Lemon Balls

Snack healthy with these homemade Larabar lemon balls! Made with almonds, dates, lemon and coconut, these little bites are tasty, portable and take only 10 minutes to make!

I would never had discovered these little gems, if it had not been for a dear friend of mine who asked me if I wanted to try them.

I have to admit that was skeptical at first, since I am not much of a shredded coconut kind of person. Don’t get me wrong, I love coconut in many other forms, just not the raw shredded. Weird I know…. Anyway she was telling me all about them and asked if I wanted her to bring me some. Of course, I NEVER turn down food. LOL!

She tweaked her original recipe and I am officially a fan of these!!! (I am including the variations in the recipe below).

If you’re a lemon-lover, you will want to try this recipe!

When you combine lemon with sweet ingredients (like dates) the tangy lemon flavor adds a pop of brightness without being too sour and it’s actually quite refreshing.

They take only about 10 minutes to make and are perfect for snacking throughout the week.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup almonds, raw or roasted (no salt added)
1 cup pitted Medjool dates* (10–12 dates)
juice from 1 lemon, about 2–3 tablespoons – Variation: 3 tablespoons of lemon juice plus 4 drops of Lemon Essential Oil (use Certified Therapeutic Pure Grade oils only)
zest from 1 lemon – optional if you are using the Essential Oil
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon sea salt
⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

INSTRUCTIONS

Add almonds, dates, lemon juice, zest, vanilla and sea salt into the bowl of a food processor. (This is the brand and model I use and LOVE!)
Pulse until almonds are chopped and a soft “dough” forms. (You may need to scrape the sides of the processor a couple times).
Using your hands, form the dough into balls.
Put shredded coconut into a small bowl and roll each ball into the coconut until evenly coated.
Eat immediately and store any extras in the fridge or freezer for later consumption.