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Home » Food Photos » By Type » Cookie Ideas » Almond Date Ball Cookies

Almond Date Ball Cookies

Published: Dec 9, 2013 · Modified: Oct 16, 2020 by greenlitebitescom · This post may contain affiliate links · 8 Comments

Sorry I've been MIA -- I was scoping out hotels for FitBloggin and bumming around Denver with my friend Jen -- Click here to see our fun travel video. 

Every time I travel I don't realize how much I miss my kitchen until I get home. Then, I'm like: I must cook something NOW and these were my "something now."

Almond Date Ball Cookies in Tin

'Tis the season for sweet things!

Every year I try to come up with a few new non-traditional, festive desserts. The way I see it, traditional recipes have the holidays cornered. Sure, I could just pull out Mom's butter cookie recipe and go to town but I'd much rather come up with desserts that have some nutritional value while still being indulgent.

These were inspired by this Honey Almond Date Ball recipe I saw on the Food Network. I loved how simple they were but I didn't see the need for honey. Dates are super sweet and have more than enough sugar, so I decided to put my own spin on them and the results were amazing! Even the 8-year-old thought so.

Almond Date Ball Cookies thumbs up.

The 2-year-old liked them too but he tried to shove the whole thing in his mouth.

Almond Date Ball Cookies big bite

I stopped him of course but then he'd take a bite, hand it to me, and dive in for another one.

Almond Date Ball Cookies digging In

It was hysterical.

Almond Date Cookie BallsEven The Husband liked them and he NEVER likes things like this. Oh! and my son's friend said, and I quote, "These are MORE than good." You've got to love 9-year-olds.

Anyway, the cookie balls (and I'm using the term "cookie" loosely but that's what I have to call them to get the kids interested) aren't very "light" in calories, but I made them quite large. I may reduce them in size a little but I loved how indulgent they were, and one was very satisfying. I don't usually say things like that. Normally I'm a quantity over quality person. It's sad. I know.

Here's what I did…

  • ¼ pound (112g) almonds
  • 1 pint dates (16 oz)
  • ½ tsp almond extract
  • 2 tbsp (10g) unsweetened cocoa powder (divided use)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pulse almonds in a food processor until finely chopped.

Almond Date Ball Cookies - Almonds in Processor

Pour on to a baking sheet.

Almond Date Ball Cookies  - almonds on cookie sheet

Bake the almonds for 5-7 minutes.

Run your knife through the dates and add them to the food processor with the almond extract and 1 tbsp of cocoa powder.

dates in food processor

Pulse until the dates are chopped and form a ball.

processed dates

Transfer the dates to a bowl. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon cocoa powder and most of the ground almonds reserving a little to roll the finished balls in.

Using your hands, work the almonds into the ground dates much like you would breadcrumbs into a meatball mixture. It will come together like a dough.

Almond Date Ball Cookie dough

I made 20 balls at about 24 g each and set up a little station like this.

Almond Date Ball Cookie making station

Rolling the balls in the reserved almonds as I made them.

Because I didn't use honey like the original recipe called for, my cookie balls weren't very sticky but they did get a thin coat of the almonds on them.

Almond Date Cookie Ball

These will be my go-to for any cookie exchanges or parties this year. They were easy to make and tasted great! <-- Notice the past tense. They are pretty much gone. We only have 2 left.

Almond Date Cookie Balls finished in tin

Approx Nutritional Information per serving
Servings Amt per Serving
20 1 Almond Date Ball Cookie - 24g
Calories Fat Fiber WWPs
98 3g 2g old: 2 new: 3
Sugar Sat Fat Carbs Protein
14g 0g 17g 2g

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Previous Post: « Cocoa-Dusted Banana Bites
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tanya says

    February 10, 2014 at 6:58 pm

    Just rolled some of these up. Added salt, didn't put in almond extract, and used a bit of ground hazelnut too. My 2 year old is currently licking out the bowl, om nom nom! Thanks for the idea. Tastes sorta like brownie batter.

    Reply
  2. Tammie says

    December 13, 2013 at 1:27 am

    My kids will love these itty bitty round snacks. Looks very tasty.

    Reply
  3. Rosanna says

    December 10, 2013 at 4:43 pm

    Hi Roni!
    I've pondered on leaving a comment so many times but today I really had to do it. I find this post to be a prime example of why I enjoy following your endeavours. You really have a great style, so warm, funny and honest! I will also try this recipe, it seems yummy!
    Rosanna

    Reply
  4. Evelyn says

    December 10, 2013 at 4:18 pm

    These are definitely going to make an appearance on my Flatmate's Christmas Lunch menu 🙂 Maybe even with a dash of festive rum in them...

    Reply
  5. Georgia says

    December 10, 2013 at 12:03 am

    Oh.. Yum. I mean, maybe not low calorie but the good kind of calories right? 😉

    Reply
  6. Matt at Your Living Body says

    December 09, 2013 at 10:41 pm

    That looks amazing. I'm going to share this recipe with my readers 🙂

    Reply
  7. roni says

    December 09, 2013 at 9:45 pm

    They were actually REALLY easy to roll. The dough is a good consistency.

    Reply
  8. Krista says

    December 09, 2013 at 9:42 pm

    I just bought some dates to make something like this, but didn't have a recipe! So thanks for posting. Your cookie balls are so round, btw. They look perfect.

    Reply

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