The three ingredients you need
- Medjool dates — pitted, about 10–12. The softer and fresher, the better.
- Raw nuts — cashews and almonds are our favourites, but walnuts and macadamia work brilliantly.
- Raw cacao powder — for the chocolate version. Or skip it and use desiccated coconut instead.
How to make them
Blend the nuts in a food processor until roughly chopped — not flour, you want some texture. Add the dates and cacao powder. Blitz again until the mixture clumps together and pulls away from the sides.
Roll into balls about the size of a large cherry. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. That’s genuinely all there is to it.
Make-ahead tip
These keep in the fridge for two weeks and in the freezer for three months. Make a big batch on Sunday and you’re sorted for the whole week.
Ways to customise
This recipe is a starting point, not a rule. Some combinations we love:
- Dates + cashews + coconut + lime zest — tropical and fresh
- Dates + walnuts + cinnamon + sea salt — warming and rich
- Dates + almonds + simsim + honey — classic East African, tastes like mkate wa simsim in ball form
Dates are high in fibre and natural sugars that digest differently to refined sugar. Paired with the healthy fats and protein in nuts, these bites genuinely earn their “energy” label.
