Made of only 4 ingredients, these strawberry chocolate coconut balls are an easy-to-make snack and guilt free treat. These balls are ideal as they are free from any refined sugars and are also gluten, lactose and nut free!
I have to admit that these past days weren’t the healthiest. Even though being constantly at home gives you full control of what you eat, I found myself baking a lot, especially treats which contain sugar. I don’t mind having them once in a while, and I believe that a treat doesn’t do you any harm. However, it is good to keep a good balance.
Healthier cravings
I have created these strawberry chocolate coconut balls to satisfy my sweet cravings I have during the day. I wanted to create a similar and healthier version of my aunt’s delicious coconut balls. Usually she makes them around Christmas time or whenever we have a family celebration. Let me tell you, they are irresistible and I can never just stop at one! Therefore, I wanted to recreate that same familiar taste, aiming however to use less sugar, and also less ingredients. Looking at what I had laying around my kitchen pantry, I found the perfect ingredients to meet my goal!
Only 4 ingredients
This recipe consists mainly of four ingredients: dates, desiccated coconut, cocoa powder and dried strawberries. Dates are a healthy and delicious source of sweetness, which many households love to have them in their kitchen pantry. I have to admit, when I was younger I used to frown upon constantly seeing them in our cabinets. In fact, whereas I didn’t like them so much, my father loved and still loves them! Desiccated coconut and cocoa powder for me are two staples every baker should have, they are easy to incorporate in any recipe and to be honest they make everything taste yummy.
Magical trio
Usually, chocolate and coconut are only used separately in combination with strawberries. However, we all know how much chocolate and coconut taste good together. Now, since I had a packet of dried strawberries lying around the house, I knew that it would be perfect to include it in this recipe. Doing this, I confirmed how much the chocolatey flavour from the cocoa powder and the coconut flavour go so well with strawberries, since they create this unique indulgent flavour! I love it! For me they are a winning combination!
After I gathered all my ingredients and prepped them, I took out my food processor, and blitzed everything together until a creamy and a bit sticky paste was formed. I began forming 2 cm balls, with my slightly wet hands in order for the mixture not to stick, and rolled each ball into more desiccated coconut. Although they can be enjoyed immediately, I prefer to let them rest in the fridge for about an hour. This helps the flavours to get to know each other more and for them to firm up a bit more so that they become more chewier.
Strawberry-choc date coconut balls
Ingredients
- 200 g dates pitted
- 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
- 2 tbsp dried strawberries 12g
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
Instructions
- Cover the dates in water and let soak for about 30 minutes. If you are using medjool dates you can skip this step.
- To a food processor or blender, add all the ingredients and blitz until you get a sticky mixture. If the mixture is too dry, add a tablespoon or two, of cold water and blitz again, until you have a sticky dough that holds together.
- Using a medium ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, scoop the mixture and roll into balls. Wet your hands slightly so that the dough doesn’t stick to your hands
- If desired, roll each ball into some desiccated coconut or cocoa powder to decorate.
- Let chill for about an hour to have a firmer texture.
Notes
- Easily store them in an airtight container in the fridge and they can last for up to a week.
- Decorating these balls is optional, however by decorating you can jazz them up a bit. My go to is rolling them into desiccated coconut, although the options are endless. You can roll them into cocoa powder or you can also cover them with some melted chocolate for an added sweetness and sprinkle them with some crushed dried strawberries.
If you have any questions, feedback or comments on this recipe, please leave a comment below. Please also rate this recipe by double clicking on the stars below. If you did make this recipe, tag @apronandwhisk and hashtag #apronandwhisk, as I’m curious to see what you create!
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Hi I was looking at your recipe of the strawberry choc date coconuts balls can you used something else instead of Date because my grand children don’t like dates.
Hi 🙂 The easiest subsitute is prunes, however they are also not a favourite with the kids. Another option is to use oats (1 cup) and add some honey or maple syrup ( more or less about 3 tbsps). You can also use biscuits and add some water while mixing to achieve the desired consistency. However, if you want to keep them more on the healthy side I recommend using wheat biscuits, like Weetabix!
Hope that these help you and your grand children will enjoy them <3
Hi,
Could I use fresh strawberries for this recipe?
Hi! 🙂 Unfortunately, using fresh strawberries might add too much moisture to the mixture, making it difficult to shape the balls. It’s better to use dried strawberries for the right texture and consistency, but you could experiment by adjusting other ingredients to compensate for the added moisture if you try fresh ones. Or else, a dollop of strawberry jam might be a good substitute. I would start adding a teaspoon at a time so to not alter too much the consistency.