Matcha. Bliss. Balls. These are not to be missed.
In craving a matcha latte in Bite form, I created these little gems and couldn’t be more thrilled with the results. Plus, they’re simple, plant-based, low in sugar, and grain-free. What’s not to love?!
Let me show you how it’s done!
What is Matcha?
Matcha is a powdered green tea containing 137 times more antioxidants than brewed green tea (like, whoa). Both come from the tea plant (camellia sinensis), but with matcha, the entire leaf is consumed.
How to Make Matcha Bliss Balls
This recipe is easy to make, requiring just 8 ingredients, 20 minutes, and 1 blender to prepare.
The base of these bites is shredded unsweetened coconut, hemp seeds, protein powder (we opted for vanilla), cashew butter, coconut butter, and a few pitted dates.
Matcha is added for that bright green hue along with health benefits, including L-theanine, vitamin C, and plenty of antioxidants.
Vanilla extract is optional, but recommended for even more flavor. And almond flour is added to help dry out the texture so they’re more pliable and easier to roll.
For serving, you can either leave them as is or top with a sprinkle of hemp seeds or shredded coconut. Or, my favorite, a drizzle of coconut butter! Major swoon.
We hope you LOVE these bites! They’re:
Colorful
Satisfying
Perfectly sweet
Matcha-infused
Easy to make
& SO delicious
These bites would make the perfect wholesome snack or treat to have on hand throughout the week. I’ve found them particularly delicious in the afternoon with a cup of tea. Swoon!
Into no-bake bites? Be sure to check out our No-Bake Vanilla Cake Bites, Coconut Tahini Cacao Snack Bites, No-Bake Carrot Cake Bites, No-Bake PB&J Energy Bites, and Dark Chocolate Hemp Seed Energy Bites!
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Servings 22 (Balls)
Prevent your screen from going dark
MATCHA BITES
- 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 2 Tbsp hemp seeds
- 1 ½ Tbsp vegan plain or vanilla protein powder (we used Tropeaka vanilla*)
- 1/2 cup roasted or raw cashew butter
- 1/4 cup coconut butter (MELTED — if hard, soften in the microwave or in a hot water bath until soft and pourable*)
- 2-4 pitted dates (if dry, soak in warm water for 5 minutes then drain // add more for sweeter bites*)
- 1-2 tsp matcha powder (see our Matcha Review! // add more for more intense — and slightly bitterer — matcha flavor)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 1/2 cup almond flour (or sub seed meal, such as sunflower or sesame, or coconut flour, but start with less as these are more absorbent)
FOR TOPPING optional
- 2 Tbsp coconut butter (plus more for “frosting”)
- 2 Tbsp shredded coconut or hemp seeds
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To a food processor, add all ingredients (starting with the lesser end of recommended amounts and working your way up) and blend until a thick but moldable cookie dough-like texture forms (see photo), ~3-5 minutes. Scrape down sides as needed.
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If mixture is too thick or crumbly, add more cashew butter and/or another date. If mixture is too wet, add more almond flour and pulse. It should be thick and scoopable.
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Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more matcha for matcha flavor, dates for sweetness, or cashew butter for creaminess.
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Scoop out 1-Tbsp amounts and gently roll into balls (as the recipe is written, there should be about 22). Repeat until all dough is formed into balls.
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Enjoy as is, roll in shredded coconut or hemp seeds, or refrigerate for 10-15 minutes to chill before topping with warmed (melted) coconut butter. If “frosting,” chill again to set (about 10 minutes).
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If freezing or refrigerating bites before serving, they’re ready to enjoy once they’re firm to the touch. For best results, store in the freezer up to 1 month or refrigerator up to 1 week. If storing in the freezer, let thaw 5-10 minutes before enjoying for best texture.
*For best results, make sure your coconut butter is melted and pourable, rather than hardened and difficult to scoop. Otherwise it will have a hard time blending and the bites will likely turn out too dry.
*These bites aren’t overly sweet, so if you’re looking for a sweeter snack bite, add more dates (up to 6-8 as original recipe is written).
*Nutrition is a rough estimate calculated with the lesser amount of dates and without optional ingredients.
Serving: 1 balls Calories: 104 Carbohydrates: 5.5 g Protein: 2.9 g Fat: 8.6 g Saturated Fat: 4.3 g Sodium: 8 mg Potassium: 96 mg Fiber: 1.6 g Sugar: 2.4 g
The post Vegan Matcha Bliss Balls – Minimalist Baker Recipes first appeared on AfterCuriosity.
