Sometimes called energy balls, power balls, protein balls, or bliss balls, these trendy snacks are tasty little morsels. The recipe I am sharing today is for No-bake Chocolate Almond Bliss Balls, so named because they are, well, blissfully divine!
These bliss balls are a great energy burst, particularly in the “slump” period of mid-afternoon when you might find yourself a bit low on energy and maybe need a little pick-me-up. These balls go great with a cup of tea, such as Earl Grey in the afternoon, or a more robust Kenyan Tinderet if enjoying them as an after dinner treat.
These are a staple in my freezer and are great travelers so I frequently pack some to take along on road trips or when I am out running errands.
These no-bake bliss balls are not difficult to make. Essentially, the majority of the ingredients are pulsed in a food processor with the chopped chocolate bar, hemp hearts, and toasted coconut added by hand at the end. Pulse the dates first. Depending on the size of the food processor bowl, the dates will either form a paste-like consistency (if a small food processor is used), or clump together into a ball (if a large food processor is used). Either consistency is fine. If you have a mini food processor, it is great for this step but use the larger food processor for incorporating all the ingredients together. Use the pulse feature on the machine as you mix the ingredients. The idea is to incorporate them, not crush or mash all the ingredients into a paste.
I use my favorite chocolate bar for this recipe. That would be the Toblerone bar that I first discovered many years ago in Basel, Switzerland. With its honey and almond nougat, it blends well with the other ingredients, including the finely ground almonds, in these bliss balls. However, other kinds of solid chocolate bars could be substituted. Chop the chocolate into small morsels.
The bliss balls can easily be made gluten free by using gluten-free rolled oats and, of course, ensuring all other ingredients called for in the recipe are gluten free.
If the mixture seems a bit too dry to form into balls, add small amounts of water, a teaspoon or two at a time, and pulse mixture. Be careful about adding too much water as it can make the mixture too soft, moist, and “mushy”. The reasons that could cause the mixture to be a bit dry might be dates that are dry and/or the size/quality of rolled oats used.
Chilling the mixture for 15-20 minutes in the refrigerator will make it easier to form the balls. For size consistency, and as a frame of reference for these bliss balls, use 28-30 grams of mixture per ball. The balls can be left plain or they can be rolled in hemp hearts or crushed toasted coconut.
These No-bake Chocolate Almond Bliss Balls can be stored for up to five days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or frozen for longer storage. Place the balls in single layers between sheets of wax paper in the storage container.
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
No-bake Chocolate Almond Bliss Balls
Ingredients:
4 oz honey dates (pitted), coarsely chopped (apx 12 large dates)
2/3 cup quick rolled oats (gluten-free, if required)
½ cup smooth almond butter
2½ tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted and cooled
½ tsp vanilla
½ cup finely ground almonds
3 tbsp cocoa
1 tbsp ground chia seeds
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
2 tsp vanilla whey protein powder
1/8 tsp fine sea salt
1½ oz Toblerone chocolate bar, chopped small
3 tbsp hemp hearts
1/3 cup toasted coconut
Additional hemp hearts and/or toasted coconut for rolling balls (optional)
Method:
Pulse dates in food processor until they form a paste or clump into a ball. Add the rolled oats, almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, ground almonds, cocoa, ground chia and flax seeds, vanilla whey protein powder, and sea salt. Pulse mixture until ingredients are completely blended.
Mix in the chopped Toblerone bar, hemp hearts, and toasted coconut by hand. If mixture seems too dry, two to three teaspoons of water may be blended into ingredients. Place mixture in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to chill.
Roll mixture by hand into balls. For frame of reference, each ball should weigh approximately 28-30 grams. If desired, roll balls in hemp hearts or crushed toasted coconut. Place balls on parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for 20-25 minutes to firmly set. Store, in single layers separated by waxed paper, in airtight container for up to five days in the refrigerator or freeze for longer storage.
Yield: Apx. 20-22 balls
No-bake Chocolate Almond Bliss Balls
Ingredients
- 4 oz honey dates pitted, coarsely chopped (apx 12 large dates)
- 2/3 cup quick rolled oats gluten-free, if required
- ½ cup smooth almond butter
- 2½ tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp coconut oil melted and cooled
- ½ tsp vanilla
- ½ cup finely ground almonds
- 3 tbsp cocoa
- 1 tbsp ground chia seeds
- 1 tbsp ground flax seeds
- 2 tsp vanilla whey protein powder
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 1½ oz Toblerone chocolate bar chopped small
- 3 tbsp hemp hearts
- 1/3 cup toasted coconut
- Additional hemp hearts and/or toasted coconut for rolling balls optional
Instructions
- Pulse dates in food processor until they form a paste or clump into a ball. Add the rolled oats, almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, ground almonds, cocoa, ground chia and flax seeds, vanilla whey protein powder, and sea salt. Pulse mixture until ingredients are completely blended.
- Mix in the chopped Toblerone bar, hemp hearts, and toasted coconut by hand. If mixture seems too dry, two to three teaspoons of water may be blended into ingredients. Place mixture in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to chill.
- Roll mixture by hand into balls. For frame of reference, each ball should weigh approximately 28-30 grams. If desired, roll balls in hemp hearts or crushed toasted coconut. Place balls on parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for 20-25 minutes to firmly set. Store, in single layers separated by waxed paper, in airtight container for up to five days in the refrigerator or freeze for longer storage.
Recipe Notes
Yield: Apx. 20-22 balls
[Copyright My Island Bistro Kitchen]
You may also enjoy these other energy balls and bar recipes from My Island Bistro Kitchen:
Roasted Peanut and Mocha Energy Bars
Coffee Hazelnut Energy Bites
Peanut Butter Coconut Energy Bites
Prune and Pistachio Power Balls
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