Are you ready for the BEST protein-packed vegan snack recipe?! If you answered YES then let me introduce you to these Chocolate Mint Bliss Balls! These no bake energy balls have over 7 grams of protein in one serving, are naturally sweetened with dates, and have a kick of peppermint & chocolate for the tastiest choco mint protein balls.
*Recipe originally shared onJune 5th, 2018 and updated March 15th, 2020*
I have been making these homemade bliss balls to satisfy my pretty strong sweet tooth while also enjoying a healthy vegan snack in the middle of the day. I don’t know about you, but I need a solid snack to help me survive that 3 pm slump before dinner. So, I took two of my favorite flavors to create a raw, paleo, protein-packed, & gf bliss ball recipe full of healthy fats to hold me over!
What ingredients are in chocolate mint bliss balls?
If I’m being honest, it’s girl scout cookie season here and I am CRAVING them. This is really what spurred me to make these healthier no-bake thin mint cookie bites. Here are the 8 ingredients you need to make these energy balls!
- Gluten-free rolled oats
- Cashew butter (or any nut/seed butter)
- Chocolate protein powder (any brand works, but I used Ora Organic)
- Coconut oil
- Medjool Dates
- Flax eggs (ground flax seed mixed with water)
- Peppermint extract
- Cacao Nibs (optional, but highly recommended)
How to make homemade bliss balls
There is only three easy steps to make these vegan bliss balls and honestly all you need is a food processor to blitz these bites to perfection! I personally have a Ninja Food Processor and love it. I’ve had it over 5 years and it always does the trick (though I will admit it’s small). If you have a high-quality blender it may also work for this recipe.
First, blend all the ingredients
Add all of the ingredients except the cacao nibs to the food processor and blend until a thick & smooth dough forms. It’s worth mentioning, I usually have to stop a few times to scrape down the sides to make sure everything blends evenly.
However, it really only takes 2-5 minutes to blend everything together.
Once blended, add in the cacao nibs and mix in with a spoon or by hand.
Roll the balls & refrigerate before eating
Once the dough has formed, roll it into 12 evenly sized chocolate mint protein balls. At this point you can leave them as is or roll the bliss balls in hemp seeds! Hemp seeds are a powerhouse of nutrition ( I use them weekly in my Vegan Green Smoothies) and they also add a nice crunch. Again, this is totally optional, but if you want to add a topping make sure add while the dough is soft before placing in the fridge.
Once all the bliss balls have been formed, add them to the fridge for at least 30 minutes before eating. In the fridge the coconut oil, flax eggs, and dates firm up and give these energy balls the BEST chewy texture.
Honestly, these no-bake treats actually taste better the day after making them!
Additions & Substitutions
While I LOVE all the ingredients I used in this recipe, I realize sometimes you might just not have them on hand or available. Here are some substitutions & add-ins for this no-bake recipe:
Looking to make this recipe oil-free? Instead of coconut oil use extra nut-butter, but expect a chewier treat.
Can’t find dates? Use any other dried fruit such as dried figs, dried cranberries, or raisins, or apricots as a date substitution. It will change the taste/texture and the bliss balls may be less sweet overall, but they’ll still have a good chewy texture!
Not into protein powder? Swap it out with 1 Tbsp of cocoa powder for the same chocolatey flavor.
No cacao nibs? Swap in vegan chocolate chips for a more decadent treat or omit them altogether.
Looking to make these energy balls nut-free? Cashew butter can be replaced 1:1 for any other nut butter. I prefer cashew since it’s really mild in flavor, however it can be replaced with almond butter, tahini, pumpkin seed butter, peanut butter, or really any nut/seed butter you can imagine!
No ground flax? Use chia seeds instead as a binder in this recipe.
No hemp seeds? Try rolling these bliss balls in matcha powder, extra cacao nibs, or dried coconut instead. Even better, drizzle some melted coconut butter on top!
Hopefully these substitutions help you out! It is worth noting, I don’t recommend replacing the oats with another ingredient in this recipe as it’s not really an easy 1:1 replacement. However, if you try to make these energy balls with another flour or grain let me know!
The best vegan & gf bliss ball recipe
I truly believe these Vegan Chocolate Mint Bliss Balls make the best healthy snack! I prep bliss balls every Sunday so I always have them to eat throughout the week. Right now I’m rotating between these peppermint bliss balls and my favorite Healthy Pumpkin Truffles (that are grain free & vegan!), but I hope to add some more variety to the mix in the coming weeks. Enjoy this tasty snack!
-TSG
Looking for more gluten-free & vegan snack or dessert recipes? Check out these SGTO favorites!
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PinDescription
The perfect energy ball filled with chocolate protein powder, peppermint, healthy fats, and tons of protein!
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten free rolled oats
- 1/2 cup cashew butter
- 50 grams chocolate protein powder (*I used Ora Organic, but any brand will work)
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil (room temp)
- 2 medjool dates (pits removed)
- 2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp ground flax mixed with 6 Tbsp water left to sit for 5-10 mins)
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 1/4 cup cacao nibs (or mini chocolate chips)
Instructions
- First make the flax eggs by adding 2 Tbsp ground flax and 6 Tbsp water to a small bowl. Let sit 5-10 minutes.
- Add all your ingredients except the cacao nibs/chocolate chips to a food processor/blender. Blend until combined into a thick mixture, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Once a thick mixture is formed, use a spatula or your hands to gently fold in the cacao nibs/ mini chocolate chips.
- Using your hands, roll the dough into 10-12 large bliss balls that are about 2 inches in diameter and place onto a sheet pan or plate covered with parchment paper. For an extra delicious & protein-packed treat, roll the bliss balls in hemp seeds before adding to the fridge.
- Bliss Balls can be eaten right away but are best enjoyed after sitting in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Bliss balls can be stored in a closed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer up to 1 month. I recommend storing between layers of parchment paper so they do not stick together.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bliss ball (1/12 recipe)
- Calories: 155
- Sugar: 3.4 grams
- Fat: 8.9 grams
- Carbohydrates: 13.2 grams
- Protein: 7.8 grams
Keywords: choc mint bliss balls , peppermint, protein, healthy, vegan, gluten-free, chocolate mint, thin mint, no bake, energy ball, how to make
Wow these were so easy and good. Officially one of my favorite snack recipes!
★★★★★
It totally makes the best snack! 🙂