March 27, 2020
(last updated March 8, 2023) 
These vegan chai spice energy balls are so sweet and flavorful! Made with wholesome ingredients and easy to store/freeze.
I keep seeing mention of quarantine snacks on social media. Yesterday afternoon, it occurred to me that I was running low on snacks myself! As I considered about what to make, I thought back to these chai spice energy balls, which I made and shared with my yoga community a couple months ago (feels like a lifetime ago now).
These are really the same date/nut energy balls I’ve been making for years and years, with the addition of a chai-inspired spice blend. Nothing groundbreaking, but a new-to-me combination that works really nicely.
Over time, I’ve learned that I like these types of snacks best when I use more dates than nuts, hence the ratio of ingredients in the recipe. When you process all of the ingredients, be sure to process for a good long time (at least a full minute), until the mixture is already sticking together in the food processor. That’s the second trick to getting a soft, chewy texture.
I’m sharing the recipe as I originally made it, which makes about 46 small balls. They can be frozen and stored in the fridge, so if you’d like to have extra or are feeding a bigger family, go for it. When I made them yesterday, I made a half batch, which was exactly as much as I need right now. Feel free to do that, too, if you don’t need a lot of snacks all at once.
Chai Spice Energy Balls
Author –Yields: 20 balls
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews (210g)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- 2 cups medjool dates, pitted and packed (380g)
Instructions
- Place the cashews and spices into a food processor fitted with an S blade. Process for a minute.
- Add the pitted medjool dates. Process for another 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is clumping together in the processor. Stop the processor and try squeezing a small amount in the palm of your hand; it should be very soft and stick together easily!
- Roll the mixture into 1 1/4-inch balls (about 30g each). Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freeze. Enjoy!
Notes
Store the balls in the fridge for about a month, or in the freezer for up to two months.
I know weekends and weekdays are blurring together for many folks right now, but all the same, I wish you a restful weekend. Maybe you can set aside a little time to make some sweet, wholesome vegan snacks 🙂
I’ll see you for weekend reading!
xo
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Categories: Recipes,
Snacks
Method: No-Bake
Ingredients: Cashew Nuts
Dietary Preferences: Gluten Free, No Oil, Raw, Soy Free, Vegan
Recipe Features: 30 Minute or Less, Quick & Easy
Method: No-Bake
Ingredients: Cashew Nuts
Dietary Preferences: Gluten Free, No Oil, Raw, Soy Free, Vegan
Recipe Features: 30 Minute or Less, Quick & Easy
Leave a Comment
These are lovely. My husband adores anything chai, so these certainly hit the spot. I’ve made them numerous times, but recently I stumbled upon a chai spice blend which has made it incredibly easy to throw these together. (Hate to dirty too many dishes. :)) Thank you for the simple, yet tasty recipes Gena. You continue to be my recipe idol.
Hi Gena! I took your cooking class with Ali last week. I absolutely fell in love with these chai cashew balls. I was only able to get 20 balls from the recipe. I know you are not into calorie counting, but if you make 20 balls it comes out to 90 calories per ball (13g carbs, 4g fat, and 3g protein). I usually eat Rx bars but I like these better! Can you post about making the chocolate version of these balls? I remember you or Ali said something like add 3-4 teaspoons or tablespoons of cocoa? Either way, it was a great class. Lots of love!
So nice to hear from you, Sonia!! I’m glad you like them. Yeah, they can definitely make more or lessโI think I’ve been rolling them in a larger size lately, too ๐
Here’s the recipe that I based the chocolate version off of: https://www.thefullhelping.com/raw-vegan-brownie-bites/
Hope you love them!
Hi Gena! I made your brownie bites and they were delicious! I made 22 balls from your brownie bite recipe (62 cal, 8g carbs, 1g protein, 3g fat). My husband likes the brownie bites better while I prefer the chai bites. Now I have to make both every week
Hi Sonia! Glad there’s something for everyone in the family ๐ And so happy you’re enjoying these snacks!
Hi Gena! I made this recipe again and the brownie bites again because both of them are so delicious. I was wondering how you could modify your the spices to make pumpkin spice energy balls. It looks like you use 1 and 3/4 teaspoons of โspicesโ and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Maybe add the 1/2 tsp vanilla. What do you think? There are so many ways to change this up. Even a Hawaiian one with macadamia nuts instead of cashews and maybe some shredded coconut.
I don’t have any medjool dates, do you think the deglet noor dates would work?
Thanks, Kathy
Deglet noor will work just fine! Enjoy.
These were so great! I really loved them. Thank you so much for sharing them! You are making the quarantine more bearable.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them ๐
Yum! Energy bites are one of my favorite snacks and chai flavored ones? I have to make these!
They’re so good! Hope you enjoy them and that you’re doing well.
these look amazing! Do you think a seed in place of cashews would work? We have a nut allergy in the house, so I don’t use any..
Thanks!
absolutely! I think it would work with sunflower or hemp or pumpkin…or a combo ๐
Awesome! I have all those – will play with it tomorrow!!
Gena,
I saw this on FB yesterday and thought that yep, I am going to make these. I like more dates to nuts myself so I will give these a go. I don’t snack too much as a rule but I use these in conjunction with a bowl of grain for BK or as dessert.
Thank you again!
Libby
Enjoy, Libby!