These Lemon Energy Balls have bright lemon flavor thanks to fresh lemon zest and lemon extract. Made with only 6 ingredients, these lemon energy bites are perfect for meal prep and whenever you need a burst of energy to your day!
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox.
Extra lemons on hand? Make sure to make Lemon Raspberry Baked Oatmeal, Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins and Lemon Blueberry Muffins!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A healthy snack idea full of healthy fats and wholesome ingredients!
- Zero added sugar – sweetened only with Medjool dates to satisfy the sweet tooth in all of us!
- Fast, fun and a perfect snack when you need a pick-me-up any time of day!
If you are a fan of energy bites, make sure to check out my Energy Balls Recipe Master Mix!
Ingredients List
These lemon coconut balls are made with 6 simple ingredients. We will need:
- cashews – roasted or raw cashews will both work. Roasted cashews will have a more pronounced, nutty flavor. Feel free to use half cashews and half macadamia nuts or walnuts instead.
- unsweetened shredded coconut – unsweetened shredded coconut keeps this recipe sugar free and adds a special coconut flavor. Make sure to have extra shredded coconut flakes on hand for rolling.
- Medjool dates – Medjool dates add a sticky, sweet, almost toffee-like flavor. Just make sure to stem and remove the pit before adding to the food processor.
- lemon zest + fresh lemon juice – we are using all parts of the lemon here, including the zest and juice, for an intense lemon flavor.
- lemon extract – although optional, lemon extract boosts the lemon flavor to new heights! A little goes a long way, so use it if you have some on hand.
- fine sea salt – to enhance the citrus flavor and coconut flavor.
Find the full detailed instructions with measurements in the recipe card below, at the end of this post.
How to Make Date Energy Bites
These lemon coconut energy balls come together after a few pulses in the food processor. The trick is to not over process, as mentioned in the notes below. Here’s how to do it:
Process Ingredients
Add the cashews and the rest of the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor with the S-blade attached. Begin processing the nuts and Medjool dates until a thick paste forms.
Check mixture for stickiness and pulse a little at a time until the mixture sticks and you can roll into a ball without falling apart.
Note: Be careful not to over-process mixture or you won’t be able to roll them. If you find this happens, you can sprinkle over about 1.5 tablespoons of coconut flour or oat flour to the mixture to absorb extra moisture. Or, you could stir in quick oats (certified gluten-free oats, if necessary) until the mixture is no longer sticky but still roll-able, probably about ¼ cup or so.
Roll into Balls
Roll the mixture into rounded tablespoon size balls (I used a medium cookie scoop), tossing in extra shredded coconut, and place on a lined baking sheet in a single layer.
Chill
Chill in fridge for 30 minutes before adding to an airtight container.
NOTE: Chilling the balls in a single layer before storing can help keep them from sticking to each other, especially if they don’t have the coconut coating on them.
Optional Mix In’s
While I love this lemon balls recipe just as is, you can jazz it up a little by adding 1-2 tablespoons of any of the following:
- Protein powder
- Chia seeds
- Coconut oil (just 1/2-1 tablespoon)
- Mini chocolate chips (add after processing)
Serving Suggestions
These delish lemon energy balls make a wonderful addition to your healthy lifestyle. I love to enjoy them as:
- Grab and go snack: Pack them up and store in the fridge as one of your healthy snack recipes for the week.
- School lunches: Pop a few in a plastic bag and give them to your kids to enjoy as a sweet treat or afternoon snack that you can feel good about.
How to Store
Coconut lemon energy bites will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.
For longer storage, pop the container in the freezer and store for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge or to room temperature before enjoying.
I like to store them with a strip of parchment paper to soak up any excess oils from the coconut and cashews.
Helpful Tips & Recipe Tricks:
- Dampen your hands with warm water. This makes it easier to roll the date mixture into balls.
- If you do not own a food processor, a high speed blender should work just as well.
More Energy Ball Recipes You’ll Love:
If you make this Lemon Energy Balls recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating on the blog! I love hearing from you, and it helps others learn more about the recipe too. Xx Ashley
Lemon Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews, roasted for more flavor, but raw is fine
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 12 medium Medjool dates, heaping cup, packed
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract or lemon emulsion, optional, but boosts lemon flavor
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- unsweetened shredded coconut, for rolling (optional)
Instructions
- Process ingredients: Add everything to bowl of food processor and begin processing until nuts and Medjool dates have broken down. Check mixture for stickiness and pulse a little at a time until you can roll into a ball without falling apart. Note: be careful not to over-process mixture or you won’t be able to roll them. If you find this happened, you can sprinkle over about 1.5 tablespoons of coconut flour or oat flour to the mixture to absorb extra moisture. Or, you could stir in quick oats until the mixture is no longer sticky but still roll-able, probably about ¼ cup or so.
- Roll into balls: Roll mixture into rounded tablespoon size balls (I used a medium cookie scoop) and place on a lined baking sheet. Option to roll energy balls in coconut if you’d like
- Chill: Chill in fridge for 30 minutes before adding to a airtight container.
Leave a Reply