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Justine Doiron

just real good food

Baking + Sweet, Bars & Brownies, Breakfast, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Recipes, Snacks + Sides, Special Diets, Vegan, Vegetarian · May 28, 2022

Date & Walnut Balls

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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 😉

pitted dates

Table of contents

  • Ingredients for these date and walnut balls
  • How to make these date & walnut balls
  • Looking for other similar recipes?
the ingredients before mixing

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
the date ingredients in the food processor

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!
date & walnut balls

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:

5-Ingredient Salted Chocolate Fudge Balls
This five-ingredient fudge is gluten free, vegan, good for you and amazing decadent tasting. Plus it's a small batch recipe, so it makes 4 balls for a quick dessert to share!
Check out this recipe
Edible Pumpkin Cookie Dough
Another one of my vegan and gluten free favorites! These healthy, delicious, simple edible cookie dough balls are one of my top snacks for the fall season.
Check out this recipe
Matcha Butter
This spreadable matcha butter is like a scoopable matcha latte – it's sweet, creamy, caffeinated, bright green and so so good.
Check out this recipe

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

5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time:10 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer, Dessert, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Fusion
Keyword: dates, wanuts
Servings: 10 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!

Posted In: Baking + Sweet, Bars & Brownies, Breakfast, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Recipes, Snacks + Sides, Special Diets, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Comments

  1. Hannah says

    May 31, 2022 at 1:32 pm

    Can you use all flax or all chia?

    • Justine says

      May 31, 2022 at 1:34 pm

      I’d recommend flax if you only use one! But I like a mix of 75% flax, 25% chia 🙂

  2. Candace says

    May 31, 2022 at 9:16 pm

    Can you use cashews or pistachios instead of walnuts?

    • Justine says

      June 1, 2022 at 10:06 am

      Cashews yes, but pistachios won’t be fatty enough to hold 🙂

  3. Samina says

    June 9, 2022 at 5:20 am

    5 stars
    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!

    • Justine says

      June 9, 2022 at 10:31 am

      I’m so happy you made them and liked them!

  4. Rebekkah Lenora says

    June 14, 2022 at 11:13 am

    Yum! Dates have a become a favorite for me in the past few years. They’re so versatile!

    • Justine says

      June 14, 2022 at 11:36 am

      Yes! They are absolutely one of my all-time favs!

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