I’m going to be completely dramatic and say that date & walnut balls are the perfect snack. And I’m not saying the kind that are supposed-to-taste-like-blank or are protein-filled with protein powder, nooooo no no no, I’m talking simple ingredients: dates.and.balls.
Before there was ever a trend in “energy bites” or “bliss balls,” there was Spanish Date & Walnut Cake. It originated in Valencia, where the dates are magical, and it consisted of just those two ingredients. It was then formed into a cake and sliced and served with cheese. Talk about my dream.
So this is my homage to that recipe, an easy, portable snack that is complex in flavor but simple in ingredients (a Chez Snacks classic combo). The recipe itself takes minutes, and you can coast on these balls for the rest of the week, all while feeling like you’re in Valencia 😉
Table of contents
Ingredients for these date and walnut balls
- 1 & 1/2 cup pitted dates, 200g
- 1 cup raw walnuts, 100g
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup flax & chia seeds, I use the Garden of Life combination bag
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp each cardamom, clove and kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
How to make these date & walnut balls
The process could not be more simple – I highly recommend getting a small food processor to make these, and then it will take only minutes!
Here’s the instructions for these date & walnut balls:
- In a small food processor, add all the ingredients.
- Pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped and beginning to form a crumb or sand-like mixture, this will take a few minutes.
- Once the ingredients are well-combined, use your hands to mash and roll the ingredients into 8 equal-sized balls. They should be about the size of 1-2 tbsp each.
- Roll tightly and store in the fridge. Serve whenever!
Looking for other similar recipes?
I love a snack, so here are a few of my favorites from the archives that are similar to these date & walnut balls:
And that’s it for this recipe!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Date & Walnut Balls
Equipment
- 1 food processor
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 cup pitted dates 200g
- 1 cup raw walnuts 100g
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup flax & chia seeds I use the Garden of Life combination bag
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp each ground cardamom, clove
- 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- In a small food processor, add all the ingredients.
- Pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped and beginning to form a crumb or sand-like mixture, this will take a few minutes.
- Once the ingredients are well-combined, use your hands to mash and roll the ingredients into equal-sized balls. They should be about the size of 1-2 tbsp each. This recipe yields usually between 8-11 balls.
- Roll tightly and store in the fridge. Serve whenever!
Can you use all flax or all chia?
I’d recommend flax if you only use one! But I like a mix of 75% flax, 25% chia 🙂
Can you use cashews or pistachios instead of walnuts?
Cashews yes, but pistachios won’t be fatty enough to hold 🙂
Made these to take with me on bike rides. They’re so delicious and flavorful. I had to sub in pecans and ended up portioning them out to be smaller than recommended, just under 1 T each to suit my preference since they’re pretty rich. I’m definitely going to be saving this recipe and making them again and to share!
I’m so happy you made them and liked them!
Yum! Dates have a become a favorite for me in the past few years. They’re so versatile!
Yes! They are absolutely one of my all-time favs!