These no-bake oat and date balls use soft dates and nut butter to bind the mixture. Serve the portion you plan to eat with a separate measure of sea moss gel, following the directions on your jar.
Makes: about 12 small oat and date balls. Equipment: a food processor, measuring utensils, a clean plate and a covered container.
Ingredients
- 1 measuring cup (240 ml capacity) rolled oats suitable for eating without cooking, as directed on the pack
- 8–10 soft dates, stones removed
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter, almond butter or cashew butter
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds or ground flaxseed, optional, if suitable for use without cooking according to the pack
- 1 tablespoon desiccated coconut, optional
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- A pinch of salt, optional
- Ready-made sea moss gel, for serving — measure using the current jar’s directions for each person, not for each ball
Method
- Make the date paste. Use clean hands, utensils and a clean food processor. Check the dates for stones, then process the soft dates into a sticky paste.
- Mix the base. Add the oats, nut butter and cinnamon, plus the optional seeds, coconut, vanilla and salt if using. Process following your appliance’s instructions until the mixture holds together when pressed. Leave the gel out of this shared mixture.
- Adjust and shape. If too dry, add a little more nut butter; if too soft, add a few more oats. With clean hands, shape into about 12 small balls. The number depends on the size you make.
- Chill to firm. Cover the balls and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to firm the texture.
- Add gel at serving. Choose the portion of balls you plan to eat. Measure gel for that person using the current jar’s serving directions and serve it alongside as a dip. Use that one measured portion across their snack, rather than adding a full gel serving to each ball. Return the jar to the fridge and eat the prepared portion straight away.
Why serve the gel separately?
The batch makes several balls and may be shared. Keeping the gel separate lets each person measure the amount directed by their own jar. Do not treat one ball as a measured gel dose or add extra gel to bind the mixture.
Peanuts, nuts and other ingredients
The listed nut butters introduce peanuts or tree nuts. Oats, seeds and other packaged ingredients need their own label checks. Choose products suitable for eating without cooking and check all allergen and “may contain” warnings. This recipe does not establish that a substitution is safe for someone with an allergy.
Do they provide an energy boost?
“Energy balls” is a common name for this kind of oat and date snack. It is not a promise of an energy boost, a sports benefit or a measured nutrition result from sea moss.
Keeping the batch
Keep the plain balls covered in the fridge while preparing and serving them. Follow the storage directions and dates for the ingredients used. Prepare a batch for serving that day and add gel only to the portion being eaten.
Choosing and using your gel
Use ready-made gel that is within its date and has been stored as directed. Golden Gel contains golden sea moss, spring water and lime; other blends have different ingredients. Check your current jar and our Ingredients & Suitability guidance before choosing.
Follow the serving instructions for your own gel, including any daily limit and other gel you have already used that day. Powder, dried moss, capsules and gummies are not direct substitutes for the gel amount in these instructions. Our format guide explains the differences. If a direction is unclear, ask us before using it.
Keep the gel refrigerated
Add gel only when you are ready to serve your portion. Keep the gel jar refrigerated between uses and follow its own date and storage directions. Mixing gel into a recipe does not restart its shelf life, and the jar date does not establish a storage period for the finished food or drink. See our Storage & Freshness guidance for jar care. Do not use a suspect jar or taste it to check freshness.
Before using sea moss
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, choosing for a child, taking medication or managing a health condition, ask a qualified healthcare professional before use. Sea moss contains naturally occurring iodine; if you have a thyroid condition or take thyroid medication, speak to your doctor before use.
Try another recipe
For another recipe, try our peanut butter and banana shake.
