Cardamom Rose Energy Balls are an upscale twist on the classic protein ball! Made with wholesome ingredients like nuts and almond butter, these little energy bites are the perfect grab-and-go snack.
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Ok, ok, ok, I know energy balls aren't supposed to be fancy.
Buuuuut, I'm obsessed with the idea of making healthy-ish desserts and sweet snacks, and I thought this flavor combo would be perfect for Valentine's Day!
I'm on a total energy ball kick since I realized I can use oat flour instead of old fashioned oats. The combination of almond flour, oat flour, nut butter, and maple syrup make the texture of these little bites very cookie-dough-like. And who doesn't want more of their food to taste like cookie dough??
Ingredients
- Raw cashews
- Pitted dates
- Almond flour
- Gluten-free oat flour
- Creamy almond butter
- Pure maple syrup
- Ground cardamom, plus more for dusting if desired
- Rosewater
- Semisweet chocolate chips, optional
How to make cardamom rose energy balls
- Grind cashews in a food processor until they are fine crumbs.
- Add the dates and process again until everything is well chopped.
- Add the remaining ingredients and process until a smooth dough forms.
- Using your hands, roll the dough into ten equal balls.
- In a small bowl, microwave chocolate chips a few seconds at a time until melted (you don't want it to burn). Transfer to a small plastic zip top bag and snip off a bit of the corner. Squeeze it out to drizzle it over the energy balls (you could also just use a spoon).
- Refrigerate until ready to eat.
Top tips
Using almond butter
I found the quality of my almond butter to be so important when making these. I always buy almond butter that has only one ingredient (almonds) and make sure to stir well before using.
If your almond butter is causing your mixture to be too dry, you can add a few extra drops of maple syrup. If it's too wet or greasy, you can add a little more oat or almond flour.
How to pit a date
Pitted dates are readily available at the grocery store, and are fine to use for this recipe, but you'll get the freshest, stickiest sweet dates by pitting them yourself. To do this, use a paring knife to make a small slit down the front of the date, then use your fingers to push the pit out through the slit.
If your dates are very fresh you may be able to push the pit out without making a cut first. Make sure no parts of the pit remain.
If you add your dates to the food processor and hear a loud clacking sound, that means you missed a pit. Stop the food processor and carefully inspect the contents to find and remove the pit. It may already be stuck to the food processor blade.
How to store protein balls
Protein balls will last one week in the refrigerator or up to three months in the freezer. Of course in my big family they last about one day!
Tips for customizing energy balls
- Swap the rose water for equal amounts of vanilla extract
- Skip the chocolate drizzle, or add a teaspoon of mini chocolate chips at the end instead
- Use whatever nut butter you have on hand
- If you don't need gluten-free oat flour you can purchase regular oat flour or make your own by running old fashioned oats through the food processor
FAQ
Energy balls are wholesome little snack bites that are full of protein to give you a little energy kick and help you get through the day.
The health of any food is always debatable, so it's hard to say if energy balls are good for YOU. However, I believe that one of these would make a healthy snack option, five would be too much sugar and calories.
Rosewater is a flavored and scented water made by steeping fresh rose petals in water. It's generally found in Middle Eastern, Indian, and Asian cuisines. Although it's a pretty unusual item in American kitchens, I'm sure you'll be making these a lot (and you can always use it up on my Pistachio Rose Muffins).
I found my rosewater in the imported section of the grocery store, but you can also follow this affiliate link to order it online. It is a clear liquid that comes in a little bottle.
More energy ball recipes
- Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites
- Lemon Poppy Seed Protein Balls
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls
- Gingerbread Energy Balls
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Bites
- Peanut Butter Larabars
- Pecan Pie Larabars
- Homemade Cashew Cookie Larabars
- Larabar Chocolate Brownie Bites
- Coconut Date Energy Balls
If you make this recipe be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Cardamom Rose Energy Balls
Ingredients
- ¼ cup raw cashews
- 5 pitted dates
- 1 cup almond flour
- ⅓ cup gluten-free oat flour
- ¼ cup creamy almond butter
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, plus more for dusting if desired
- ½ teaspoon rosewater
- 1 tablespoon semisweet chocolate chips, optional
Instructions
- Grind cashews in a food processor until they are fine crumbs.
- Add the dates and process again until everything is well chopped.
- Add the remaining ingredients and process until a smooth dough forms.
- Using your hands, roll the dough into ten equal balls.
- In a small bowl, microwave chocolate chips a few seconds at a time until melted (you don't want it to burn). Transfer to a small plastic zip top bag and snip off a bit of the corner. Squeeze it out to drizzle it over the energy balls (you could also just use a spoon).
- Refrigerate until ready to eat.
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