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Easy Healthy Raw Cacao Date Balls Recipe

Raw Cacao Date Balls

Whenever you are in the mood for a chocolate treat, you need to try out these raw cacao date balls. Cacao gives you feelings of love, energy, and happiness. It contains the chemical anandamide, which is the neurotransmitter responsible for these feel good feelings. Deliciousness ahead.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Freezer Time 4 hours
Servings: 12
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups of raw walnuts
  • 1 cup of medjool dates
  • 1/4 tsp of Himalayan salt
  • 2 tsp cacao powder
  • 1 tsp of organic coconut oil
  • unsweetened organic shredded coconut flakes for rolling optional

Method
 

  1. Add the walnuts to a food processor. Pulse for a few seconds to get the walnuts ground down a bit and then go full on to get them finely ground. This will take around 30 seconds. 1 1/2 cups of walnuts
  2. Add in your salt, coconut oil, cacao powder, and medjool dates to the food processor. Make sure to pit your medjool dates and remove the little ends prior to adding them to the food processor. 1 cup of medjool dates, 1/4 tsp Himalayan salt, 2 tsp cacao powder, 1 tsp of coconut oil
  3. Pulse the food processor a few times to get your dates broken down some and then turn on fully for around 20 seconds. You want the mixture to stick together when rolling in your hand, so you don't want to process this too long. Check after the 20 seconds and see if the dates are broken down enough. You will probably need longer but it all depends on how soft the dates were when they went in.
  4. Take a tablespoon of mixture and roll into a ball between your two palms. (You will get about 12 balls).
  5. Roll the ball in a small bowl with shredded coconut flakes.
  6. Place the balls in a freezer safe container lined with wax or parchment paper. They will harden up and taste even better after 4 hours of being in the freezer. I prefer them after being in the freezer overnight. They harden up nicely and taste even better. You can store them in the freezer for up to two weeks, but let me know if they last more than a few days...

Notes

You want to have your medjool dates kept at room temperature so they are soft enough to blend in the food processor. If they are harder or refrigerated, you can put them in warm water for about 15 minutes until they start to soften up. Drain the excess water well. You don't want soggy dates, just softer dates.
Really measure the coconut oil. If you put too much in, the balls can get too oily. They will be still be fine once the balls freeze up though, so don't panic if it happens.
Substitute the walnuts for almonds if you wish.
Add more raw cacao powder for a more chocolate tasting date ball. Remember cacao powder is going to be richer in flavor and you need less of it than regular cocoa powder. I would not do more than 4 tsp with the Wilderness Poets Cacao Powder. You could always do the 2 tsp, and then roll them in a little cacao powder in the end instead of the shredded coconut.
 
Gluten-Free | Dairy-Free | Refined Sugar-Free | Plant Based