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Chia Seed Date Bliss Balls

These Chia Seed Date Bliss Balls are small energy bites loaded with chia seeds, medjool dates, oats and cocoa. Made with 5 ingredients for a quick healthy snack!

Be sure to try my Passionfruit Truffles and Kid-Friendly Rum Balls recipes next!

Date bliss balls together on white cake stand next to small bowl of chia seeds and a glass of milk.

Chia Seed Bliss Balls Recipe

These Chia Seed Date Bliss Balls are the ideal healthy snack because they are packed with nutrients and provide a rapid boost of energy.

You’ll love energy balls as they are convenient to carry around with you while you’re on the go and are packed with rolled oats, delicious medjool dates, and chia seeds to keep you full.

Be it oatmeal balls or peanut butter protein balls, you may customize their flavor and texture to suit your preferences, that’s why we love bliss balls!

Bliss balls sitting on top of each other.

🥥 Why You Will Love This Recipe

  • Only 5 ingredients.
  • Quick and easy to make.
  • Healthy snack.
  • Loaded with chia seeds.
  • Naturally sweetened with dates.
Chia date bliss balls on white cake stand next to glass of milk and bowl of chia seeds.

🥜 Variations

If you would like to switch up the ingredients or you don’t have chia seeds on hand, try my Hemp Seed Bliss Balls instead.

Sesame seeds or linseeds aka flaxseeds can also be used as an alternative to chia seeds.

These are good choices because they are tiny, just like chia seeds!

If you’re wondering if you can use nuts, I would recommend you blitz the nuts up in your food processor until they’re crushed into small pieces, to resemble a similar size to the chia seeds.

Your main objective when substituting ingredients is to make sure your bliss balls stick together and hold their shape when rolling them into balls.

A few nutty ideas:

  • Almonds.
  • Pecans.
  • Cashews.
  • Hazelnuts.
  • Walnuts.
  • Pistachios.

📋 Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Ingredients to make chia date bliss balls are black and white chia seeds, rolled oats, cocoa powder, medjool dates and coconut oil.
  • Old Fashioned Oats – also known as rolled oats.
  • Medjool dates – can be substituted with dried pitted dates but you will have to soak them in boiling water for 10 minutes prior to using.
  • Cocoa powder – substitute with cacao powder.
  • Chia seeds – use either black and white or just black or just white chia seeds. Don’t have chia seeds? Easily substitute them with sesame seeds or linseeds aka flaxseeds.
  • Coconut oil – I don’t recommend substituting this as it’s what helps bind the bliss balls together and helps them stick and hold their shape when chilled.

🥣 Step By Step Instructions (with photos)

There is a full and detailed recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step one: In a high-speed food processor, add all ingredients, except for the extra chia seeds for coating. 

Step two: Blend and process for 20-30 seconds until the mixture sticks together. If after blending for more than 30 seconds and your mixture isn’t sticking, add 1 tablespoon more of soft coconut oil at a time until it sticks.

Chia seeds, oats, cocoa, dates and coconut oil in food processor.

Step three: Form bliss balls by picking up 1 tablespoon of mixture and roll into a ball. Roll it in the chia seeds then place it into your storage container. Repeat with the remaining mixture. TIP: I like to roll every second ball in chia seeds so they are not all coated. 

Step four: Refrigerate for 30 minutes until firm or enjoy them immediately. Enjoy!

Rolling bliss balls in chia seeds to coat.

🥄 Without Food Processor

If you don’t have a food processor, try the below method instead. Tip: I would recommend using steel cut oats as they chopped finer than rolled oats:

  1. Remove pits from the dates and place them in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Pour boiling water over the dates until they’re submerged.
  3. Soak them for 15 minutes.
  4. Grab a fork or potato masher and mash the dates until they’re broken down, similar to what they would look like when processed.
  5. Drain off the water and place them back into the large mixing bowl.
  6. Add the remaining ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until the mixture sticks together and holds its shape when rolled into balls.
  7. Roll the balls in chia seeds if desired. Enjoy!
Bliss balls stacked on white stand with one bitten.

💭 Tips For Recipe Success

  • Use juicy and fresh medjool dates for the best results. If your dates are stale and hard, freshen them up by submerging them in boiling water and soaking them for 5 minutes.
  • If you’re using dried pitted dates be sure to submerge and soak them for 10 minutes in boiling water before adding them to the recipe. It will soften them so they are a similar texture to medjool dates.
  • When blending the mixture in your food processor, keep blending until it sticks together, even when you think it won’t, keep going. If you’re having trouble getting it to stick, add more coconut oil until the balls hold together.
Bliss balls stacked together on white stand.

⏲️ Storage Instructions

Store bliss balls in an airtight container, refrigerated, for 1 week – 10 days. When stored in the fridge they do turn hard so before eating, leave them at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften if desired.

You can store them at room temperature but keep in mind they will be soft.

Freeze these bliss balls in an airtight freezer-friendly container or zip-lock bags for up to 3 months.

If you’re going to freeze your bliss balls, I recommend chilling them in the fridge or freezer until they are solid. Then transfer them into your storage container/bag and popping them into the freezer.

Chia balls stacked together.

💬 Recipe FAQ’s

How do I make these without a food processor?

You can! Scroll up in this blog post under the step by step instructions where I outline how to make these without one.

Can I add protein powder?

Yes! I recommend swapping the cocoa powder with protein powder if you would like to add it. Keep in mind protein powder has the potential to dry the mixture out more than cocoa, so you may have to add more coconut oil until they stick together. Use chocolate or vanilla protein powder!

Can I use melted butter instead of coconut oil?

I haven’t tested this recipe using melted butter but I encourage you to give it a try and let me know how you go. Theoretically yes, melted butter should work in place of coconut oil. The key is to get the bliss balls sticking together to hold their shape as balls.

Can I use another oil instead of coconut oil?

I don’t recommend you do this as coconut oil solidifies at room temperature making it perfect to hold your bliss balls together. If you use another oil such as olive, canola or macadamia, your bliss balls will be greasy and they’ll struggle to stay together.

If you enjoy this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️ star rating and a comment review below. I love to hear what you think and it’s much appreciated. Thank you! Your email address will not be published. Sam x

Chia date bliss balls on white stand next to glass of milk and bowl of chia seeds.

Chia Seed Date Bliss Balls

Samantha Pickthall
Chia seeds, medjool dates, oats, and chocolate are all packed into these small energy snacks called Chia Seed Date Bliss Balls. A quick and healthy snack made with only 5 ingredients!
4.54 from 13 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Snack
Servings 16 balls
Calories 103 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup old fashioned oats/rolled oats
  • 3 Tbsp cocoa powder, or cacao powder
  • 200 g medjool dates, pits removed
  • 4 Tbsp chia seeds, black & white
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, soft at room temperature not melted

Coating

  • 1-2 Tbsp chia seeds, for rolling

Instructions
 

  • Have ready the storage container in which you will store your bliss balls.
  • In a high-speed food processor, add all ingredients, except for the extra chia seeds for coating.
  • Blend and process for 20-30 seconds until mixture sticks together.
  • If after blending for more than 30 seconds and your mixture isn’t sticking, add 1 tablespoon more of soft coconut oil at a time until it sticks.
  • Place the extra chia seeds for coating in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Form bliss balls by picking up 1 tablespoon of mixture and roll into a ball.
  • Roll ball in chia seeds to coat then place then place into your storage container. Repeat with remaining mixture. TIP: I like to roll every second ball in chia seeds so they are not all coated.
  • Refrigerate for 30 minutes until firm or enjoy them immediately.
  • Enjoy!
  • Store in an air-tight container, refrigerated, for 1 week – 10 days or at room temperature. When stored in the fridge they do turn hard so before eating, leave at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 103kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 2gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gTrans Fat: 0.01gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 135mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 21IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe? Let us know how it was!

First published in June 2021, this recipe was updated in January 2024 to include new step-by-step images, expert recommendations, storage guidelines and more.

11 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Just have to say I make these every weekend for weekly snacks and they’re so good as I have a nut allergy. They taste just like cocoa pops or a milo and are nice and easy to make, clean up after and snack on. I replace coconut oil with honey (unmeasured) and it’s nice and not overly sweet. Thanks for making this recipe!

    1. Hi Nabil, thank you so much! That’s wonderful to hear you’re enjoying these chia seed bliss balls. They’re honestly by favourite bliss ball, so simple, healthy but oh so delicious! Thanks! 🙂

  2. Good morning!

    I love all the ingredients you used for the chia seed bliss balls. I would love to add almond or peanut butter to mine.

    Could you blend the ingredients in a Vitamix? I don’t have a food processor at the moment.

    Thank you! 🙂

    1. Good Morning to you Darci! I haven’t tried blending the ingredients in a Vitamix before but I think it will work for you! Soaking the dates makes them soft so the blender will easily break them up. Great idea to add the almond or peanut butter! You could even half the coconut oil and do half coconut oil and half nut butter. Or omit the coconut oil altogether and replace the quantity with your nut butter. Blended all in your Vitamix, you may just need to scrape down the sides more occasionally to get everything well blended. Or even a little milk or water to help it blend. Hope that helps! 🙂

    1. Hi Niti, you can try and use either honey, maple syrup, almond butter, peanut butter (or any nut butter of choice). The coconut oil just helps combine and stick the ingredients together. I would opt for a nut butter though, as they’re also more stable at room temperature. Hope that helps! Apologies for my late response. x

    1. Hi Payton! I usually get the brand ‘Bob’s Red Mill’ from my local health food store as they stock them, this one:
      https://www.bobsredmill.com/gluten-free-rolled-oats.html

      They’re an American brand. Oats contain a very similar protein to gluten so you might be ok using regular oats. My Mum is strictly gluten free and I have used just regular rolled oats in these balls before and other recipes and she has no issues, as the gluten in oats is quite low. Hope that helps! As I know it’s difficult to find gluten free oats anywhere because they technically don’t contain wheat. Hard for me to explain but read over this article, it explains it:
      https://draxe.com/are-oats-gluten-free/

      xxx

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