This week's new recipe are these delicious roasted walnut and maple spiced protein balls. They are currently my favourite go-to healthy snack! I love to eat them straight from the freezer for the ultimate chewy texture (I have 2 jars of them at the moment).
This recipe is refined sugar-free, vegan and dairy-free, and can be stored in the freezer or fridge in an airtight container.
When you’re forming the mixture it might seem quite oily. This is the oils from the roasted walnuts which is perfectly fine and will give the protein balls a delicious texture when set.
Enjoy the recipe and please let me know if you have any questions in the comment section below.
Ingredients
GF, RSF, VGN, DF 
30 minutes + setting time 
Makes 18-20 balls - 2½ cups walnuts
- 1½ cups rolled oats
- ½ cup shredded or desiccated coconut
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 150g (roughly 10) pitted medjool dates OR 150g pitted packet cooking dates soaked in hot water for 10 minutes then drained
- 1 tbs vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp sea salt
- Ground clove for sprinkling
- Desiccated coconut for rolling (optional)
- Walnuts, crushed finely for rolling (optional)
Method
- Place the walnuts onto a paper-lined baking tray and bake at 170C/340F (fan forced) for 10-15 minutes, stirring the walnuts halfway through the baking time.
- Remove the walnuts from the oven and set aside to cool.
- In a food processor add 1½ cups of the roasted walnuts and blend until a paste forms.
- Next, add the remaining walnuts, oats, coconut, dates, maple, cinnamon, and sea salt, and blend until combined and the mixture forms a smooth ball in the food processor.
- Now add the coconut flour and blend until combined.
- Scoop and form the mixture into tablespoon-sized balls and place onto a paper-lined tray.
- NOTE: As you’re forming the mixture it might seem quite oily. This is the oils from the roasted walnuts which is perfectly fine and will give the protein balls a delicious texture when set.
- Next, sprinkle a little ground clove over the rolled balls.
- Now, roll in desiccated coconut or finely crushed walnuts (optional).
- Place the tray of protein balls into the freezer for a couple of hours or overnight to set. Store the protein balls in the freezer or fridge in an airtight container.
- Enjoy them straight from the freezer or fridge for the ultimate chewy texture.
