Berry Coconut Energy Balls
Chilled bites of cashews, almonds, unsweetened coconut, almond butter, and freeze-dried strawberries, rolled in pink berry coconut.
Why you'll love Berry Coconut Energy Balls
These are the snack to keep in the refrigerator through the busy fall months, when school, work, and holiday plans fill every afternoon. Cashews and almonds ground with unsweetened coconut make a rich, buttery base, almond butter and coconut oil hold it together, and freeze-dried strawberries bring bright, tangy berry flavor and a pretty pink color to every bite.
Freeze-dried berries are the trick. They are whole strawberries with the water taken out, so they grind into a fine powder that spreads berry flavor through the dough without making it wet. Running the food processor long enough warms the oils in the nuts and coconut until the crumbs clump, and coconut oil firms as it chills, which sets each ball. Most energy balls use dates as the glue; here the nuts and their butter do the job.
Two of them carry you from lunch to dinner, and a batch keeps for a week.
Quick overview: This Berry Coconut Energy Balls takes 20 min of hands-on time and about 50 min in all and makes 10 servings, each 2 balls. You'll need a food processor.
Ingredients
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries (about 1 oz) Label: strawberries, and nothing else
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 1 cup fine unsweetened shredded coconut, divided Label: coconut, and nothing else, with no sugar or sulfites
- 1/4 cup almond butter Label: almonds, and salt if any
- 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
- a big pinch of fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp water, if needed
Instructions
- Grind the berries: Pulse the freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor for 10 to 15 seconds, until they turn to a coarse pink powder with a few small pieces. Spoon out 2 tablespoons of the powder and set it aside for rolling. Grinding the berries first lets their flavor and color spread through every bite.
- Chop the nuts: Add the cashews, almonds, and 3/4 cup of the coconut and pulse in 1-second bursts, 15 to 20 times, until the nuts are coarse crumbs with a few larger pieces.
- Bind the dough: Add the almond butter, melted coconut oil, chia seeds, vanilla seeds, and salt and process for 30 to 45 seconds, until the mixture clumps together and holds when you pinch it. If it stays crumbly, add the water a teaspoon at a time. The running blade warms the oils in the nuts and coconut, and that is what turns crumbs into a dough that holds.
- Roll: Mix the remaining 1/4 cup of coconut with the reserved berry powder on a plate. Scoop the dough by the level tablespoon, squeeze each portion firmly in your palm, then roll it into a ball and roll it through the pink coconut. Squeezing first packs the dough, so the balls hold their shape.
- Chill: Set the balls on a plate and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until firm. Coconut oil firms as it cools, and that sets the balls.
Storage and leftovers
Keep the energy balls in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. They soften at room temperature within an hour or two, so pack them cold for an afternoon snack.
Freeze them in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Eat them straight from the freezer or after 10 minutes on the counter.
Variations
- Raspberry: Use freeze-dried raspberries in place of the strawberries for a sharper, tangier ball.
- Cocoa: Add 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder with the almond butter for a berry and cocoa version.
- Peanut: Use peanut butter with a label of peanuts and salt in place of the almond butter.
- Pecan: Use pecans in place of the almonds for a softer, more buttery ball.
Notes and tips
- Read the berry label: Freeze-dried strawberries should list strawberries and nothing else. Some brands add sugar or fruit concentrate, so check the back of the bag.
- Keep the berries dry: Freeze-dried fruit pulls moisture from the air and turns chewy, so seal the bag tightly and grind the berries just before you use them.
- Use fine coconut: Fine shredded or desiccated coconut binds best. Large flakes stay in pieces, so pulse them a little longer if that is what you have.
- Damp hands: Lightly damp hands keep the dough from sticking as you roll.
Nutrition and mindful eating
- Cashews, almonds, and coconut bring fat and some protein, which is what makes a small snack hold you between meals.
- Freeze-dried strawberries are whole berries with the water removed, so a small amount brings bright fruit flavor, and here it is folded into plenty of nuts and fat, the way RESET360 pairs fruit.
- Chia seeds add fiber and help the dough hold together.
- Vanilla and coconut read as sweet on the tongue, which is why a cup of berries is all the sweetness a whole batch needs.
- As you eat, notice how two balls settle an afternoon hunger, and check in an hour later: a snack of nuts and fat should carry you to dinner steady and content.
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this Berry Coconut Energy Balls? Start here, with the questions people ask most.
How sweet are they?
Gently sweet. The strawberries, coconut, and vanilla carry the flavor, and most people find two balls plenty. For a sweeter ball, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of allulose with the almond butter.
What holds them together?
Almond butter, and coconut oil that firms as it chills. Processing long enough to warm the nut oils is what makes the crumbs clump.
Can I use roasted nuts?
Yes. Unsalted roasted nuts give a deeper, toastier flavor. If they are salted, leave out the pinch of salt.
Do I need the chia seeds?
They add fiber and help the dough bind, but the balls still hold together without them.
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