Power Balls (recipe and variations)

We’ve been making dried fruit and nut power balls (aka energy balls and bliss balls) every other week for the past four years, ever since my 90-year-old mom moved into our home. She’s part of the dessert generation, plowing through her meals just so she can get to the treat at the end. Mom loves these power balls (we do too)! She thinks they’re cookies and assumes they contain flour, butter, and sugar – instead they’re packed with powerfully healthy ingredients, including Medjool dates (shhhh don’t tell).

Not only for dessert, power balls make a great breakfast or snack for all ages, including kids. They’re easy to pack when you’re on the go and need to keep fueled up for whatever your day brings.

These no-bake raw power balls are super easy to prepare. The recipe card includes the basic formula; variations are listed beneath it.

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Method Overview

• Process ingredients in food processor
• Form batter into balls
• Roll power balls in shredded coconut

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Print Recipe

5 from 12 votes

Power Balls (recipe and variations)

Course: breakfast, dessert, snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: corn-free, gluten-free, grain-free, oil-free, soy-free, sugar-free, vegan, wheat-free, yeast-free

Servings: 16

Calories: 176kcal

Author: Judy DeLorenzo

Equipment

• food processor

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw mixed nuts
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 5 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
• 1/4 cup unsweetened peanut butter
• 3 Tablespoons raw honey
• 1/4 cup unsweetened fine shredded coconut, such as Let's Do Organic brand

Instructions

• Add the nuts to your food processor's bowl. Process until they're fully ground up.
• Add the raisins and dates. Process until they're also fully ground up.
• Add the peanut butter and honey. Process until the mixture is evenly ground up and blended together. Don't be surprised if it forms into a lopsided ball in the processor bowl.
• Transfer the mixture onto a cutting board and form into an even mound. Cut the mound into 16 even wedges, then form each wedge into a ball.
• Sprinkle the shredded coconut onto a plate. Roll each ball in the coconut until evenly coated.

Notes

We keep these energy balls on the counter arranged on a covered dish; they get eaten within two weeks. They can also be kept in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 16.3g | Protein: 4.1g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 3.25g | Sugar: 12.1g | Vitamin A: 11IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

Power Ball Variations

• I usually buy raw mixed nuts from the bulk section at our local health food store. A single raw nut (or any combination) can also be used.
• Substitute 1/4 cup of the nuts with raw sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
• Hemp hearts can replace 1/8 cup of the nuts.
• Maple syrup can replace the honey.
• Dried cranberries can replace the raisins.
• Soft dried figs and/or soft dried apricots can replace some of the dates.
• Peanut butter can be substituted with sunflower seed butter, almond butter, or mixed nut butter.
• When adding the raisins and dates, feel free to also include a handful of goji berries.

If you enjoy this recipe, you may also like my How To Make Dark Chocolate recipe and my Moist and Fluffy Zucchini Muffins recipe.