No-Bake Brownie Bites, a simple plant-based chocolate brownie snack ball recipe with cocoa powder, chocolate chips, dates, and nut butter. A sweet treat that’s perfect for meal prep!
Love brownies? Try these no-bake brownie bites! Made with whole ingredients and minimal added sugar, these plant-based brownie bites are a great sweet treat to meal prep and enjoy the whole week.
👉 Ready to learn how to make brownie bites, no baking required? Let’s do it!
🍫 Ingredients
- Dates: dates are the foundation ingredient in these bites and provide a sticky texture and sweetness
- Nut butter: I used almond butter, but any nut or seed butter will work
- Cocoa powder: Dutch process cocoa powder adds a deep chocolate flavor (and color!)
- Dark chocolate chips: a few sprinkled chocolate chips add a touch of extra sweetness
- Flavorings: a touch of maple syrup (optional), vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt
- Water: we’re using hot water to soak the dates, plus a little more if the mixture is too dry
- Recommended tools: food processor or high powered blender
🥣 How to make (step-by-step photos)
1️⃣ Step One: Soak dates to soften them
Dates are the foundation of these chewy brownie bites and for best results you should soak them in hot water before making the bites so that they soften and mix well with the other ingredients.
To do this, add the dates and hot water to a bowl and let 15 minutes to soak so they become soft. Then drain and remove the pits.
2️⃣ Step Two: Blend brownie bite ingredients
Add soaked and pitted dates, almond butter (or other nut butter), maple syrup, about 1/3 cup cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and sea salt to a food processor.
Blend on high for about 30 seconds, or until ingredients are well-combined and sticky, but not too thick that they’re not easily chewable.
If the mixture is too hard, then add about 1-2 tablespoons of water to the food processor and blend again for a softer ingredient mixture.
3️⃣ Step Three: Roll into small balls
Remove the blended brownie bite mixture to a bowl and use a tablespoon to scoop out the mixture.
Then roll into a ball with your hands, and then roll the ball over the remaining cocoa powder (place the powder on a plate or in a bowl). This step is optional but it adds a nice dry outer layer of chocolate powder to your truffle bites.
4️⃣ Step Four: Chill and serve
Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator until ready to eat as the balls are very soft and will have a firmer texture when chilled.
💡 Ideas for serving
- Eat as a snack. Make a batch of the brownie balls at the beginning of the week and eat as a snack throughout the week.
- As a sweet breakfast on the go. Need a quick on-the-go breakfast alternative? Eat 2 of these protein-packed bites.
- Keep as a nutritious sweet treat. Enjoy a ball or two after dinner as a whole food alternative to sweet desserts.
🧊 How to store
- Refrigerator storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
- Freezer storage: Freeze in a freezer-friendly container or bag for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours before eating.
👉 More easy snack recipes
Want more easy sweet bite and ball recipes? Try these Cranberry Bliss Balls or Green Matcha Energy Balls.
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No-Bake Brownie Bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup dates*
- 2 cups hot water, for soaking dates
- ½ cup almond butter, or other nut butter
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- ¼ cup cocoa powder, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Optional: 1-2 tablespoons water, if mixture is too thick and needs thinning
Instructions
- Soak dates: Add dates and hot water to a bowl and let 15 minutes to soak so they become soft. Then drain and remove the pits from the dates.1 cup dates*, 2 cups hot water
- Blend brownie bite ingredients: Add soaked and pitted dates, almond butter (or other nut butter), maple syrup, about 1/3 of cocoa powder (3 tablespoons, as recipe is written), vanilla extract, and sea salt to a food processor. Blend on high for about 30 seconds, or until ingredients are well-combined and sticky, but not too thick that they’re not easily chewable. If the mixture is too hard, then add about 1-2 tablespoons of water to the food processor and blend again for a softer ingredient mixture.1 cup dates*, ½ cup almond butter, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, ½ cup dark chocolate chips, ¼ cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, Optional: 1-2 tablespoons water
- Roll mixture into balls: Remove the blended brownie bite mixture to a bowl and use a tablespoon to scoop out the mixture. Then roll into a ball with your hands, and then roll the ball over the remaining cocoa powder (place the powder on a plate or in a bowl). This step is optional but it adds a nice dry outer layer of chocolate powder to your truffle bites.¼ cup cocoa powder
- Chill before serving: You can eat the bites immediately, but chilling in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes will allow the balls to firm up as the balls are very soft at room temperature.
Equipment
- 1 food processor
Recipe Notes
- *Dates note: Medjool dates are usually the most common type of date found in most grocery stores; for 1 cup you’ll need about 6-7 dates. For the photos for this recipe I used deglet dates, which are smaller in size, and used about 11-12. However, any type of dates work.
- Prep ahead instructions: This tasty dessert brownie bite recipe is great to make ahead and store to eat later. Make a big batch once per week and store in the refrigerator, or freeze for later.
- Leftovers and storage: Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. Store in the freezer in a freezer-friendly bag for up to 2 months, removing to the refrigerator for a few hours to let thaw before eating.
- Nutrition notes: Nutrition information is an estimate and includes all ingredients listed. This recipe uses only plant-based ingredients and is gluten free.
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