Lemony citrus meets delicious dark chocolate in the these chocolate lemon energy balls! The perfect no-bake, gluten-free snack.
I would not consider myself a chocolate fiend, but I do love chocolate. I have some every day – mostly in the form of cacao nibs or cocoa powder. I’m currently hooked on a smoothie I make with cocoa powder, frozen cherries, PB2, protein powder and coconut milk. It really hits the spot.
Dark chocolate has a place in a healthy, clean eating diet. It’s a great source of magnesium which helps you out in so many ways, especially us ladies. It’s my secret weapon for beating PMS blahs, keeping things “moving” digestively, and getting good sleep. Dark chocolate is also an antioxidant and mood improver and cacao nibs contain a bit of iron, too.
If you’ve ever had cacao nibs, you know they can be pretty bitter, especially if you’re not used to eating dark chocolate. I love cacao because in smoothies and bars it provides that rich chocolate taste without all the sugar and fat. So you get the essence of chocolate and that’s it. I like to use nibs when I want a crunch effect (I use them a lot in my raw balls and bars) and I use powder mostly in smoothies when I just want straight-up chocolate flavor.
For this recipe, I was inspired by winter citrus! I think citrus and chocolate are an amazing combination, don’t you? I considered using an orange varietal, but ultimately decided to go with Meyer Lemons. I love all-things lemon!
These little chocolate lemon balls of heaven have the perfect amount of sweet-tart crunch and just enough chocolate flavor to satisfy a chocolate fix. I don’t usually go big on chocolate with my bars but for these I went for it – using both cocoa powder and cacao nibs. The trick was keeping the flavors balanced. I think I succeeded. Each bite delivers exactly what’s promised, chocolate and lemon in perfect harmony!
These chocolate lemon energy balls are so good, they might replace my favorite Chocolate Cookie Dough Lara balls, which have been my go-to for years!
Make a batch of these chocolate lemon energy balls today for your mid-day snacks next week. They might be just what you need to cure a bad mood and to ensure a good night’s sleep!
Chocolate Lemon Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup Medjool dates pitted
- 1/4 cup cacao nibs
- 1/4 cup raw cashews
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut shredded
- 1 Meyer lemon juiced and zested
- 2 Tbsp Almond Butter
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 Tbsp cacao powder
- 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
- dash salt
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until well combined. Once the mixture is well combined and looks like large sand granules, roll into your hands to make balls. If desired, make a coating by mixing 1 Tbsp shredded coconut and 1 Tbsp cocoa powder in a small bowl.Roll balls into this mixture. Makes about 12 large balls.
