Apricot and Coconut Balls

These Apricot and Coconut Balls are a high protein snack with a hint of sweetness. A perfect way to keep you energized throughout your busy days!

If you’re looking for a no-bake snack that you can make once and have extras for at least a week, you need to try these protein balls!

Ingredients needed

Here’s what you need to make these Apricot and Coconut balls:

• Dried apricots
  • You don’t have to cut these into smaller pieces, the food processor will do the job!
• Oats
  • I prefer to use rolled oats in this recipe for texture purposes.
• Walnuts
  • Use raw, unsalted walnuts in this recipe.
• Protein powder
  • If you want a sweeter flavour, opt for a vanilla-flavoured protein powder. If not, I recommend using a plain, unsweetened protein powder
  • See below for more information on how to find a protein powder that is right for you.
• Coconut
  • The same goes for choosing your dried coconut. If you want a sweeter flavour, opt for a sweetened coconut. If not, use the unsweetened instead.
• Almond Butter
  • If you don’t have almond butter or are unable to eat it, another mild form of nut or seed butter can work in this recipe. For example, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, pumpkin seed butter or even pistachio butter!

Protein powder considerations

If you’re looking for a full explanation on how to choose a protein powder that’s right for you, check out my blog posts here and here. In these articles I explain why we may want or need to use protein powder, how we can choose one that is third-party tested and ways to manage things like taste and texture.

Cooking with coconut

If you have ever been confused when buying shredded coconut for a baking recipe, here are some tips:

• Dried coconut is the same as dessicated coconut
• There are many varieties of dried coconut like grated, shredded, flakes, chips and more! It doesn’t really matter what kind you use in this recipe because it will get pulsed in the food processor anyway, but I typically use shredded coconut.
• There is also unsweetened and sweetened coconut. This can be a personal preference. As mentioned above, if you want a sweeter flavour, opt for a sweetened coconut. If not, use the unsweetened instead.

Optional additions

If you’re looking to mix up the flavour of these apricot balls you could add or substitute with some of these ingredients:

• peanut butter (or any other type of nut or seed butter) instead of almond butter
• almonds instead of walnuts
• a different flavour of protein powder
• fold in mini chocolate chips
• drizzle or coat the balls in melted chocolate and then refrigerate

How to make Apricot and Coconut Balls

The prep time for these protein balls is quick and they’re easy to put together. All you have to do is:

• In a food processor or high-speed blender, pulse all of the ingredients (except water) together until well combined.
• Add in the water gradually until you achieve the desired consistency.
• Roll the mixture into balls and place in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 5-7 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Apricot and Coconut Balls nutrition

These little snack balls are such a great way to keep you satisfied when you’re running through your busy day. One Apricot and Coconut Ball provides:

• 3-4 grams of protein
• 2 grams of fibre
• 8 grams of carbs
• 6 grams of fat
• They also provide a great source of some B vitamins, vitamin E and some minerals like magnesium and zinc.

In addition to these nutrition facts, these protein balls are also gluten free. You can make them dairy free and vegan by using a plant-based protein powder instead of whey.

I hope you love these Apricot and Coconut Balls. Don’t forget to check out some of these other snack recipes for more variety:

• Cashew Bars with Chocolate Coating
• Everything Bagel Cashews
• Peanut Butter Banana Yogurt Bowl
• Chocolate Chip Power Cookies
• Carrot Apple Muffins

If you make these Apricot and Coconut balls, I would love to see your comment and rating below. It also makes my day seeing your creations of my recipes on Instagram- don’t forget to tag @allnutrition.rd!