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Walnut Oatmeal Date Balls

March 4, 2012 by Julie 85 Comments

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Date balls!

Date Balls 022-2

What? That doesn’t sound appetizing?

What about Walnut Oatmeal Date Balls?

I guess there’s really no way to make a recipe with the word “balls” in it sound incredibly appealing, huh?

The good news is that despite the odd name of the balls, they really are delicious.

Plus, they only require three ingredients and are super simple to make!

Date Balls 019-1

I got the idea for the date balls after talking with the Caramel Natural vendor at the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Expo yesterday. Their display included tons of dates and we got to talking about how dates are used in so many different health bars on the market today.

I figured I could make my own health bar at home and set out to do so this morning. I grabbed a handful of dates and scrounged around in my parents’ pantry looking for nuts to throw into the mix. After grabbing raw walnuts and old fashioned oats, I put everything in the food processor and whirred it up until I had a thick batter that wasn’t too sticky.

Date Balls 014-1

Since I figured molding the batter into bars would be a pain and a little tedious, I simply formed it into about 12 different date balls like Katie did in her German chocolate fudge bites!

Date Balls 019-1

 

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Walnut Oatmeal Date Balls

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Julie (PB Fingers)
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 dozen 1x
  • Category: recipes
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Description

This dessert recipe only require three ingredients and are super simple to make!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 Medjool dates, pitted
  • 1/3 cup old fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup raw walnuts

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until everything is blended together and a thick batter forms
  2. Roll batter into balls and refrigerate until ready to eat

Notes

Inspired by Chocolate Covered Katie’s German Chocolate Fudge Bites

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @pbfingers on Instagram

 

Date Balls 023-1

My mom and I both ate a couple and packed the rest of the balls away in the fridge for easy snacking throughout the week.

Date Balls 024-1

A simple, nutritious snack that is packed with healthy fat, protein and whole grains. A winner in my book!

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I'd love to connect with you! I am always so grateful when you let me know you tried one of my recipes or workouts and tag me in your photos or updates. Thank you so much!!!

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: dates, oats, Recipes, snacks, walnuts

About Julie

My name is Julie and I am a full-time blogger, new mama, fitness enthusiast (certified personal trainer and group exercise instructor) and food fanatic (mostly healthy... but also not-so-healthy) living in North Carolina with my husband, dog and baby boy. Thank you for visiting Peanut Butter Fingers! I hope you enjoy little glimpses into my life and have fun trying the sweaty workouts I frequently share and making some of my favorite recipes along the way!

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Comments

  1. Haley says

    March 4, 2012 at 3:04 pm

    I haven’t used my processor in so long! I need to blow the dust off and get it whirring! These looks so easy and delicious! I might have to add some chocolate though…(;

    Reply
  2. Antonia @ healthinspirations says

    March 4, 2012 at 3:05 pm

    I love easy yet healthy ideas and recipes like this. Totally understand that you didn’t want to make them into actual bars. It’s easier to eat them if they’re shaped like a ball and bite-size anyways….the perfect snack!

    Reply
    • peanutbutterfingers says

      March 4, 2012 at 3:07 pm

      haha exactly!

      Reply
  3. Sharan {College Girl Eats} says

    March 4, 2012 at 3:09 pm

    i love that these include oats! as much as i low raw food bars i feel like the inclusion of oats makes them a little more filling. 🙂

    Reply
  4. Kerry @ Totes My Oats says

    March 4, 2012 at 3:21 pm

    I love anything with dates! Dates and nuts are such a great combo. I like the idea of adding oats!

    Reply
  5. Sarah says

    March 4, 2012 at 3:23 pm

    These sound super yummy! Funny- I just made chocolate covered katie’s AMAZING fudge babies for the umpteenth time. And yours seem to be exactly like hers minus the chocolate.
    if y’all have never tried her recipe you should!

    Reply
    • Diana says

      March 4, 2012 at 3:25 pm

      I was just about to say the very same thing! I love Katie’s fudge babies and they save my wallet and my hangry-ness mid day at work!

      Reply
    • Sara says

      March 4, 2012 at 3:26 pm

      I was just going to mention chocolate covered katie! She has like 10 varieties of these on her blog you should all check them out!

      Reply
    • peanutbutterfingers says

      March 4, 2012 at 3:33 pm

      i love her blog but never made her fudge babies! i’ll check ’em out!

      Reply
  6. Jennifer says

    March 4, 2012 at 3:30 pm

    And balls are obviously more fun to write about than bars, haha. Sweet healthy and easy recipe!

    Reply
  7. Erica @ For the Sake of Cake says

    March 4, 2012 at 3:50 pm

    Love that these only require 3 ingredients!

    Reply
  8. Katie @ Peace Love & Oats says

    March 4, 2012 at 3:55 pm

    I’ve been seeing these pop up all over the blog world! I love that it’s just a few ingredients, I start to get intimidated by recipes with a lot more!

    Reply
  9. Julianna @ Julianna Bananna says

    March 4, 2012 at 4:19 pm

    these look delicious!

    whenever i make something that is ball-shaped i never have any idea what to call them… except for balls. it doesn’t matter what they’re called if they taste good, right? 😉

    Reply
  10. Raquel @ toned, tan, fit & techie says

    March 4, 2012 at 4:20 pm

    Those look good Julie! I have some other “winner” news! I did the Napa Valley 5k today, but I’m more proud of my bf, who came in second place in the full napa marathon today, with a time of 2:25! I’m super proud of him!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      March 4, 2012 at 5:28 pm

      WOOHOO for you! I never even ran a mile. BUMMER.

      Reply
    • peanutbutterfingers says

      March 4, 2012 at 5:44 pm

      ahhh! that’s awesome! congrats to you BOTH!

      Reply
  11. Alyssa @ fit and fun in third says

    March 4, 2012 at 4:21 pm

    Those look like the perfect snack to bring to work! Convenient and healthy! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  12. Alexa says

    March 4, 2012 at 4:26 pm

    I had something similar using raisins, almonds and oats a few weeks back. I love traveling with them, so easy to store and eat while on the go.

    Reply
  13. Annie says

    March 4, 2012 at 4:35 pm

    These look delicious! I had never thought to use walnuts before. Though I have made something similar with peanuts.

    Reply
  14. Annette @ EnjoyYourHealthyLife says

    March 4, 2012 at 4:39 pm

    YUMM. I love bite-sized snacks! Thank for the recipe 🙂

    Reply
  15. Michelle (Better with Berries) says

    March 4, 2012 at 4:45 pm

    Love making things when I’m at my parents house (which is all the time this year). They always have all the right ingredients on hand 🙂

    Reply
  16. Samantha says

    March 4, 2012 at 4:48 pm

    You should add a Pin It button to this post! Would love to add to my Pinterest board to reference back to 🙂

    Reply
    • peanutbutterfingers says

      March 4, 2012 at 5:14 pm

      great idea! just added it. 🙂

      Reply
  17. Kim says

    March 4, 2012 at 4:49 pm

    These look awesome! I’ll have to try them out in the blender….I need a food processor!

    Reply
  18. Mindy - Clueless Nutrition says

    March 4, 2012 at 4:53 pm

    Yum.. I’d love to give these a try! Except with pecans, since I don’t have any walnuts!

    Reply
  19. stephanie says

    March 4, 2012 at 5:00 pm

    I love eating balls!!

    Reply
    • peanutbutterfingers says

      March 4, 2012 at 5:14 pm

      🙂

      Reply
    • Amy says

      March 4, 2012 at 8:10 pm

      who doesn’t? haha

      Reply
  20. Heather (Heather's Dish) says

    March 4, 2012 at 5:20 pm

    PINNING! love these…i’m out to get some dates now!

    Reply
  21. Laura says

    March 4, 2012 at 5:40 pm

    Hey Julie, do you think you could add sunflower or pumpkin seeds instead of walnuts? They look amazing!!!!!

    Reply
    • peanutbutterfingers says

      March 4, 2012 at 5:44 pm

      i think that you could!! definitely worth a try!

      Reply
    • Debbie says

      March 4, 2012 at 10:49 pm

      Totally, a friend of mine makes them pumpkin and sunflower seeds (chopped up quite finely) and adds all sorts of bits and pieces, like chia seeds (that would get your approval Julie!), chopped nuts, any kind of dried fruit etc….

      Reply
  22. Caroline @ After Dinner Dance says

    March 4, 2012 at 5:42 pm

    Do they taste at all like Luna bars? I’m not a fan of Luna bars and I think they’re made with dates aren’t they? Just curious if I’d like these!

    Reply
    • peanutbutterfingers says

      March 4, 2012 at 5:43 pm

      a little bit… i’d probably steer you away from them b/c they did remind me of them a bit. 🙂

      Reply
    • Elizabeth says

      March 4, 2012 at 7:59 pm

      Are you thinking of Lara bars? Most Lara bars are made with dates but I don’t know any any Luna bars that are.

      Reply
      • Caroline @ After Dinner Dance says

        March 4, 2012 at 9:25 pm

        Yes, you’re right! I’m thinking of Lara Bars. I don’t mind Luna Bars. Maybe I’m just not a fan of dates :/

        Reply
      • peanutbutterfingers says

        March 5, 2012 at 9:58 am

        ha! i totally thought you meant lara bars!! whoops. at least we were on the same page!

        Reply
  23. Erica says

    March 4, 2012 at 7:05 pm

    This is probably super immature, but any food with the word ‘balls’ in the name makes me LOL…like that age-old skit with Alec Baldwin. All of that aside, this recipe sounds really tasty! 🙂

    Reply
  24. Erica says

    March 4, 2012 at 7:06 pm

    Aaaannd now reading the other comments, I’m not the only one who thinks so, phew!

    Reply
  25. Amy says

    March 4, 2012 at 8:09 pm

    yummmm those look awesome! i really want to say i love balls (and i do) but that would sound really…haha ya. but seriously, i like them. im tryin these!

    Reply
  26. Christie says

    March 4, 2012 at 8:26 pm

    These look just delish! I love dates so these would make the perfect afternoon snack at work – I’d kill for a couple of these right now 🙂

    Reply
  27. Dena @ 40 Fit in the Mitt says

    March 4, 2012 at 8:42 pm

    I love dates! Those look great

    Reply
  28. Natasha says

    March 4, 2012 at 8:52 pm

    Those are so cute! and I love that there are only a few ingredients! Hope your weekend is great 🙂

    Reply
  29. Melanie says

    March 4, 2012 at 8:54 pm

    I have never made my “balls” with walnuts or oats before. The consistency looks great! I will have to give these a shot! Thanks, Julie.

    Reply
  30. MJ says

    March 4, 2012 at 9:22 pm

    That’s basically a recipe for making home made Larabar’s… you can google for tons of recipes for the various kinds of Larabars but it’s basically dates (can add some other dried fruit like raisins), and some kind of nuts. Delish!

    Reply
  31. Sarah says

    March 4, 2012 at 9:48 pm

    so adorable and I am sure, delicious. I will be making these for sure. I am sucker for easy recipes that yield big taste. Thanks!

    Reply
  32. Jenn says

    March 4, 2012 at 11:26 pm

    Hahaha yeah no way around the “balls” name but they look delish. I made bars with similar ingredients but used dried plums as the base, not dates. The bars were a pain in the butt, just as you thought they had the potential to be so maybe I’ll make “balls” next time I try them out.

    Reply
  33. Chocolate-Covered Katie says

    March 4, 2012 at 11:53 pm

    Oh yum, Julie they look so good… and so easy to make! You definitely had me at the first photo. Definitely bookmarking. And thanks for the mention. You’re such a sweetheart! I hope you already knew that 🙂

    Reply
  34. Jay says

    March 5, 2012 at 7:25 am

    These look so good, and so nutritious. Definitely making them. I live in the Middle East and we can readily get hold of fabulous date ingredients, ie date paste, date juice, all manner of fresh and dried dates. I’m going to try using the date paste that I have in my pantry.

    Reply
  35. sherri says

    March 5, 2012 at 9:05 am

    Making these today!! Might even add some cocounut to a few just because coconut makes everything better. Can’t wait to try them!

    Reply
  36. Gabby @ Gabby's Gluten-Free says

    March 5, 2012 at 9:19 am

    Yum! I love anything with dates! I always make date balls and date bars for easy snacks. Here are two of my favorites !

    cranberry coconut date balls: http://gabbysgfree.com/2011/12/vegan-cranberry-coconut-energy-truffles/
    Chocolate cranberry date bars: http://gabbysgfree.com/2012/01/vegan-chocolate-cranberry-date-bars/

    Reply
    • peanutbutterfingers says

      March 5, 2012 at 9:44 am

      YUM!!!

      Reply
  37. kerry says

    March 5, 2012 at 10:39 am

    mm delicious! i need to get a food processor!!

    Reply
  38. leslie says

    March 5, 2012 at 1:32 pm

    Thank you for making those! They’re in my lunch today! I love them. I just might make those every week :). Better than arsenic bars, right? 😉

    Reply
  39. Amber K says

    March 5, 2012 at 3:46 pm

    I always prefer the bar shape to the ball, but either way they taste great! I’ll have to try this version. To make bars I usually squish all of the batter into a dish and then cut out a bar shape when I want some. Way faster for me than to shape into individual shapes of anything.

    Reply
  40. Rachel G says

    March 12, 2012 at 10:50 am

    I made these balls this weekend (added a couple more dates and some honey to get it the right consistency for me) and they were a huge hit in my house! My boyfriend and I are big runners, and this is perfect for a quick pre/post run snack. It also gave me the excuse to FINALLY use the food processor I got for Christmas 🙂 Thanks for the idea!

    Reply
  41. Staci says

    June 18, 2012 at 8:29 pm

    I have made these a few times now and my family and I love them!! Thanks so much, great idea!! When I made them this last time I added raisins and cinnamon. After the ingredients were done mixing in the food processor I stirred in the raisins and cinnamon then rolled into balls. Tasted just like an oatmeal raisin cookie!! So good! I love it the original way too!! Thanks again!!

    Reply
  42. Daphne says

    December 22, 2012 at 3:05 am

    Followed this recipe and the batter didn’t really stick enough to form balls. so I tried to press it into a pan to form bars but they did not hold together even after time in the fridge. Will probably add more dates the next time around.

    Reply
    • Cindy says

      June 13, 2013 at 4:37 pm

      I love the sound of these, but i’m trying to make them as I type and so far I’ve used 7 dates and it’s not getting pasty at all! What do I do?

      Reply
      • Cindy says

        June 13, 2013 at 4:59 pm

        Rachel! Thank you! I added honey and voila! Oh for the love of “balls”!!!! teehee!

        Reply
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Hi! I’m Julie and I am a mom to three energetic boys and a personal trainer and blogger living in Charlotte, North Carolina. Welcome to my blog! Peanut Butter Fingers follows my life and my interests in food, fitness, family, travel and (mostly) healthy living.
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