These energy balls take just 4 ingredients: dates, oats, tahini and cocoa. Blend everything in a food processor, roll, and you get about 20 balls that keep in the fridge for up to a week, sized to fit easily into a lunchbox.
Why 4 ingredients are enough
Most energy ball recipes call for 6 to 8 ingredients: nuts, seeds, honey, peanut butter and vanilla. Here every ingredient has a job. The dates sweeten and bind, the oats add texture, the tahini holds the mixture together, and the cocoa gives a chocolate flavor with no added sugar.
The dates need to be soft, and Medjool dates work best. Soak drier dates in hot water for ten minutes and pat them dry before blending, or the mixture turns too sticky.
The lunchbox and the fridge
The balls keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week, and in the freezer for up to three months. You can put a frozen ball in the lunchbox in the morning and it will be soft by snack time. At room temperature they hold their shape for a whole day.
The coconut coating is optional. It stops the balls from sticking to each other in the box, but they hold their shape without it too. Tahini is made from sesame, so if your child's school or daycare bans sesame, check the rules before packing them.
Another homemade lunchbox snack: lunchbox granola bars.
4-Ingredient Energy Balls for Lunchboxes
No-bake vegan energy balls made from dates, oats, tahini and cocoa. They keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Ingredients
- 9 oz / 250 g Medjool dates (pitted, about 12 dates)
- 1 cup / 90 g rolled oats
- 1/3 cup / 80 g tahini
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
For rolling (optional)
- 1/4 cup / 20 g desiccated coconut
Instructions
Blend the dates in a food processor until they form a sticky paste.
Add the oats, tahini and cocoa and pulse until the mixture sticks together when pressed between your fingers.
With damp hands, roll the mixture into walnut-sized balls.
Roll the balls in coconut, if using.
Chill for half an hour, until the balls firm up. Store in a sealed container in the fridge.
Notes
The balls keep in the fridge for up to a week, and in the freezer for up to three months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make energy balls without a food processor?
It is hard. You can chop the dates very finely and mix by hand, but the texture is coarser and the balls fall apart more easily.
Are these energy balls vegan?
Yes. All four ingredients and the coconut are plant-based.
The mixture is dry and will not stick. What do I do?
Add one or two more dates and blend again, until the mixture holds together when pressed between your fingers.
Can I use peanut butter instead of tahini?
You can, but many schools and daycares ban peanuts, and then the balls no longer work for the lunchbox.
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