These energy balls, also called dry fruit laddu, are easy-to-make healthy no-bake sugar-free energy bites prepared using dried fruits and nuts of your choice. You will need less than 15 minutes to make these energy bites. These energy balls or laddu can be served for breakfast, as a mid-day snack, or after-meal dessert.
While you are here, check out the list of popular Indian desserts, sweets, and mithai, our easy no bake peanut butter fudge.
Why you'll love this recipe
- No sugar is used to make this laddu or energy balls. Dates (khajoor) are used instead, which act as a natural sweetener and binding agent.
- Dry fruit laddus make one of the best snacks for kids' tiffin boxes or snack boxes. These dates ladoo are also good during pregnancy, weight loss, or as a dessert in a diabetic diet.
- Dry fruit ladoo can be used as energy bites during travel or outdoor activities such as hiking, sports or as a pre-workout or post-workout snack.
- These sugar-free no-bake energy bites are also served as energy boosters during Navratri fasting and vrat. Many also consume this healthy laddu to break their fast during the Ramzan or Ramadan month.
- Dry fruit laddus can be given in the form of gifts during Diwali, Raksha Bandhan, or Christmas.
- Beginner cooks, bachelors, or anyone who wants to impress with your cooking skills can make these dates energy balls. The measurements in this recipe are not stringent. You can vary all the ingredients as per your taste.
Benefits
These dates dry fruit laddu or energy balls comes with a lot of health benefits.
- Dried fruits and nuts are always rich in antioxidants which help in promoting eye and heart health.
- It helps lower fat and blood sugar levels. Good for weight loss and a diabetic diet.
- Dates are rich in natural sugar and high in fiber, used as a sweetener in these energy bites.
- These energy balls are gluten-free and suitable for vegan, vegetarian, and paleo diets.
Ingredients
Dates: Medjool dates have a soft caramel texture, making your final bites extra delicious. If it is not available, use any seedless dates or khajoor.
Ghee: Healthy fat and flavor.
Dried fruits and nuts: Cashews, almonds, pistachios, and raisins give the best texture and flavor.
Seeds: Watermelon seeds are what I have used today. You can add pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, etc.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-by-step instructions
You can check the video on how to make healthy, no-bake, sugar-free energy balls or protein bites.
Step 1: First, add dates and grind them to a coarse paste in a mixie jar or blender. Keep this aside.
Step 2: Heat ghee in a pan on medium flame. Add cashews, almonds, pistachios, raisins, and watermelon seeds.
Step 3: Saute for 4 minutes on medium-low flame or until golden.
Step 4: Add dates paste from the blender or food processor.
Step 5: Mix for another 2 to 3 minutes or until everything is combined.
Step 6: Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes. While still warm, shape them into laddus or balls of the desired size.
Step 7: Mix for another 2 to 3 minutes or until everything is combined.
Tips, Substitutions, and Variations
- These laddu or energy balls are gluten-free and can be easily made vegan by substituting ghee with vegan butter or coconut oil, or you can skip adding fat. I have added ghee to give additional flavor.
- If the dates are too dry, you may find binding difficult. So soak it for 15 minutes and drain and then use it in the recipe.
- Don't want to make balls or laddu? Then pour the mixture over the parchment paper on a baking dish and press it. Let it chill for an hour. Then cut into protein bars or burfi bites.
- If you love the aroma of coconut, then add desiccated or shredded coconut flakes to the recipe.
- Figs and walnuts can also be used in the recipe. Just make sure the amount of dates and figs to nuts and seeds is approx 1:1 so that you get the crunch and binding. Vary the amount of nuts to taste.
- You can substitute or add sesame, poppy, or any seed you love instead of watermelon seeds.
- Cashews can be substituted with roasted peanuts.
- Love nutty flavor? Add 1 or 2 tablespoon of peanut butter, almond butter or cashew butter.
- Raisins can be substituted with cranberries.
- To make it protein-rich, you can add 1 tablespoon of protein powder to the recipe.
- Making it for kids? You can also add chocolate chips, and crushed pretzels.
Recipe FAQs
These energy balls can be stored in air-tight containers for three days or in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days. But these are so tasty that I don't think they will last long in your kitchen 🙂
You can store them in a freezer in ait tight conatiner for up to 3 months. Defrost them for couple of hours before serving.
If you are not able to form laddu or bind the balls, it may be because the dates did not have enough moisture content. If the dates are dry, then always soak them for 15 minutes, drain, and then use them in the recipe.
Sometimes even if the final mixture looks crumbly, you should be able to make balls when you grease your hands and squeeze it. Even then, if you are not able to make balls, try blending and adding a few more dates to the mixture.
One energy ball or dry fruit laddu contains approx 110 calories. I would say enjoy 2 for a satisfying snack or one after dinner for a quick sweet craving. These balls are so tasty that you can easily overdo them. So do remember your daily calorie needs.
More no-bake desserts
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Recipe card
Easy Energy Balls with Dates | Dry Fruit Laddu
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Dates or Khajoor, seedless
- 2 tablespoon Ghee
- ¼ cup Cashews or Kaju, chopped
- ¼ cup Almonds or Badam, chopped
- 2 tablespoon Pistachios chopped
- ¼ cup Raisins
- 2 tablespoon Watermelon seeds
Instructions
How to make dry fruits laddu or energy balls with dates?
- First, add dates and grind them to a coarse paste in a mixie jar or blender. Keep this aside.1 cup Dates
- Heat ghee in a pan on medium flame. Add cashews, almonds, pistachios, raisins, and watermelon seeds, and saute for 4 minutes or until golden.2 tablespoon Ghee, ¼ cup Cashews, ¼ cup Almonds, 2 tablespoon Pistachios, ¼ cup Raisins, 2 tablespoon Watermelon seeds
- Add dates, paste, and mix for another 2 to 3 minutes or until everything is combined.
- Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes. While still warm, shape them into laddus or balls of the desired size.
Video
Notes
- These laddu or energy balls are gluten-free and can be easily made vegan by substituting ghee with vegan butter or coconut oil, or you can skip adding fat. I have added ghee to give additional flavor.
- If the dates are too dry, you may find binding difficult. So soak it for 15 minutes and drain and then use it in the recipe.
- Don't want to make balls or laddu? Then pour the mixture over the parchment paper on a baking dish and press it. Let it chill for an hour. Then cut into protein bars or burfi bites.
- If you love the aroma of coconut, then add desiccated or shredded coconut flakes to the recipe.
- Figs and walnuts can also be used in the recipe. Just make sure the amount of dates and figs to nuts and seeds is approx 1:1 so that you get the crunch and binding. Vary the amount of nuts to taste.
- You can substitute or add sesame, poppy, or any seed you love instead of watermelon seeds.
- Cashews can be substituted with roasted peanuts.
- Love nutty flavor? Add 1 or 2 tablespoon of peanut butter, almond butter or cashew butter.
- Raisins can be substituted with cranberries.
- To make it protein-rich, you can add 1 tablespoon of protein powder to the recipe.
- Making it for kids? You can also add chocolate chips, and crushed pretzels.
Nutrition
Note: We originally posted this recipe in March 2022. It has now been modified in July 2023 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Storage Instructions, etc.
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