Date, Tahini, and Pistachio Energy Bites
No-bake date and tahini energy bites rolled in sesame seeds, sweetened only by the dates themselves.
Dates and tahini are a pairing you'll find throughout Middle Eastern cooking, from breakfast spreads to dessert, and blending the two together with a handful of pistachios and oats turns them into a no-bake bite that satisfies a sweet craving without any refined sugar.
Medjool dates bring natural sweetness and fiber, while the tahini adds plant protein and healthy fat that helps round out that sugar, and rolling the finished bites in sesame seeds nods to the halva and simsim treats found across the region. Keep a batch in the fridge for a quick snack or a not-too-indulgent way to end a meal.
Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted Medjool dates — about 8-9 dates
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 2 tbsp chopped pistachios
- 2 tbsp rolled oats
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder — optional
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds — for rolling
These ingredients are common at Middle Eastern grocers; a well-stocked international supermarket usually carries them too.
Instructions
- 1Soak dates in warm water 10 minutes if firm, then drain well and pat dry.
- 2In a food processor, pulse dates, tahini, oats, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt until a sticky dough forms.
- 3Fold in chopped pistachios.
- 4Roll into 12 small balls, then roll each in sesame seeds to coat.
- 5Chill 15-20 minutes to firm up before serving; store in the fridge up to a week.