Fruit-And-Nut Balls

These no-bake energy balls are held together entirely by the natural stickiness of dates and raisins. No added sugar, no flour, no butter. Just dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and cocoa ground together in a food processor and rolled into balls.

The food processor does all the work. Dates, raisins, cocoa powder, walnuts, and sunflower seeds get ground until the mixture clumps and holds together when pressed. The dates act as the binder. Their sticky, caramel-like flesh glues everything into a dough you can shape by hand.

Roll them into 24 small balls and coat in ground walnuts for a nutty, crunchy exterior. Store in an airtight container and grab them when you need a quick hit of energy.

They taste like a cross between a brownie and a date bar, but with no baking and no refined sugar.

Kitchen Tips

• If the dates are dry and hard, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes and drain before processing. Soft dates blend much more easily
• Pulse the food processor rather than running it continuously. You want a coarse, textured mixture, not a smooth paste
• Dampen your hands slightly before rolling to keep the mixture from sticking to your palms
• These keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge

Variations

• Use carob powder instead of cocoa for a caffeine-free, slightly sweeter flavor
• Add a tablespoon of peanut butter before processing for a richer, creamier ball
• Roll in unsweetened shredded coconut instead of ground walnuts for a tropical twist