Gingerbread Bliss Balls

I wanted a holiday themed nut and dried fruit ball I could give as an edible gift. That’s how these vegan gingerbread bliss balls came to be!

About These Gingerbread Bliss Balls

Bliss balls, also known as energy balls or power balls, are easy to make and super convenient because you can just pop them in the freezer and take them out a few minutes before serving. 

I make a few variations but this one is Christmas themed and inspired by the warm and cozy spices in gingerbread cookies. If you’re looking for other whole-food bliss ball recipes, check out these Apple Pie Bliss Balls and Chocolate Beet Bliss Balls

Ingredients You'll Need

Pecans or almonds – Either work! Just make sure they’re unsalted and unroasted.

Rolled oats – I use old-fashioned, gluten-free rolled oats but you can use regular if gluten isn’t an issue. Avoid quick cooking rolled oats.

Flaxseed – Ground flaxseed. You can purchase this but it’s even better to buy the seeds whole and grind them yourself in a spice or coffee grinder.

Dates – I suggest Medjool or Deglet Noor dates for this recipe. Make sure you remove the pits!

Blackstrap molasses – Blackstrap molasses has a stronger, more bitter flavor than regular molasses and has some health benefits (see below). If you can’t find blackstrap, use regular. I use this blackstrap molasses.

Orange juice – Use freshly squeezed orange juice and not bottled. For this recipe, you only need 1 tablespoon of juice – which is juice from about half a small orange.

Spices – Ground ginger, ground cloves, ground nutmeg.

 

How To Make This Recipe

Super easy! 

  1. Everything goes into the food processor. Process until the mixture easily sticks together when pressed between your fingers. 
  2. Shape the mixture into balls and you have the option to roll the gingerbread bliss balls in coconut or ground cacao nibs. I like to mix it up and leave some plain.

Equipment You'll Need

  • Food processor
  • I like to use a 3/4 ounce disher (spring-release scoop) to scoop and shape the bliss balls but you can easily do this with your hands. Here’s the disher I use. 

Tips, Tricks & How To Simplify

Soft dates. Use dates that are soft and juicy. Old dates can be dry and crumbly and won’t work as well in helping all the ingredients stick together. 

Roll right away. If you’re rolling you bliss balls in coconut or cacao, I find it works best to do this as soon as you’ve made the gingerbread bliss balls while they’re still a little warm and moist. Put the coconut or ground cacao in a small bowl and toss around the ball until coated.

 

Health Notes

Blackstrap molasses stands out because, although it is a sweetener, it offers an impressive list of minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium. We’re only using a little bit in this recipe, but it is still a noteworthy ingredient.

Dates! Dates are the main sweetener in these gingerbread bliss balls and my preferred sweetener for so many desserts, sauces, and baked goods. Dates are sweet and can often be used to replace refined sweeteners. Whereas white sugar has zero health benefits, dates are high in fiber and offer some minerals like potassium and phosphorus. 

Variations

  • You can use pecans or almonds. You can also use hazelnuts, although I’ve never tried.
  • You can swap the coconut or cacao for hemp seeds or sesame seeds or skip the rolling garnish altogether.

Gingerbread Bliss Balls

Author : Ashley Madden
Prep Time: 10 mins
Servings: 18 Bliss Balls
Course: Dessert
5 from 1 vote
A vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free bliss ball for the holiday season! I like to keep these in the freezer and take them out about 10 to 15 minutes before serving!

Equipment

  • Food Processor

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsalted and raw pecans or almonds
  • 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats gluten-free if needed
  • ¼ cup ground flaxseed
  • 1 packed cup pitted soft medjool or deglet noor dates
  • 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses or regular molasses
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

For Rolling

  • ¼ cup toasted coconut or ground cacao nibs (see notes), optional

Instructions
 

  • Place the nuts and oats in a food processor and pulse several times until the nuts are broken up.
  • Add all remaining ingredients (except coconut or cacao for rolling) to the processor and process continuously for about a minute or until the mix sticks together easily when squeezed between your fingers.
  • Roll about 2 tablespoons of the mix together and shape into a tight ball. Roll in toasted or raw unsweetened coconut or ground cacao nibs if desired. Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or the freezer for up 3 months.

Notes

  • I like to use a ¾ spring-release disher like this one to shape the gingerbread bliss balls.
  • I make ground cacao by grinding cacao nibs in a spice or coffee grinder (the same one I use to grind flaxseed).
Did you make this recipe? Tag @riseshinecook on Instagram or hashtag it #riseshinecook

12 Comments

  1. Reply

    mary

    December 12, 2020

    What a lovely treat for the Holidays! Love the gingerbread flavor!

    • Reply

      Ashley Madden

      December 12, 2020

      Thanks, Mary! I hope you enjoy and happy holidays!

  2. Reply

    ANNIE O'KEEFFE

    December 24, 2020

    Yum! My balls are all a little different sizes – and I coated them with cocoa. Next time I will add twice as ginger to make it really pop! I live for ginger!

    One ball does the trick for sweetness, richness and flavor! Pow! Thanks.

    • Reply

      Ashley Madden

      December 24, 2020

      I love the cocoa covering! Good tip on the ginger! I’ll add that note!!! Happy holidays!
      xo
      Ashley

  3. Reply

    Carol McCollum

    February 2, 2021

    Thank you for the healthy vegan recipes! Would appreciate nutritional info. Thank you. Does your cookbook have the nutritional info for your recipes?

    • Reply

      Ashley Madden

      February 3, 2021

      Hi Carol! Thank you and I’m sorry, no it doesn’t. I know this is helpful to some. I approach nutrition from a whole foods perspective and not a macro/micronutrient breakdown. I had a much healthier relationship with food when I gave up counting grams and calories. I’m sorry for any inconvenience. The recipes should be fairly easy to plug into a dietary app.

      Take care,

      Ashley

  4. Reply

    Alice Marwick

    March 18, 2021

    These are so delicious, I am delighted with them! Thank you for sharing the recipe, you are helping me enjoy my new OMS diet. I used honey because I had no molasses and tried it with some Mahleb instead of cloves and that worked well.

    • Reply

      Ashley Madden

      March 18, 2021

      Wonderful Alice! Thanks for your feedback! We love these too! I eat them right out of the freezer 🙂
      Take care,

      Ashley

  5. Reply

    Emily

    December 24, 2021

    I just rolled these and set them in the fridge to chill. I tasted a small smackeral of leftover, and these are just fabulous… My husband is going to love them!

    • Reply

      Ashley Madden

      January 4, 2022

      I hope they were delicious Emily!
      xo
      Ash

  6. Reply

    Sherri

    December 22, 2022

    5 stars
    These were so delicious,I’m making another batch now

    • Reply

      Ashley Madden

      December 23, 2022

      So happy you like them Sherri! Thx for the feedback 🙂

      Ashley

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