Coconut Bliss Balls with Medjool Dates & Raw Cacao
These sumptuous coconut bliss balls are a type of raw chocolate truffle. They don’t have the name bliss balls for nothing, even though they are relatively healthy. Try one and you’ll wonder why you’ve ever bothered with conventional truffles. Well maybe I exaggerate a little, but only just.
We’d been invited to friends for dinner and as is my wont, I decided to make something to take along by way of a gift. As I’d just been sent a box of luscious medjool dates from the Medjool Date Company I wanted to take some of them along.
Medjool dates are so sweet, juicy and flavoursome, they’re ideal for making these coconut bliss balls. In fact you don’t need much else in terms of flavouring. As I’ve previously posted a recipe for raw chocolate truffles, however, I wanted to do something a little different. Coconut is a firm favourite in this household and seems to be popular with nearly everyone. So coconut bliss balls it was.
Optimum ThermoCook
Keen to try out my brand new and very exciting Optimum ThermoCook, I removed it from its box and put it through its paces with this simple recipe. It worked really well.
You can of course use any blender or even a food processor to make these gorgeous energy bites.
Coconut Bliss Balls
Bliss balls also go under the less prosaic name of energy balls or energy bites. I think I prefer my name for them. These coconut bliss balls are made from only five ingredients, three of which are from the marvellous palm family. They’re remarkably nutritious and are dairy free, refined sugar free, gluten free and also vegan, so no-one needs to feel excluded.
They’re also easy to make; there’s something rather post-modern about this combination of high tech blending and artisan rolling. In case you hadn’t noticed, Christmas is coming and these would make an ideal gift for your friends and family – if you don’t demolish the lot first.
Bliss balls by name, but what about nature? Well, they have a heady fragrant coconut aroma. They’re pleasantly soft, but also chewy; they’re sweet. but in an alluring rather than overpowering way. The coconut doesn’t mask the honeyed sweetness of the dates which themselves are counterbalanced by hearty, bitter cacao notes.
A tropical delight, CT’s vivid imagination saw the Sultan popping one of these into the mouth of his favourite concubine from a jewel encrusted platter. I must adjust his medication.
By the way, these coconut bliss balls will keep in a cool place for a couple of weeks.
Other Recipes for Energy Balls You Might Like
- Chocolate oat truffles
- Christmas bliss balls
- Cookie dough energy balls
- Goji berry bliss balls
- Raw chocolate truffles
- Roasted hazelnut bliss balls
Keep in Touch
Thank you for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these coconut bliss balls, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Do you have any recommendations or advice for making energy balls?
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Choclette x
Coconut Bliss Balls. PIN IT.
Coconut Bliss Balls – The Recipe
Coconut Bliss Balls
Ingredients
- 125 g cashew nuts soaked overnight
- 25 g desiccated coconut + 2 tbsp for rolling
- 150 g Medjool dates weight after stoning, about 8-10 dates
- 3 tbsp raw cacao powder
- 1 tsp cold-pressed coconut oil
- 1 pinch Himalayan pink rock salt or salt of choice
Instructions
- Drain the cashews and blitz in a food processor along with the desiccated coconut. I used the pulse action on my multi-functional Thermocook for about 10 seconds.125 g cashew nuts, 25 g desiccated coconut
- Add the remaining ingredients, ensuring their are no stones left in the dates and blitz again until everything is thoroughly combined. Again I used the pulse action on my Thermocook for a further 10 seconds.150 g Medjool dates, 3 tbsp raw cacao powder, 1 tsp cold-pressed coconut oil, 1 pinch Himalayan pink rock salt
- Place the remaining desiccated coconut into a bowl.
- Roll a teaspoonful of the mixture between your hands to form a truffle sized ball – this can get a little sticky. Drop into the bowl of coconut and roll until completely covered. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
I’m sending these coconut bliss balls off to #RecipeOfTheWeek with Emily at A Mummy Too.
They also go to Festive Food Friday with Kerry Cooks.
Do these bliss balls freeze ok?
Hi Kim. I haven’t tried freezing these as they keep quite well anyway. But I have it on reliable authority that you can freeze them for up to two months.
Fabulous idea for a home-made gift… such natural ingredients too! This is definitely i’m going to try in my thermocook!
I am in love with those bliss balls Katie and made several batches over Christmas with lots of very positive comments from those that tried them.
These look lovely Choclette! A great idea to add dates.
Thanks Jan. The dates make these truffles plenty sweet enough without the need for anything else, which is great.
These are fabulous Choclette! Definitely going to give this a try, I just love dates.
Thanks Janice. They are really are very good, especially for date lovers. I’m going to make a load more for Christmas – if I can find the time!
Delicious AND healthy?! There’s nothing ‘bad’ in here….. they have to be the most virtuous truffles on the planet. That means I could eat a whole box for…….. breakfast!!
Well exactly Kate, you’ve got it in one 😉
I adore coconut and dates so these sound right up my street! I love the presentation in the box too, very pretty. Thanks for linking with #FestiveFoodFriday. Happy Christmas!
Thanks Sarah. They are truly delicious and only naughty if you demolish the whole lot in one sitting 😉
Your bliss balls sound lush. I love dates and coconut. Pure pleasure
Thanks Galina – guess what everyone’s getting for Christmas 😉
I’m there! Coconut is one of my favourite flavours, they certainly wouldn’t last a few weeks in a cool place in my house 😉 They’d be lucky if they lasted to the end of the day!
Haha, they are quite rich and filling Carolyn, so you might get two days out of them 😉
Your Coconut Bliss Balls look delicious Choclette, I love medjool dates & with coconut too, I’m sold.
Thanks Sarah. The first batch of date balls I made were delicious, but these were even better.
They make an excellent holiday gift!
Thank you Anglie. I’m rather coveting a box of them myself 😉
I am desperate to make some energy balls – and since I love both coconut and cashews these ones are perfect to start with.
These balls are so blissful Bintu, it’s hard to imagine they can be improved on. I will of course try my best to do it though 😉
Bah! Another wonderful coconut treat I can only gaze upon because no one else in my house eats coconut!
Yes, but Leisel, the beauty of these is that you can make up a smaller batch and have them just for yourself 😉
Do you know I’d much rather be given a box of these than a box of chocolates. All those dodgy centres like orange, coffee & strawberry (BLEUGH!) get binned straight away, and the rest never really live up to expectations for me. However I haven’t tried a variation on these energy balls that I haven’t loved.
Janie x
You are so right Janie, these are heaps better than your average box of chocolates and they are dairy free for you too.
These look amazing! I have many vegetarian friends and this will be a nice holiday addition for them when they visit. Not to mention for ME!
Oh no Melissa, please don’t forget about you 😉
Those look fab. I’ve got a load of medjool dates that I’ve been meaning to do something with for ages – maybe this is the something!
Oh do make them Helen, they really are gorgeous.
These sound like all kinds of healthy…and super delicious! I would feel virtuous eathing these, or at least that’s my excuse!
Lx
They are too delicious to feel virtuous Lauren, but you definitely don’t need to feel guilty 😉
Perfect for a dinner with friends in this period.
xox
Thanks Manu. Perfect for dinner at any time of year, I reckon 😉
oooh, they looks so lovely and sound so delicious and you know I love my balls!
Haha, I do indeed Dom 😉
I would be so happy if you gifted me that box of bliss balls!! I love medjool dates, can happily eat them all day everyday! YUM!! 😀
Haha yes Nadia, I think I’d have been happy if I’d gifted them to myself 😉 Luckily the recipients loved them too – they want the recipe.
Love the presentation of these Choclette! What a fab Xmas idea. I do love bliss balls.
Thanks for linking to mine 🙂
Thanks Sus. They are indeed delicious, I’m determined to make a load for Christmas.