No-Bake Cacao Bliss Balls

Curb a chocolate craving with a bite of these no-bake cacao bliss balls! 

Made with naturally sweet ingredients like dried dates, shredded coconut, and raw cacao, you won’t even miss the added sugar in this treat that rivals your favorite nutty candy bar. Plus, these raw bliss balls are Paleo, vegan, and ready to snack on in just 30 minutes!

We used super sweet dates in this recipe for its chewy, sticky texture that helps bind the ingredients together to easily roll them into balls. Instead of cocoa powder, we used raw cacao powder for its high count of antioxidants and minerals like iron, magnesium, and calcium. (1) Creamy almond butter also helps bind the other ingredients together, and is an excellent source of fat and protein—great for fueling workouts.

Hazelnuts and hemp seeds add nutty flavor and satisfying crunch to the bliss balls. Hemp seeds are a complete source of protein, meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids needed to maintain proper metabolism, muscle function, and tissue repair, to name a few. (2, 3) Finally, shredded coconut adds extra chewiness and a decadently sweet flavor that plays well with the other ingredients.

Start by combining the hazelnuts, dates, coconut, and sea salt in a food processor. Blend until finely crumbled, scraping the sides with a spatula as needed. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl and stir in the almond butter, cacao powder, and hemp hearts. Form the mixture into about 15 small balls, and place them onto a parchment paper-lined plate. Freeze for 20 minutes, then store in an airtight container in refrigerator. Grab one whenever you’re craving something sweet, or need a quick energy boost.

Note: If you liked these cacao bliss balls, you’ll love these dark chocolate avocado truffles!

No-Bake Cacao Bliss Balls

Prep time- 10 minutes

Cook time- 0 minutes

Wait time- 20 minutes

Total time- 30 minutes

Serves- 15

Tools

Food processor

Medium mixing bowl

Parchment paper

Ingredients

1/2 cup hazelnuts 

1 cup pitted dates

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/8 t sea salt

1/2 cup unsalted, creamy almond butter 

1/4 cup Cacao Bliss or raw unsweetened cacao powder

1/4 cup hemp hearts

Directions

1. Combine the hazelnuts, dates, shredded coconut, and sea salt in a food processor. Blend until finely crumbled, then transfer to a mixing bowl. 

2. Stir in the almond butter, cacao powder, and hemp hearts. 

3. Form the mixture into small balls and set onto a parchment paper-lined plate. 

4. Freeze for 20 minutes to set. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Special thanks to Jennafer Ashley over at PaleoHacks for sharing this super yummy recipe with you! 

 

 

You might also like:

Chocolate Walnut Muffins

Healthy Chocolate Popsicles

Heavenly Coconut Bliss Balls

Yours in health and happiness,

Danette

P.S. Share this recipe with your chocolate-loving friends and I love hearing from you in the comments below. Do you plan to try this recipe?