1.) It doesn’t get easier than this. All you need for this recipe are these three ingredients.
2.) Start by tearing or cutting your dates in half and removing the seeds. Next, press each date halve open with your fingers to spread them out. Try to create as much surface area as possible without ripping the dates.
3.) Next, roll your nut butter in to little balls or blobs, and place them inside each date. Your nut butter ball should be small, otherwise it will be difficult to seal the dates closed.
4.) Fold in the sides of the date around the nut butter ball. Pinch the date closed. The date is sticky and should seal together well.
5.) Next, melt your chocolate in the microwave, then coat each ball in it. Place your balls in the freezer to set. I like to sprinkle mine with a touch of sea salt before putting them in the freezer, but this is optional.
6.) Store your balls in the fridge or freezer, and enjoy!
Nut Butter Date Balls (Total Time: 15 minutes, Prep Time: 5-6 minutes, Makes: 8 balls)
I’m not sure how “healthy” you can call these balls, but I like to think them as fruit, nuts, and antioxidants, and then I’m convinced they’re good for me! In all honesty they aren’t that bad for you, they just taste like they are. I came up with these while trying to use up some leftover ingredients in my dorm room. It’s safe to say they were a hit, and I ended up making a couple more batches that week. If you like snickers, or any combination of nuts, chocolate and caramel, there’s a good chance you’ll like these. I have tried them with a variety of nut butters (Sunflower Honey Butter was my original.) and found that the thicker the butter, the easier it is to make this recipe. If whatever nut butter you have on hand isn’t already thick, I recommend sticking it in the fridge for a while before you make these. So far my favorite combinations have been cashew butter and sunflower butter. Give these a go the next time you get a hankering for super sweet candy!
Ingredients
4 dates
2-3 tbsp thick nut butter
3 tbsp chocolate chips, or use my vegan chocolate recipe found under “Chocolate Bark”*
*I used pre-made vegan chocolate chips in the photographs, but anything will work. If you use my “Chocolate Bark” recipe, be sure to store the balls in the freezer, not the fridge.
Directions
1: Cut or tear your dates in half and remove the seed.
2: Using your fingers, spread the date halves to create as much surface area as possible, without ripping the dates.
3: Take a small (less than the size of a tsp) ball of nut butter and place it on top of a date halve.
4: Fold the edges of the date over the nut butter ball. (Make sure you don’t over stuff it with nut butter!) Seal the edges of the date by pinching it together.
5: Melt your chocolate in the microwave in 20 second increments until it is melted.
6: Coat each date ball in the chocolate, then put them in the freezer for 5-7 minutes to set. I like to sprinkle my date balls with sea salt flakes before I put them in the freezer, but this is optional.
7: Enjoy! Store in the fridge or freezer.
Delicious!