Orange Granola Energy Balls. Easy to Make, and No Baking Required
There’s a particular satisfaction in having something good to eat waiting for you when the afternoon arrives and your resolve begins to wobble. These orange-flavoured granola energy balls are exactly that kind of snack: bright with citrus, pleasantly chewy and just sweet enough to feel like a treat without tipping into dessert territory.
They come together quickly, require no baking and happen to be both dairy-free and gluten-free. The orange adds a welcome burst of freshness, lifting the earthy sweetness of the dried fruit and the hearty texture of the granola.
I like using prunes here, which contribute a subtle richness along with a welcome boost of calcium. Dates are equally delicious if that’s what you have on hand, bringing a deeper caramel-like sweetness to the mix. And if nuts are off the menu, simply swap the almond flour for coconut flour or oat flour to make a nut-free version that’s every bit as satisfying.
Keep a batch in the refrigerator and you’ll have breakfast on the run, a post-walk snack or a little something with your afternoon tea, ready whenever you need it. Sometimes the best recipes are the ones that quietly make the week easier.
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 250 ml rolled oats
- 250 ml prunes
- 175 ml almond flour substitute oat or coconut flour for a nut free version
- 125 ml shredded coconut unsweetened plus more for coating
- 30 ml orange juice
- 15 ml orange zest
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 1.25 ml orange or almond extract optional
- .625 ml salt
- 5 ml honey optional, for a sweeter taste
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until the mixture sticks together when pressed between your fingers. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed.
- Taste, for sweetness and orange flavour. Add a little more orange zest if needed and a teaspoon of honey if you would like a more sweet version.If the mixture is too dry, add additional orange juice or water, 1 teaspoon at a time at a time and pulse until the mixture comes together. It should be sticky, but not wet.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of mixture and roll between your hands to form balls.Roll in the extra shredded coconut to coat.
- Eat right away, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.