Happy December, everyone! December is my absolute favorite month of the year! I love all the decorations, festivities, and delicious seasonal food! One of my favorite ingredients to use during this time of year is peppermint! Today I’m sharing one of my go-to snack/dessert recipes for school-  The Best Chocolate peppermint energy balls! They are super delicious and even better when you top them off with a sprinkle of crushed candy canes! They are completely vegan, gluten-free, and refined-sugar-free, and they are a great no-bake vegan and paleo dessert recipe if you are short on time!

Ingredients:

Date Balls:

-2 cups pitted Medjool dates

-1 cup of almonds

-2 tablespoons of peanut butter

-1 heaping tablespoon of coconut oil

-4 tbsp of cacao powder

-2 tsp peppermint extract

-1 tbsp maple syrup

Chocolate Coating:

-1 chocolate bar (I used Lily’s Chocolate)

-1 heaping tablespoon of coconut oil

Directions:

1. In a food processor, blend the dates and the almonds until they have broken down and started to form a paste.

2. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and blend until everything has blended together.

3. Take a small handful of the mixture and roll into a ball.

4. Over a bain-marie, melt the chocolate and the coconut oil until nice and smooth.

5. Dip each energy ball into the melted chocolate (optional: sprinkle crushed peppermint on top before the chocolate shell sets).

6. Leave to set in the fridge and then ENJOY!

Recipe notes:

Step-by-step Photos:

In a food processor, blend the dates and the almonds until they have broken down and started to form a paste. Mix in the rest of the ingredients and blend until everything has blended together. Take a small handful of the mixture and roll into a ball. Then repeat for the rest of the mixture.

 Over a bain-marie, melt the chocolate and the coconut oil until nice and smooth. Dip each energy ball into the melted chocolate (optional: sprinkle crushed peppermint on top before the chocolate shell sets).

Leave to set in the fridge and then ENJOY!