Description

These Lemon Energy Balls are a refreshing and nutritious snack made with cashews, shredded coconut, and vibrant lemon juice and zest. Sweetened naturally with coconut nectar or maple syrup, they offer a perfect balance of tangy and sweet flavors with a delightful coconut coating. Packed with hemp seeds for added protein and healthy fats, these no-bake energy bites are ideal for a quick pick-me-up, suitable for vegan and gluten-free diets.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

1 cup Cashew
1 1/2 cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
1/3 cup Unsweetened Desiccated Coconut
2 tablespoons Hemp Seeds (or chia seeds or sunflower seeds)

Wet Ingredients

3 tablespoons Coconut Nectar (or maple syrup or sugar-free syrup)
1/4 cup Lemon Juice (about half a lemon)
2 tablespoons Lemon Zest

Instructions

Blend Dry Ingredients: In a food processor fitted with the S blade attachment, add the cashews and unsweetened shredded coconut. Pulse on high speed until the mixture turns into a coarse meal texture.
Add Wet Ingredients: Pour in the coconut nectar (or maple syrup), lemon juice, and lemon zest into the food processor. Blend again on high speed until a sticky dough forms and the mixture begins to come together.
Incorporate Seeds: Stir in the hemp seeds (or your seed choice) and pulse a few times to evenly incorporate them into the dough.
Adjust Dough Consistency: If the dough is too wet, add additional shredded coconut 2 tablespoons at a time and blend after each addition until the desired consistency is reached. If the dough is too dry, add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, blending after each addition until the dough sticks together well.
Shape the Balls: Scoop out about one tablespoon of dough, then roll it between your palms into a smooth ball. Roll each ball into the unsweetened desiccated coconut to coat evenly.
Repeat Rolling: Place the coated balls on a plate lined with parchment paper as you roll the remainder of the batter into balls.
Storage: Store the energy balls covered with parchment paper in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Freezing: For longer storage, freeze the energy balls in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature before eating.

Notes

You can substitute hemp seeds with chia seeds or sunflower seeds depending on preference or dietary restrictions.
Use unsweetened shredded and desiccated coconut to keep the recipe low in added sugars.
If you prefer a more tart flavor, increase the lemon zest slightly, but avoid adding too much lemon juice to prevent sogginess.
Rolling the balls in desiccated coconut adds a pleasing texture and helps prevent sticking.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free, vegan, and contains no added refined sugars if using coconut nectar or a sugar-free syrup.
For a firmer texture, chilling the dough for 30 minutes before shaping can help.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Snack
Method: Blending
Cuisine: Fusion

Keywords: lemon energy balls, no-bake snack, healthy energy bites, vegan snack, gluten-free energy balls, cashew energy balls, coconut energy balls, lemon zest snack