Description
These quick and easy gluten-free protein balls are ready in 15 minutes (no baking needed)! Naturally sweetened with dates, you’ll want to keep these energy balls handy for whenever you need a quick snack! Dairy-free and vegan too.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
- 1/3 cup unsalted raw pistachios
- 1/3 cup unsalted raw cashews
- 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Soak Dates: Soak the pitted Medjool dates in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes, then drain the water.
- Process Half of Cashews and Pistachios: In a food processor or high-speed blender, roughly process half the amount of cashews or pistachios and set aside (a rough pulse is fine, you don’t need the nuts to be too finely processed).
- Process Remain Ingredients: Then grind the remaining pistachios, cashews, dates, puree, vanilla and spices in a food processor until you get a thick and homogeneous mixture.
- Form Balls: Use 1 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the mixture and roll the mixture into evenly-sized balls (you should get about 9 balls).
- Roll in Nuts: Roll the balls in the ground pistachios and cashews that you set aside previously.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve and indulge in these delicious energy balls!
Notes
Dates: I like using Medjool dates, but you can use whichever dates you can find. Just make sure that the dates are pitted and to soak them in hot water for at least 5 minutes to soften them a little before processing the dates.
Nuts: I like using a mix of unsalted raw pistachio nuts and cashew nuts in this recipe, but you can also use other types of unsalted nuts (almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, etc).
Pumpkin Puree: I used fresh pumpkin puree, but canned pumpkin puree will work just as well. Alternatively, sweet potato puree will do the trick too.
Spices: I added pumpkin pie spice and ground cinnamon for nice fall flavors, but feel free to use whichever spice you enjoy!
Storing/Freezing: To store, place these gluten-free energy balls in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. To freeze, place the balls in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Let the frozen protein balls thaw for at least 15 minutes at room temperature before eating.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Category: Snacks
- Method: No-Bake
