Learn how to make these easy coconut date balls with almonds, oats, cocoa powder, and cranberries for a delicious and healthy no-bake vegan snack in 15 minutes.

This is the first of my recipes that I can honestly tell you has been kid-tested. It was made and devoured by kids when my husband was on Grandpa duty, to be exact. And what's not to love about a healthy snack with simple ingredients made in minutes? Ok, maybe that they're gone almost as quickly.
I'm a big fan of sweet and healthy treats like homemade granola bars and oatmeal raisin bars, but these easy date balls are so simple, I admit it - I just keep making them. No simmering ingredients, no waiting for oven-baking - I now understand why they're bliss balls!
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Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Whole food, plant-based diet compliant with no refined sugar or added oil.
- Gluten-free and dairy-free.
- A versatile recipe that you can modify with different nuts or seeds, dried fruit, and spices.
- Quick, easy, and fun to make.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Dates. I like plump Medjool dates for making date balls because they contain a lot of moisture and are easy to blend and make delicious date paste. But honestly, I've used many different types of dates, including chopped dates, and all work well.
- Coconut. To coat the date balls, use shredded coconut (or desiccated coconut). Check the labels and get unsweetened coconut. You can also roll the balls in ground nuts or hemp seeds.
- Almonds. My nut of choice is almonds, but you can substitute them with various nuts such as hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, or cashews. Nut-free options include sunflower seeds or pepitas (pumpkin seeds).
- Oats. Whole rolled oats add texture and density. Use rolled oats (porridge oats) rather than quick oats, which don't hold their shape when blended.
- Cocoa Powder. This recipe uses vegan cocoa powder (made without milk powder) or cacao powder.
- Dried Cranberries. I get this question a lot, so I'll clarify - use dried cranberries that are sweetened with juice, like apple juice, and are not processed with oil (yes, that's a thing).
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
Recipe Variations
There are SO many ways to individualize this basic recipe! Here are a few ideas I've been playing with:
- Dried apricots replace dates.
- Swap cranberries with dried cherries and roll the balls in a mixed cocoa powder and shredded coconut.
- Try different combinations of dried fruit like mango, apples, or pineapple.
- Experiment with spice combinations, adding a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom.
- Add a tablespoon of peanut butter and some vegan chocolate chips.
These are just a few - if you create a sweet treat you love, please share it.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Pulse the almonds, cocoa powder, and salt in a food processor or blender.
Add the dates, oats, maple syrup, and vanilla. Pulse to blend until the dates and nuts are broken down, then add the cranberries and pulse again.
Scoop out 1-2 tablespoons of the mixture and make 8-12 balls.
Spread coconut on a plate and roll each ball.
Pro Tips
- The date mixture will be sticky. If it's too moist and soft, blend in a tablespoon of oats.
- If the mixture is too dry and crumbles when forming a ball, add more sticky ingredients, such as maple syrup or another date.
- For firmer date balls, chill them in the refrigerator.
Storage
Keep the date and coconut balls in an airtight container at room temperature (on the countertop) for 3-4 days. They last in the refrigerator for 10-12 days. Make bite-sized snacks and freeze them for 3 months. You can eat them as a frozen treat or thaw them in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
If your dates are fresh and soft, there is no need to soak them before blending them into date balls. If your dates are older and hard on the outside, cover them with boiling water and soak them for 15 minutes to rehydrate them.
As long as the coconut flakes are small enough to stick to the date balls, they can be substituted for desiccated coconut. You can also blend coconut flakes in a spice grinder or small food processor to break them down.
Cacao powder is raw, unprocessed cocoa. Cacao beans are harvested and, if ground, become cacao. When the cacao beans are fermented and roasted, they are ground into cocoa powder.
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Easy Coconut Date Balls (No Bake Vegan Recipe)
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Ingredients
- ½ cup almonds
- ½ teaspoon cocoa powder - or cacao powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup dates - pitted (see note 1)
- ⅓ cup rolled oats
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup desiccated coconut - or shredded coconut
Instructions
- Add the almonds, cocoa powder, and salt to a food processor or blender. Pulse to break up the almonds into small pieces.
- Add the dates, oats, maple syrup, and vanilla. Blend to mix the ingredients until they hold together when you form a ball.
- Add the cranberries to the mixture and pulse a few more times.
- Scoop out 1-2 tablespoons of the date mixture, and use your hands to roll them into balls. Repeat the process until you have 8-10. If using a blender, remove the mixture and add it to a bowl if it's easier to reach.
- Sprinkle the desiccated coconut over a plate and roll each ball to coat.
Notes
- If your dates are fresh and soft, there is no need to soak them. If, however, your dates are hard on the outside or older, add them to a bowl, cover them with boiling water, and soak them for 15 minutes.
- The mixture should be sticky. If it crumbles when you try to form a ball, add more sticky ingredients like maple syrup or another date. If it's runny or a ball collapses and melts when you roll it, add oats, a tablespoon at a time.
- Store date balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 10-12 days or at room temperature for 3-4 days. They can be frozen for 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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