This was a fun creation! We asked all of you what flavour energy ball you wanted me to create on-the-spot on our YouTube channel and these chocolate chili energy balls were the result! We had so many great suggestions that will definitely become energy ball flavours in the future but, for now... these dark chocolate chili energy balls are:
Bulked up with a sneaky roasted beet
Full of dark chocoaltey flavour
A great hit of protein, fibre, and energy
Rolled in spicy cocoa
Freezer friendly
Great for on-the-go
And... you can kick up the spice as much as you want!
Ingredients For Chocolate Chili Energy Balls
You may know about our love of beets and especially... our love of a beet chocolate combination! We always have roasted beets on hand because they're surprisingly sweet and so versatile! Check out our thrifty how-to for roasting beets if you're interested in having them on hand for creations like this one... and our beloved Chocolate Beet Smoothie!
Although beets are always in our fridge, the beet is the only ingredient in this recipe that is not officially part of our Pantry Tips. For this recipe you will need:
- 1 roasted beet
- Almonds
- Quick or rolled oats
- Dates (we use pitted deglet noor which are lower in price than medjool dates)
- A dash of maple syrup
- Cocoa powder
- Dark chocolate chips (melted for a rich chocolatey flavour)
- Optional flax seed for some extra protein
- And some spice of choice! (We use a combination of chili flakes, chili powder, and cayenne pepper)
Although beets are always in our fridge, they may not be in yours. If that's the case, feel free to substitute the beet for an extra ½ cup of almonds or another nut of your choice. The finished energy ball will be very similar to our Brownie Ball but with the extra kick of spice!
Also, feel free to omit the melted chocolate chips and add an additional 1 tablespoon cocoa powder if you prefer to reduce the amount of added sugar!
How To Make Chocolate Chili Energy Balls
These dark chocolate chili energy balls are most easily made using a food processor.
- Grind the oats and almonds to break the nuts down.
- Then add the roasted beet and the remaining ingredients (reserving 2 tablespoon cocoa powder and the spice for rolling).
- Mix until the dough starts to form a ball in the food processor. If it seems too wet you can add more oats. If too dry; add a splash of water, plant milk, or maple syrup.
- Scoop the dough using a cookie scoop or tablespoon and roll into balls between the palms of your hands.
- Mix the remaining cocoa powder and spice in a small dish and roll the finished balls in the coating!
- Enjoy immediately, refrigerate, or freeze!
If you don't have access to a food processor you can try making these in a stand up blender. It should work for you but will likely take a bit more time because you may need to stop frequently and move the dough around in order to have it combine evenly.
You can also try making these without the help of any machines. If your beet is roasted, you may be able to mostly mash it by hand or grate it. Then, chop the almonds and dates as finely as you can and stir everything together. Omitting the dates and just using maple syrup to sweeten the mixture is another option for reducing the amount of chopping. You may need to add water, milk, a nut butter, or extra sweetener to help everything stick together.
Recipe Cost
We love having our pantry stocked with essentials that make creating snacks like these energy balls convenient and easy at any time. This recipe makes 18 - 20 smaller energy balls and costs us:
Approximately CAD $3.87 or roughly $0.22 for 18 balls.
If we were to buy energy balls from a cafe... larger ones can cost us around $1.50 each or smaller balls tend to be boxed in twos for about $1.50. So, making these at home is a great quick and thrifty option for us!
If you love this recipe then make sure to take a look at our Pumpkin Spice Energy Ball too! AND... if you are intrigued by the spicy beet combination... one of our go-to pasta dishes might be your new favourite! Our Smoky Spicy Beet Penne!
Print
Spicy Dark Chocolate Chili Truffle Energy Balls
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 18 - 20 smaller balls 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Spice up your day with vegan dark chocolate chili energy balls! Full of protein, fibre, spicy chocolate-y goodness and... even a roasted beet!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup quick oats (or rolled oats)
- ½ cup almonds
- 1 medium roasted beet* (see note for omitting)
- ½ cup pitted dates (soaked in hot water for 5 minutes if too hard)
- 4 tbsp cocoa powder (reserve 2 tbsp for rolling the finished balls)
- Pinch of sea salt
- ⅛ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup non-dairy chocolate chips, melted
- ¼ tsp red chili flakes
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp ground flax seed (optional for an extra boost of protein)
- 1 tsp mild chili powder (or ¼ tsp additional cayenne pepper for rolling the finished balls)
*Fresh Ingredients you need that are not part of our pantry and freezer tips.
Instructions
- Add oats and almonds to your food processor and pulse until the almonds are broken down into a coarse meal.
- Add the roasted beet (slice it into smaller pieces to make it easier to blend) and the remaining ingredients, making sure to only add 2 tablespoon cocoa powder at this time. Blend until combined and the dough starts to form a ball in the food processor. If the mixture seems too wet you can add more oats and if it’s too dry add a splash of water, milk, or a bit more maple syrup if you want some more sweetness.
- Scoop the dough with a cookie scoop or spoon and roll between your palms until 18-20 smaller balls are formed (feel free to make larger energy balls).
- Combine the remaining 2 tablespoon cocoa powder and the mild chili powder for a milder spice or the cayenne pepper for a bit more heat. Roll the finished balls in the spicy cocoa mixture and refrigerate. You can enjoy these immediately they will just be a softer texture and will firm up in the fridge.
- Store in the fridge for 5 days or the freezer for longer storage. We love keeping these in the freezer and grabbing them whenever we need a snack!
Notes
Approximate Cost: CAD $3.87 ($0.22/ball if making 18).
If you don’t have a roasted beet you can add an additional ½ cup almonds or nut of your choice. Take a look at our brownie energy ball for inspiration. I haven’t tried this recipe with a raw beet. Using a raw beet should work, the beet will just not be as sweet tasting and the texture of the ball might not be as smooth.
If you prefer to reduce the amount of added sugar you can try omitting the melted chocolate chips and adding an additional tablespoon of cocoa powder to the energy ball dough.
Using a food processor will be the easiest way to make these. You can try using a stand up blender which should work, it will likely require more stopping and pushing the dough around to help it blend smoothly. To make these by hand you can try mashing or grating the beet and chopping the almonds and dates as finely as possible. You could omit the dates and add extra maple syrup to reduce the chopping. If you find the mixture too dry, you may need to add a bit of water, milk, nut butter, or extra liquid sweetener to help it stick together.
- Category: Snacks
- Method: food processor
- Cuisine: American
Maria
In love the spiciness of these. I didn’t have a beet so I substituted pecans. They were so quick and simple to put together. I won’t be buying any more $4 energy balls at the coffee shop.
I have a few left in the refrigerator and they’re just as delicious on day 4 as they were fresh. Can’t wait to try your other 3 varieties!
Kathryn Alexandre
Oh great! I'm glad they worked well for you with pecans instead of the beets. I love how easy energy balls are to customize based on what you have on hand. Let me know when you try the other varieties and how you like them!