A close friend recently reminded me of a family recipe: energy balls made with tahini. I love tahini, and the idea of combining its nutty creaminess with dried fruit and nuts sounded irresistible.
When I first blended the ingredients I worried the tahini might dominate the mix. I pressed on, rolled the mixture into about 20 small balls and chilled them in the freezer for a couple of hours to firm up. Two hours later I found myself making repeat trips to the freezer to sneak “one more” — which quickly turned into several.
These little bites are delightful: tart dried cherries, sweet sultanas or raisins, crunchy walnuts and smooth tahini create a balanced, interesting flavour. Unlike many energy ball recipes that rely on dates or honey, this version is smoother and creamier. I found the mixture can be crumbly without freezing, so I recommend storing these in the freezer — they also taste best when frozen and hold together nicely.
Tahini is nutritious: made from ground sesame seeds, it provides more protein than milk or many nuts and is a good source of minerals like magnesium, iron and calcium. It’s also easy to digest and can aid digestion of other foods. For a milder, creamier taste choose pale tahini made from hulled seeds; darker tahini made from unhulled seeds has a stronger, slightly bitter flavour. With the addition of raisins, cherries, walnuts and coconut, these energy balls offer antioxidants, fiber, omega-3s, potassium and B-vitamins. In short, they’re tasty and nourishing.
If you try this recipe I’d love to hear what you think — leave a comment or tag me on Instagram with a photo!
Cherry & Tahini Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup sultanas or raisins
- 1/2 cup dried cherries naturally sweetened
- 2/3 cup tahini
- 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
Instructions
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Put the walnuts, sultanas or raisins, dried cherries, tahini and shredded coconut into a food processor. Pulse until the mixture breaks down into small pieces; if your processor is small or less powerful, grind the nuts and fruit separately and combine them at the end.
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Shape the mixture into 20–25 balls. If the mix is too crumbly to roll, chill it in the fridge for about 15 minutes to firm up.
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Store the energy balls in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month. They hold together best and taste great when frozen.
Other energy ball recipes on the site:
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- Key Lime Pie Energy Balls
- Coconut & Ginger Energy Balls
- Apple Pie Energy Balls
- Banana Bread Energy Balls
- Tropical Fruit Bites
- Fig Newton Energy Balls
