Yesterday was the first day of summer on our side of the world and I’m one happy camper.
I decided to celebrate with these super summery, naturally sweetened, mango coconut energy bites (that are delicious year-round).
Care to taste?
This recipe requires just 30 minutes and 6 ingredients to make!
Plus, they’re so easy. Simply soak dried mango, roast your nuts, blend, scoop, and roll into a coating of your choice.
For added protein, I threw in some hemp seeds (nature’s perfect complete protein with all 20 amino acids, including the 9 essential amino acids) and shredded coconut and lime zest for more flavor.
Nuts add plenty of healthy fats and protein as well – I went for a mix of walnuts and cashews – and dates help them stick together while adding a caramel-like natural sweetness. YUM.
I hope you all LOVE these bites! They’re:
SO easy
Summery
Tropical
Perfectly sweet-tart
Coconutty
Tender
Healthy
& Delicious
These are the perfect snack to have around when you’re craving something sweet but healthy. Each bite provides a little fiber, protein, healthy fat, and natural sugars for an energy boost. Have one, have three, have six – no one’s looking.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
Mango Energy Bites
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup raw walnuts or cashews (I mixed both)
- 1 cup firmly packed dried unsweetened mango (1 cup = ~5.5 ounces)
- 10 whole pitted medjool dates
- 2 Tbsp hemp seeds
- 1/3 cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut (also known as desiccated)
- 1 medium lime, zested (optional)
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and arrange nuts on a baking sheet (or more baking sheets, as needed, if increasing batch size). Toast for 8-12 minutes or until light golden brown and fragrant. Set aside.
- In the meantime, add dried mango to a mixing bowl and cover with warm water (don’t skip this step or they’ll be too tough to blend). Let soak for 5-7 minutes or until soft and pliable but not too soggy. Then drain, lay on a towel, and pat off excess moisture. Set aside.
- Add nuts to a food processor and mix into a fine meal. Remove from bowl and set aside.
- Add pitted dates and soaked, dried mango to the food processor and mix until a rough paste/sticky dough forms.
- Add nut meal back in, along with hemp seeds, shredded coconut, lime zest (optional), and sea salt. Mix until it forms a moldable dough. Add more coconut or hemp seed if it feels too sticky or wet. Add more dates if it’s too dry.
- Scoop out rounded Tablespoon amounts (I love this 1.5 Tbsp scoop) and roll into little balls in the palms of your hands. Then roll in more shredded coconut or hemp speeds, or a mixture of both.
- Enjoy immediately. Store at room temperature up to 3-4 days, in the refrigerator 1 week, or in the freezer up to 1 month.
Susan says
I made these and love them! So does my daughter who is also vegan and wfpb. Do you think I could also sub dried apricots for the mangoes? Thanks for a great, healthy sweet snack.
We’re so glad you and your daughter both enjoy these energy bites, Susan. Thank you for letting us know! We haven’t tried with dried apricots, but it might work! Let us know if you give it a try!
Char says
Do you think this would work and taste good if I used pumpkin seeds instead of walnuts? I’m allergic to nuts. Thanks!
Hi Char, we think the flavor would be too strong, unfortunately!
Chloe says
Excellent recipe! I used soaked raisins instead of dates and chia seeds instead of hemp hearts (just what I already had on hand). Turned out great! If you’re using chia seeds, you might be able to skip the dates. The dried mango is sweet enough and the chia seeds help it all stick together.
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Chloe! xo
Leah Dsouza says
these are so delicious… fantastic!! i used coconut flour instead of shredded coconut. they turned out great, thank you. next time i will add more lime and a little bit of cayenne pepper, i think it will be great,
Ooo cayenne sounds amazing! Thank you for the lovely review, Leah! xo
Anna says
Hello,
I am a long time Minimalist Baker fan but am struggling to find healthy snacks for my kids for school. They don’t have nut allergies but their school has a strict no-nut policy. Do you think I could make these with a mix of hemp, flax and sesame instead of any nuts?
On that note: would you consider adding a marker to recipes that are nut-free or nut optional? Similar to the label you have for GF recipes?
Thank you!
Anna
Hi Anna, thanks so much for the support! You could certainly try this without the nuts, we haven’t tried it so cannot guarantee results taste or texture-wise, but they’d probably still be yummy. Also, you can see all of our nut-free recipes by using the “special diet” filter on the “all recipes” page. Hope this helps!
Samantha says
OMG!!!! These are soooooo good. Have just made in thermomix. I chopped up dates and mango a little bit before putting in thermomix as I don’t have a separate food processor. Ten out of ten 🥰
Woohoo! Thanks for the lovely review, Samantha!
Monica says
I happened to have some dried, unsweetened mangos on hand so I gave this a try. I subbed figs for dates and used all walnuts. These came out delicious and were so quick and easy to make. Will be making again!
Yay! Thanks for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Monica!
meredith says
Hello, what brand of mango did you use?
Hi Meredith, we like Natural Grocers, Trader Joe’s, or from the bulk bins at nearly any health food store. Hope that helps!
meredith says
Awesome good to know. I work for Peeled Snacks and I’d love to re create this using our organic no sugar added mango! Have you ever tried ours?
Hi Meredith, we haven’t tried that brand, but it should work!
Rede Batcheller says
Question for you: can you suggest a substitute for the hemp seeds? I gather they are not ground; are they just to provide texture? Perhaps they could be toasted and ground coarse? (Due to a long-standing history of IBS and a more recent run in with colon cancer I try to stay away from intact seeds of any kind in what I eat. I don’t need to aggravate the innards; they do fine being persnickety all on their own!)
Hi Rede, it would be fine to leave them out!
Tiffany Jade says
I was wondering if I can substitute the coconut with almond or oat flour. I don’t love coconut…I know …everyone says I’m crazy
Hi Tiffany! We haven’t tried it but we think almond flour would be the best substitute here. You may want to start with a lesser amount in case it’s more absorbent than the coconut. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Abby says
Delicious and zesty. Perfect for the hot summer days
We’re so glad you enjoy them, Abby =) Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Neil Arundel says
Wanted to print a recipe – 79 pages, many identical -NO WAY!
Hi Neil, if you use the print button in the recipe box, it will print on 2 pages. Hope that helps!
Ekaterina says
Hi there! A while ago a made these and they were absolutely amazing, so thanks for the recipe. I’d like to use this recipe for granola bars. Perhaps you have any suggestions to adjust this recipe for granola bars?
Thank you in advance!
Hi Ekaterina, we’re so glad you enjoy them! You could probably press them into a parchment-lined dish, similar to this recipe. Hope that helps!
Ekaterina says
Thank you for a quick reply. If to be honest I made that recipe last week (granola bars), and they were delicious as well. I was thinking to add some rolled oats to the recipe, but not sure how it’s gonna turn out.
Anyways, thank you for you answer and suggestion. Much appreciated!
Anne Heil says
My rehydrated mango was still too wet when I added it and when combined with my dates, the dough was really sticky. I used more coconut and finally rolled them in a combination of more coconut and almond “flour”. That helped cut the sweetness for me, too, as I didn’t have hemp seeds and the nuts didn’t balance enough of the fruit sweet flavor.
Stefanie says
Yummy. I didnt have dates or coconut substitute coconut extract, chia seeds and figs. These were so easy to make, I love them. My husband doesnt like the coconut mango combo so next time I’ll leave out the coconut altogether.
Thanks for the recipe
Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Stefanie! xo
Cyndi says
Has anyone made these mango bites with fresh mango instead? My mango tree is providing me with more fresh mangoes that I can use and these looked yummy!
Thanks!
Hi Cyndi, We tested that and it doesn’t make a good consistency as they’re too high in water.
alyssa says
hey i only have 3.5 oz of dried mango, could i sub the rest with dried apricots? or will that not work?
We haven’t tried that, but it might work! Let us know if you give it a try!
Megan says
Could i make this with fresh mangoes? They are abundant this time of year where I live
We tested that and it doesn’t make a good consistency as they’re too high in water.
Naia says
Hi Dana,
I tried to do this recipe however the dried mango wasn`t as soft as I`ve imagined and I couldn`t process it within the other ingredients :( Have you came across this situation? THank you.
Hi Naia, we haven’t! But when this happens with dates, we soak them in warm water for ~10 minutes to rehydrate. We wonder if that would help with the mango?
Milda says
Delicious!
Spandana says
Dana I came across this recipe a while back and after saving it to my favorites for a while deleted it as I never seemed to have the time.I recently have decided to be as healthy as possible and remembered this recipe looked for it again n made it today.The pictures are phenomenal which is why I think the recipe stayed in my subconscious ?.I subbed hemp seeds for pumpkin seeds and my next go around will make it with dried figs or dried plum or cranberry and sub hemp seeds for chia seeds and roll them in toasted sesame seeds – I love tat I have all the ingredients to sub n make variations.The lime zest took the recipe from good to ah-mazing – Thank you for the inspiration!
Ljiljana says
Made this yesterday and it’s all gone
Making 3 batches today
Love them
I had made all energy balls and they are perfect
do you have anything with dry plums?
Thank you
We are glad you’re enjoying them! We don’t currently have any recipes with dry plums!
Soly says
can i use fresh Mango then baked in Oven
We haven’t tried, but I would think that should work as long as it is dried out enough! Let us know if you give it a try, Soly!
MV says
Hello! These energy balls look amazing! I cannot wait to try them out! But do you think I could replace the hemp seeds by something else as I can’t find any?
Thank you!
Perhaps flax?
Vineet says
Hey!! The recipe seems wonderful. What variety of dried unsweetened mango should i use to derive this mango energy bite , as i hope dried mango is one the crucial ingredient?
Thanks
Hi Vineet! Any dried mango will do!
Priya says
Gorgeous to look and super delicious to eat… since the time I have looked at your post, I have been thinking about these. Finally, today at dinner time I made these… as I was too bored to prep dinner… lol..
Thank you such a great idea. I would like to share the picture however not able to post in comments.
We’re glad you enjoyed the recipe, Priya! We’d love to see what you cooked up and if you share a photo on Instagram using the hashtag #MinimalistBaker, we’ll keep our eyes out for it :D
Danielle says
would I be able to use fresh mango instead of dried?
I don’t think so!
Lydia says
These were amazing! My grocery store was out of dried mango and hemp seeds so I subbed dried unsweetened peaches and chia seeds, and I have a tree nut allergy so I substituted almonds. Great recipe- definitely will be making again.
Rachel says
I am wondering about substituting raw pecans for the walnuts. I assume I can’t go wrong, unless the it would alter the taste or texture?
Hi! That should work!
Rachel says
I used 50/50 cashews and pecans and they were great, thank you!!
Stact says
Hello.. I am excited to try another one of your recipes. I love so many! I was looking for a mango but that wasn’t real sweet to make into a chili lime mango bite. I know the dates will act as a binder so I was thinking if I used less and omitted the coconut? Then maybe rolling them in crushed pepitas, salt and chili pepper mix. Do you think they would work without the coconut and less dates? Thanks!
Hi! We haven’t tried it so we can’t say for sure! If you give it a go, let us know how it turns out!
Cynthia | Confetti Kitchen says
Thanks for this great recipe! Just wondering – do you think they would hold up ok in the mail for 2 days? Planning to send them as a care package, but unclear if they will get too soft or mushy. Would appreciate any tips!
Hi! Hmm, you could try freezing them ahead of time!
Kristi says
Yum! Once again, a great recipe! I’m prepping and freezing for the start of the school year today! I still think the Hemp Dark Chocolate Energy Bites are my favorite, though. Thanks Dana!
Tisha says
I made these today and they are soooo yummy. I sub chia seeds for hemp because that’s what I had on hand. The perfect, healthy go to snack. Will be making again.
Jacquie says
Is there an easy sub for pitted medjool dates? I can’t ever find them at my grocery.
Hi! You can use dried figs, dried raisins, or dried cranberries!
cristy jones says
The final product looks amazing and delicious and i am totally wondered to look ,mango can be used for such kind of delicious balls.
Tere says
I can’t hardly wait to make these Mango Coconut Energy Bites!. I do have one question though…..l live in Arizona and l think dehydrating these bites will prolong their life. How can l go about it? I do not own a dehydrator.
Fazia Boodhoo says
Where do I find dried mango?
Most bulk stores and groceries should carry it, Fazia! If not, you can find it online!
Jessica says
Hi,
These look amazing! I’ve tried the chocolate energy balls recipe of yours and love them!
Do you think I could make these using raspberries? Dried or freeze-dried perhaps?
Thanks
Trina says
Hi! Can you freeze these? I’ll be traveling for about 15 hrs, and want to make these a week or so ahead of time.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Trina! You sure can! :D
Pauline says
Made those cute balls with dried apricot. There are delicious.
Shannon says
Yum! These were easy and delicious. I used chia seeds in place of hemp seeds as I’ve never seen hemp seeds here in Australia.
Nellette says
If I used dried apricots instead (it’s what I have on hand) do you think I would need to soak them since they aren’t as firm? Thanks!
I haven’t tried using apricots but I think that would work. I’d still soak them! Report back on how it goes!
Nellette says
I plan to make these as soon as we shut down for the day/night. I’ve been following a lot of your recipes as simple is a necessity when you’re an over the road trucker. Trying to find better snackinget foods for those long hauls so we stop reaching for all those tortilla chips and hummus. lol
Brit says
Hi Dana,
Just curious if you can substitute the hemp seeds for any other seeds like Flax?
Thx!
Hi Brit! Yep, that should work!
olivia says
hey there, can i use fresh mango instead of the dried one? thanks! olivia
I don’t think so – they will be too wet.
Russ says
Great recipe Dana!
So pleased you included hemp seeds and that you’re highlighting some of their many benefits.
BTW, hemp seeds will also provide healthy fats, along with the nuts you included. In fact, healthy fatty acids make up about 40% of hemp seeds’ weight!
Joëlle says
Made them without the hemp seeds (which I didn’t have at hand). Very good treat, will make it again. A note on the mixing: if all you have is an immersion blender to do it with, make sure the mangoes are really soft before you mix them with the dates.
Laurine B says
This was vey easy to make and handy to have for a busy bunch to grab and go.
We aren’t especially fond of dates so I substituted dried figs and used the same soak method as the mangos. I also added the juice from the lime and rolled some of the balls in walnuts for the boys who don’t like coconut. The mangos are what made this so good. Very fun to make too. I gave it 4 stars because of the substitutes
Mihela says
Hi Dana,
love this recipe and will make it asap. The photography on your website is astonishing.
Keep up the good work.
Much love from Canada!
Jade says
Yum-my! Any suggestions for replacing hemp seeds? We don’t have those in New Zealand :-(
Mara says
I used chia seeds, and they came out really well. So tasty!
Lindsay says
I just made these…. and my super picky kids (2 and 5 y/o) housed like 5 each! I told them they were candy and now they keep asking me for more candy. They are absolutely delicious. I followed the recipe exact… and I definitely think the lime zest should be a required and not an optional, because you’d totally be missing out without it. I bet a little orange zest could take its place if you’re not crazy about lime. They are so incredibly creamy!
I only have one concern, and I was hoping you could help. The calorie count says 80 calories for 1 (of 17). My recipe made almost exactly 16 balls (1 tbsp each). But when I enter the information into MyFitnessPal, the lowest I could get the totals was 120 per ball (at 16, 1 tbsp balls). I know it isn’t that big of a deal, but popping two at about 160 calories is a big difference for me than say popping 2 at 240 calories! I think next time I do this I will fully measure out/weigh my individual ingredients – which I didn’t do with the mango or the nuts (I weighed them to 150g together, not individually) – to get a more accurate result. But I just wanted to check in with you about this.
Otherwise, these are fantastic and so satisfying!
Andrea says
Made these today, they are delicious! The stars to rate don’t work on my kindle, but I would give 5 stars!
Luz says
These were a hit! I added ground cayenne and more zest when it came time to roll them in the hemp/coconut mixture. My friends loved the hint of heat. Very satisfying- just what I needed for my sugar fix & to hold me till dinner.
GiGi says
I love these babies! But did not have hemp or dried mango. So I used dried kiwi and flax seed, ground. It was awesome! They were slightly wet/oily, but I fixed w/ more coconut and flax. I don’t think I roasted the walnuts long enough to release oils. Still worked for me. This is what I eat when I am craving candy. Thank you!
Great, thanks Gigi!
Shannon says
These are delicious! I omitted the hemp to avoid an extra trip to the store and mixed walnuts and cashews just like you did. The lime zest really makes these pop. I may have to keep some of these in the freezer all summer to help me ward off my constant cravings for ice cream. :)
Loving this and the few other recipes I’ve tried so far from the site. They’re helping me put my weekly CSA produce to great use. Thank you!
Mark says
Dana, the final result looks awesome. Didn’t made anything with the mango in the past, will surely try it today.
Kerry says
These will be the perfect pre or post workout energy boost. Personally, I think the lime is required. :D Super yummy!
Lynda Switzer says
I made these for my church gathering and they are so cute. Everyone loved the tropical flavors. Thanks for sharing!
G says
These look so pretty and tasty! One small recommendation is to soak the nuts 24 hr in salt water instead of roasting, to keep the delicate oils intact (olive and nut oils aren’t very heat stable) This also makes them (in my experience) creamier and easier to grind.
Julie VerHage says
Hmmm any chance there is a sub for the coconut?
Dalya Rubin says
Hi! This recipe looks amazing! I’ve been following your blog for about two years now and I am always wowed at the creativity and effort you put into perfecting each recipe! I took your food photography school course, and it has made such a huge impact on my photo taking and editing for my Youtube channel. I was just at Barns and Noble, and came across your book! I finally bought it and I am super excited to cook with it!!!! Thanks for all your awesome recipes, blogging tips, and food photography lessons!
Sandy says
Can I substitute the nuts with something else? Husband is allergic and I don’t want to bring nuts into the house.
Upma says
Wow!! Mango n it’s THE MANGO SEASON IN INDIA!!! But I have some fresh puréed with chia .. Wonder if it will hold up the nuts n seeds.. Oats maybe?? But Dana.. Thx n do tell me how to use candied ginger as well pl!
Xoxo!!
Alyssa says
So delicious, just made these and love them!
Mixy says
This recipe looks sooooo good!!! I wish my boyfriend wasn’t allergic to nuts… I wonder what a good replacement would be….
Momo says
Can this recipe be tried out with fresh mangos instead?
KC says
These look amazing! Could I use fresh mango or would that make it too wet?
Brigid says
These look perfect for a Ramadan snack. A healthier way to satisfy the sweet tooth and will give us some energy for our nights of worship. I just got some amazing Jordanian medjoul dates, will get some dried mango and give you my verdict when I’ve made them!
Maren says
I’d love to try these, but would it be possible to use fresh mango? I think I’ll have a hard time finding dried ones where I live.
Fareeda says
I would love to make the mango energy bites. I have a lot of fresh ripe mangoes to use up. Have you tried it with fresh mangoes?
Thanks
mariella says
for sure i will try this they look tasty
Getta says
I have frozen mangoes (frozen them last season). DOes that work in lieu of dried rehydrated mangos?
Yes, that should work!
Jenny says
These pictures are wonderful! I love the colors and lighting!
Aleksandra says
As an energy bite addict – I approve. I have never tried ones with mangos!
Sabine says
Does this work with fresh Mango somehow?
I don’t think so!
Joëlle says
Hi!
Any idea if there is a chance dried mango might have been treated with sulfites?
Cmm says
Yes they can be. I buy one’s that are not. Usually from my local health food store.
Fernando @ Eating With Your Hands says
In love with these!
Colleen says
These look amazing – want to make them today but pretty sure my coconut flakes are not desiccated. Is it ok to use regular flakes, or maybe I should give them a quick pulse in the food processor?
Thanks!
Cassie says
Yay for the arrival of summer! Would a dried fruit that has a similar texture to mango work in this recipe as well? I know that banana chips or even apple chips would be far too crispy for these bites, but something a bit more leathery and long should work?
Caroline says
These look delicious! It’s not always easy to find good recipes without sugar or even liquid sweeteners. I always love trying your date-sweetened desserts and appreciate every one of them. I’ll definitely try these soon!
Joyce says
Wow, these ingredients are all my favorites. I never thought about using mango to make energy bites. What a fantastic idea! It sounds so perfect for the summer. I’m in love with mint flavor these days so I probably will sneak some mint leaves in those. :D Thanks for sharing! Love your beautiful photos as well!
Sarah | Well and Full says
These mango energy bites look like the perfect summery bite of goodness! I love that you used dried mango to make them, so yum! :D
Emily @ Robust Recipes says
Love mango! These look delicious and the perfect way to celebrate the first day of summer!!! :)
Masha | Cardio with Carrots says
Honestly…the more ways I can squeeze mango in my life…the better!! This sure sounds like a winning combination! Thanks
Julia @ Sprinkles & Saturdays says
These are so cute and look totally delicious as well! I need to play around with mangoes more and this seems like the perfect opportunity!
Izzy Bruning says
They look amazing!
I always love your posts :)
Izzy |
Caroline says
I love that this is not a peanut butter energy ball. Don’t get me wrong, I love those but this is something different!
Amy | The Whole Food Rainbow says
Hey Dana! These looks so good, I just love your beautiful array of ingredients on the board to, so beautiful. I need some more mangoes!! <3
Janine says
This is such a nice arragement in the Pictures. I never tried out mango in Bites. Must be really good because of the fruity flavor. How long can I Keep them in the fridge? xoxo Janine
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit says
The taste of dried mango is amazing but I am not a fan of the tough texture, so this is the perfect way to solve that dilemma! I’m loving the tropical flavors and photos too!
Maria Carolina says
I love mango. I have a tree in my house. Amazing post.
Katie says
These look awesome! I make energy bites (I call ’em powerballs) fairly often, but I’ve never even considered using mango. I’ve also never put a batch in the freezer– but it would make those busy weeks a little easier.
Tom ~ Raise Your Garden says
Mango was off my radar as well. These look like the TimBits donuts I get near the local donut shop near my house. Coconut just gives that necessary crunch on the outside. But I’m guess these are a whole lot healthier than the donuts I’m pounding with my coffee in the morning.
Erin@WellPlated says
YAY for summer! These look like the perfect treat to celebrate, plus I have a whole bag of hemp seeds just waiting to be used. Hope you guys had a sunny, joyful solstice day!