Healthy 5 Ingredient Chocolate Hazelnut Energy Bites

These Healthy vegan and paleo 5 Ingredient Chocolate Hazelnut Energy Bites are the perfect treats if you’re looking for an alternative to Ferrero Rocher.

Growing up in Germany I ate a ton of Ferrero Rocher. You can say my whole family had a bit of an obsession with them. While they taste fantastic, they're no longer on my indulgence list. With ingredients such as modified palm oil, wheat flour, whey powder just to name a few, I would be paying a hefty price if I wanted to indulge in them.

But when I think back on eating these truffles, I don't think of the chocolatey goodness itself, but rather the memories around them. As these guys were a staple in any German household, especially around the holidays, that's mostly what I associate them with. Sitting in a cozy house on a snowy street in the village we lived in, watching my little brother build intricate lego structures while I worked diligently on my sticker collection. My parents in the next room, drinking coffee and chain-smoking cigarettes.

The village we lived in, Burgsalach, had a population of about a thousand. A picturesque little place that shows up only in my dreams these days and Google images. There was no main grocery store aside from a tiny corner one called Edeka. If you wanted actual groceries you had to get in the car and drive a good distance.

Whenever my parents would make the trip, it felt like a special occasion. I was enthralled with everything this giant store had to offer, particularly chocolate goodies. Since I was raised under a dictatorship in Romania during the 80s, I saw chocolate maybe three times in nine years. Not something we easily had access to. Even tropical fruit was a rarity. I recall having bananas and oranges a handful of times as one would have to go to great lengths to get foods the local farmer couldn't grow.

But back to chocolate. Since I have such fond memories of these little chocolate hazelnut truffles, I decided to make my own. I try to be practical in my food making and decided to make them using only 5 ingredients. And you know what? They're pretty damn delicious. The only ingredients that go into them are Medjool dates, toasted hazelnuts, coconut butter, coconut oil, and 100% cacao. Easy enough, right? Easier still is that all you have to do is just plop everything in a food processor, get everything good and incorporated, roll them into little balls, and chill. They're dense, have the perfect amount of sweetness, and will be a perfect addition to any holiday table.

Healthy 5 Ingredient Chocolate Hazelnut Energy Bites

• A healthy alternative to Ferrero Rocher
• Require just 5 ingredients
• Easy to make
• Vegan, Paleo, Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Grain-Free
• Use no additional sugar
• Perfect for holidays or whenever you need a sweet treat
• Great as snacks or desserts

Ingredients Needed

• Toasted hazelnuts
• Medjool dates
• Coconut butter
• Coconut oil
• Cocoa

Let's Make Chocolate Hazelnut Energy Bites

Step 1. Place hazelnuts on a sheet pan for 10 minutes in a 350-degree oven, tossing them once halfway.

Step 2. Peel hazelnuts and discard the outer shell. If you have some that still have a little brown shell on them, no worries, that's fine.

Step 3. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and puree for about a minute until everything is incorporated. Carefully start rolling the mixture in your hand, pressing the balls into shape rather than rolling. Form 1″ balls. You may find the mixture to fall apart if you try and roll it as you would a meatball.

Step 4. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Store energy bites in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.

FAQs And Pro Tips

How To Peel Hazelnuts?

Hazelnuts are super flavorful but require a little bit of love. The best way to peel hazelnuts is to first toast them in the oven. Then as soon as they're toasted, give them a good shake, and either by holding them between your fingers or with a towel, remove the brown outer shell. You could certainly leave them on but I find the texture of these chocolate hazelnut bites to be substantially better without them.

They're in a sense, similar to chickpeas. The best hummus is the one that uses peeled chickpeas. The same concept applies here.

Do You Need A Food Processor?

You do. Without a food processor, the ingredients will not properly mix and you would not be able to get the same results.

Is coconut butter the same thing as coconut oil?

Coconut oil is what is extracted from coconut meat, while coconut butter is made from the coconut flesh into a paste. When purchased the oil generally settles and requires stirring.

Can You Use Other Dates Besides Medjool?

Yes, the Deglet Noor dates are the most commonly used dates and can be found nearly everywhere. They won't have quite the same consistency but do make for a good alternative. 12-13 Deglet Noor dates will be fine to replace the Medjool Date.

More Vegan No-Bake Desserts You May Like

• Coconut Cashew Matcha Energy Bites (Paleo)
• No-Bake Almond Butter Bars with Salted Chocolate
• Quick and Easy No-Bake Raspberry Honey Cheesecake Bites
• 5 Ingredient Paleo Chocolate Fudge

Continue to Content

📖 Recipe

Healthy 5 Ingredient Chocolate Hazelnut Energy Bites

Yield: 16

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

These healthy 5 ingredient chocolate hazelnut energy bites are the perfect treat if you’re looking for a healthy alternative to the Ferrero Rocher candy.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup toasted hazelnuts
• 10 Medjool dates
• 2 tablespoon coconut butter
• 2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 3 tablespoon cacao

Instructions

1. Place hazelnuts on a sheet pan for 10 minutes in a 350-degree oven, tossing them once halfway.

2. Peel hazelnuts and discard the outer shell. If you have some that still have a little brown shell on them, no worries, that’s fine.

3. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and puree for about a minute until everything is incorporated. Carefully start rolling the mixture in your hand, pressing the balls into shape rather than rolling. Form 1″ balls. You may find the mixture to fall apart if you try and roll it like a meatball.

4. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Store energy bites in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 126Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 2gSugar: 11gProtein: 2g