Date Balls with Walnuts and Coconut

Easy, no bake Date Balls are soft, not too sweet and utterly delicious. The walnut crunch is a tasty textural contrast to the creamy date centers. They’re little gluten free and dairy free bites of happiness!

My date balls recipe is a spin on the Date Nut Jam I use to fill one of my favorite pinwheel Christmas cookies, Filled Date Cookies.

The idea for these simple date coconut balls started forming as I flipped through a vintage cookbook looking for a new cookie recipe. One called Pandora’s Skillet Cookies caught my eye.

It was for a type of no bake date ball cookie, but it called for eggs. I didn’t really want to mess with trying to keep eggs from curdling in hot no bakes, but I did like the idea of the crisp rice cereal they used as a binder. That’s not something I had tried before.

So, I decide to take my Date Walnut Jam and use crisp rice cereal to bind it into balls. And then roll the Date Ball Cookies in coconut. It worked! And deliciously, I might add.

The Ingredients

• Medjool Dates, pitted and chopped
• Walnuts, chopped
• Granulated Sugar
• Water
• Salt
• Crisp Rice Cereal
• Coconut Flakes (shredded coconut)

What Are Medjool Dates?

I love dates and using them for sweetening desserts. As a matter of fact, I make a carrot cake with zero refined sugar and zero grain that you would walk for days to get a bite of. Dates are the only sweetener and it’s phenomenal. (Hmmm … I keep forgetting to make that cake for the blog.)

Dates are definitely an underrated ingredient. They have a deep, rich caramel flavor and when you pair them with nuts, it really is something to celebrate!  This scrumptious date ball recipe is a perfect example.

Medjool Dates (pronounced muh·jool), (may be spelled Majhūl, Medjoul or Majhool) are my very favorite variety. Especially for baking. They are larger, softer and sweeter than other varieties of dates. And, Medjool dates have a killer caramel-like texture that no other date comes close to.

Medjool Dates are a stone fruit with one pit in the center. They are known as “the fruit of kings” and when you taste one, you’ll know why. They grow on date palm trees and are native to Morocco. But, they are now grown in the United States, Israel, Palestine, Iran, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Jordan. 

A word of caution: Don’t buy pre-chopped dates as they have been coated to prevent them from sticking together. They will not “melt” and cook down as the recipe requires. Choose SOFT, moist Medjool dates, not one of the drier varieties. The dates should feel fleshy, soft and plump.

Are Dates Healthy?

As a sugar alternative, dates are simply an unprocessed and delicious alternative to refined sugar. Your body is still going to react to sugar, (no matter the form), as sugar. Overindulgence can have all the same problems, so as always moderation is the key.

However, dates have so many nutritional benefits that refined sugar simply doesn’t. Meaning your sweet treat date balls have some healthy properties, too. 🙂

Dates are a good source of selenium, magnesium, potassium, calcium and copper.

Medjool dates are high in fiber and help you feel full longer. Studies have shown them to be useful to stimulate the immune system, reduce inflammation and improve hormone regulation.

They have even been shown to have health benefits for the heart, for digestion, the nervous system and metabolism. To learn more about the benefits of eating dates, I found this article at WebMD to be very informative.

FAQs About Date Balls

Pro Tips for Storing Walnuts

Walnuts, and any other nut really, need to be stored somewhere cool and dark. Because of their high oil content, nuts can become rancid in warm conditions and when exposed to bright light and oxygen.

For the most flavorful and fresh tasting walnuts, store them in airtight jars or bags in the fridge or freezer. In the refrigerator, walnuts will keep for up to 6 months. And, nuts can last up to a year in the freezer.

Give cold or frozen nuts a chance to come to room temperature before opening the container. That helps prevent them from absorbing excess moisture.

When storing the nuts, (and therefore your yummy Date Balls), in the fridge; avoid placing them near foods with strong odors, like onions. Nuts can actually absorb the smell and taste of things they are stored with.

Can I Make the Date Ball Recipe Nut Free?

You sure can. Make the Date Jam without the walnuts. Add the crisp rice cereal and test the consistency. If you can scoop it into a soft, cohesive ball and roll it in coconut, you’re golden. If it’s too soft, add more crisp rice cereal, 1/2 cup at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

Variations and Substitutions

Date Balls with Coconut have lots of possible variations.

• Substitute the walnuts with any other nuts or seeds that you like. Pecans are especially delicious with dates.
• Roll the balls in finely chopped nuts, instead of coconut.
• Use oatmeal as the recipe binder in your date balls, instead of crisp rice cereal.
• Add citrus brightness to your caramely delicious date balls. Zest a large orange and then juice it. Place the juice in a measuring cup and add enough water to bring it to 1 1/2 cups. Mix in the orange zest and use that mixture in place of the water, in the recipe.
• Add warming spices to the jam mixture when you cook it. Choose from your favorites like cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg or cloves. Start with small amounts, 18 to 1/4 teaspoon. You can always add more, if needed.
• Use different dried fruits or a combination of several, like dried apricots, cranberries or cherries.

How to Make Date Balls

(How to Video in Recipe Card)

1. Pit and chop the dates. Measure and/or weigh the dates AFTER they have been pitted.
2. Chop walnuts if not purchased pre-chopped.
3. Place the pitted and chopped dates, chopped walnuts and sugar in a saucepan.
4. Add the water and salt and stir to combine.
5. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium.
6. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
7. When a thickened, soft jam has formed, remove the pan from the heat.
8. Stir in the crisp rice cereal. The mixture will be soft, but scoopable with a cookie dough scoop.
9. Add coconut to a plate or bowl.
10. Drop scoops of the date ball mixture into the coconut.
11. Roll to coat and then shape into round balls.
12. Store Date Balls with Coconut and Walnuts in the fridge or freezer.

The Recipe

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