We’re no strangers to date bites around here, but these may just top them all. Strong claim, but with good reason. If you love the flavors of buttery cashews, salted caramel, and coconut, you’re going to love these energy bites!
Just 4 ingredients and 10 minutes required for these naturally sweetened, plant-based gems that are perfect for on-the-go snacking, pre- or post-workout fuel, or a healthier dessert! Let us show you how it’s done.
It starts with medjool dates to provide the sweet, sticky, caramelly base. Cashews and shredded coconut add richness and texture. And sea salt takes them into salted caramel goodness land. Swoon!
These simple ingredients are blended up in a food processor.
Then scooped into adorable bite-sized portions (we use this small cookie scoop for ease).
And rolled into balls! That’s assuming they make it this far before sneaking into your mouth.
We hope you LOVE these bites! They’re:
Salty-sweet
Quick & easy
Caramelly
Coconutty
Nutty
& Delicious!
Enjoy as an on-the-go snack, pre- or post-workout fuel, or a healthier dessert! They’d also pair well with a glass of dairy-free milk.
Other Easy Energy Bite Recipes
- 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cup Energy Bites
- 5-Ingredient No-Bake Cookie Energy Bites
- Mango Energy Bites
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Salted Cashew Caramel Energy Bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed pitted dates (measured after pitting // we prefer medjool)
- 1/3 cup roasted unsalted cashews (if nut-free, sub seed of choice, such as hemp or sunflower // raw cashews are also fine // if your nuts are salted, add less salt to the mixture)
- 1/4 cup desiccated or shredded unsweetened coconut (or sub half the amount in coconut flour and work your way up for more of a cake bite texture)
- 1/4 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
Instructions
- To a food processor add pitted dates, cashews, coconut, and sea salt (adjust amount as needed if nuts are salted). Note: If you don’t have a food processor you can try using a blender, but dates can be tough for blenders due to their sticky nature, so use a low speed if possible and pulse rather than blending.
- Pulse until the mixture is blended into a dough and starts to clump together (~30 seconds to 1 minute). If it’s too dry or crumbly and it doesn’t stick together when pressed between two fingers, add more pitted dates (just ensure your dates are sticky and fresh, or it will only further dry out the mixture.) If still dry and crumbly, you could add a bit of cashew butter to help them form (optional).
- Scoop out 1 ½ Tbsp amounts (we love this scoop) and roll into balls. As the original recipe is written, ~9 balls.
- Enjoy immediately or store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 1 week, or in the freezer up to 1 month. We prefer these right out of the fridge for best flavor and texture!
Jenny Besse says
Super easy and delicious!! Will definitely make again!
So glad you enjoyed them, Jenny! Thanks so much for sharing. xo
Coby says
Oh my gosh, these are delicious! I absolutely love Medjool dates, and they are so good in this salty-sweet combo. I’m going to have trouble eating just one at a time!
We know the feeling! We’re so glad you love the recipe, Coby! xoxo
Katie Lepine says
These were sooooooo delightful! I made a double batch and found the prescribed amounts to be perfect. They were a little sticky and soft when I rolled them, but not overly so and are the perfect, fudgy texture now that they’ve chilled. I used raw cashews that I toasted for a few minutes (I knew they’d firm up in the fridge since I used warm nuts), shredded coconut, medjool dates (thank u Costco), and pink salt. I love that it’s only four ingredients and there’s no melting oil, etc. I’m pregnant and my a1c was a little high, so I’ve cut out sugar and am eating lower glycemic. These were *such* a treat. The only issue is that they might be too delicious and therefore go too quickly?
We’re SO glad you’re enjoying them, Katie! Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
Claudia says
Yum! Perfect as dessert or before I go to the gym in the morning!
Yay! Thanks, Claudia!
Rebecca says
Hi there,
I don’t have a food processor. Could I get the same results if I used a blender instead?
Hi Rebecca, we find dates struggle a bit in a blender. But if you go slowly (pulse) and move them around as needed, it might be okay! Once the dates are blended, you could try transferring to a bowl if it’s getting stuck. Hope that helps!
Hana Sarwar says
I really want to make these! Could I possibly use salted roasted almonds instead of cashews? I understand they will obviously be different.
Hi Hana! We haven’t tried this with roasted almonds and we aren’t sure how it would turn out.. cashews are much softer which is helpful here, and the roasted flavor of the almonds might not work. No promises, though! Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Penny says
Hi, I’m keen on making this but can’t eat nuts at the moment. What could I sub it with instead?
Hi Penny, we’d suggest using seed(s) of choice, such as a combination of hemp, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds. Hope that helps!
Claire says
Once again, another outstanding MB recipe! I used a bit more dates so they turned out rather sticky, but the flavor with raw, unsalted cashews was still excellent. Definitely will make again!
xoxo!
Alexa says
I was desperate for a little sweet something, and gave these a try – only took a few minutes to make. I added a capful of vanilla extract, and rolled the finished balls in desiccated coconut. They were delicious alongside slices of fresh crisp apple – thank-you so much!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Alexa! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Sarah says
Hey MB,
Do you know if you could sub prunes for dates?
Thanks!
Hi Sarah! Unfortunately we don’t think that prunes would yield the same results here, they have a stronger flavor and aren’t always as sticky as dates. But do let us know how it goes if you give it a try! xo
Kate says
These are divine! So fast and easy to make and fantastic as a healthy desert or sweet snack. The mixture was a bit dry, so I followed one of the other reader comments and added 2 T tahini and they turned out amazing! Thanks for another great recipe!
Yumm, thanks for sharing your experience, Kate! We’re so glad you enjoyed. xo
Angela~ says
Delicious! Perfect combination of sweet and salty! Bonus no need to feel guilty eating these sweets.
We’re so glad you enjoy them, Angela! xoxo
Rachel says
These are wonderful! I don’t have a food processor so I chopped up the dates and added them LAST to my Vitamix. The mixture came together nicely by pulsing (vs. blending) as recommended — thanks for this simple and delicious recipe!
Great! Thanks so much for sharing, Rachel! xo
Ashley says
Yum! Love anything with a nut/date mixture. Not sure why I never thought of cashews! Delicious 🤤
Woohoo! So glad you enjoyed them, Ashley! xo
Linda says
These are yummy. I’ve made them several times!
Thanks for sharing, Linda!
Carrie Scott says
I made these today and they were a little sticky so I rolled them in cacao powder. Instead of sticky fingers we had chocolate fingers. I gave them out to friends visiting, none of which could believe they were healthy and so easy to make !! 😀
We’re so glad everyone enjoyed them, Carrie! Thank you for sharing! If they’re a little too sticky next time, adding more cashews should help =)
Callie V says
A great balance of sweet and salty. Such a great snack. Definitely do a double batch!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Callie! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Kristina says
I just made these today and they are absolutely delicious!!! The perfect combination of salty and sweet! Thank you for sharing this recipe! I look forward to more from you! 🙃💕💕
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Kristina! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Caley says
SO. GOOD. wish I had more dates to double the batch! so simple and delicious. didn’t have coconut on hand so subbed oats. pulsed cashews and oats a bit before adding dates (had to soak them a bit!). came together beautifully and I know they won’t last long in this house! another winning recipe from you :) thanks!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Caley. Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications!
Anouk says
Favorite energy ball recipe !!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Anouk!
Nicole says
These are delicious! One of my favorite bite recipes on here so far. I found that my cashews only broke down so much, and so the dough was fairly chunky and a bit hard to roll together even though it wasn’t dry, so next time I’ll buzz up the cashews in the food processor first to get smaller pieces before combining them with everything else.
Thanks for sharing, Nicole!
Debbie C. says
This was so easy to make and it’s so delicious. This is my turn to, when I want something sweet. Thanks for sharing.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Debbie. Thanks so much for sharing!
JoyEase says
Wow! Elegant, indulgent, and nearly effortless. A true treat! I added some cashew butter right away and was absolutely satisfied.
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Nora says
These were fantastic! The entire family really enjoyed them! I´d also like to thank you for this fantastic site. I recently had to drastically change my diet for health reasons and your website and the many recipes have been so so valuable for me. You are doing a great job with all these really yummy recipes – even my husband, a total carnivore, really enjoys them!
So great! Thanks for sharing, Nora!
Nicki Papadakis says
I made these and they were so good! Very similar process as the brownie bites… easy, quick, and delicious!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Nicki! Thanks for the lovely review! xo
beth says
i made these tonight and my dates were a little dry, so i added a tablespoon or so of tahini, and they came together beautifully. the tahini goes well with the flavor profile.
Great! Thanks for sharing, Beth!
Tracy says
These are so good! I used deglet noor dates and replaced part of the cashews with sliced almonds and hemp seeds. What a forgiving recipe! Came out so rich and yummy and I didn’t even have to add any nut butter. Thank you for this recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing, Tracy! xo
Beth says
These are maybe the best little energy ball creations ever! Top notch yum.
Aw, yay! Thanks for sharing, Beth! xo
Iralyn says
Yummy and easy! I always double the recipe when making energy balls, since we have a family of 3 and they last a while. Great post-nap snack for my toddler! I did have to add a little more coconut/coconut flour to get my food processor to blend properly. Still turned out great!
Thanks for sharing, Iralyn! xo
Sandra says
How easy was that? I’m in love…
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Sandra!
Sadhna says
Hi Dana,
Can I replace the cashew nuts with pecan nuts?
Thank you 😊
You can – it will just alter the flavor. Let us know how it goes!
Sarah Varin says
Simple AND tasty. Literally took 10 minutes. Exchanged the cashews for dry roasted salted almonds, and didn’t add salt.
LOVE IT. Thanks for sharing, Sarah!
Shirley says
My first recipe from the minimalist baker and it was a great hit with my family and friends. Modified nothing and used the suggestion of coconut flour in the recipe.
Easy, accessible, packed with flavour!
Can’t wait to make the next batch!
Yay! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Shirley! xo
Ashley says
This is a favorite amongst my kids and it’s so easy for them to make! Appreciate you and your recipes so much.
Aw, we’re so glad to hear it! Thank you for your kind words and lovely review! xo
Maggie says
Delicious! I should of doubled the recipe. I did make a few modifications as I don’t like coconut. I used 1 1/2 tbsp of natural peanut butter and 1 tbsp of quick oats instead of coconut. Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Maggie! Thanks for sharing!
Yosef Stanton says
These are something else! Made them to impress my date and she was impressed.
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Yosef!
Bec says
I swapped the coconut for salted caramel protein powder then rolled the balls in coconut. Super delish! I love all your recipes :)
Wow love this swap!
Dora Dean says
Yum! These are delicious and so easy to make. I was impressed by just how carmely they are. I added 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice for fun.
Lovely spin! Thanks for sharing, Dora!
Luci says
I subbed half of the dates for puffed brown rice to cut down on the sweetness. I made another batch and subbed half of the dates with rolled oats. They are both delicious! Thank you for an easy basic recipe that is forgiving of modifications.
Love this! Thanks for sharing, Luci!
Debbie says
I made these and they were delicious. I was wondering about adding some Chia seeds. Forgot to mention my family love these.
Love this addition! Thanks for sharing, Debbie!
Chantal says
delicious and so easy to make!
xo!
VICKY says
Yum! These are so good and quick to make! I made them while waiting for your fluffy banana choc cookies to come out of the oven lol!
Great healthy quick go to snack! Thank you!
yayyyyy!
Vicki says
Could you give me a substitute for coconut in this recipe? I am allergic to it.
Thank you!!
Hemp seeds or almond flour!
Juliana says
This is the best thing I have ever eaten! Sweet and salty, amazing! And so so simple! This batch won’t last! Thank you!
High compliment! Thanks, Juliana!
John says
Sounds good, could add some raisins, craisins, I’d try a few prunes thrown in, be fun to experiment with this recipe..
Sue says
This is sooo good! It actually satisfies my sweet tooth. Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing, Sue! Next time would you mind adding a rating to your review? It’s super helpful to us and other readers! xo
Rodger Heckman says
This is really awesome. Sweet with no added sugar. Won’t last long – make a double or triple batch, I used a Ninja professional smoothie mixer and pulsed it – worked perfectly
Thanks for sharing, Rodger!
Glenna says
Do you soak the dates? I have a different kind than medjool. Can’t remember the name.
Only if they’re dry and stiff. And be sure to drain thoroughly and pat dry before use (they shouldn’t be watery when added).
EZ says
Delicious and so easy
xo!
Hannah says
Wow! These are amazing! We didn’t have cashews and I prefer pecans anyway, so I subbed pecans. Also coated the balls in additional coconut and some chunky salt (we love salt). The result was so good– nutty and sweet and salty but best of all– HEALTHY!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Hannah!
Petra says
OMG these are sooooooo delicious 🤤 Doubled the amount right away as I had a feeling I was going to like these!
Definitely take the time to roast the cashews. I blended them first with the salt then I added the coconut and finally the dates. Yummy thank you for this scrumptious treat! ♥️
Right?! So glad you enjoyed, Petra!
Dee says
Sweet, salty, sticky and easy to make? These bliss balls are super tasty! I might add more cashews next time.
Lovely! Yes, if your dates are super fresh and sticky you may need more cashews. xo!
Chloe says
These are so simple and delicious! I had raw cashews and did not roast them. Additionally, my dates were a bit on the dryer side so I added about a Tbsp. of peanut butter and they still turned out so amazing! Will definitely make again, it has been very hard not to eat five every time I go grab one for a snack.
Thanks, Chloe! Next time would you mind adding a rating to your review? It’s super helpful to us and other readers! xo
Chloe says
Absolutely, sorry about that!
Thanks Chloe!
Sierra says
Wow these turned out amazing! I made them right after getting the email because they looked so yummy and I had all 4 ingredients on hand. I needed to run my food processor for a while to get everything smooth, about 2-3 minutes on low. I made these a little smaller (half size) because they are soooo flavorful. Looking forward to snacking on these for the next couple days 😋
Love it! Thanks, Sierra!
Jen says
These remind me of the much more caloric Date Balls my grandmother made around the holidays. Thanks for the recipe!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Jen!
Jamie says
What substitution would you suggest for the coconut flakes? Some in the family cannot have coconut, but otherwise the recipe sounds delicious. I know there are a whole array of other nuts out there, I was just hoping you already have a sub in mind.
They are kind of central to the flavor / texture, but you could likely sub almond flour or hemp seeds?
Laura says
Oh my goodness, these are like candy! So good. I used the ratios in original recipe and was worried it wasn’t coming together, but I gave it a bit more time in the food processor, and they are so tasty!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Laura!
Doris says
Absolutely yummy! And so easy to make, thank you for another winning recipe!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Doris!
Hope says
These are delicious and do taste like caramel. I added a tablespoon or so of nutpods creamer to get it to bind .( I do the same with 3 ingredient no bake peanut butter cookies.) will make again for sure! Thank you
Lovely idea! Thanks for sharing, Hope! Next time would you mind adding a rating to your review? It’s super helpful to us and other readers! xo
Izzah says
Immediately made these. Perfectly balanced flavors and all 4 ingredients created dimension. Thank you!
So kind! Thanks, Izzah!
Hannah says
Hi! I have some really old dates that I’d like to use up. Do you think I could replump them in hot water and then use them in this recipe? Thanks!
Yes, soak in hot water 10-15 minutes, then drain and pat dry before use!
Bianca says
Could I do half coconut and half salted caramel protein powder? Would the protein powder resemble the coconut flour texture or do you think it would alter the texture too much?
Hmm, it’s worth a shot!
Auds says
These look delicious, but I’m not a big date fan. Could these be made with dried figs?
I think so, yes!
Iman says
I am not a fan of coconut. What can I sub it for?
Try almond flour or hemp seeds!
Julianne says
Do you have any recommendations for substitutes for coconut?
Almond flour or hemp seeds!
Kathy says
Question about using raw cashews
I saw this from Medical News Today.com and now I’m not sure about raw cashews. What do you think?
Raw cashews are not safe to eat, as they contain a substance known as urushiol, found in poison ivy. Urushiol is toxic, and contact with it can trigger a skin reaction in some people.
Follow your intuition here. They personally never give me bad reactions. But if you’d rather avoid, sub another nut such as almonds or walnuts (though the flavor will be totally different).
isa says
can i use cashew pulp (from a homemade milk) for this recipe?
Perhaps but they will be much wetter so you’ll likely need additional coconut!
Ricardo Pinela says
Just made this today, straight my fav energy bites ever, Im taking one before my morning workout or on bike rides, I added a table spoon of hemp seeds for that extra nutrition and used coconut flour. thank you!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Ricardo!!!