were delicious and filling! I did use the protein powder as you suggested in the recipe and I am so happy I did. It gave me a great boost post workout!