If you’ve never heard of matcha, or only know that it’s showing up on every other coffee shop menu, let me explain why it’s the new “thing” these days (because it’s actually thousands of years old). Unlike traditional green tea, where you use the leaves and then discard, matcha uses the entire plant, stem included. The whole thing is ground up super fine and added to (almost) boiling water or milk for the perfect tea or latte. Whisk in some honey and vanilla to really jazz it up and you have yourself an antioxidant powerhouse– without the jitters or caffeine crash. I personally am a lunatic on coffee (apologies to anyone who’s witnessed this); my adrenals are just not on board with it. With this said, I absolutely LOVE matcha and feel energized without any of the coffee-ish effects.

I try to come up with any excuse to use matcha and when mixed with dates + coconut, the flavor is unreal. I can’t really explain why dates have the perfect sweetness for me (but I’m actually going to explain right now). They’re not overpowering, make everything stick together perfectly, and add such flavor to any dish. These energy balls have so few ingredients and can be whipped up in under 10 minutes. Not to mention, they’re full of healthy fats which keep us full and satisfied.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 0

Servings 12 balls

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups small coconut flakes (unsweetened)
6 large medjool dates (pitted)
½ cup cashews (unsalted)
¼ cup coconut oil (melted)
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp sea salt
1 tbsp matcha powder
1 tbsp water (more if needed)

Instructions

Place 2 cups of coconut flakes, cashews, salt, vanilla, and matcha powder into a food processor. Pulse until fully combined.
Add in dates and coconut oil. Process until everything is sticking together, about 1-2 minutes. You may need to scrape down sides every so often. If your dates are a bit dried out, soak in warm water to soften for 5 minutes and drain.
Add 1 tbsp water and pulse again. The “dough” should stick in between your fingers or easily stay together when formed into a ball. If it’s not, add more water, 1 tsp at a time.
Form into balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Add the remaining ¼ cup of coconut flakes to a small mixing bowl. Toss each ball in the coconut flakes and roll to coat.
Place the sheet tray into the fridge for 10-15 minutes to fully set. Store in air-tight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or one month in the freezer!