These healthy chocolate rum balls are quick & easy to make. They are no-bake, entirely paleo, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free! (IF you allow a little bit of alcohol in your diet here and there, obviously). This recipe is 100% natural and sweetened with dates and maple syrup, making it the perfect treat for anybody wanting to stay away from refined sugar and all-purpose flour. Made with only 7 ingredients, these savory, flour-less and fuss-free little balls are ready in just under 15 minutes. Perfect for all occasions, ranging from a quick post-workout snack to a holiday treat, these chocolate protein bites are the perfect crowd pleaser.
Yes. I know what you’re thinking. Alcohol isn’t my definition of “healthy” either.
Maybe “healthier” would’ve been a little bit more “realistic”, you say.
Well, while I agree that several alcoholic drinks a week can be detrimental to your diet, the small amount you will get from having a few of these energy bites won’t make any difference.
Promise.
PLUS! Did you know that consumed responsibly, rum has several health benefits?
Yes! According to some studies, when consumed moderately, rum has the nifty little perk of prolonging life for up to 5 years, fighting muscle pain, preventing several diseases like Alzheimer, osteoporosis, anxiety and cancer.
It will also help keep away the cold! That’s quite a lot if you ask me.
Ok, enough with the health facts. If I’m going to be honest here, the main reason why there’s rum in this recipe is simply because rum and chocolate is simply… THE BOMB!
These chocolate & rum protein balls brought me sweet memories from holidays when I was still a boy. There was a box of those alcohol-filled chocolates on the counter and I managed to grab one of them, unnoticed.
BOY, those were good.
Maybe it was because of the thrill of doing something forbidden, or simply because of their taste.
Or both, who knows.
But these fudgy little protein balls share the same taste while being super healthy!
Their chocolate truffle texture will surprise all your guests, they won’t believe you when you tell them these are made from dates and almond flour.
For this recipe, I used 4 tablespoons of Captain Morgan’s dark rum, but you can use any rum you have on hand, really. I just love dark rum. Another good idea would be Malibu coconut rum to add a nice coconut twist to the recipe.
For some people, 4 tablespoons of rum in this recipe might be a little bit too much. So if you prefer your drinks to be lighter, I suggest you start with 2 tablespoons, mix, taste and adjust. Just so you know, I’m a “whisky, no ice please” type of guy.
Healthy Chocolate & Rum Balls
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup pitted dates
- 2 tbsp cacao powder
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 4 tbsp Captain Morgan Dark Rum
- Optional: 1/2 cup whey protein powder (vanilla flavored)
- More Cacao powder for coating
- Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat.
- Meanwhile, blend all of the dry ingredients into a fine flour using a food processor.
- Set the coconut oil aside for a couple minutes and let it cool down.
- Transfer the dry ingredients to a large bowl then add the melted coconut oil, maple syrup and dark rum. Mix well.
- Using your hands, roll the preparation into 1-inch balls.
- Gently roll the balls into cocoa powder.
WARNING: For some people, 4 tablespoons of rum in this recipe might be too much. If you prefer your drinks lighter, I suggest you start with 2 tablespoons, mix, taste and adjust!
Also, protein powder is entirely optional for this recipe. You may replace it with 1 tsp vanilla extract.
If using plant-based protein powder, reduce the amount of almond flour to 1/2 cup.
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