Home Recipe Index Diet Preference Gluten-Free Gingerbread Energy Balls

Gingerbread Energy Balls

By Brittany Mullins

4.5

18

Published Dec 18, 2016, Updated May 14, 2021

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GFGluten-FreeDFDairy FreeVVeganVGVegetarianPPaleo

These gingerbread energy balls are perfectly sweet with a hint of gingery spice. Plus they’re super easy to whip up – only 10 ingredients and about 10 minutes!

The EBF energy ball series continues and this time with a seasonally appropriate flavor that everyone adores — gingerbread. It’s not the holidays until some sort of ginger treat is made, amirite? I love making my quinoa gingersnap cookies or gingerbread baked oatmeal for getting my ginger fix, but this year I wanted something gingery that’s naturally sweetened and a bit healthier so I could feel good about snacking on them every day.

And these gingerbread balls totally fit the bill. I’ve already made 2 batches since coming up with this recipe and I’m hooked! With notes of vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, these little snack balls are not only festive and delicious, but they cure a craving for something sweet without any added sugars. You have the sugar from the dates and raisins, but that’s it!

Ingredients for Gingerbread Energy Balls

• almonds – raw or roasted, but look for almonds without salt added.
• cashews – raw or roasted, but look for cashews without salt added.
• Medjool dates – You can buy medjool dates that are already pitted or pit them yourself (it’s super easy). Two brands that I like are Natural Delights and Joolies. You can find Natural Delights in the produce section of most grocery stores (near the bananas) and Joolies are offered on Amazon and Thrive Market.
• raisins
• vanilla
• gingerbread spices: cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg
• sea salt

Food Processor vs Blender for Energy Balls

Like all of my energy ball recipes I make these balls in my food processor. A high powered blender (like a Vitamix) can work in a pinch, but I prefer using my food processor because it chops the dates and nuts more evenly. Using a blender to make energy balls with dates can be done, but it’s kind of a pain and results in a sticky mess.

If you don’t own a food processor, I highly recommend getting one. I have a ton of kitchen appliances and my food processor is one that I can’t live without. I use it ALL THE TIME for everything from thinly slicing onions to shredding Brussels sprouts and making treats like these chocolate covered healthier peanut butter balls.

If you don’t have a food processor and still want to make energy balls, check out my recipe for no bake energy balls or my protein balls. Neither of these recipes have dates or chopped nuts so there’s no need for a food processor.

How to Store Energy Balls

You can store your energy balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. They’ll last up to 1-2 weeks in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer. I like using glass storage containers or Stasher bags for storing energy balls.

More Energy Ball Recipes

• Easy No Bake Protein Balls
• No Bake Energy Balls
• Blueberry Muffin Energy Balls
• Lemon Energy Balls
• Apple Pie Energy Balls
• Pumpkin Pie Energy Balls
• Cherry Energy Balls

If you make these gingerbread energy balls be sure to leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how they turn out. Your feedback is super helpful for the EBF team and other EBF readers!

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.

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4.50 from 10 votes

Gingerbread Energy Balls

By: Brittany Mullins

These gingerbread energy balls are perfectly sweet with a hint of gingery spice. Plus they’re super easy to whip up - only 10 ingredients and about 10 minutes!

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 15

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• ▢ ½ cup almonds
• ▢ ¼ cup cashews
• ▢ ¾ cup medjool dates, pitted
• ▢ ¼ cup raisins
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ▢ ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ ⅛ ground cloves
• ▢ ⅛ ground nutmeg

Instructions 

• Add almonds, cashews, dates, raisins, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, sea salt and cloves into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the S-shaped blade. Process until nuts are chopped and a soft “dough” forms, you may need to scrape the sides of the processor a couple times between pulses. The dough may form into a big ball.
• Once mixture is combined, use your hands or a cookie scoop to scoop the dough and form into balls. You'll want to use about 1 Tablespoon of dough for each ball. Enjoy right away or store for later.
• Place balls into a sealed storage container and store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks or the freezer for up to 3 months.

Video

Notes

• Hard/dry dates: If your dates are hard and dry, you can soak them in warm water for 10-15 minutes to soften. Just drain them well before using.
• Crumbly dough: If your dough seems too crumbly to stick together after processing even when squeezing it together with your hands, you can try adding a couple more dates or adding 1 teaspoon of water at a time until the mixture starts to hold together well enough to form into balls. See note above.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ball | Calories: 108kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gingerbread energy balls

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