Spooky Matcha Energy Balls
It’s September! And that means it’s basically Halloween, right?
No kidding, I LOVE this holiday. Naturally, my favourite holidays are the ones centred around food (hello: pancake day) but what’s great about Halloween is it’s a time to share food with others!
Instead of loading up on refined sugars this Halloween, why not enjoy something which is healthy, vegan, gluten-free, whole foods plant-based, and not to mention super cute?
Meet my matcha monster energy balls. They may look spooky, but trust me, they’re friendly little things. And if they give you any trouble, you can just bite their heads off 😉
What is matcha?
Matcha is a Japanese green tea made by grinding tea leaves into a fine powder. Tea leaves themselves are high in antioxidants – as matcha is a form of the whole leaf, it contains more antioxidants than brewed tea!
Matcha has a vibrant green colour and strong tea flavour. It is also high in caffeine – the same amount as coffee – the difference being that the energy boost from matcha is slower-releasing and longer sustained than coffee.
You know that groggy feeling you get a while after drinking coffee? Not with matcha!
Using matcha in energy balls is the perfect way to utilise its antioxidants and energy-boosting power. Combine that with some dates and nuts, and you’ve got a tasty pick-me-up!
What ingredients will I need to make matcha energy balls?
I love that these matcha energy balls are made with just 5 ingredients! As well as matcha, you’ll need dates, oats, almonds, and vanilla extract to make this healthy Halloween treat.
To decorate these energy balls and turn them into spooky monsters, I use edible eyes and sliced almonds for the mouths. You could also use nut butter or coconut to give your monsters ‘hair’ – feel free to get crazy!
That little guy is my favourite – he’s just too cute!
How to make matcha energy balls:
If you’ve never made energy balls before, trust me, the process is really easy. Simply add all of the ingredients to a high-powered blender or food processor and pulse until combined!
If your blender/ food processor is not high-powered, I recommend pulsing the dry ingredients together first until fine, then adding the dates. This way, you can ensure everything is well combined.
If your dough is not coming together, add a little water 1 tsp at a time and continue to pulse until a dough forms. If your mixture is too wet, add some more oats and pulse.
Once you’ve formed the mixture, roll tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls. Then turn them into mini monsters by adding edible eyes and sliced almonds!
Decoration is of course optional, but it turns this tasty snack into a healthy Halloween treat!
Storage & variations:
- Store the energy balls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.
- You can substitute any nut of your choosing in place of the almonds, or use sunflower seeds to make them nut-free.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you try this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, let me know if you like it by leaving a comment below. Make sure to tag me on Instagram @shivanilf too!
More energy balls recipes to try:
- Chocolate peanut butter energy balls (reader’s favourite!)
- Oatmeal raisin energy balls
- Lemon Pistachio energy balls (recipe from Healthy Little Vittles)
Spooky Matcha Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup/ 70g Pitted Dates
- 1/4 cup/ 50g Raw Almonds sub any nut/seed of your choosing
- 1/4 cup/ 30g Oats
- 1/2 tsp Matcha Powder
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
To decorate:
- Edible eyes
- 1 tbsp Raw Almonds sliced in halves
Instructions
- Add the dates, oats, almonds, matcha powder, and vanilla extract to a high-speed blender or food processor.
- Pulse to combine. The mixture should form a sticky dough. If it is not coming together, add a little water 1 tsp at a time and continue to pulse until a dough forms. If the dough is too wet, add a few more oats and pulse.
- Take tablespoonfuls of the dough and roll between your hands to form balls. To make mini monsters, use teaspoonfuls of dough.
- Decorate the energy balls by adding edible eyes and the sliced almonds for the mouths. Enjoy!
Shivani’s Tips
- The energy balls will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag me on Instagram @shivani.lovesfood and use the hashtag #shivanilovesfood!
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WOW already prepping for Halloween treats! This will be fabulous and am saving it for sure.
Ooh I hope you enjoy them Kankana!!