These peanut butter date balls are delicious and really easy to make. With only five ingredients, this sweet and crunchy snack might become your new go-to afternoon craving.
Dates are still having their moment on Tik Tok, and this recipe was inspired by a bunch of different date recipes I’ve seen on social media, and I added my own flare. I’ve also made them nut-free for a cooking class I did in a school. I swapped the peanut butter for tahini, and used sesame seeds instead of pistachios. They were just as delicious, and were a huge hit with the students.
If you’re looking for more minimal ingredient recipes, check out my Puff Pastry Strawberry Pop Tarts and my Boursin Stuffed Dates.
Why you’ll love these date balls
- Easy: these date balls are super easy to make. You need five ingredients, and a little bit of time (most of that time is waiting for the date balls to freeze).
- Meal prep: if you’re like me, and you need a sweet snack in the afternoon, then you’ll love these! They have carbs, some protein and fibre from the nuts and peanut butter, so they’ll keep you feeling full and energized through that 3pm slump.
What you need to make these peanut butter date balls
You don’t need many ingredients for this recipe, and I would imagine you have most of them on hand already. Luckily, this recipe is really versatile, and if you don’t have the exact ingredients I use, you can make some easy swaps. I provide substitution suggestions below. All the ingredient quantities are in the recipe card below.
- Medjool dates: ideal for this recipe because they are large, chewy, sweet and have a delicious caramel flavour. You want to make sure the dates you use are soft and fresh so they blend well. If they’re on the dry side, just soak them in hot water for 10 minutes or so.
- Peanut butter: I use smooth peanut butter, and you want to make sure whatever nut/seed butter you use, it’s on the runny side. You don’t want dry nut butter, or you might have to add a little water.
- Pistachios: I prefer raw, unsalted and shelled.
- Semi-sweet chocolate: I like using chocolate baking bars for this, but you could also use chocolate chips.
- Flaky salt: a must! This little bit of salt helps to balance out the sweetness and richness from the rest of the ingredients.
Substitutions for these peanut butter date balls
Substitutions
- Different nuts: don’t have pistachios, no problem, feel free to use any nut you have. Cashews are really good, and I think shredded coconut would be yummy. Or make it nut free and use sesame seeds.
- Different nut butter: I used peanut butter, but tahini also works well! I would imagine almond butter or other nut/seed butters would work as well.
- Different chocolate: the dates add sweetness, and I didn’t want to add more sweetness by using milk or white chocolate, hence the semi-sweet. You could try a combination of chocolates, dark chocolate, milk or white.
- Make it nut free: use tahini instead of peanut butter, and sesame seeds instead of pistachios. Just make sure your tahini is runny, and not too dry.
Peanut Butter Date Balls FAQ
Yes! They’re naturally sweetened with dates and packed with protein, fibre, and healthy fats from the peanut butter and pistachios, making them a nutritious snack.
They’ll last up to 1 week in the fridge in an airtight container or up to 3 months in the freezer.
I haven’t tried it, but I think you could mix in 1–2 tablespoons of your favourite protein powder. You may need to adjust the texture slightly with extra nut butter or a splash of water.
Absolutely. Tahini, almond butter, cashew butter, or even sunflower seed butter work well for a peanut-free version.
Medjool dates are ideal because they’re soft and sticky, but other pitted dates can work if you soak them first to soften.
Peanut Butter Date Balls
Equipment
- 1 food processor
Ingredients
- 10 Medjool dates, pitted they should be fresh and soft
- ¼ cup peanut butter or nut/seed butter of choice
- ⅓ cup pistachios (or nuts of choice), finely chopped
- 3 oz semi-sweet chocolate 12 pieces
- flaky salt
Instructions
- Add dates and peanut butter to a food processor. Process on high until well combined, about 30-60 seconds, scraping down the sides about half way through. You may need to add 1-2 tsp of water depending on your peanut butter and how soft/fresh your dates are.Note: if your dates are dry, soak them in boiling water for 10-30 minutes before processing them.
- Finely chop the pistachios (or whatever nuts you choose). I prefer to use a knife versus putting them in a food processor because I don't want them ground into a powder. You just want them in small pieces to add some texture to the balls. Transfer to a small bowl.
- Measure 1-2 Tbsp of the date mixture, roll into a ball and then roll in the chopped pistachios. You might have to gently press the balls into the pistachios to get them to stick. Transfer to a plate.
- Transfer the balls to the freezer and let chill for 30-60 minutes.
- About 10 minutes before you remove the balls from the freezer, melt your chocolate. I like to do this over a double boiler. Fill a small pot with water and bring the water to a boil. Put the chocolate in a small, stainless steel bowl that sits on top of the boiling water, and the chocolate will be melted by the steam. Use a silicone spatula to stir the chocolate until it's fully melted. And don't get water in the chocolate.
- Once the chocolate is melted, remove from heat, and remove the balls from the freezer. Working one ball at a time, gently place in the melted chocolate and use a fork to coat the entire thing in chocolate. Then transfer to a clean plate. Immediately sprinkle with flaky salt (before the chocolate dries).
- Repeat until all the balls are covered in chocolate and sprinkled with salt.
- Store in the fridge, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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If we haven’t met yet, hi hello! I’m Bailey, a Registered Dietitian and recipe creator. I offer 1:1 nutrition coaching and cooking classes to help make healthy eating easier. On my blog you can find easy, seasonal, vegetarian recipes! If you try this recipe (or any of my other recipes), leave me a comment with your thoughts!
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