No-Bake Goji Berry Balls
on Aug 30, 2023, Updated Aug 13, 2024
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An easy no-bake goji berry balls recipe for dried goji berries you can make in 10 minutes with just 4 simple ingredients.
What are goji berries?
Goji berries, also known as wolf berries, are small red or orange-red berries that come from the Lycium barbarum plant and have a slightly sweet and tart flavour.
Goji berries have been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine for their potential health benefits. They are prized for their nutritional content, being rich in various vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other bioactive compounds.
Their potential health benefits include blood sugar regulation, digestive health, cognitive function, eye health, immune system support and energy, in most part due to antioxidants such as beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, and vitamin C.
How to Use Goji Berries
Goji berries are usually used in dried form, much like raisins or cranberries. They have a chewy texture when dried.
Goji berries can be eaten as a snack, or added to trail mix, smoothies, salad dressings, baking, cereal, tea and salads, or used in a variety of recipes like these energy balls.
They’re also perfect for sprinkling over yogurt, banana nice cream, blueberry banana smoothie bowls, mango chia pudding and banana oatmeal.
If you have extra goji berries, they’d make a great addition to this Freekeh Salad, Summer Quinoa Salad, Wild Rice Salad, Tuscan Kale Salad, or you could blend them into a smoothie like this Papaya Smoothie or Beet Orange Smoothie.
They can also be added to any of my energy bar, energy ball or baking recipes. They’d be yummy in these Blueberry Oatmeal Cups, Cherry Almond Bars, Apricot Granola Bars or Lime Coconut Energy Bites.
Ingredients
- Dates: You can use any variety of dates are long as they’re soft and moist. If your dates are overly dry, soak them in hot water then drain well before using in the recipe.
- Cashews: Use plain, raw cashews with no added oil or salt. You can substitute other nuts such as almonds, walnuts or pecans or use a mixture of nuts. For a nut-free option, you can use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
- Goji Berries: Look for dried goji berries. They’re readily available online, in well-stocked grocery stores or in health food stores.
- Cacao Nibs: You can omit these if you prefer, or substitute chopped dark chocolate, chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips.
- Vanilla: Vanilla adds a really nice flavour but is optional. A pinch of salt and cinnamon will also help enhance the flavour.
The full ingredient list with measurements is located in the recipe card below.
Variations & Additions
- Coconut Goji Berry Balls: Reduce the cashews to 1/2 cup and add 1 cup fine or medium shredded coconut (desiccated coconut).
- Chocolate-Coated Goji Balls: Dip the balls in melted dark chocolate or drizzle over top of them on a baking sheet and set in the fridge unit firm.
- Spices: Incorporate warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom for an extra layer of flavor.
- Ginger: Try adding 2-3 tbsp grated fresh ginger.
- Matcha: Add 1-2 tbsp matcha powder for an earthy flavour and green colour.
- Maca: Incorporate maca powder for its potential energy-boosting properties.
- Citrus: Add 1-3 tbsp lemon juice and/or lemon zest, lime zest or orange zest for a refreshing flavour.
- Seeds: Add up to 1/3 cup chia seeds or hemp seeds for more healthy fats and nutrition. If adding ground flax, use just 3-4 tbsp so the balls aren’t too dry.
- Coating: Experiment with different coatings for your goji balls, such as shredded coconut, crushed nuts, cocoa powder, or even a dusting of matcha.
- Oats: Add up to 1/2 cup rolled oats or substitute the cashews with 1 cup rolled oats.
- Sweetening: Add 1-2 tbsp of pure maple syrup for a sweeter flavour.
- Energy Bars: If you prefer to make energy bars, line an 8×8-inch baking sheet with parchment paper then firmly press the dough into the plan. Firm in the fridge for an hour or two, then lift out of the pan and slice into bars.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and mix into a thick, sticky dough you can easily press together between your fingers.
Quick Tip: If it’s not sticking together, add 1 tsp of warm water and blend again. That should do the trick but if not, repeat as needed.
Step 2. Use your hands to roll the dough into balls. You should get 10-12 balls depending on the size.
If you’d like to coat them in something like coconut, go for it!
Recipe FAQs
You can omit cacao nibs or substitute dark chocolate, chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips.
No, you don’t need to soak the goji berries before using them in energy balls. They can be added directly to the mixture.
For sure! These store well in the fridge for 2 weeks or freezer for up to 3 months.
Yes. To make them nut-free, use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds instead of cashews. You could also do a mix of rolled oats and seeds.
Yes, you can use a variety of nuts like almonds, walnuts, or pistachios in place of cashews. You can also use a mixture of nuts.
Expert Tips
- Softening Dates: If your dates are a bit dry, soak them in warm water for about 10-15 minutes before blending. This will help soften them, making them easier to blend and resulting in a smoother texture.
- Texture: The mixture should hold together when squeezed but not be too sticky. If it’s too sticky, add a few more cashews. If it’s too crumbly, add more softened dates or a bit of nut butter.
- Measuring: For best results, use a digital scale and follow the listed measurements in the recipe.
Storing Instructions
- Store the finished bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freezer for up to 2 months.
- They’re ok at room temperature if taking to-go but will get soft if it’s warm.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to comment section below to leave your star rating and review.
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Easy Goji Berry Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup lightly packed, pitted soft dates, 200 g
- 2/3 cup raw cashews, 60 g
- 1/2 cup dried goji berries
- 1/4 cup cacao nibs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, optional
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and mix into a thick, sticky dough you can easily press together between your fingers. If it’s not sticking, add 1 tsp of warm water and process again. That should do the trick, but if not, repeat 1-2 times until it does.
- Roll into 10-12 balls depending on desired size and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freezer for up to 2 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on September 15, 2016.
Delicious!!! 😋
My daughter made these for me and I love them!!! Thanks for sharing this recipe. It’s a keeper for sure!
You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed them.
Im moving next week and desperately trying to use up pantry ingredients – these were perfect! Plus good driving snacks 👌🏼
these are great! how come the recipe calls for 12 balls but the nutrition facts say it serves 10? I made 10 balls of decent size, wouldn’t want them any smaller personally.
Hi Doug, sorry, the recipe makes 10-12 balls depending on size. The nutrition facts are per ball if you make 10. If you make 12 balls, they’ll be slightly lower in calories.