Try this Almond Joy Protein Balls recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 82.5098008464273 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 98.2572118219825 g
- Fiber 11.7322081874149 g
- Protein 22.6575525596929 g
- Saturated Fat 48.4473216949226 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (314g)
- Sodium 19.1996666794484 mg
- Sugar 70.7775926590124 g
- Trans Fat 5.64208567533883 g
- Calories 1240 calories
Step-by-step
- In a food processor, add almonds, protein powder, cacao powder, stevia extract, salt and process until fine powder forms.
- In a small bowl, stir together coconut oil, honey, coconut milk, vanilla and add to a food processor. Process until smooth dough forms, stopping and scraping the walls of a food processor. It took me about 3-5 minutes and my food processor needed a few breaks. Then add 1/2 cup of coconut flakes and process until combined, 1-2 minutes.
- Place some coconut flakes on a plate, scoop golf size amount of dough, roll with your hands into a ball and coat in the flakes. Alternatively, you could use a bag with small amount of coconut flakes in it and shake to coat the protein ball. Repeat until you run out of dough.
Raw almonds provide the essential structural foundation for these energy bites, offering structural density when pulverized before any liquids enter the vessel. Grinding the nuts, protein powder, cacao powder, stevia, and salt into a uniform powder first ensures that no large nut chunks remain to compromise the cohesion of the final dough. Processing dry ingredients separately prevents uneven distribution of the cacao and protein powders.
Achieving the Correct Dough Consistency
Liquid ingredients—melted coconut oil, liquid sweetener, coconut milk, and vanilla extract—must be introduced gradually to hydrate the dry mixture without creating a batter. Stopping the machine every sixty seconds prevents motor overheating while allowing scraper access to unmixed pockets clinging to the bowl walls. The finished dough requires three to five minutes of total processing time to transition from a crumbly meal into a cohesive, pliable mass that holds its shape under gentle pressure. Folding in the unsweetened coconut flakes during the final ninety seconds prevents the flakes from breaking down completely, preserving distinct texture.
- Over-processing the coconut flakes turns the mixture oily by releasing excess fats prematurely.
- Adding all the liquid components at once creates a sticky paste that refuses to bind uniformly.
- Skipping the intermediate bowl scraping leaves dry pockets of protein powder trapped at the base of the processing blade.
