Coconut Date Balls

Last Updated on May 31, 2025 by becky

Coconut date balls made with pitted dates, peanuts, and peanut butter, and rolled in shredded coconut. This easy 5 ingredient coconut date ball recipe makes a great breakfast or on-the-go snack.

Why Make These Coconut Date Balls?

Made with sweet, sticky dates, creamy peanut butter, and unsweetened shredded coconut, these coconut date balls (coconut date energy balls) are the ideal make-ahead breakfast for busy mornings. Enjoy them at home, or pop a few in a reusable container or food storage bag for on-the-go snacking.

This easy coconut date ball recipe requires just 5 ingredients and twenty minutes of prep time, and the finished product will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. No oven required, but keep your food processor at the ready—you’ll need it for blitzing the dates and nuts into a smooth, easy-to-roll paste.

Coconut Date Ball Recipe Ingredients

To make these coconut date balls, start by gathering the following ingredients:

• Dates – Dried dates are naturally high in sugar, and very sweet. You’ll need about 12-14 pitted dates, coarsely chopped.
• Shredded Coconut – For this recipe, choose an unsweetened shredded coconut, like Let’s Do Organic, Anthony’s, or Whole Foods 365. Avoid sweetened coconut—the dates already contain plenty of sweetness!

• Peanuts – I developed this recipe with roasted, salted peanuts. If you opt for unsalted peanuts, I suggest adding a pinch of fine sea salt to balance out the sweetness of the dates.
• Peanut Butter – Choose creamy peanut butter, and avoid “natural” peanut butters—these contain too much oil, and can make the finished date balls oily rather than smooth. I have not tested this recipe with other types of nut butter.
• Vanilla Bean Paste – Nielsen-Massey makes my preferred brand of vanilla bean paste.

Substitutions and Adjustments

This coconut date ball recipe provides a great base for mix-ins and substitutions to suit your personal taste. Try kneading in chia seeds for protein, sunflower seeds for crunch, or miniature chocolate chips or additional sweetness. Add finely chopped dried fruit (apricots, cranberries), mixed peel, or bits of homemade candied orange peel or candied ginger. Or, use ground spices (ground cinnamon, ground cardamom) for additional flavor.

You can roll the date balls in toasted coconut (see my Oreo truffle recipe for the best toasting method!) or, skip the coconut and finish with a roll in finely crushed peanuts instead.

Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions

Layer coconut date balls between sheets of parchment or wax paper and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Other energy ball recipes you might enjoy:

Pumpkin Oatmeal Balls
Chocolate Oatmeal Balls with Peanut Butter

And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!

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