Pistachio date balls are made with just pistachios, oats, and dates! Just like these chocolate seed energy balls and raw coconut macaroons, you don't need a food processor or blender to make them!
I created this nutrient-dense recipe when we were living in Kenya. We didn't have an oven, and I didn't want to buy many ingredients I wouldn't use. So this is a no-bake, 3-ingredient energy ball snack I came up with, that I still love to make!
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Ingredients needed for pistachio energy balls
- Pistachios are the main source of protein in these energy bites. Tip: If you don't have much time it's easier to use pre-shelled pistachios. You can use salted or unsalted nuts. I prefer to use unsalted nuts as I can be aware of how much sodium and what quality of salt I am consuming. If you use unsalted pistachios I recommend adding just a tad of salt as it gives a huge flavor boost.
- The oats in these balls are a great source of fiber and also contain protein. You can use quick oats or rolled oats for this recipe. If you use rolled oats I recommend giving them a little pulse in the food processor to make them smaller which benefits the texture.
- Dates, I like to use medjool dates which are larger, darker, sweeter, and caramel-like in flavor. However, if you do not have medjool dates, any kind will work!
- Optional: As an extra step, you can melt dark chocolate, and drizzle it over these pistachio energy balls for a delicious treat!
See recipe card for quantities of the ingredients.
Step-by-step instructions
Come to my kitchen and make these pistachio date balls with me! If you want the ingredient quantities scroll to the recipe below.
1. Start by placing the pitted dates in a bowl and pour hot water over them to soften. Leave them for about 10 minutes, then drain the water. Loosely chop the dates into smaller chunks.
2. Chop pistachios (or pulse in a blender) until they are small chunks.
3. If you are using rolled oats, I recommend pulsing them in a blender for 10-15 seconds until they are small pieces. In a medium bowl mix the chopped pistachios and oats together. Add the sea salt (skip this step if you are using salted pistachios). Add the chopped dates to the pistachio oat mix.
4. Use your hands to knead the dough. There will be crumbs, keep kneading the dough until all the dry nuts and oats are mixed into one dough ball. If the mixture is still crumbly (this can happen as dates can be hard to measure accurately), you can add more dates or 1 teaspoon of water at a time until the dough forms.
5. Using a tablespoon, scoop the dough and roll it into about 15 balls. Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 weeks or the freezer for 6 months.
Swap-ups!
- Cardamon: Add a sprinkle of cardamon to compliment the pistachios!
- Coconut: Roll these energy bites in shredded coconut for an extra crunch.
- Cashews: Swap out the pistachios for cashews or your other favourite nuts!
- Matcha: Add 2 teaspoons of matcha to the oat and pistachio mix before mixing everything together to increase the caffeine and give these a little flavor kick.
Other healthy snacks
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Pistachio Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted dates (note below)
- ½ cup shelled pistachios
- ½ cup quick oats (or pulsed rolled oats)
Optional
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup chocolate chips (I use dark chocolate so they aren't too sweet!)
Instructions
- Start by placing the pitted dates into a bowl, pour hot water over them to soften for at least 10 minutes. Then drain the dates and loosely chop them.
- Chop (or pulse in a blender for 10-20 seconds) pistachios until they are small chunks. In a medium bowl mix the pistachios and oats together. Add the sea salt (skip adding salt if you are using salted pistachios).
- Add the dates to the pistachio oat mixture. Use your hands to knead the dough. There will be crumbs, keep kneading the dough until all the dry nuts and oats are mixed into one dough ball. Using a tablespoon, scoop then roll into about 15 balls.
- Optional chocolate drizzle:Melt chocolate chips on low heat over the stove or in a microwave. Use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate on top of the pistachio balls. Let them cool in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Keep the balls in the fridge, in an airtight container (for 2 weeks) or in the freezer (for up to 3 months).
Notes
- *I use about 10-13 Medjool dates for this recipe, press the dates lightly in to the measuring cup until you get 1 cup.
- Top tip: Buy shelled pistachios, unless you have 5-10 minutes to remove the shells.
- Nutritional information is calculated without chocolate on top.
- To make sure these are gluten-free, use gluten-free oats. (Oats are gluten-free but often contain gluten because of where they are processed.)
- These energy balls will stay together at room temperature and work well to bring along to school, the office, road trips, or hiking. However, beware of the chocolate drizzle melting on warm days.
- If you like this recipe, I would try these matcha energy balls with oats next!
Nutrition
Danika Vanderpyl, C.H.N
I create snack recipes with healthy ingredients that are mostly already in your kitchen. I'm certified in Holistic Nutrition and I care about giving my kids real food. Let me share my nutrient-dense easy snacks with you.
Aileen Davidson
Just made these tonight - super simple and easy to make - haven't tried them yet, but looking forward to taking them for my mid-morning work snack tomorrow!
Danika Vanderpyl
Ooo enjoy for snack tomorrow! You are gonna love the salt, pistachio, and date combo!
Mariah
Love how simple and short the ingredients list is. Can’t wait to make them!
danikavanderpyl
The combination of salty pistachios and dates is honestly a winner. Love the flavor and love making these to share.
Andrew
This was maybe the first time I have had pistachios in a snack like this and I loved it! It was sweet and salty, yet nutty in the best way. I hope to have these again.