These chocolate cashew coconut balls are creamy, rich and decadent and energizing little bites of delicious and you only need 4 ingredients to make them.

Vegan no-bake chocolate cashew coconut balls in a glass dish sitting on a cooling rack.

These healthy vegan bites work well for a snack, dessert or yummy addition to a healthy, balanced breakfast.

The wonderful thing about these little treats is you can serve them to your friends and family and they’ll never guess that they’re made with just a few wholesome ingredients.

These decadent treats can be enjoyed as a wholesome, energizing snack any time of day. They would even be great as a pre-workout snack due to the natural sugars from the dates. That being said, they’re delicious enough for a dessert tray, vegan holiday goodie, sweet after-dinner treat or basically anytime your sweet tooth needs a little something.

Skip the store-bought treats and satisfy that craving with these tasty whole food bites.

Ingredients Needed

Dates, cacao powder, cashews and coconut in a food processor.

To make these chocolate energy balls, you’ll need the following ingredients.

Raw Cashews

I used 1 cup of raw cashews in this recipe. You can also use almonds or walnuts. I wouldn’t recommend using roasted nuts as they often have added oil and salt. When shopping for nuts, look for raw on the package or check the ingredient list. There should only be one ingredient.

Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

You’ll need 1/2 cup of fine unsweetened shredded (desiccated) coconut. Medium shredded is also fine.

Dates

I used soft, pitted honey dates in this recipe. You’ll need 1 cup tightly packed which comes out to 250 grams. You can use medjool dates, deglect noor or sayer dates just to make sure they’re soft and fresh. If you only have dry dates, soak them in hot water for 15 minutes then drain before using.

Cacao Powder

I used cacao powder in this recipe to add some extra nutrition but if you only have regular cocoa powder, that’s totally fine too. Taste-wise they’re similar and they can be used interchangeably in recipes.

The difference is cacao powder is unprocessed ground cacao and cocoa powder is a processed product that no longer contains the same nutrients it once did. Cacao is rich in antioxidants, iron, magnesium, zinc, calcium and more.

Blended mixture for no-bake chocolate cashew coconut balls.

Tools Needed

All you need to make these is a good food processor. I haven’t tried making these in a blender but some might be able to do the trick. Other than the food processor, you’ll just need a container to store them in.

Overhead image of 7 no-bake vegan chocolate coconut balls rolled in coconut on a cooling rack.
Vegan chocolate coconut ball on a baking cooling rack against a grey background.

More No-Bake Ball Recipes

Loving chocolate energy balls? Here are some more delicious no-bake recipes to try:

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section to leave a star rating and review.
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Vegan no-bake chocolate cashew coconut balls in a glass dish sitting on a cooling rack.

Chocolate Cashew Coconut Balls

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  • Author: Deryn Macey
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 14
  • Category: Snack
  • Method: Food Processor
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

You’ve got to try these delicious and decadent yet wholesome and nutritious little balls of energy! Stash these in the freezer so you’ve got a tasty treat on hand to satisfy your sweet tooth with a healthier option.


Ingredients

  • ½ cup raw cashews, almonds or walnuts
  • 1 tightly packed cup, soft pitted dates
  • 1/2 unsweetened fine coconut
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt, or more to taste (optional)
  • coconut or cacao powder for rolling (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place the nuts in a food processor and processor into a coarse, chunky texture.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until it forms a thick dough.
  3. Roll into 14 balls.
  4. Option to roll each ball in coconut, cacao or both.
  5. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days or freezer for up to 3 months.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 91
  • Sugar: 11 g
  • Fat: 4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 14 g
  • Fiber: 2.4 g
  • Protein: 2 g

This recipe was originally published December 24, 2013. It was updated May 22, 2019 with new photos and text.