Banana Nut Bread Bliss Balls! Prepare to have a ball with these Banana Nut Bread Bliss Balls – they’re the nutritious nuggets of happiness that will keep you blissfully snacking!
Simple and quick to prepare, these delectable Banana Nut Bread Bliss Balls are perfect for satisfying your snack cravings. Drawing inspiration from the classic favorite, banana nut bread, these bite-sized delights offer a playful twist on a beloved flavor combination. Treat yourself to a burst of natural sweetness and nutty goodness with every bite of these wholesome bliss balls!
Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.
Hi there, Ameera here!
We are obsessed with the ease and deliciousness of bliss balls, and these irresistible Banana Nut Bread Bliss Balls are so fun and tasty.
Whether you’re a banana bread enthusiast or simply looking for a delicious and wholesome snack, these little treats are sure to keep you coming back for more.
Tips for Success:
- Flavor Profile: These delicious Banana Nut Bread Bliss Balls are easy to make and are both healthy and delicious. They are the perfect snack when you need a quick pick-me-up to power through until your next meal. The flavor profile is a nod to the traditional Banana Nut Bread.
- Banana: Use a ripe banana, but not an overly ripe banana unless you plan to freeze the bliss balls. Overly ripe bananas only work really well when baking, these bliss balls are not baked. This is so the leftovers last longer in the fridge.
- Small Banana: The banana we used weighted 6.5 oz. before we peeled it. You can use a similar size banana but understand that using different sized bananas may require some slight ingredient adjustments depending upon the size of the banana selected as size does matter here when it comes to the ‘dough’ sticking together properly. Using a larger banana may require increasing the dry ingredients to accommodate for the extra moisture.
- Coconut Rolling versus Not Rolling in Coconut: The majority of the family members preferred not rolling the bliss balls in coconut as the banana nut bread flavor was more prominent without it.
- Coconut Flakes versus Shredded Coconut: We suggest using coconut flakes and not shredded coconut. Shredded coconut is typically very finely chopped and can be used, but we do not have the measurement for shredded coconut. If using finely chopped coconut, then you may wish to scale back on the amount of coconut flakes you use.
- Shredded Coconut for Rolling: You will need approximately ½ to ¾ cup of shredded coconut if you plan to roll the balls in coconut. We did half in coconut and left the other have plain. We used approximately 1/3 cup to roll half the balls.
- Chinese 5 Spice: Chinese 5 Spice Powder is typically made of cinnamon, star anise, anise seed, ginger, and cloves. We love Chinese 5 Spice in this recipe as it has all those warming spices that make for a fantastic banana bread. Feel free to use your favorite Chinese Five Spice powder or make your own. If you can’t locate Chinese 5 Spice, use an equal amount of cinnamon largely dependent upon the cinnamon used. See Cinnamon
- Cinnamon: Not all cinnamon is created equal. Some brands of cinnamon are light and passively flavored while others are strong, sharp, and astringent. Use judgement and start on the low end. Ceylon cinnamon has a very light flavor. You can use your favorite cinnamon in this recipe; however, we strongly suggest starting on the low end until you have a strong understanding of how the cinnamon that you are using in this recipe impacts the flavor. The beauty of this recipe is that you can taste it and adjust as needed.
- Medjool Dates: Medjool dates are naturally very soft and pliant. They work perfectly with this recipe because of this. If you have very dry dates, consider placing them in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Discard the water, and place into the food processor at the appropriate time. If you soaked the Medjool Dates, perhaps consider starting with less dates as the hold water and could make for a gooier dough than anticipated.
- Health Benefits of Dates: Date are packed with wonderful health benefits, everything from improving gut health to boosting brain health, improving skin and aids in preventing some chronic diseases as they are full of fiber, copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and Vitamin B6.
- Cashew Butter or Almond Butter: Both cashew butter and almond butter work equally well with this recipe.
- Nuts: If you decide to leave the nuts out of this recipe, you will need to compensate by increasing the rolled oats or other ingredients.
Leftovers and Freezing:
Leftovers will generally keep 5 days in the refrigerator. Store in a covered container.
This bliss balls can be frozen.
Pantry Products:
- Unsweetened Coconut Flakes: We used Bob’s Red Mill Unsweetened Coconut Flakes (Unsulfured). Feel free to use your favorite unsweetened coconut flakes.
- Cashew Butter: We used Artisana Organic Raw Vegan Cashew Butter. Feel free to use your favorite raw cashew butter in this recipe. Read the label, make sure the only ingredient is raw cashews. Do not use a salted or sweetened cashew butter.
- Rolled Oats: We used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Old Fashioned Whole Grain Rolled Oats, feel free to use your favorite whole grain rolled oats.
- Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
Kitchen Products:
- Food processor
If you try these delicious bliss balls, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.
PrintBanana Nut Bread Bliss Balls
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Total Time: 15 Minutes
- Yield: 25-27 bliss balls 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Simple and quick to prepare, these delectable Banana Nut Bread Bliss Balls are perfect for satisfying your snack cravings.
Ingredients
- 6 Medjool dates, pitted *
- 1 small banana *
- ¾ cup walnuts (or pecans) *
- 1 ¼ cups rolled oats *
- ¾ cup unsweetened coconut flakes (+ more if rolling) *
- 1 teaspoon cashew butter (or almond butter) *
- 1 Tablespoon flaxseed meal
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon Chinese 5 Spice (or cinnamon) *
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon *
- ¼ sea salt (+/-) *
Instructions
- If Coating the Bliss Balls in Shredded Coconut: If coating the bliss balls in shredded coconut flakes, place ½ cup to ¾ cup (+/-) of coconut flakes into the food processor, pulse on and off for one minute to finely shred the coconut. Dump into a bowl and set aside. If not coating the bliss balls in shredded coconut, skip this step. The amount of shredded coconut needed for coating is directly proportionate to the size of the bliss balls and if you plan to leave some uncoated.
- Place the all the Ingredients into the food processor. Process until all the ingredients are broken up and start to clump together. The dough should begin to gather and clump up into a big ball in the food processor.
- Test the “dough” by pinching it to see if it holds together easily. If too wet, add more rolled oats/coconut (a teaspoon at a time) until it holds together. If too dry, add more cashew butter (a ½ teaspoon at a time).
- When the “dough” holds it shape, scoop up 1-inch ball of the mixture, roll into a firm ball. If rolling in coconut flakes, then immediately roll the bliss ball in the shredded coconut flakes, roll it around, and place onto a parchment paper lined plate. Repeat until all the “dough” has been rolled into balls (and coated in shredded coconut). You may wish to have a mixture of some coated in shredded coconut and some uncoated. Or simply make one rolled and one unrolled and taste test to see which you prefer.
- Place the plate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours to allow the bliss balls to firm up. Once firm, store them in the refrigerator in an air-tight container. They also freeze well.
Notes
*Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.
*Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
*Servings: Makes 25 to 27 bliss balls
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Made these today. Didn’t use the 5 spice (not a fan). And I didn’t roll them in coconut because my hubbie isn’t really a fan of coconut (yes I still put it in the balls). Shhh! Lol.
These of course were yummy. The rest are in the freezer, where I put all my energy bites.
Another recipe for the repeat file.
Hi there Sandra,
AWESOME! We are so happy that you gave this recipe a try and enjoyed them. Thank you so much for leaving us a fantastic review.
-Ameera and Robin