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I love chia seeds and use them in a variety of ways. They add a nice crunch when they’re used dry and gel when added to a liquid. Even better, I love their spectacular nutrient profile. I’ve used chia seeds in many ways, but these chia seed energy balls are without a doubt my favorite!
They make a great post-workout snack, but the whole family loves to munch on them too.
All About Chia Seeds
You may have heard of chia before from those catchy commercial jingles about chia pets. The chia seeds that we use in food are those same seeds.
They’re itty bitty little seeds that come in either black or white. I see black most frequently in stores, but both varieties are pretty much the same in terms of use, taste, and nutrient content.
Chia seeds are naturally gluten-free and pack a powerful nutritional punch. They have:
- 4.7 grams of protein/ounce and all eight essential amino acids
- as much calcium as a glass of milk
- more Omega-3 healthy fats than a serving of walnuts
- as many antioxidants as blueberries
- an impressive amount of iron
- lots of fiber
That’s pretty awesome!
No-Bake Energy Balls
No-bake energy bites or energy balls seriously give you energy. All. Day. Long. Not jittery energy like you’ve had too much sugar or caffeine, just I-could-get-so-much-done-right-now energy!
These yummy energy balls are a great snack for kids or healthy breakfast addition. They’re also nut-free, dairy-free, and grain-free so they’re safe to send to schools even if there are allergy restrictions.
One word of caution: Do NOT eat this energy bites recipe after dinner! I made that mistake (because they are so good and taste like cookie dough). As a result, I had trouble falling asleep.
Using Chia Seeds
Chia seeds have some interesting properties that make them really fun to use. Most notably, they can absorb so much liquid! When they do, they become this jiggly gelatinous texture. When I use them in a liquid medium it is usually one of these ways:
- Chia Seed Kombucha
- Chia Seed Pudding
- Chia Seed Squeeze Pouches
- Coconut Chia Pudding
- Peanut Butter Chia Seed Pudding with Blackberry Jam
I also use ground chia seeds to thicken sauces and stews. However, you can also use chia seeds dry. They add a nice crunch to salads and are perfect for making granola bars, energy balls, and other snack recipes.
Making Chia Seed Energy Bites
When I first started making this healthy snack I pressed the mixture into a pan and cut it into bars. Recently, I realized I can save myself a dish and just roll them into balls instead. They’re a lot easier to grab and go in ball form too!
Some chia seed energy ball recipes call for maple syrup or agave to sweeten, but the dates do the job nicely. It makes for a chewy, superfood snack that satisfies cravings for something sweet but healthy.
To make the mixture, puree dates in a food processor. I use large Medjool dates. Make sure you remove the pits first! The pureed dates make a thick paste that acts as both a sweetener and the “glue” to hold the balls together. If your dates are too dry and you’re having a hard time pureeing them, add just a tiny bit of water.
Then mix together the date paste with the chia seeds, coconut oil, and whatever add-ins you want to use. I like to use a combination of dried fruit (like dried cranberries), coconut flakes, and mini chocolate chips. Sometimes I add a pinch of cinnamon or sea salt too. Ground flaxseed, some cocoa powder, or pecans also make a nice addition.
Once everything is mixed together, scoop out a tablespoon and roll it into a ball. This is a great job for kids! You can eat them immediately or chill them until they’re firmer. Store the uneaten ones in the refrigerator.
These energy balls are a great one to add to the meal plan since they make a yummy, fast snack. I like to meal prep sometimes to make things easier, and this is an easy recipe to add to my prep list.
Chia Seed Energy Balls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 large Medjool dates
- ½ cup chia seeds
- 2 TBSP coconut oil
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon optional
Optional Add-ins (up to 1/4 cup total)
- mini dark chocolate chips
- shredded coconut
- dried fruit chopped
Instructions
- Remove the pits from the dates and discard them.
- Pulse the dates in a food processor or blender until they form a paste. If the dates are too dry and get stuck in a clump without mashing, add a very small amount of water.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix in the date paste with the chia seeds, coconut oil, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, cinnamon if using, and any optional add-ins you'd like to use.
- Use a 1 Tablespoon measure or cookie scoop to scoop out the mixture, rolling it into balls.
- Eat immediately or refrigerate on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet to firm up a bit.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Notes
- Instead of rolling it into balls, you can press the mixture into the bottom of a glass or silicone baking dish and refrigerate it until chilled. Cut into bars.
- These can be wrapped in wax paper or parchment paper and sent for lunches or snacks.
- For additional calcium, you can add about a teaspoon of eggshell powder!
Nutrition
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Do you like chia seeds? How do you use them? Share below!
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How timely! I just bought chia seeds for the first time today. Guess I need to go get some dates now! 🙂
Can you provide the nutritional composition: calories, protein, cars, etc.?
If you sign up with Myfitnesspal and type in all of the ingredients you can save it as a meal. All of the information will pop up and you can then divide those numbers into how many servings you made.
Oh yum, I must try this. I use chia seeds every morning in my green smoothie. I’m going to try this today.
Thanks so much for this! I love your blog! My husband and I are paleo/primal but having a hard time transition our three kids! Your recipes are really really helping! Keep up the amazing work! Love it!!
Great recipe. So far I just put chia seeds in porridge, pancakes and smoothies.
I am getting ready to be a full time student in the fall (while still being mom to my kids) and could use any energy help I can get. Thanks for posting
Should you soak your chia seeds first?
Nope… they don’t contain the same harmful components and they easily absorb and bind to water so if you soak first you’ll never get them to stick with the dates and coconut oil 🙂
This looks soooo good!
New to your blog, and super grateful to see this recipe. Coconut oil can help with weight loss and with dementia, so it’s a perfect treat for me to share with my Mom. Thanks so much!!
Do you know if something other than dates would work in this recipe? Figs maybe? Unfortunately I can’t eat dates but I’m always looking for things that work as a grab and go breakfast besides hard boiled eggs.
Dried figs might work, or raisins would work.
I ended up making these with a mix of dried apricots and raisins. They turned out well but were a little sweet (which is kind of a good things because it limits how much I can eat at once). I think I’ll still try them with figs since they taste less sweet to me.
if you use raisens, approximately how much would you use corresponding to the 6 dates?
I used prunes an raisins. It’s what I had on hand. They taste great! I used 24 of the small prunes and 1/4 c raisins.
Hi, sorry for weird question, just curious, how come your chia seeds look soo light? they are usually dark, black…
I am wondering about the same thing, looks like sesame seeds in the picture? Are sesame seeds also good for making these energy bars?
I am not sure, but you could certainly try it…
I believe those are hemp seeds. Wonder why they weren’t on the recipe??!!
There are white chia seeds as well as black. I’ve never been able to find the white ones in any local store, but one local store has chia seed energy bars made with white chia seeds. I don’t think there are any differences between white and black seeds in the health benefits. I love sesame seeds, but I don’t think you’d get quite the same health benefits or energy boost from them as you would chia seeds.
Sesame seeds probably wouldn’t give you a big energy boost, but they are super high in calcium (88mg/Tbsp unhulled), plus plenty of other trace minerals, so that’d be a neat way to boost you calcium + copper/zinc/ etc. intake. I’m about to make these chia bars for the first time (36 weeks pregnant and excited to try a new way of eating all those dates!). Now I want to try sesame too…. Thanks for the recipe and comments!
Chia seeds come in light and dark. Both have great nutritional value.
Can I use a different oil or will it not set properly? (Coconut intolerance) 🙂 I know its odd, but its one of the many foods my body can handle!
It will be a bit soupy with a different oil.
Thank you Katie
I made the chia energy bar with raisins (2 cups) instead of the dates. Oh My GOD!! This was so good!! All I could do is give GOD praise. I am one to use what I have on hand, and I had 2 large boxes of raisins. I had been looking for recipes with raisins – you know, something besides apples and sugar and cinnamon. The next day, GOD shows me this. WOW! I made it and immediately starting eating it as a dough. I did save the larger amount to put in the frig. Can’t wait to see what they taste like when they are nice and firm. Now this is what I call a good healthy snack!!!!!!!!!
Thanks again.
I am so glad you like them!
Cool!
I’ve used dried apricots. Consistency is very similar to dates
I would think using almond butter would work if you can’t do coconut oil. Mix Almond butter with honey maybe?
I am in love with this recipe. Made of win!!!
Do I melt the coconut oil?
Loved this! I didn’t have many of the optional extras on hand so I added ginger. Heavenly! Next time I want to include the chocolate with the ginger. Thank you Katie.