Dark Chocolate Hemp Energy Bites

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Wood board with Fudgy Dark Chocolate Hemp Energy Bites for a protein-rich vegan snack

Fudgy, dark chocolate energy bites made with wholesome ingredients? Yes, please!

Ready your food processors, friends. Let’s make the tastiest snack on the block!

Wood board with walnuts, dates, nut butter, cacao powder, hemp seeds, salt, and coconut oil for making Chocolate Hemp Energy Bites

These energy bites are made with 6 simple ingredients in less than 30 minutes!

The base is my favorite natural sweetener: dates!

  • I love dates because they’re nature’s caramel and boast minerals like zinc, potassium, magnesium, and iron!
  • Walnuts come next, which add protein and are high in omega 3 fatty acids.
  • Cacao powder adds rich chocolate flavor as well as phytonutrients, magnesium, and iron.
  • Almond butter provides even more protein as well as vitamin E, manganese, and biotin.
  • And hemp seeds add omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, iron, magnesium, and zinc. Plus, they’re a perfect protein, boasting 20 amino acids, including the 9 essential amino acids.

I think we can all agree that this is one healthy snack.

Food processor with ingredients for making naturally-sweetened gluten-free vegan energy bites

The texture of these bites is close to a truffle!

They’re so chocolaty and rich and moist. And when you roll them in cacao powder, they even get a little fudgy and sticky. I mean, this is a dreamy scenario.

Adding nut butter to a food processor full of vegan Dark Chocolate energy bites
Perfectly rolled balls of Fudgy Dark Chocolate Hemp Energy Bites

I hope you all LOVE these energy bites! They’re:

Fudgy
Chocolaty
Rich
Perfectly sweet
Super healthy
Easy to make
& Kind of amazing

These bites would make the perfect snack or a healthier dessert. I love having two (or three) in the afternoon for a little energy boost alongside a cup of tea. They would also make a great topper for Overnight Oats, 5-Minute Smoothie Bowls, or Dark Chocolate Quinoa Breakfast Bowls!

For more energy bites, check out our Peanut Butter & Jelly Energy Bites, Mango Energy Bites, and 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cup Energy Bites!

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. We love seeing your creations. Cheers, friends!

Close up shot showcasing our chewy, fudgy Dark Chocolate Hemp Energy Bites recipe

Dark Chocolate Hemp Energy Bites

6-ingredient Dark Chocolate Energy Bites with dates, hemp seeds, walnuts, almond butter, cacao powder, and more! A fudgy, perfectly sweet, protein-packed snack or dessert!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Cutting board of Dark Chocolate Hemp Energy Bites with some coated in hemp seeds and others in cacao powder
4.96 from 98 votes
Prep Time 25 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 20 (bites)
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 1 Week

Ingredients

  • 1 cup packed pitted dates (medjool is best)
  • 2 cups raw walnuts
  • 6 Tbsp cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder (plus more for rolling)
  • 3 Tbsp hemp seeds (plus more for rolling)
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 3 Tbsp creamy almond butter (or other nut or seed butter)
  • 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil (optional // for extra fudgy texture)

Instructions

  • Add dates to a food processor and pulse/mix until small bites remain or a ball forms. Scoop out and set aside.
  • Add walnuts to the food processor and pulse into a fine meal. Then add cacao powder, hemp seeds and sea salt. Pulse a few more times to combine. (Don’t overmix or the walnuts will turn into butter.)
  • Add the dates back in along with the almond butter and melted coconut oil (optional). Mix/pulse to combine. The result should be a moist dough-like mixture. If too wet, add a bit more cacao powder or hemp seeds.
  • Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Then scoop out rounded Tablespoon amounts (I like this scoop) and carefully form into balls. The dough will be somewhat fragile, so use the warmth of your hands to gently form/roll them into balls. There should be about 20 energy bites total (amount as recipe is written – adjust if altering default number of servings).
  • Roll in extra hemp seeds or cacao powder (optional). Note: The bites get a fudgy, sticky outer texture when rolled in cacao powder – which I liked. But for less sticky energy bites, stick with hemp seeds!
  • Store leftovers in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator up to 1 week or in the freezer up to 1 month.

Video

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
*Recipe loosely adapted from my Peanut Butter Cup Energy Bites.

Nutrition (1 of 20 servings)

Serving: 1 energy bite Calories: 124 Carbohydrates: 10 g Protein: 4.1 g Fat: 8.9 g Saturated Fat: 1.2 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Fiber: 2.5 g Sugar: 6.8 g

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    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Jo, It’s not necessary unless your dates are especially dried out. Ideally they are moist and sticky! If soaking, drain well. Hope that helps!

      • Jo Brainard says

        Thanks so much, I think my dates are dried out. Will check. Also I’m planning to replace walnuts with the almond pulp from the almond milk I made last night. Would 2 cups of almond pulp work?

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Jo, If you haven’t baked the almond pulp to turn it into almond flour, we would suggest using this recipe instead. Otherwise the bites may turn out too wet. Hope that helps!

  1. Torey G says

    These are fantastic! Added an additional Tbls of coconut oil and my favorite protein powder and rolled in shredded coconut, hard to stop eating them!
    Thank you, will be making again and again!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Asha, in our experience, blenders can struggle a bit with dates. Perhaps if you chop them up first and pulse, stopping a few times to stir, it could work. Hope that helps!

  2. Nance says

    These are a chocolate lovers dream come true!!! I am so happy to have found the perfect use for my abundance of almond pulp!

  3. Marcus says

    I’d like to see more diversity on your site. These Americans, they don’t understand that other cuisines exist. French, Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino… so much out there and yet you guys continue giving us American food.

  4. Tiffany Casados says

    Is there a good substitute for the walnuts? We have a tree nut allergy in the house. Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Tiffany! Most other nuts would work well here, and other readers have also had success with using all hemp seeds, though we haven’t tried that ourselves. Hope this helps!

    • Lucinda says

      For my second batch, I had run out of walnuts, so I used macadamia butter for the entire nut component… While macadamias are tree nuts – could peanut butter work in your household?

  5. Saroja Bhatia says

    These were amazing !!! So easy to make and a sure hit with everyone in the family
    Replaced the hemp seeds with dry desiccated coconut and the used peanut butter instead ( turned out great )
    Followed the rest of the recipe with the same ingredients and measurements
    Thank you this is absolutely divine !!

  6. Deb says

    I’m curious why you specify raw walnuts. I soak and dry walnuts and wonder why they wouldn’t work and be delicious in this recipe. Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Deb! Those might work, but we’ve never tried it so couldn’t guarantee results. Raw walnuts have a nice neutral flavor, and they are quite tender and soft which is ideal for this recipe. Let us know how it goes if you try it with your dried walnuts!

  7. Rochelle says

    I cut the recipe in half, and otherwise followed all the directions, but these came out much too bitter with hardly any sweetness. I then added some more dates and that didn’t make enough of a difference, so I added several drops of stevia, but I still found this too bitter. This just wasn’t my taste.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Bummer! Sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy this recipe, Rochelle. Is it possible your almond butter or walnuts weren’t fresh? We find that sometimes our almond butter or nuts get old and lend a bitter/sour taste to recipes! We’d love to help trouble-shoot if you want to make it again!

    • Rochelle says

      Thanks for responding. I used (unsweetened) peanut butter, which was kept in the fridge and I’d stored the walnuts in the freezer, so I don’t think that was the issue. I like dark chocolate, but only up to about 70%, so this was just too strong for me.

      • Raych says

        Hi Rochelle, I’m wondering how much salt you used considering you halved the recipe? Salt neutralises bitterness :)

        I haven’t made this recipe yet however I do love bitter flavours so I can’t wait to try it!

  8. Melanie says

    I had to make some modifications due to my little one’s allergies, so I used all hemp butter instead, and red palm oil instead of coconut oil. These things are DELICIOUS! I admit to sneaking a few at work. They are simply amazing. I also coated half in cinnamon/sugar and the other half in hemp seeds. They are both great!

  9. Laura says

    These are so amazing! Could I sub in oat flour for the ground walnuts to make a lower fat/cheaper version? I eat them too regularly!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Laura! We haven’t tried this with oats and we aren’t sure if it will hold up without nuts, but it might! We’d suggest trying it with just 1 cup walnuts and 1 cup oats, but let us know what you try!

  10. Patricia Woods says

    I have just made these. They are so easy to make and taste gorgeous. I rolled some in hemp hearts some in chia seeds and some in raspberry powder . Will definitely be making again soon .
    Thanks for the recipe.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Raspberry powder?! YUM! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Patricia! Thank you for sharing! xo

  11. Sam says

    These are amazing! I’ve made them several times and can’t live without them. I’ve added chia seeds for an extra crunch and roll them in shredded coconut.

  12. Caitlin says

    These are weekly staple at our house, so yummy! My 9 year old loves them too. But we live in Indonesia where hemp seeds are illegal! Can you suggest a replacement? Sesame seeds, maybe?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Caitlin! We’re so happy you enjoy this recipe. We haven’t tried it but we would suggest ground flax or chia seeds to replace the hemp seeds IN the bites, and rolling them in either shredded coconut or sesame seeds! Let us know how it goes! xo

    • Natasha says

      Looooved! So good! Reminds me of brownies! When I was a kid I’d take the center of my brownie and roll it into a ball lol. I am breastfeeding and wanted to add some rolled oats as they are good for your milk supply. I halved the recipe and then halved the walnuts again (1/2 cup), replacing the other half (1/2 cup) with rolled oats. I also added a tablespoon of maple syrup. These turned out sooo good! Will definitely be making these often. Thanks for the recipe!!

  13. Elena says

    Love – can’t believe how incredible the flavor is with how healthy they are. I somehow managed to make these with an immersion immersion blender and regular blender although wouldn’t recommend haha. First I turned dates into a paste with immersion blender and then in small blender mixed the rest of the ingredients then hand mixed it together.

    This recipe alone is worth investing in a food processor haha.

    Also I ran out of coconut oil so used butter and it worked.

  14. Kavya says

    Amazeballs. Seriously. This is a recipe that I keep coming back to time and time again. The recipe is very flexible in terms of nut type, nut butter, nearly everything except the dates can be substituted for whatever you have on hand.

    Some variation’s I’ve tried are :
    PB instead of almond butter
    Almonds/Cashews instead of walnuts
    MCT oil instead of coconut oil
    > Date to nut ratio
    Adding stevia in for extra sweetness
    Rolling in coconut flakes

  15. Cheyenne says

    Hello,

    I made the coconut milk and hoping to re-purpose the coconut pulp. It linked to this recipe but I don’t see any coconut pulp listed in the ingredients or notes. Do you know if there is a recommended amount of coconut pulp I should be adding or is it supposed to replace an existing ingredient?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Cheyenne, we haven’t actually tried it, but we think it would work! We’d suggest using it in place of some of the walnuts. Let us know how it goes!

  16. Gina Alfieri says

    Love this recipe. So simple and delicious. We rolled half the batch in coconut and they’re delicious as well!

  17. Michaela says

    Hi. You say I can use raw almond pulp in this recipe. How? Instead of nuts, almond butter or you’d just add it in?
    Can I replace the hemp seeds with anything? I’ve never had them, I don’t know the taste. Thank you

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Michaela, You can use it in place of some of the walnuts. And you can replace the hemp seeds with another seed such as ground flax or chia seeds. Let us know how it goes!

      • Michaela says

        Hi. I did a half of the recipe, 10 balls. I used the pulp instead of all the walnuts and bought hemp seeds, used fewer dates, 75g instead of 100g and they are amazing. Taste like a dessert rather than a snack. I am very impressed. Thank you very much.

  18. Iram says

    Can I use hemp powder instead of hemp seeds? Also, can i substitute other nuts because my son is allergic to walnuts? Thanks.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Iram, hemp protein might work, but we’d say start with less as the flavor is stronger. And yes, other nuts such as macadamia, hazelnuts, or pecans would work! Enjoy =)

  19. Celine says

    Thank you for sharing this recipe! These are DELICIOUS – so chocolaty and fudgy. I used macadamia oil because I had no coconut oil in the house and that also worked beautifully.

  20. Dee Hughes says

    YUM! I used all hemp seeds as I didn’t have walnuts on hand. Also, rolled them in a mixture of hemp seeds, cocoa, and sea salt. I used THC infused coconut oil, so will only eat one at a time ;)

  21. Randie says

    I love these but don’t like the taste of my own ground walnuts, so I bought the ready-made ground walnuts. How much do 2 cups of walnuts grind down to? Thanks

  22. Sherri neil says

    Now, I’m in trouble. I was just about to make another batch of these yummy bites, because my husband loves them, and I realized I have no dates. Yikes. Guess I will have to find another yummy recipe to replace them.

    • Ujaja Seh says

      I made this today! Substitute for walnut for almond, almond butter to peanut butter, then I skipped hemp seed. Used what’s currently available and it works wonder!

  23. Claire says

    My first recipe with a food processor was a success; thanks, Dana! These taste exactly like mini brownie bites; I omitted the coconut oil and rolled them in cacoa powder. It was a test of willpower not to just eat the entire batch with a spoon, haha. If I could give these 10 stars, I would!

    • Sherri neil says

      Just made another batch of these addicting morsels and decided to spice it up a bit. Added some cayenne and yum. Thanks Dana once again for developing these recipes that let me have my sweets with a little less guilt. I would not be disappointed if you developed an app.

  24. Angel says

    OMG!!! These taste amazing and so simple to make. Definitely going to be making them again!! Even our kids ate them, finally something we all like. One is enough, but so hard to stop at just one!! Included the coconut oil and was perfectly fudgy! My daughter rolled them in fine coconut shreds, raw cacao and/or hemp hearts.

  25. Yuki says

    Amazing recipe, I love how customizable it is. If using roasted almonds I’ve found 1.5 cups to be a good amount, even less depending on stickiness of dates.

    I’ve also tried adding leftover meal from the coconut cashew oat milk recipe. I reduced walnuts to 1.25 cups, subbed 1 tablespoons of nut butter with coconut butter and I got the fudgiest texture possible.

  26. Kaleigh says

    Very delicious recipe! I have made these multiple times. I use the pulse setting on my ninja blender as I don’t have a food processor and I find they turn out great every time.

  27. Dawn DeSimone says

    These are delicious and satisfying. I added instant coffee granules and my home made vanilla. So good! I like forward to making many meow of your recipes!

  28. Tea says

    Making this for the fifth time. Everyone in my family loves these and they ask for more. Absolutely delicious, easy and healthy. I always add coconut oil and I add bit more dates. Best recipe for date energy balls. Thank you!

  29. Ashley says

    Everyone needs these in their life!!! These are fantastic and taste like a better Ferrero Rocher. For some texture, I didn’t process the walnuts into a meal, rather left them slightly crumbly. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!

  30. Zubeida Said says

    Thanks for this great recipe! Easy to follow and cane out perfect! I didn’t have hemp seeds so I used flaxseeds instead! Made half a batch and regretting it now ? awesome recipe!

  31. Emma says

    One of my favorite 3 PM snack attack rescues! I definitelt suggest using the coconut oil- it helps keep the ingredients together and adds to the luxurious, fudgey feeling.
    I ♥️ Your recipes!

  32. Cassidy says

    Made the recipe as is and they turned out super yummy! I ended up making about 18 of them, just a bit smaller than recommended. I do wish I had a food processor because my blender almost couldn’t handle the chunky-ness hah. Either way it all worked out. Thanks so much!

  33. Jessica says

    These are so delicious! I swapped 1 of the cups of walnuts for pecans out of necessity….still worked great. Thank you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Jessica. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  34. Katia says

    I have been looking for a healthy not too sweet chocolate snack and these are perfect! Just the right amount of sweetness. So easy to make! Thank you for sharing this recipe.

  35. Kyra says

    I made these for the first time yesterday and WOW WOW WOW!! So delcious! I added some mint extract to half of the ‘batter’ at the end, as I am a huge mint-chocolate lover – it was delicious! Thanks so much for another amazing recipe!

  36. Vesna says

    I forgot to give this 5 stars in my last comment.
    So here it is — 5 stars. I’m adding this recipe to my repertoire of “balls” LOL (among them chocolate-covered PB energy balls as well as the carrot cake balls from your site). I love all the different flavours this type of snack/dessert can take.

  37. Vesna says

    I made these and covered them in melted chocolate and rolled them in finely processed coconut shreds. I gave one to my son, and after taking just one bite, he immediately said, “I’m going to need another one.” Haha! These are the best kinds of desserts and snacks to make. They freeze well and are ready for when those snack attacks hit for active boys (and their mommas!) :D

  38. Meg says

    Could i use sesame instead of hemp?
    Does it turn out well if i halve the recipe?
    Well, I’m going to try both.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We think sesame would work! We aren’t sure whether there will be enough volume to process with a half batch. Let us know how it goes!

  39. Shannon says

    First time making energy bites and am so happy to have a nutritious, healthy (and yummy!) treat to pack for my hiking adventures. From freezer to pack, a winner! Thx!

  40. Nathalia Linda says

    Hello Dana, hello people!
    Thank you for this recipe. Today is the second time I made it. Just like others, I also added a little more of certain things.
    Extras:
    1/2 cup of dates
    1 tbps of hempseeds
    1 tbsp of infused cannabis coconut oil(Super fudgy)
    Also I rolled some in cacau powder, oats hempseeds, coconut, brown sugar and Cacau nibs so they all look different.
    I loved it. Thanks again.

  41. Emily says

    Delicious and so easy!! Key is to soak the dates in water that has just boiled so that it’s super easy to blend up. I doubled the salt amount and rolled them in hemp seeds. I also added 1/2 Tablespoon of coconut oil which did help keep them sticking together better. Perfection, and my 8-year-old and 5-year-olds loved forming the bites and rolling them in hemp seeds. Will be making these as a staple treat and storing in the freezer!!

  42. S says

    Love this recipe! I only have a blender, but everything worked perfectly. Just made sure to not to pulse the mixtures too much since it would be easier to overwork in a blender. These are a weekly staple for me now!

  43. LLuna says

    I doubled the recipe for my first time making these, they turned out AMAZING! I ended up with enough to share at my workplace and friends that appreciate eating healthy! Easy recipe with ingredients I had available, and the best: no baking needed. THANK YOU for sharing this!

  44. DA says

    This is a great snack option! I substituted 1 cup dried figs (soaked in warm water, then drained) and 6 Tbsp mini dark chocolate chips for the dates and cacao powder. They still turned out great! Thanks for the easy recipe!

  45. M says

    Made these today with a hazelnut spread instead of almond butter. They’re delicious! I rolled some in unsweetened, dried coconut, but haven’t tasted those yet. My partner and toddler also enjoyed!

      • kurt wainwright says

        Hi

        I just made these unfortunately the mixture came out like crumbs.
        Any suggestions on what went wrong?

        But taste wise its lovely

        Thank you.

        • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

          Hi Kurt! Sorry to hear this recipe didn’t work so well for you, did you happen to make any modifications to the ingredients? Depending on the freshness and variety of your dates, that might be part of why the mixture wasn’t wet enough.

  46. Daria Kallal says

    Hi, Dana!
    I love your recipes and enthusiasm for innovation with good food!
    I made this recipe and it was fa-buh-lous! FIVE STARS!
    I swapped out the 2 cups raw walnuts for 2 cups of Brazil nuts (it’s what I randomly had on hand) and it was a delicious and comparable substitution.
    This recipe was quick, easy, nutritious, and fun! (I especially enjoyed hand rolling the optional cacao powder and hemp seed dusting finale! The fudgey result was incredible!)
    Thank you for always bringing healthy, delicious recipes and ideas to our home!
    Cheers!
    Daria

  47. Lenore Bonk says

    I love making these! Sometimes I add a little bit of protein powder, they still stick together great as long as you use the melted coconut oil.

  48. fenice says

    These are so simple to make and delicious — the flavour is so much more than the sum of its parts! They’re also a great snack for my Type I diabetic husband. The bites give him a little boost without skyrocketing his blood sugar and he’s thrilled that “I get to eat chocolate!”

  49. Sharon says

    What’s a good substitute for dates? They aren’t easily accessible where I’m from, sadly, and I find it so frustrating that most of these recipes require them :(

  50. Ginny says

    OMG THESE ARE SO GOOOOOOD!! I’m a chocolaholic and these are just AMAZING! I didn’t have hempseeds so I used chiaseeds, works just as well! Again, a great recipe!!

  51. Mary says

    I have anxiety if I don’t have these made in my house at all times. I have easily made these 100 times. They’re great every time.

  52. Sarah says

    I made this recipe and liked it so much I immediately made a second batch to share with friends! I swapped walnuts for pecans, as I had some in the pantry, already ground. The second time around I cut the cocoa powder to 1/4 cup (as I found that the first batch was a touch too bitter) and replaced my missing 2 tbsp of dry ingredients with some supplementary fiber (metamucil, no flavor), as well as an extra tbsp of hemp seeds as my mixture was a bit wet. The second batch yeilded 24 bites, all of which I rolled in hemp seeds. Next time, I may add more fiber and play around with the wet ingridients – I would like 1 serving of 3 bites to have 10-12g of fiber. That way one healthy snack would pack half of my fiber intake for the day! It’s simply delicious and easy to modify! This recipe is a keeper.

  53. Lyndsey says

    I made these as a snack and they were easy to make and so delicious! Also very healthy! These will be a go to from now on! Thanks :)

  54. M says

    Rich, chocolate-y, fudge-y goodness — these are amazing AND they’re healthy. I added some cacao nibs and rolled 1/3 in cacao, 1/3 in hemp seeds, and left a 1/3 unrolled. Perfect snack or dessert when you’re craving some guilt-free sweetness. If you’re considering making them, just do it. You won’t be disappointed.

  55. Louise says

    Ooooh, so delicious. I didn’t have walnuts, so first time making I used almonds and about to use pecans. So quick and easy. I love your site, and your acceptance of all eaters!! Food freedom and non judgmental attitudes are nice to come across. Thanks.