Name: Turtle Energy Balls
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1.5 cups raw pecans; 15 medjool dates, pitted; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

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These no-bake turtle energy balls are soft, chewy, and deliciously sweet! The easy recipe is vegan, raw, gluten-free, oil-free, and made with 5 ingredients. Enjoy the flavors of salted caramel, warm vanilla, and rich chocolate altogether in one bite-sized treat. They are truly reminiscent of the classic chocolate turtles dessert!

turtle energy balls stacked inside two small white bowls

What happens when you combine caramel, pecans, and chocolate? One of the best dessert flavors: turtle, baby! Whether it’s turtle cheesecake, cookies, brownies, or ice cream, I’ll always give it a 10/10 on my score card.

However, since the turtle flavor is typically used to create incredibly indulgent desserts, I set out to create a healthier treat. I wanted to enjoy the same flavor profile, but with wholesome ingredients. You know, something that could curb my sweet tooth in a guilt-free manner. Well, what a surprising success that was! Only 5 ingredients are needed to make these nutritious, yet totally delicious, turtle energy balls.

These turtle energy balls are:

Vegan, no-bake, gluten-free, dairy-free, oil-free, and paleo-friendly
Incredibly soft, chewy, and delightfully sweet
Salted caramel flavor with a hint of vanilla
Quick & easy // ready in less than 10 minutes
Great for snacking, school lunches, work lunches, and pre- or post-workout fuel
Kid-approved!

chocolate turtle energy balls inside a white bowl

What are chocolate turtles?

These turtle energy balls are reminiscent of classic chocolate turtles. The original treat is a cluster of caramel and pecans covered in creamy chocolate.

Since its creation in the early 1900s, popular desserts have developed a turtle-flavored variety. You can now find turtle cookies, bars, cheesecake, ice cream, candy, donuts, and much more. Check out my No-Bake Turtle Brownies (Vegan, Gluten-Free) recipe!

What’s in these 5 ingredient energy balls?

Dates: These energy balls are naturally sweetened with medjool dates. Dates contain a caramel-like flavor, making it the perfect replacement for actual caramel.
Pecans: Just like the classic chocolate turtles, we’ll use pecans for this recipe. Pecans are rich in several vitamins and minerals – including calcium, iron, potassium, and selenium.
Chocolate chips: I recommend using vegan mini chocolate chips, but regular chocolate chips will work just fine.
Vanilla: A dash of vanilla adds a subtle yet delicious vanilla flavor. As always, vanilla is a key complementary ingredient in homemade desserts and treats.
Salt: Don’t forget the salt! A pinch of salt balances the sweetness in the medjool dates and chocolate chips.

a marble board with bowls of raw pecans, medjool dates, chocolate chips, salt, and vanilla extract

How to make turtle energy balls

For the full ingredients list and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to view the recipe card below.

All you need is 5 ingredients, 1 food processor, and 10 minutes. Let’s do this!

First, combine the raw pecans, pitted medjool dates, vanilla, and salt in a food processor. Process the ingredients until a crumbled, sticky mixture forms. Then, toss in the chocolate chips. Pulse the food processor a couple times until they are evenly incorporated throughout the mixture.

pecans, dates, and chocolate chips being processed inside a food processor

Next, use a mini cookie scoop or a tablespoon to scoop the mixture into 12-15 rounds. Using clean hands, roll them into evenly-shaped balls. Enjoy!

no bake pecan and date dough inside a mini cookie scoop

a hand holding one turtle energy ball with chocolate chips

turtle energy balls inside a white bowl beside a bowl of pecans and medjool dates

Kaylie’s tips

Soft dates work best. As always, soft dates are best when it comes to no-bake desserts. If your dates are quite dry and hard, you may need to add some moisture when processing the ingredients. The mixture should be sticky, pinch-able, and easily rolled into balls. If the mixture is too dry and crumbly, add ½ to 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil or water. Then, process again until the mixture comes together.

Use mini chocolate chips. I highly suggest grabbing some vegan mini chocolate chips for these turtle energy balls. However, no worries if you don’t have any. Regular chocolate chips will work just fine. If you are trying to cut back on sugar, try these stevia-sweetened chocolate chips instead.

Don’t let the chocolate melt. After processing the dates and pecans together, your food processor might cause the mixture to warm up a bit. (Food processors generate heat because the blades move quickly to break ingredients down!) If this is the case, wait a few minutes before adding the chocolate chips. Otherwise, the chocolate chips may melt once you add them to the mixture.

Store in the refrigerator. These turtle energy balls are best stored in an airtight contained inside the refrigerator. They are freezer-friendly, too! You can place the container in the freezer where they will last for up to 3 months.

turtle energy balls stacked inside two small white bowls with a bite taken out of the center date ball

More energy ball recipes

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