Delicious Sweets
Delicious Sweets are chewy date and walnut bites rolled in coconut, made in one bowl with six pantry ingredients and no baking needed.
Delicious Sweets take 15 minutes of hands-on work and 35 minutes of chilling. That is it. No oven, no candy thermometer, no stand mixer.
You need six things: dates, walnuts, rolled oats, cocoa, coconut, and a pinch of salt. Everything goes into one bowl and gets pressed together with your hands.
The trick is soft dates. If yours are dry and leathery, they will not bind, and you will end up with crumbs instead of bites. Ten minutes in hot water fixes that.
About the Ingredients
2 cups (about 400g) soft Medjool dates, pitted
Medjool dates are soft and sticky, which is what holds these together. If you only have Deglet Noor, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes and drain well before using.
1 cup (120g) raw walnut halves
Toast them for 6 minutes at 350F (175C) if you want a deeper flavor. Pecans or almonds work just as well and cost about the same.
1 cup (90g) rolled oats
Use old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant. Instant oats turn to paste and make the bites gummy.
3 tbsp (15g) unsweetened cocoa powder
Dutch-process cocoa gives a darker, smoother taste. Regular cocoa is fine and slightly more bitter.
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
Do not skip this. Salt keeps the sweetness from tasting flat. Kosher salt works if you use half the amount.
1 cup (80g) unsweetened shredded coconut, for rolling
Fine shreds stick better than wide flakes. If you only have flakes, pulse them in a blender for a few seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I make these without a food processor?
Yes. Chop the dates and walnuts finely by hand, then mash everything together with a fork or your hands. It takes about 10 minutes of work and the texture will be a bit chunkier, but it holds fine.
Q: Why did my date bites fall apart?
Your dates were probably too dry. Soak them in hot water for 10 minutes, drain well, and try again. Adding 1 to 2 tbsp of water to the mix also helps it bind.
Q: How long do these last in the fridge?
About two weeks in a sealed container. They have no preservatives, so if you see any white film or smell something sour, toss them.
Q: Are these vegan and gluten-free?
They are vegan as written. For gluten-free, use certified gluten-free oats, since regular oats are often processed on shared equipment with wheat.
Q: Can I use honey or maple syrup instead of dates?
You can, but you will need about 1/3 cup of syrup and an extra 1/2 cup of oats to soak it up. The bites will be softer and less chewy than the date version.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Soak the dates
If your dates are firm, cover them with hot tap water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry. Soft Medjool dates can skip this step.
2. Blitz the walnuts
Pulse the walnuts in a food processor 8 to 10 times until they look like coarse crumbs. Stop before they turn into paste.
3. Blend everything
Add the dates, oats, cocoa, and salt. Run the processor for 45 to 60 seconds until the mixture clumps into a rough ball.
4. Check the texture
Squeeze a handful. If it holds together, you are done. If it crumbles, add 1 tbsp of water and pulse again.
5. Chill the mixture
Scrape the mix into a bowl, cover it, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This makes rolling much cleaner.
6. Roll the bites
Roll level tablespoons of the mixture into 1-inch balls. You should get 24 bites from this batch.
7. Coat in coconut
Roll each ball in the shredded coconut until fully covered, then set them on a plate.
8. Chill and serve
Refrigerate the finished bites for 20 minutes to firm up. They are ready to eat straight from the fridge.
Delicious Variations
Chocolate orange
add 1 tsp of orange zest and swap the cocoa for 2 tbsp of dark chocolate chips pulsed into the mix.
Tropical
use 1/2 cup of dried mango instead of the cocoa and roll the bites in toasted coconut.
Nut-free
replace the walnuts with 3/4 cup of sunflower seeds and 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds for the same crunch.
How to Store Delicious Sweets
Refrigerator
Keep in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks. Put a piece of parchment between layers so they do not stick.
Freezer
Freeze in a single layer for 1 hour, then move to a freezer bag. They keep for 3 months and thaw in about 15 minutes.
Reheating
No reheating needed. If they feel too firm from the fridge, leave them on the counter for 5 minutes to soften.
Roll a batch tonight and you will have a cold, chewy snack ready for the whole week. Crispy on, stress off – happy cooking!
Delicious Sweets – Easy 50-Minute Date Nut Bites
Delicious Sweets are chewy date and walnut bites rolled in coconut, made in one bowl with six pantry ingredients and no baking needed.
🧂 Ingredients
- 2 cups (about 400g) soft Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 cup (120g) raw walnut halves
- 1 cup (90g) rolled oats
- 3 tbsp (15g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup (80g) unsweetened shredded coconut, for rolling
📋 Instructions
- 1Soak the dates — If your dates are firm, cover them with hot tap water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry. Soft Medjool dates can skip this step.
- 2Blitz the walnuts — Pulse the walnuts in a food processor 8 to 10 times until they look like coarse crumbs. Stop before they turn into paste.
- 3Blend everything — Add the dates, oats, cocoa, and salt. Run the processor for 45 to 60 seconds until the mixture clumps into a rough ball.
- 4Check the texture — Squeeze a handful. If it holds together, you are done. If it crumbles, add 1 tbsp of water and pulse again.
- 5Chill the mixture — Scrape the mix into a bowl, cover it, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This makes rolling much cleaner.
- 6Roll the bites — Roll level tablespoons of the mixture into 1-inch balls. You should get 24 bites from this batch.
- 7Coat in coconut — Roll each ball in the shredded coconut until fully covered, then set them on a plate.
- 8Chill and serve — Refrigerate the finished bites for 20 minutes to firm up. They are ready to eat straight from the fridge.
