These strawberry almond energy balls are jam packed with healthy ingredients, and they only take 6 ingredients to make. Soon enough these will be a regular in your meal prep rotation.
If you've made your way around the internet, you've probably seen a few recipes for "bliss balls" or "energy bites". Whatever you call them, they're out there, and they're good.
So today I present to you no-bake strawberry almond energy balls, the perfect quick snack or healthy dessert.
Recipe features
- diet-friendly: vegan, vegetarian, soy-free and gluten-free optional (use certified gluten free oats)
- only 6 ingredients
- quick & easy: Only 5 minutes of active time
- no baking required!
- great as a snack, dessert or with a meal
What you'll need
Dates are the backbone of this recipe because of their natural sweetness. Choose pitted Medjool dates or remove the pits yourself (it's easy but a little sticky).
Sliced almonds are pre-sliced and add in the slightest bit of crunch. You can find them in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. Don't slice the almonds yourself! If you can't find almonds, any roughly chopped nut will work.
Strawberries: Use fresh or thawed frozen strawberries.
Rolled oats help hold the energy balls together. Instant or quick oats would probably work if that's all you have.
Chia seeds provide healthy fats but they also help bind everything together.
Step by step instructions
Step one: Add all ingredients, except for the coconut, to a food processor (this is my fav affordable food processor!).
Step two: Pulse until the almonds are mostly broken up. You don't want it to be a paste but lots of small pieces.
Step three: Cover and chill in the fridge for an hour. After an hour, remove from the fridge and roll into ping pong sized balls.
Step four: Roll the bites in the shredded coconut to coat. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQ and expert tips
Add-ins: You can add a handful of extras like mini chocolate chips, flaxseeds or chopped pistachios. Add them in after pulsing in the food processor and before refrigerating.
Readers have had mixed reviews with blenders. I recommend sticking with a food processor for this recipe unless you successfully made energy bites with your blender in the past.
Fresh or frozen strawberries can be used. I recommend thawing frozen strawberries and patting them with a paper towel to remove excess moisture before using them.
If needed, you can stir in additional oats 1 tablespoon at a time to help with binding.
Because energy balls are made with nutrient-packed whole foods like dates, fruit and nuts, they are a healthy snack or dessert option.
For best quality, keep leftovers refrigerated in a closed container for 4-5 days. They can be stored at room temperature for 1-2 days.
Yes! To freeze, use parchment paper (I like this unbleached kind) or wax paper to make layers between energy balls (this will prevent them from sticking together). Keep frozen in an air-tight container for up to 3 months. These are my favorite freezer-safe glass containers.
Looking for more recipes?
For more energy bites, check out this blueberry lemon and trail mix style.
Did you try this recipe? You can leave a star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ in the recipe card or a review down in the comments section. I always appreciate your feedback! You can also follow along on my YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest or sign up for my newsletter!
No Bake Strawberry Almond Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup medjool dates pit removed
- 4 large strawberries sliced (about 1 cup)
- ¾ cup sliced almonds see note#1
- 1 cup uncooked rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 cup shredded coconut flakes see note#2
Instructions
- Remove pits from dates and slice each date in half. Remove stems from strawberries and slice into quarters.
- Combine all ingredients, except the coconut flakes, in a food processor (my favorite brand).
- Pulse until the almonds are mostly broken up. You don't want it to be a paste but lots of small pieces.
- Cover and chill in the fridge for an hour. After an hour, remove from the fridge and roll into ping pong sized balls.
- Add the coconut to a small bowl. Roll the balls in the shredded coconut to coat. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Sliced almonds are pre-sliced and add in the slightest bit of crunch. You can find them in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. Don't slice the almonds yourself! If you can't find almonds, any roughly chopped nut will work.
- Coconut flakes or shredded coconut. If the coconut pieces are long then you will need to roughly chop into smaller pieces.
- I recommend using a food processor. Readers have had inconsistent results using blenders (including high-powered blenders), so it is best to stick to a food processor.
- Frozen strawberries can be used but should be thawed first. Pat dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
- To freeze, use parchment paper (I like this unbleached kind) or wax paper to make layers between energy balls (this will prevent them from sticking together). Keep frozen in an air-tight container for up to 3 months. These are my favorite freezer-safe glass containers.
- Add-ins: You can add a handful of extras like mini chocolate chips or chopped pistachios. Add them in after pulsing in the food processor and before refrigerating.
- Leftovers: For best quality, keep refrigerated in a closed container for 4-5 days.
This recipe was originally posted April 27, 2018. It was updated on February 8, 2021 with new photos, a video and an updated recipe. The oats were doubled and method was changed for improved results.
Shannon
I made these today. Easy as you said it would be and the results are delicious! I did use a food processor. 🙂
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
Thanks Shannon! 🙂 Happy to hear that you liked them.
Marissa
The flavor is lovely, but I can confirm blenders won’t work for this recipe. All of these are so dry and ended up as a crumble. Can you please update this to include blender options? What kind of “glue” do you think might work for this? Thanks
Cassidy Reeser
Hi Marissa- You could roughly chop dates and add those as glue. Something sticky like almond butter or cashew butter would work well and not affect the flavor too much.
Natalie
I’m sorry but this was also a nightmare for me to make. The ingredients are so dry that they get stuck at the bottom of the blender and it dies not even blend at a certain point. Ironically enough I just bought a powerful blender and it did not work. I think this recipe needs to be made using a food processor.
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
I'm sorry to hear that! It sounds like there's too many inconsistencies with a blender, I'll have to update the recipe. Thanks for trying the recipe!
Dawn
I don’t see the nutrition facts, only the calories. I plugged them all in to a calculator that I use and don’t get anywhere near the same calories. Help!
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
Hi Dawn, the calorie information with this one is tricky because of the dates (most calculators use ounces instead of cups). My recipe card calculates for me, but I just recalculated here (https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076) using 8 medium dates. That gives 95 calories, so I'd say they range from 90-100 calories. Hope that helps!
Crystal
Do you use fresh or dried dates?
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
Hi Crystal, I use fresh pitted medjool dates.
Winnie Welsh
How many dates approximately does it take to make 1 cup?
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
It's usually about 7-9 large dates.
Megan
This sounds delicious! I wondered if it would work without the oats? Or if you’d use something to replace them? I’m doing the Whole30 and unfortunately, oats aren’t whole30 approved
Cassidy Reeser
The oats are used for binding, so you could try adding almond flour (maybe start with 2 tablespoons and add more as needed), extra almond slices or more coconut flakes. I hope this helps!
Vanessa
Thanks for sharing! Could I use freeze dried strawberries?
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
I think that would work well! You may need to use a less rolled oats so that the mixture doesn't dry out. Let me know how it goes if you try.
Suzanne
These look so good! Does the date flavor come through much?
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
Thanks! I don't think that the date flavor is overpowering but you can definitely tell that it's made with dates.
Jennie
Hi there. This looks fantastic! How long do they keep once prepared? Thanks!
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
They will keep in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze them and store for up to 3 months. Enjoy!
Heather
This was honestly a nightmare. I didn’t know what slivered almonds meant and had to go and look that up and sliver them and that in itself took 5 minutes at least. It would be nice if that was a step in the directions for the recipe. Next, I would not try this recipe if you do not have a food processor or an extremely strong blender. I attempted to use a blender rather than a food processor, and it did not work well for me at all. The ingredients were so dry that my blender would not cooperate. I pulled out the mixer and I tried to add just a little bit of a protein shake to help it blend but I ended up adding too much and made just a tiny bit too wet. After that, i moved them back to the blender to try and blend those almonds and oats a litter better. I also added a few more strawberries to make it thicker. It still wasn’t thick enough, Which means I then could not roll them properly Into balls. I splattered them onto a cookie sheet and put them in the fridge. I may just have to freeze them to get a decent consistency of an actual ball. I haven’t even tried them to be honest. This “easy” recipe was far from it.
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
Heather, I'm sorry to hear this didn't work out for you! Slivered almonds are sold very thinly sliced (often in the baking aisle) and are used in this recipe because they break up more easily than hand-cut almonds, so that may have been part of why yours was too dry. I use a strong blender with this recipe, so maybe that contributes too? Sounds like I need to clarify in the recipe. Thanks for your comments.
Amanda
These are so good! I’ve had them pinned forever but finally had all of the ingredients. So incredibly easy. I ended up processing the coconut flakes right in for fear of my toddler making a huge mess and they turned out very moist and super easy to form. The flavor is great, you get the perfect amount of sweet-tart freshness from the strawberries and the sweetness and chewiness from the dates, and the little crunch from the almonds! Thanks for the great recipe.
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
Thanks for the great review! So glad to hear you liked them.
Emily
Love this recipe ❤️
I have only one question is 91 calories are in all 14 energy balls or in one ?
Cassidy
Thanks, Emily! It's for one energy ball, but do note that this should be used as more of an estimation than exact nutrient calculation. Enjoy!
Lily
Hey! Haven’t made them yet, but I’m craving this and wanna make it in the morning haha! Anyways.... Is there a substitute for dates? I don’t have them and I’m not gonna be able to run to the store for them.
Cassidy
The only substitute that I can think of is dried raisins or cranberries, but it will be a different flavor result. Let me know how it goes!
Megan
Is it sweetened or unsweetened coconut?
Cassidy
I prefer unsweetened since the dates are already quite sweet, but you can use either.
mia
I hate coconut flavor. is there anything I can exchange for the coconut flakes?
Cassidy
They will still work without the coconut flakes step. Or you could try rolling in the same amount finely chopped raisins or cranberries, that will add a nice texture.
Keira
So yummy! Any idea what the nutritional information is?
Cassidy
Thanks, Keira! I just updated the recipe to include nutrition information.
Pamela Caughman
Interested to try these! Wondering how they would freeze if I make a double batch.
Cassidy
Hi Pamela,
I haven't tried freezing them, but I imagine it would work well. I would trying freezing them on a cookie sheet for an hour before transferring them to a freezer container. That way they won't stick together.
Enjoy!
Cassidy
Pamela Caughman
Thanks! The little morsels are chilling now waiting for their coconut coating. They taste wonderful!
Cassidy
Great to hear! 🙂
janet
Thank you so much for this recipe. I too it to Bee meeting tonight and it was a big hit.
Cassidy
Awesome! Glad everyone enjoyed.