Chocolate Matcha Energy Balls (Paleo, Autoimmune Paleo, Vegan)
I’m not sure quite when it happened or why, but at some point, we all got obsessed with matcha. Though matcha is anything but “new”, it’s super trendy right now. We all love the color, the flavor, the health benefits, and the energy boost that matcha brings. I even have a hashtag going for my many matcha adventures, #matchawithmichelle. Oh, yeah. It went there. I’m so obsessed that I had to find a way other than latte’s to enjoy matcha. I wanted a grab and go energy snack with all of the benefits of matcha in snack form… thus, chocolate matcha energy balls were born!
Yes, matcha is a fun drink and these energy balls treat, but why does everyone love matcha so much?
Health Benefits of Matcha
It’s green, so it’s healthy. Right? But really, there are benefits to drinking matcha.
1. It’s rich in antioxidants.
Matcha powder is made from the whole green tea leaf. Green tea is a plant food is full of antioxidants that protect our cells from free radicals. Free radicals are anything that damages our cells, so antioxidants are super important! Since matcha is a more concentrated form of green tea, it’s packed with antioxidants!
2. It’s a more balanced source of caffeine
This is subjective for sure as we all have different tolerance levels of caffeine. However, matcha is known for being a more balanced source of caffeine as compared it coffee.
I really can’t tolerate the caffeine in coffee anymore, yet I do fine with matcha. The energy boost is subtle and sustained rather than the big boost and crash you get from coffee.
Why I Love These Chocolate Matcha Energy Balls
1. They offer all of the health benefits of matcha.
See above 😉 These guys don’t have a ton of matcha in them, but a little goes a long way! You really only need a little bit to make a latte, and the same goes for these. You can scale up and down the amount of matcha that you put in these
2. They’re full of healthy fat to help keep you full.
All of my energy ball recipes are made from a coconut butter base. Why? Because it’s a delicious healthy fat that keeps you satiated! Coconut butter is a healthy saturated fat which is necessary for our mood, energy, and satiation. Healthy fat helps keep us full, and these balls are no different.
3. They help energize you without leaving a crash.
As previously mentioned, matcha is known for giving a more sustained boost of caffeine without a crash. Because they also have so much coconut butter and coconut oil, the fat also helps balance out blood sugar spikes from caffeine and sugar from the honey.
No jittery feeling, spikes or crashes!
4. They taste super yummy!
I brought these to a party and was shocked by how much everyone was eating these guys up! I was about to leave the 4-5 leftover for everyone to enjoy at the end of the night, but my husband protested and wanted to bring some home so he could enjoy them 😉 Winner, winner!
PrintChocolate Matcha Energy Ball (Paleo, Autoimmune Paleo, Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut butter/ mana/ cream concentrate (soft enough to stir but not melted)
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tsp honey
- 1/2 tsp -1 tsp matcha powder (plus more for dusting)
- FOR THE COATING
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder (or carob for AIP)
Instructions
- Add the coconut butter to a bowl with the shredded coconut and stir until thoroughly combined
- Add the flour, oil, honey, and matcha powder. I recommend 1/2 tsp, but adding up to 1 tsp will make it stronger
- Continue to stir
- Roll the dough out into balls sizes to your liking and place them onto a plate lined with parchment paper
- Place the plate into the freezer for at least 1 hour to allow the balls to freeze
- Prepare a double boiler for the coating by placing a medium sauce pot half way filled with water on medium heat, and add a metal mixing bowl on top of the pot
- Add the coconut oil and cocoa/carob powder and wisk until melted into a chocolate sauce
- Remove the balls from the fridge and use a spoon to coat with the chocolate/carob mixture, dusting at the end with extra match. The coating should harden quickly.
- Place the balls back into the freezer for another hour or so
- Transfer to the fridge and enjoy the energy balls chilled
These are best chilled out of the fridge, so they’re not a great purse snack or the chocolate will start to melt. So, they’re much better just kept on hand in the fridge either at work or at home as a quick energy snack for a few days.
Enjoy, matcha lovers!
This recipe looks great Michelle! Do you know if these store well longer term in the freezer for the occasional snack, or if I wanted to make them several days to a week in advance for a party? Or for the latter, do you think they’d be fine in the fridge for that amount of time as well?
Thanks!
Thanks so much, Nicole!! They should freeze well for about a week or so 🙂 Enjoy!!
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These look really good… unfortunately, honey is not vegan. Do you have any ideas for substitutions?
Maple syrup works too! 🙂
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Do they last in a cooler bag? Is it better to enjoy them immediately out of the fridge?
★★★★★