Chocolate & Date Balls

30m
Prep Time
0m
Cook Time
30m
Ready In


"Yes, these are vegan. But don't tell anybody... (except maybe your vegan friends)! Sweet little balls of everything good, how can you help but love them? I found this recipe on an Australian blog, Desire Empire, while looking for a way to use some home-roasted cacao beans that were languishing on my counter. Tweaked it just a bit to fit what I usually have on-hand. If you want to go back to the original, just substitute pecans for the pine nuts, and pure maple syrup for the agave syrup. But if you ever have the luck to find fresh cacao beans, this recipe rises to a new level. I think these would also taste wonderful if you were to substitute rum for some of the water, don't you think? Except for operating the food processor, this is a great recipe for the kiddos to make!"

Original is 35 servings

Nutritional

  • Serving Size: 1 (16.9 g)
  • Calories 59.6
  • Total Fat - 2.3 g
  • Saturated Fat - 0.3 g
  • Cholesterol - 0 mg
  • Sodium - 1.6 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate - 9.9 g
  • Dietary Fiber - 1 g
  • Sugars - 8.1 g
  • Protein - 0.8 g
  • Calcium - 13.6 mg
  • Iron - 0.3 mg
  • Vitamin C - 0.1 mg
  • Thiamin - 0 mg

Step by Step Method

See note at bottom if you're making your own meal and using fresh cacao beans.


Step 1

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until mixture comes together into a sticky ball. If necessary, use small amounts of extra water to bring it together. I usually need to use an additional two more teaspoons of water.

Step 2

Scoop small amounts of the mixture and roll into balls in the palms of your hands - to a diameter of about 3/4 inch. Roll in the extra coconut to lightly coat.

Step 3

Store in an airtight container for up to a week. If you can resist, these taste even better the second day. Makes about 35 balls, depending on the size.

NOTE: If using whole almonds and cacao beans, here's the steps. Place almonds in the food processor, process until ground up and no large chunks remain. Pour into a measuring cup to make sure you have 1/2 cup. Set aside. Without washing bowl, add the roasted and skinned cacao beans. Process until finely ground. Pour into a cup and measure out two tablespoons into the processor bowl. Add the almond meal and follow step #1 above.


Tips


  • Food processor

1 Reviews

Tisme

I made these for my daughter and they are just delicious. So easy to make, using the processor. We love them here even though they are healthy! They just disappear at this house. These have now been made twice, and there will be many more made in the future.

5.0

review by:
(29 Jun 2014)

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