Dark Chocolate Orange Pistachio Protein Balls (Vegan No-Bake)
Rich and chocolatey, made with wholefood ingredients, these Dark Chocolate Orange Pistachio Protein Balls are naturally vegan, gluten-free and require no baking. They are packed with fibre and protein, too.
These protein balls are a great grab and go snack pre- or post-workout, and they make a delicious dessert too, when you fancy something chocolatey. They take 10 minutes to make and set in the fridge and taste utterly divine. If you love all things chocolate and orange, then these are the snacks for you, plus they have added pistachios for a nutty twist. Make these up at the weekend so you have snacks for the week if you are a big meal prep lover or make these up one rainy afternoon as a tasty snack.
Why will I love these protein balls?
These energy balls are amazing:
- Rich and chocolatey
- Nutty and zesty
- Made with real wholefood ingredients
- Cheaper than buying protein balls
- Source of fibre
- Naturally sweetened with medjool dates
- Packed with antioxidants from the cacao powder
- Source of fibre and protein
- Made with only a handful of ingredients
- Made in the blender in 10 minutes
- Drizzled in dark chocolate
- Great to make as a meal prep snack
- Delicious for dessert
- Ideal pre- or post-workout
- Travel well and keep for at least 1 week in the fridge
- Can be frozen
- Great for chocolate orange lovers
If you already love the sound of these balls, then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
You can see the ingredients with weights in the recipe card below and see my favourite and recommended products in the “shop the recipe” section.
For the balls:
- Medjool dates: these are the sweetness in the balls and if yours a little bit dry, soak them in boiling water first fir 10 minutes. I also love using fresh medjool dates when I can, which are so much jammier.
- Oats: make sure these are certified GF where needed. These add fibre to the balls and make them delicious.
- Chocolate protein powder: I use the Form superblend chocolate salted caramel protein powder which is so amazing. The flavour is one of my favourites and works so well here. My code NourishingAmy10 saves you 10% off their website.
- Cacao powder: to make these really chocolatey. Look for a 100% raw cacao/cocoa powder without added sugars.
- Raw pistachios: these add a delicious flavour inside and on top, too. Make sure these are unsalted and de-shelled. If making these balls nut-free, swap them for more oats and add flaky salt or coconut on top.
- Orange zest: for a pinch of orange fruitiness.
- Smooth cashew butter: or you can use almond or peanut butter. I love the naturally cookie like flavour of cashews and they are so smooth and creamy. You can use sunflower seed butter or tahini for a nut-free option.
- Plant-based milk: this helps to create the sticky texture and you can use any dairy-free milk like oat, almond, coconut or soya.
- Salt: for flavour.
And for the drizzle:
- Dark chocolate: use your preferred dairy-free chocolate here. I love using a salted dark chocolate bar or use dairy-free oat milk buttons.
Are these gluten-free and nut-free?
These are naturally gluten-free, as long as your oats are GF certified. To make them nut-free, swap the pistachios inside for more oats and swap the crushed ones on top for coconut flakes.
How do I make them?
These are quick to make:
- Soak the medjool dates: to rehydrate them, if needed.
- Add all of the ingredients to a small blender: and process to a sticky mix.
- Divide the mix into pieces: and roll into balls.
- Place on a tray and chill in the fridge: for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Melt the chocolate: and drizzle over the balls.
- Decorate with crushed pistachios: or coconut.
How long will they last?
These balls will keep for 1 month in a sealed container in the fridge or 1 month in the freezer. Allow the balls to defrost slightly before eating.
What other recipes can I try?
For more snack ideas:
- Chocolate Brownie Peanut Butter Raspberry Cups
- Chocolate Trail Mix Bars
- Dark Chocolate Almond Granola Bark
- No Bake Cinnamon Rolls
- Banana Nut Chocolate Flapjack
Dark Chocolate Orange Pistachio Protein Balls (Vegan No-Bake)
Rich and chocolatey, made with wholefood ingredients, these Dark Chocolate Orange Pistachio Protein Balls are naturally vegan, gluten-free and require no baking. They are packed with fibre and protein, too.
Ingredients
For the Balls:
- 100g medjool dates, pitted weight
- 75g oats
- 40g chocolate protein powder
- 15g raw cacao powder
- 20g raw pistachios
- 1 orange, zested (save a small amount for decoration)
- 60g smooth cashew or almond butter
- 3 tbsp plant-based milk
- Pinch of salt
For the Chocolate:
- 40g dark chocolate
- Extra crushed pistachios
Instructions
- Pit the dates to add them to a bowl with hot water, allow to soften for 10 minutes and then drain.
- Add all of the ball ingredients to a small food processor and process to a chunky mix that holds together when pressed between your fingers.
- Divide the mixture into 12 pieces (around 30g) and roll into balls.
- Place on a parchment lined tray and chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.
- Warm the dark chocolate in a small heatproof bowl in the microwave or over a pan of summering water until melted.
- Drizzle the balls with the chocolate and sprinkle over some crushed pistachios and the remaining orange zest.
- The chocolate will set straight away or chill for 10 minutes in the fridge.
- Enjoy and keep leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for 1 week or in the freezer for 1 month (allow the balls to defrost before eating).
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Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of these Dark Chocolate Orange Pistachio Protein Balls so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make these, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
p.s. this recipe was first made with Form protein, who I love. This blog post is not sponsored.
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