As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Zesty Homemade Mexican Hot Chocolate Date Balls are simple gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan snacks that you can make in your own kitchen. Learn how to ditch the store-bought date bars and make a spicy chocolate version yourself!

homemade mexican hot chocolate lara bars on a white dish with cashews and a date

Mexican hot chocolate checks all the boxes my tastebuds love so much – sweet, and spicy! The flavor combo of sweet and heat gives me all the feels.

And while I adore Mexican Hot Cocoa, it has quite a bit of sugar in it and I don’t always want to be sipping on something hot. And thus, Mexican Hot Chocolate Date Balls were born.

Much like my Strawberry Fudge Energy Date Balls and Trail Mix Bars, these spicy chocolate bites are so good without any refined sugar!

What Ingredients are in Mexican Chocolate Energy Bites?

  • Nuts – cashews or almonds work best
  • Dates
  • Cocoa powder – unsweetened
  • The flavor squad – chili powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper
  • Vanilla extract (try Homemade Vanilla Extract)

You’ll need a food processor or a blender with a pulse function. If you don’t have either of those, a sharp knife, cutting board,

HOW TO MAKE Date BALLS WITHOUT NUTS

If you have a nut allergy, use sunflower seeds or use old-fashioned rolled oats. If you use oats, you’ll likely need to add additional dates to combat the dryness of the oats.

WHICH DATES ARE BEST FOR BLISS BALLS?

Dates come in many sizes and types so what you use may dictate how many you need for this recipe. Medjool dates are larger and darker. Deglet Noor dates are smaller and lighter with a light honey taste.

You can use either but will need about 50% more Deglet Noor dates than Medjool. 

If you are a Costco shopper, the Medjool dates are the one in the produce section in the hard plastic container that have pits. The Deglet Noor dates are the ones stored by the other dried fruit in a zip pouch and are pitted.

I used deglet noor dates in these spicy date balls. So, if you use Medjool, make sure you a) pit them before adding to the food processor and b) reduce the overall number of dates.

Start with 15 Medjool and slowly add additional dates one at a time until the mixture has come together.

How to Make Mexican Chocolate Date Balls – Step by Step

*See the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for exact measurements.

Pulse nuts in a food processor until the pieces are somewhat uniform in size. Some larger chunks may remain.

Add the dates, cocoa powder, and spices and process until most of the mixture is spinning in the processor in one lump. Depending on the machine you’re using, this could take anywhere from 1-3 minutes.

Pinch off chunks of the mixture and roll into balls. If you want “bars”, line an 8×8 pan with parchment and press the mixture into the pan. Refrigerate for two hours and then cut into squares.

Process shots for making homemade Mexican Chocolate Lara Bars

Can I Make These Whole30?

Yes. There is a saying in the Whole30 community about “sex with your pants on”(SWYPO), i.e., going through the motions of the Whole30 plan but faking it a bit.

These date balls are a bit of SWYPO because they could easily be passed off as a dessert. Technically all the ingredients except the vanilla are Whole30 compliant but how you eat them and how often can make you walk a very fine line.

Proceed with caution.

Recipe Notes for Mexican Hot Chocolate Date Balls

  • It’s kinda hard to screw these up, so feel free to experiment at will! Want more nuts? Go for it! A touch fewer dates? This is your world, my friend.
  • Roll the energy balls in shredded unsweetened coconut, cocoa (or cacao) powder, chia seeds, freeze-dried fruit, or more crushed nuts.
  • Most nuts will work well. I have experimented with almonds, walnuts, cashews, and pecans. Cashews tend to be my favorite but they are also the most expensive. Walnuts tend to release too much oil during the time in the food processor. Use what you have!
  • A pinch of cayenne is really all you need to make these have some substantial heat. I love spicy stuff and I used just the tiniest bit.
  • Store the bars in an air-tighter container at room temperature for up to two weeks. They are soooooo tasty, and I guarantee they will not last that long!homemade Mexican hot chocolate lara bars on a tray with cayenne pepper, dates, cashews, and cocoa powder

More Delicious Homemade Lara Bar Recipes & Other Healthy Snacks

Mexican Hot Chocolate Date Balls WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS

One serving of Mexican Hot Chocolate Date Balls has 2 WW Freestyle SmartPoints.

5 from 3 ratings

Mexican Hot Chocolate Date Balls {Vegan, Paleo}

Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
homemade mexican hot chocolate lara bars on a white dish with cashews and a date
Delicious homemade Mexican Hot Chocolate Lara Bars are simple gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan snacks that you can make in your own kitchen. Learn how to ditch the store-bought Lara Bars and make a spicy chocolate version yourself!

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Pulse nuts in a food processor until the pieces are somewhat uniform in size. Some larger chunks may remain.
  • Add the dates, cocoa powder, and spices and process until most of the mixture is spinning in the processor in one lump.
  • Pinch off chunks of the mixture and roll into balls.

Notes

A pinch of cayenne is really all you need to make these have some substantial heat. I love spicy stuff and I used just the tiniest bit.
If you want "bars", line an 8x8 pan with parchment and press the mixture into the pan. Refrigerate for two hours and then cut into squares.
 
If using Medjool dates, start with 15 and slowly add additional dates one at a time if needed.
 
Have fun with creative toppings for these bliss balls. Roll the balls in shredded unsweetened coconut, cocoa powder, chia seeds, or more crushed nuts.
 
Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 1ballCalories: 58kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 1gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgPotassium: 94mgFiber: 0gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 10IUCalcium: 7mgIron: 0.6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @sustainablecooks or tag #sustainablecooks!

Shop This Post

About Sarah

Helping you serve up budget-friendly sustainable recipes with a side of balanced living.
Come for the food. Stay for the snark.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

6 Comments

  1. I made these last night, and WOW. They are so decadent! It’s like I’m eating spicy buttery sugary fudge, but somehow there’s no butter or sugar! It took longer to find unsalted cashews at the grocery store than it did to make these little beauties. I brought 4 to work with me today, and they’re already gone. I can’t wait to get home and eat more.5 stars

      1. You’re sounding desperate there Sydnie… 🙂

        I have a similar recipe coming out this summer that I absolutely love! So full of flavor.