Date walnut balls are the perfect healthy snack. Finely ground dates and walnuts are shaped into little bites, and enjoyed as an easy treat.
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These date and walnut balls are incredibly easy to make, really healthy and taste so good! The dates make them naturally sweet, and the nuts give them a surprisingly high amount of protein as well as healthy fats.
I have made many variations of these in the past, but this recipe has to be my favorite so far. With only 2 ingredients required, it’s a quick treat to make, and you can store them for several days, which means you can prepare a large batch to enjoy through the week.
🥘 Ingredients
Only 2 ingredients are needed for this recipe: dates and walnuts. Dates are soft, slightly sticky, and naturally sweet. The walnuts give a hearty, nutty flavor, but you can also replace these with hazelnuts or pecans if you prefer.
Other ingredients can be added if you wish, such as sea salt flakes, a pinch of chili powder, vanilla or desiccated coconut. These will give the balls a hint of flavor.
Additionally, you will need a food processor to blend the nuts and dates together.
🔪 Instructions
Dates often have a stone in the center. Carefully remove these first.
Then, add the dates and walnuts to a food processor. Process for about 1-2 minutes, until you achieve a fine grain mixture.
Pick up a small amount and try to press it into a ball with your hands. If you’re easily able to form a small ball, you’re good to continue to the next step!
Next, you will want to scoop up a small amount of mixture and use your hands to roll them into balls. You can choose what size you want them to be, and this mixture should amount to about 15 date walnut balls in total.
💭 Top tips
Here are my top tips to get this recipe perfect:
- Make sure you don’t process the nuts and dates too much, or it can turn into a thick, creamy liquid which you won’t be able to shape into balls. If this happens, you can use it as a delicious spread instead!
- You can add whole walnuts and dates to the food processor, or chop them first if you want. It does not really affect the time it takes to process them much either way.
- Dates are already quite sweet, so you don’t have to add any other sweeteners or sugar.
🥗 Serving suggestions
Serve walnut and date balls as a healthy snack. I love to enjoy them before or after working out, as a convenient protein ball or for some extra energy.
You can also enjoy them as a healthier treat, an alternative to candy or dessert, or with a cup of dalgona coffee for a quick breakfast on the go!
🍲 Leftovers
Date walnuts balls can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If stored in a refrigerator, they can last for up to 10 days.
They can also be frozen in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw them in a refrigerator overnight before serving them.
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📋 Frequently asked questions
Walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts and almonds all go great with dates.
If you don’t have a food processor available, you can chop them with a knife. As a very fine texture is required, you might have better results using a coffee grinder.
If you have very dry dates, you can soak them in water for 20 minutes before using them. This is typically not required, but can make the process of blending them easier.
They can definitely help! Dates are high in fiber, which is known to help with digestion. The effect is similar to that of prunes.
📖 Recipe
Date Walnut Balls
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup walnuts (175 g)
- 1 1/2 cup dates (250 g)
Instructions
- Dates often have a stone in the center. Carefully remove these first.
- Then, add the dates and walnuts to a food processor. Process for about 1-2 minutes, until you achieve a fine grain mixture.
- Pick up a small amount and try to press it into a ball with your hands. If you’re easily able to form a small ball, you’re good to continue to the next step!
- Next, you will want to scoop up a small amount of mixture and use your hands to roll them into balls. You can choose what size you want them to be, and this mixture should amount to about 15 date walnut balls in total.
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