Date Nut Balls

A no-bake treat that sneaks in fiber and protein? Sign us up. Date nut balls are a healthy-ish snack-slash-dessert that offer a quick burst of energy and a sweet tooth fix in one. They’re quick to pull together, they are endlessly customizable and you can engage the kiddos to help with prep for a fun weekend or after-school activity.

An added bonus: These date and nut balls ship well, so you can pack them in school lunches or mail them to friends and family for holiday gifts.

Ingredients for Date Nut Balls

• Rice Krispies: A source of light, crispy texture that adds crunch to the recipe and helps break up the heaviness of the dates and nuts. (Use up leftovers in these other Rice Krispies recipes.)
• Pistachios or almonds: Full of fiber and protein, nuts add some extra flavor and crunch to your date balls.
• Butter: The butter helps the other ingredients bond together while providing a source of rich flavor.
• Dates: This dried fruit will be pitted and chopped finely. We recommend buying dates whole and pitting and chopping them yourself for the freshest ingredients.
• Sugar: The sugar adds some extra sweetness to your date balls, giving them more of a dessert feel.
• Vanilla extract: Delivering its own source of subtle sweetness, vanilla extract also helps enhance the flavors of the dates and nuts.
• Confectioners’ sugar: While this is optional, coating the balls in confectioners’ sugar adds some more sweetness, and it helps keep the balls from being too sticky. For variety, you could only roll half in the sugar.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the Rice Krispies mixture

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In a large bowl, combine the Rice Krispies and pistachios (or almonds, if that’s what you’re using). In a large saucepan, combine the butter, dates and sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture is combined.

Editor’s Tip: To make the dates softer, soak them in water for about 30 minutes before chopping them up.

Step 2: Form the date balls

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Remove the mixture from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract. Pour over the Rice Krispies mixture and stir to coat. When cool enough to handle, press it into 1-1/4-inch balls. Cool. If desired, roll the balls in the confectioner’s sugar.

Editor’s Tip: If the mixture feels too sticky, wet your hands before forming them.

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Date Nut Balls Variations

• Add other mix-ins: You can get creative with what you add to your date nut balls. Think shredded coconut, chocolate chips or other dried fruits.
• Add in spices: Experiment with different spices such as cinnamon or ginger, or even pumpkin pie spice depending on the season.
• Add more protein: Mix in nut butter to upgrade the amount of protein and nutty flavor. Note that this may change the texture, but you can always balance that out by adding oats.

How to Store Date Nut Balls

You can store date nut balls in an airtight container at room temperature. We recommend eating within 10 days.

Can you freeze date balls with nuts?

Definitely. This is a great recipe to make in a big batch and toss into the freezer for future cravings or busy days. Start by freezing in a single row on a baking sheet. Once frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. Thaw them overnight in the fridge.

Date Nut Ball Tips

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Can I make these date nut balls without nuts?

You can indeed. To maintain the texture-flavor balance, omit the nuts and replace with extra Rice Krispies—or a different textured add-in, if you’ve been playing with the recipe.

How can I chop up my dates and nuts?

You can do it by hand or use a food processor to make the process simpler and faster.

Are these date nut balls healthy?

This recipe does use added sugar, which pushes it more toward the dessert end of the spectrum. However, dates and nuts have a lot of nutritional value. The health benefits of dates are thanks to their fiber, iron, antioxidants and range of vitamins and minerals, which make the fruit a healthier option when you want something sweet.