Vegan Coconut Lime Energy Balls (Printable version)

Tropical cashew and date bites infused with bright lime zest and coconut, ready in 15 minutes.

# What you need:

→ Base

01 - 1 cup (150 g) raw cashews
02 - 1 cup (120 g) pitted Medjool dates, approximately 10 large dates
03 - ½ cup (40 g) unsweetened shredded coconut, plus extra for rolling

→ Flavor

04 - Zest of 2 limes
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice from 1 lime
06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
07 - Pinch of sea salt

# How to Make It:

01 - Place cashews in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not reaching a paste consistency.
02 - Add pitted dates, shredded coconut, lime zest, lime juice, vanilla extract, and sea salt to the food processor. Process until the mixture holds together when pressed, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
03 - Scoop tablespoon-sized amounts of mixture and roll into uniform balls using your hands.
04 - Roll each ball in additional shredded coconut to create an even coating.
05 - Place energy balls on a parchment-lined tray and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to achieve optimal texture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like a tropical vacation in bite-sized form, which honestly makes snacking feel a little less mundane.
  • Seriously no baking required, and your kitchen won't heat up, which is clutch on warm days.
  • You can make a double batch and forget about them in the freezer for emergency afternoon slumps.
02 -
  • If you skip the chilling step, they'll be soft and slightly sticky to eat, which isn't bad but definitely not ideal for grabbing on the go.
  • Don't use wet dates or your mixture will be too damp; if it feels mushy, add a tablespoon more shredded coconut to absorb the excess moisture.
  • The lime zest is non-negotiable because the juice alone won't give you that bright, zesty punch that makes these special.
03 -
  • If your lime is particularly dry, microwave it for 15 seconds before zesting and juicing to get more liquid out and more fragrant zest.
  • Slightly over-processing the mixture isn't a disaster, but under-processing leaves it crumbly and harder to roll, so erring on the side of more processing is safer.
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