This is a recipe I love to make at home and is adapted from Earthy Andy’s recipe (Andrea Hannemann). Equal parts macadamia nuts and dates are the base for this recipe and therefore it can be doubled or halved very easily.
This recipe will make about 40 1-inch balls, and the best part is how well these store in an air tight container (up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator or 2 weeks in the pantry.) They also take minimal time from start to finish! Such a quick and impressive recipe.
This recipe is a great start to a diverse array of flavors and nutritional boosts that you can throw in as well, such as protein powders, spices, seeds or nuts.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups macadamia nuts
2 cups pitted Medjool dates
2 tablespoons cacao powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon sea salt
With your oven pre-preheated to 350 degrees, lay the macadamia nuts across a sheet pan lined with parchment paper in a single layer and toast them just long enough to smell their aroma, not more than 5-8 minutes. Do not brown or over-toast the macadamia nuts.
Allow them to cool to room temperature before loading them into a food processor with the rest of the above ingredients.
I prefer to coarsely chop the macadamia nuts and dates in the food processor; just enough so that the dates are smooth, but not long enough so that the macadamia nuts are ground into a fine powder. I find a bit of texture is really perfect when you bite into these. I’d say a medium to finely chopped texture is ideal.
Once you achieve the texture you’re looking for, scoop the ingredients into a bowl. Wetting the surface of your hand with water, you can now form the balls by pulling about 1-2 tablespoons of the mix into your hand and rolling them until a perfect little ball is formed. They’re very pliable and easy to roll; just keep your hands moist with water. They are very sticky otherwise!
Once you have all of the date balls formed, you can leave them plain (outstanding as is) or roll them in something for added flavor, texture or nutritional value.
I love topping them with a drizzle of melted dark chocolate, rolling them in finely shredded coconut, ground pistachios, hemp seeds, or cacao powder. Place them in an airtight container and try to resist popping these in your mouth with each passing hour!
I find that these make an exceptional pre-workout snack, an easy addition to my kids Bento lunches, or a sweet goody to place on the counter when my friends or play-dates come over. They also satisfy my sweet tooth when I need a sweet little something after lunch or dinner.
Here’s some additional ideas for your homemade Macadamia-Date Energy Balls:
Optional add-in inspiration:
- vanilla or chocolate protein powder in lieu of cacao powder
- 1/8 teaspoon of ground & toasted cayenne pepper
- whole sunflower seeds, roughly chopped dried cherries, or dark chocolate chips (stirred in once you food process the main ingredients)
Enjoy!
Audrey Cunnie is a mother and Private Chef in Sonoma County. To learn more about Audrey, visit her on Istagram at @thegardenkeeprsgirl