All recipes

Date and oat bliss balls

Nut-free

Date and oat bliss balls
Photo: Subhransuphotography, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons · a similar dish

Ingredients

For 4 servings. 1 serving = 1 adult; a 6-year-old eats about half.

  • Dates (pitted)80 g
  • Rolled oats40 g
  • Desiccated coconut2½ tbsp

You need

  • Mixer-grinder with small and large jars
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Jars and lidded containers
  • Lunchboxes with ice bricks

Method

  1. Ahead (Sunday): soak 80 g dates in 120 ml (about ½ cup) warm water for 10 minutes until soft. Drain well.
  2. Blitz 40 g oats in the small mixer jar for 10 seconds to a coarse flour.
  3. Add the dates and blitz in short bursts for 30–60 seconds, scraping down, until it forms a sticky dough that holds when pressed.
  4. With damp hands, roll into balls the size of a large marble.
  5. Spread 2½ tbsp coconut on a plate and roll each ball in it to coat.
  6. Store in a lidded box in the fridge. Keeps 1 week, or freeze up to 1 month. Pack with an ice brick.

Tips

  • Nut-free, so fine for school. Check your school allows coconut; most do.
  • Too wet to roll? Add a spoon of oats. Too dry? A few drops of water.

Make it easier

  • Weekend: Roll a batch of date and oat balls.

Keeping and freezing

  • Fridge: keeps 7 days in a lidded box. Cool it within an hour of cooking.
  • Freezer: freezes well for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat until steaming hot.

Good to know

  • Contains: gluten (wheat, oats).
  • Asthma: buy dates (pitted), desiccated coconut without sulphites (220–228).