Chocolate Maca Balls are a perfect HEALTHY treat - sweet, chewy, and delicious, loaded with amazing flavors and aphrodisiac benefits of maca. They are an easy-to-make nutrient-packed snack that will satisfy your sweet tooth and uplift your mood. Perfect treat for Valentine's Day!
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Me and my hubs, we are not much into Valentine's Day celebration. Well, not in that excessive sense - we don't shower each other with luxury gifts and go out for fine dining. We are more a simple types. We like to open a bottle of wine and dine at home. Nothing fancy. Nothing glamorous. Just relaxing date night at home. After the dinner, we like to get ourselves cozy on the couch and enjoy some romantic movie. With munchies, sweet treats, and smooching included.
While hubs is in charge of preparing Valentine's dinner, desserts and treats are my thing. Chocolate Tahini Brownies or Chocolate Cherry Brownies, either are WIN with him! Well, we both love brownies. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it's a real treat. But this year I decided to make him something extra (beside brownies). We will both enjoy this Chocolate Maca Balls as an additional treat.
These little delights are utterly delicious. Sweet and soft inside, loaded with amazing flavor and aphrodisiac powers from MACA. + Cinnamon-y and packed with dark chocolate bits. Perfect! But these maca chocolate balls are more than just tasty little things. They are packed with many nutrients and SUPERFOODS, filling and so HEALTHY - ideal on-to-go snack for any-day, not just celebrations and special occasions.
The best part is, these maca chocolate balls don't require baking. They are easily done in 15 minutes, with just a few simple ingredients. Great last minute Valentine's Day dessert!
Chocolate Maca Balls ingredients
All ingredients in this recipe contribute to our health in some way, so this treat is not just the empty sweet calories. To make these delightful little balls, you will need few simple ingredients:
- WALNUTS: Walnuts are a good source of the plant-based omega-3 fat, an essential fatty acid, and an excellent source of antioxidants that fights inflammation. (1) Walnuts enhanced these energy balls with many nutrients but also wonderful nutty taste and texture. + They are known as aphrodisiac food. You can swap walnuts with almonds here.
- CACAO POWDER: I used raw cacao powder that is unprocessed, bitter, deep-flavored and incredibly healthy. Cacao is one of the richest sources of polyphenols – an antioxidant that has been linked to many health benefits, including reduced inflammation, better blood flow, lower blood pressure, and improved cholesterol and blood sugar levels. (2) Cacao gave a gorgeous chocolaty flavor and made these energy balls absolutely irresistible.
- MACA POWDER: Maca is in one word – amazing! Some dislike it’s earthy nutty taste but I love it. It’s a SUPERFOOD known to boost mood, sex drive, energy and stamina. Maca Powder contains nutritious vitamins, minerals, amino acids and plant sterols, including vitamins B1, B2, B, C, D, E, iron, potassium, copper, magnesium, selenium, phosphorous and calcium. Maca powder is also a source of plant protein, fatty acids, and it contains four unique alkaloids. Also, maca is loaded with powerful antioxidants that prevent some health conditions, including heart disease and cancer. (3, 4)
- CEYLON CINNAMON: Cinnamon enhanced these maca choclate balls with a truly wonderful flavor. Also, cinnamon is loaded with powerful antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties. (5, 6)
- DATES: Dates are great addition when making energy balls. They bind other ingredients together but also give natural sweetness. But dates also have an excellent nutrition profile. They are packed with many vitamins and minerals, as well as with antioxidants. (7)
I also tossed in some more SUPERFOODS (these are optional, but highly recommended):
- CACAO NIBS: Cacao nibs are basically a small pieces of crushed cacao beans that have a rich bitter chocolate flavor. They are great and healthier option when you want to add a bit of extra chocolate in your treats. Cacao nibs are not only flavorful, but loaded with nutrients – fiber, protein, and healthy fats, as well as with powerful antioxidants – flavonoids, that have many health benefits. (8, 9) I used Yacon sweetened cacao nibs here. They have the bitterness of raw cacao but with subtle added sweetness. I like to use cacao nibs as a replacement for dark chocolate chips wherever I can especially when making no-bake treats like no bake balls. They give a little crunch which I love in soft no bake protein balls. You can substitute cacao nibs with dark chocolate chips.
- GOJI BERRIES: Goji berries are very nutritious. They are high in fiber, protein and a range of vitamins and minerals including iron, copper, selenium, and vitamins A and C. Also they are packed full of powerful antioxidants that fight inflammation and boost immunity.
How to make Chocolate Maca Balls
- Prepare and measure all ingredients using measuring cups.
- Soak 10 pitted Medjool dates in hot water for a few minutes. Drain, and reserve water.
- Take a high-speed food processor and add 10 dates, ½ cup walnuts, 2 tablespoon cacao powder, 2 tablespoon maca powder, 1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon and pinch of salt. Process everything on high speed for about two minutes until the dough is formed.
- Don’t worry if the dough seems dry in the beginning. Just continue mixing. Dates will release juices and make it sticky. Scrap down the dough with spatula if needed.
- After two minutes, stop the processing and check texture by pinching the dough between your fingers. Now it should be sticky and able to keep its shape.
- If the mixture is too dry, add a bit of hot water from soaking dates (just a teaspoon). Mix again and check the texture.
- Make sure you taste the dough. These chocolate energy balls are mildly sweet so if you feel like you need a bit more sweetness, feel free to add a teaspoon of maple syrup, raw honey or date syrup. Molasses is good here too.
- If you’re adding liquid sweetener, as suggested then there’s no need to add hot water. Sweetener will bind the dough and make texture sticky.
- In the end, add the ¼ cup Goji berries and ¼ cup Yacon sweetened cacao nibs. Pulse everything for half more minute.
- Using a spoon, scoop out dough and roll between your palms to form your balls. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
- Roll the balls in crushed Goji berries or Goji berries powder (for gorgeous red color), or cacao powder, or ground walnuts.
- Place energy balls on a plate, serving tray or in an airtight container and refrigerate to harden.
Substitutions
- Substitute WALNUTS with almonds in same amount.
- Substitute DATES with dried figs or dried prunes.
- Substitute Yacon sweetened cacao nibs with dark chocolate chips or regular cacao nibs. Be aware that regular cacao nibs are bitter in taste and hard to chew.
- Substitute GOJI BERRIES with any dried fruit, or just omit in the recipe.
Tips for storing
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge until serving for up to 4 weeks.
- Place in a zip-lock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You don’t need to thaw the balls to eat them.
Chocolate Maca Balls are packed with nutrients, immune boosting vitamins and minerals as well with some powerful antioxidants. They are beautifully flavored and so delicious – chewy, sweet and so addictive. Perfect treat for ANY occasion and celebration, but great as a simple everyday snack too.
Chocolate Maca Balls will satisfy your sweet tooth, power your afternoon and definitely boost your mood. + They are totally guilt-free as they don't have any added-sugars! Win!
Enjoy!
Chocolate Maca Balls recipe
Ingredients
- 10 Medjool dates
- ½ cup walnuts
- 2 tablespoon cacao powder
- 2 tablespoon maca powder
- 1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ cup Goji berries
- ¼ cup cacao nibs or dark chocolate chips
- For dusting: Goji berries or Goji berries powder cacao powder, or ground walnuts
Instructions
- Prepare and measure all ingredients using measuring cups.
- Soak 10 pitted Medjool dates in hot water for a few minutes. Drain, and reserve water.
- Take a high-speed food processor and add 10 dates, ½ cup walnuts, 2 tablespoon cacao powder, 2 tablespoon maca powder, 1 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon and pinch of salt. Process everything on high speed for about two minutes until the dough is formed.
- Don’t worry if the dough seems dry in the beginning. Just continue mixing. Dates will release juices and make it sticky. Scrap down the dough with spatula if needed.
- After two minutes, stop the processing and check texture by pinching the dough between your fingers. Now it should be sticky and able to keep its shape.
- If the mixture is too dry, add a bit of hot water from soaking dates (just a teaspoon). Mix again and check the texture.
- Make sure you taste the dough. These chocolate energy balls are mildly sweet so if you feel like you need a bit more sweetness, feel free to add a teaspoon of maple syrup, raw honey or date syrup. Molasses is good here too.
- If you’re adding liquid sweetener, as suggested then there’s no need to add hot water. Sweetener will bind the dough and make texture sticky.
- In the end, add the ¼ cup Goji berries and ¼ cup Yacon sweetened cacao nibs. Pulse everything for half more minute.
- Using a spoon, scoop out dough and roll between your palms to form your balls. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
- Roll the balls in crushed Goji berries or Goji berries powder (for gorgeous red color), or cacao powder, or ground walnuts.
- Place energy balls on a plate, serving tray or in an airtight container and refrigerate to harden.
Notes
Substitute WALNUTS with almonds in same amount.
Substitute DATES with dried figs or dried prunes.
Substitute Yacon sweetened cacao nibs with dark chocolate chips or regular cacao nibs. Be aware that regular cacao nibs are bitter in taste and hard to chew.
Substitute GOJI BERRIES with any dried fruit, or just omit in the recipe.
Tips for storing
Store in an airtight container in the fridge until serving for up to 4 weeks.
Place in a zip-lock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You don’t need to thaw the balls to eat them. As a measure, I used US cup (240ml). Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but I have endeavored to be as accurate as possible.
Nutrition
More energy balls recipes
If you’re looking for more delicious ENERGY BALLS RECIPES, check these out:
- No Bake Peanut Butter Balls
- Hazelnut Chocolate Balls
- Peanut Butter Energy Balls
- Chocolate Cinnamon Balls
If you’ve tried this Chocolate Maca Balls recipe or any other recipe on Natalie’s Health, please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you!
These are definitely the perfect, healthy, filling treat! Great to keep in the fridge for a pick me up... thank you for the great recipe!
I want to do my own version of Chocolate Maca Balls. It looks so tempting and so yummy! I want it now. Yum!