Through The Fibro Fog

  • Summer Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Ebooks
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Summer Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Ebooks
  • Subscribe
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Summer Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Ebooks
  • Subscribe
×
Home » Recipes » Snacks

Coconut Energy Balls

Published: Jan 9, 2021 · Modified: Jul 11, 2022 by Claire · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 19 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

These coconut energy balls are the perfect fun mid-afternoon treat, or easy light breakfast! They combine oats, almond butter and seeds, but are made without any dates, dried fruit or chocolate. Vegan and gluten-free, if using suitable oats.

wooden board with coconut energy balls on it and a bowl of seeds in the background.

If fun snacks are loved by your family as much as they are by mine, then you may also like to see my easy maple syrup flapjacks, my turmeric ginger energy balls and cardamom oatmeal cookies. Both so flavourful and easy to make!

These coconut energy balls without dates are quick and easy to make, and can easily packed up for a school or work snack! Full of flavor and so tempting I think!

Jump to:
  • ⭐ Why this recipe is so good
  • 🥥 Ingredients
  • 🌰 Almond butter and alternatives
  • 🔪 Step by step instructions
  • 💭 Recipe tips and notes
  • 🥣 More fun & healthy energy balls
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

⭐ Why this recipe is so good

  • No dried fruit: these coconut energy balls without dates don't use dried fruit for those who prefer, or have to avoid it.
  • Easy recipe: these are a no bake recipe, and just need a little time in the fridge to chill before making the balls.
  • Pantry staples: simply head to the pantry for your ingredients!

🥥 Ingredients

These coconut energy balls are made with mostly pantry staples. You will need:

  • Oats - if you are gluten-free then be sure to use an appropriate brand such as the Bob's Red Mill gluten-free rolled oats.
  • Ground flaxseed - helps bind the energy balls together. As a heads up, flax isn't rated on the SIGHI list, for those who are low histamine.
  • Almond butter - the main binder and gives a lovely creamy flavour. I'm a big fan of the Pip and Nut almond butter which I buy by the kilo (truly!). See below for alternatives.
  • Pumpkin seeds - give a little crunch!
  • Desiccated coconut - I use this in the energy balls themselves, and you can roll them in it too for extra flavour (and they look pretty!).
  • Maple syrup - for that truly amazing sweetness that means I have a bottle on every food delivery I get . . .

🌰 Almond butter and alternatives

Energy balls need a binder, and without dates I use almond butter for this recipe. However, for my low histamine readers, I want to flag up that almonds score 1 on the SIGHI list, so may not be suitable for everyone. Only try if you are sure you are OK with them.

I haven't tried it myself, but I don't see why you couldn't use pumpkin seed butter instead if you prefer to be nut-free (or have to be). It has the same consistency, although they will of course have a different taste and be a slightly strange green colour!

energy balls on a wooden board with a tea towel next to it.

🔪 Step by step instructions

These coconut energy balls are super simple to make, and only require a few steps. Don't you just love the pour everything (well, almost everything!) into a food processor and press blend recipes?!

  1. The first step is to combine your oats and flax meal in a Nutribullet or food processor. I've tried using both, and they do work, but I would say that using a food processor is easier as you don't have to keep scraping the sides down as often. Blitz the oats and milled flaxseeds for 10 seconds or so.
  2. Next add in all the ingredients, except for any desiccated coconut you wish to roll the balls in to coat. Blitz again so that it is all combined, and forms a dough-like texture that holds together. If your mixture is too dry then add a touch more almond butter or maple syrup. Too wet (it shouldn't be), then a touch more oats.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover and then chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
  4. Now the fun bit! Use a cookie scoop or your hands and roll pieces of the 'dough' into your fun and healthy energy balls. This recipe makes around 9 balls. If you want to, then roll in some desiccated coconut as well. Makes them look even prettier!

💭 Recipe tips and notes

  • Blend the oats and milled flaxseed to a grainy texture rather than a very fine flour.
  • Don't skip the time for the 'dough' to chill in the fridge. This helps it to stick together.
  • Rolling in coconut is optional, but adds even more coconut flavour!
wooden board with coconut energy balls on it and a blue bowl of pumpkin seeds.

🥣 More fun & healthy energy balls

Find lots of fun snacks perfect for adults and kids alike, including my turmeric energy balls and my honey spelt cookies. Some recent energy balls to enjoy:

  • carrot cake bliss balls on baking paper next to a bowl of pumpkin seeds.
    Carrot Cake Bliss Balls (Nut Free)
  • cardamom pistachio energy balls on a plate with a jug in the background.
    Pistachio Energy Balls
  • sesame energy balls on a lined wooden board next to a bowl of sesame seeds.
    Sesame Energy Balls (with Tahini)
  • turmeric energy balls with a jug in the background.
    Turmeric Energy Balls (No Bake, without Dates)

And there are some tasty tahini honey energy balls in my low histamine sweet treats ebook to try out!

I'm always in the kitchen, so come follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And please do leave a star rating ⭐ if you've tried the recipe!

📖 Recipe

coconut energy balls on a wooden board.

Coconut Energy Balls

Claire
These coconut energy balls are full of flavour and a real sweet treat. They don't have chocolate or dried fruit, so are suitable for those sensitive to those foods. Vegan, gluten-free using suitable oats, and low histamine. Makes approximately 9 energy balls.
5 from 5 votes
Prevent your screen from going dark
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Time in the fridge 20 minutes mins
Total Time 25 minutes mins
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American, British
Servings 9 servings
Calories 195 kcal

Equipment

  • Blender or food processor

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup oats gf if required
  • ⅓ cup milled flaxseed
  • 2 tablespoon desiccated coconut + more for the coating
  • ½ cup almond butter
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
  • 2 tablespoon water

Instructions
 

  • Pour the oats and flax meal into a food processor and pulse blend until it becomes a grainy texture, but not a fine flour. Then add all the other ingredients, except any coconut used to coat the energy balls. Blend until it forms a thick sticky ball that holds together.
  • Add more water if it is too dry, or almond butter if it is not holding together.
  • Transfer the 'dough' to a bowl and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
  • Use a cookie scoop or your hands to form around 9 energy balls. If you wish, sprinkle some coconut on a plate and roll the balls to coat.
  • Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

  • This recipe makes fairly sweet energy balls. I haven't tried it myself but if you prefer a less sweet option, then I think that reducing the maple syrup slightly, and adding more almond butter, would work well.
  • Blend the oats and milled flaxseed to a grainy texture, rather than a fine powder.
  • Don't skip letting the 'dough' chill in the fridge as this helps the mixture stick together.
  • Please note that nutritional information is offered as a courtesy. It is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
 
Swiss Interest Group Histamine (SIGHI) food compatibility list for histamine
All ingredients in the energy balls score 0 on the SIGHI list with the exception of:
  • almonds (almond butter), which scores 1.
  • flaxseed isn't rated on the list.

Nutrition

Calories: 195kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 6gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.001gSodium: 5mgPotassium: 229mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 0.5IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 79mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @lowhistaminekitchen or tag #lowhistaminekitchen!
Tweet
Share
Pin
Share

More Easy Homemade Snacks

  • cottage cheese and apple bowl topped with diced apples, blackberries and seeds.
    Cottage Cheese and Apple Bowls
  • nut free energy balls on a white plate.
    Nut Free Energy Balls
  • macadamia nut butter cookies on a white background next to broken macadamia nuts.
    Macadamia Nut Butter Cookies (3 Ingredients)
  • applesauce overnight oats in two glass jars next to red apples.
    Applesauce Overnight Oats

Comments

  1. Clarissa Cabbage says

    March 28, 2025 at 4:10 am

    Looks great! I'm not sure I can tolerate almond butter.... I wonder if coconut butter could be used as a substitute? 🤔

    Reply
    • Claire says

      March 28, 2025 at 7:58 am

      Hi Clarissa, I've not actually used coconut butter before so I'm not sure if it has the same consistency. Something like pumpkin seed butter should work well if you tolerate that OK?

      Reply
  2. Toni says

    March 22, 2025 at 2:51 pm

    Hi! Could you add protein powder to these? I found a histamine friendly protein powder, but I'm not sure if it would be too powdery and how to "offset" that for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Claire says

      March 22, 2025 at 3:46 pm

      I haven't ever tried adding protein powder to the recipe, but if you do I would use quite a small amount and perhaps add a little more nut or seed butter to add a bit more 'moisture' so to speak.

      Reply
  3. Anne Martin says

    December 14, 2024 at 12:03 pm

    5 stars
    I make these very regularly and keep them in the fridge for when I need a snack.
    Great recipe and easy.
    Very tasty and my workmates love when I bring them some in!!

    Reply
    • Claire says

      December 14, 2024 at 12:09 pm

      Love that your workmates enjoy them too! So nice to hear that you enjoy the energy balls Anne 🙂

      Reply
  4. Stacy says

    September 20, 2024 at 10:56 pm

    What can you use instead of flax

    Reply
    • Claire says

      September 21, 2024 at 12:22 pm

      I haven't tried it myself, but chia seeds could work as a swap.

      Reply
  5. Tammy says

    September 15, 2024 at 6:22 am

    I can't find desiccated coconut. Can it be substituted with shredded coconut?

    Reply
    • Claire says

      September 15, 2024 at 7:27 am

      It can, but perhaps give them a quick blend in a blender of food processor to cut them a bit smaller first 🙂

      Reply
  6. Stephanie Saucy says

    March 06, 2023 at 3:08 am

    Is the nutritional information for one ball?

    Reply
    • Claire says

      March 06, 2023 at 9:15 am

      Yes it is. Here one serving is one energy ball. Just to note that the nutritional information is auto-generated, so is estimate. It may vary depending upon the products you use, for example.

      Reply
  7. Deborah Vallance says

    February 06, 2023 at 7:33 pm

    How do you store them? Do they need to be kept in the fridge?

    Reply
    • Claire says

      February 06, 2023 at 9:01 pm

      It is best to keep them in a sealed container in the fridge. If you are one of my low histamine readers than I suggest being mindful of histamine formation and personal sensitivities about the length of time you store them for.

      Reply
  8. Ragnheidur says

    August 06, 2022 at 6:52 pm

    Loooove making these 👏🏼 Soo good

    Reply
    • Claire says

      August 07, 2022 at 8:00 am

      so glad you like them!

      Reply
  9. Tara says

    March 18, 2021 at 12:19 am

    5 stars
    These are perfect! I used the food processor to grind up whole flax for this recipe.

    Reply
    • throughthefibrofog says

      March 18, 2021 at 8:52 am

      So glad you like them Tara! Great idea about grinding up whole flax.

      Reply
  10. Chronic Mom says

    January 14, 2021 at 7:22 pm

    Looks delicious, I can't wait to try them! Energy balls are one of my favorite things, they're so easy to grab and go.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Hi, I’m Claire. After a diagnosis of MCAS I began to follow a low histamine diet, which has helped me manage my symptoms. Here I hope to show that a restrictive diet can still be full of flavourful meals, and help you enjoy being creative in the kitchen.

More about me →

Summer Recipes

  • baked rosemary thyme chicken on a white plate next to arugula.
    Baked Rosemary Thyme Chicken
  • chicken pesto pasta salad in a white bowl next to fresh basil leaves, radishes and salad servers.
    Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
  • apple and cucumber salad in a white bowl with a spoon in it next to red apples and mint leaves.
    Apple and Cucumber Salad
  • cucumber celery salad on a white plate next to fresh mint leaves and olive oil.
    Cucumber Celery Salad
  • brown bowl of tropical mango coleslaw with mint next to it.
    Tropical Mango Coleslaw
  • two glasses of peach honey mocktail.
    Peach Mocktail

Featured On

collage of featured in brand names including parade, finding vegan, feed feed, food gawker, msn, big oven and trivet recipes.

Popular Recipes

  • chicken thighs on a cream fluted plate garnished with herbs.
    Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
  • stack of grated potato fritters on a white plate with fresh herbs and glass of water in the background.
    Grated Potato Fritters
  • creamy paprika chicken in a light grey skillet.
    Creamy Paprika Chicken
  • cod fillet, roasted potatoes and vegetables on a white plate.
    Air Fryer Frozen Cod

As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Please see my disclaimer. I am not a doctor or healthcare professional. All posts are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical or dietetic advice in any way.

veda ambassador logo.

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About Me
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact Me

Copyright © 2025 Through The Fibro Fog

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required