TASTE: Sweet chocolate ballsTEXTURE: Soft, fudgyEASE: Very Very Easy!APPEARANCE: Round handmade balls PROS: Plant-based, Vegan, high protein ball perfect for a quick on-the-go breakfast of a 4 o’clock snack with coffee. Equally loved by kids and adults!CONS: Shaping them can be messyDiet: Paleo, Plant-Based & Vegan A quick pick me up that will instantly perk you up! How many times have you craved something sweet in the middle of the day or perhaps at night? How many times do your kids want a snack? If you are like me, then the answer is always “Too many to count!” These bliss balls are a perfect answer to all those woes! They are high in nutrient value- full of dates, nuts, and oats. It cannot get better than this! My 5-year-old loves them. Now, out of the zillion snack breaks, one is sorted! Plus, they are a great school snack, too. In India, these are usually called laddus. Traditional laddus or bliss balls recipes are Chickpea flour ghee laddus and Ragi or finger millet laddus. Speaking of healthy decadence, have you tried making Overnight Oats ? They are such a great breakfast alternative! Oh, another instant pick-me-up is this air fryer caramelized banana. It’s so so good! Give it a try!
Why we love these Chocolate Date Protein Energy Bliss Balls
Refined Sugar-Free Full of nutrients, protein, and fats A quick snack, even breakfast when we are on the run! Easily available ingredients One batch lasts 6-7 days on the counter & 2-3 weeks in the fridge.
Ingredients for Chocolate Bliss Balls
Do you want me to let you in on THE secret? Here are the ingredients- prepared to be shocked!
Dates Almonds Oats Peanut Butter Cocoa Protein Powder Salt
Dates
Ideally, use medjool dates. They are softer, larger, and meatier than the rest. But they tend to be costly. I have made the same recipe with different dates. Sometimes, the mixture is too dry, and I have had to add a little bit more peanut butter. That’s frankly the only difference. So use what you have, what you can afford. Do remember to remove the seed from the date. Plus, check if the dates are dipped in sugar syrup while buying. Yes. That’s a thing! Another great recipe with dates is Date Snickers - chocolate-covered peanut butter stuffed dates.
Protein Powder
I have used plant-based protein powder to make this. Any other kind will also work.
How to make Chocolate Bliss Balls
Here is step by step description of how to make chocolate bliss balls
Step 1: Toast the nuts
You can use a cast iron pan, oven, or air fryer. Toasting the nuts makes them last longer and helps bind the balls better. Also, microwave the dates for 30 seconds to soften them up.
Step 2: Blend
Add all the ingredients in a food processor or a blender. I prefer using my blender. It frankly does a better job of blitzing everything so that I don’t have to add too much peanut butter. To make this whole process simpler, add the dates first, followed by the nuts, peanut butter, cocoa powder, and the oats. This way, the bottom bits get processed first.
Step 3- Form into balls
The Blended mixture will be a little warm from all the blitzing plus the toasted nuts. Take 1 tablespoon of mixture in your hand and squeeze it into a tight mass. Now, roll gently between your palms. This mixture should give you about 20 golf-sized balls.
Optional Step
If you like, you can roll the balls in dried coconut flakes or cocoa. Rolling them in cocoa will make them quite intense and might not be kid-friendly. You can also dip the balls into melted chocolate for an extra special. The best part about these Chocolate Fudge Balls is that they are easy to make, easy to store, and last forever, so they make the best make-and-carry snack. But the better than the best part is how decadent these taste and look! These are absolutely fudgy, decadent, sinful little fudge balls that make you feel so good without making you feel like a glutton.
Storing & Refrigerating
I keep them in a jar on the counter. Whenever I am reaching out to snack mindlessly, this is in front and center, and I eat this instead! It lasts about 7-8 days on the counter. You can easily keep it in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks. Most of the ingredients are stable at room temperature, so they stay good for a while. If you have made extra, you can freeze them too. Just pop them in a freezer bag or a freezer-friendly container. Freeze up to 3-4 months. To eat, simply microwave one ball for 10-20 seconds.
Possible Variations
You can switch the recipe to make different versions and variations of these bliss balls. Here are some that I have made in the past Cranberry & Chocolate Bliss Balls - Substitute ¼ cup of almonds with dried cranberriesChocolate Walnut Bliss Balls - Use walnuts or pecans instead of almondsEnriched Moringa Bliss Balls - Add 1 tablespoon of moringa powder to amp up the nutrient value of these balls. No one will know! I promise!Nut-Free Seed Bliss Balls - To make these chocolate bliss balls nut-free, use seeds like sunflower or pumpkin seeds. Also, switch the peanut butter with seed butter. Here is a special recipe for Christmas and holidays- holiday truffles. If you want to replace white sugar with a better alternative, try making your own stevia using this stevia powder recipe.
Here are more healthy recipes for you
Here are some more healthy pick-me-ups for you to binge on! Chocolate Peanut Butter CupsSeeds Brittle or ChikkiFinger Millet LaddoosBesan Ladoo If you made these gorgeous fudgy bliss balls, drop me a note. I would love to hear your thoughts. Also! do give us a rating. It really help me reach people.
