Chocolate Coconut Balls are easy, decadent and made in one bowl with only 6 ingredients. They will be your new favorite healthier dessert!
Reader’s Review
I’ve made these several times. They are absolutely delish. I don’t change a thing.
Susan Smith
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you are a dark chocolate lover, these chocolate coconut balls are for you! Many of you say they remind you of haystacks, mounds bars and chocolate crackles.
Whenever I don’t have a 70-90% dark chocolate bar on hand, you can find me making these healthy chocolate balls. They are super easy to make in one bowl, and no food processor or baking is required.
Dairy-free, vegan and can be gluten-free. The balls also keep well in the freezer for when the craving hits.
Ingredients for Chocolate Coconut Balls
- Coconut oil: For this recipe you cannot substitute with any other oil. It has to be coconut oil because it is the only oil that can solidify.
- Cacao or cocoa powder: I use cacao powder. It is less processed than cocoa powder. But you can use either. Some readers have had success using carob powder.
- Maple syrup: I prefer maple syrup to honey because it mixes and tastes better. You can also use brown rice syrup, agave or date syrup.
- Coconut flakes: Use unsweetened coconut flakes. You can’t skip the shredded coconut because it “makes” the balls. You can’t replace them with coconut flour either because the flour is too “thirsty” and the recipe will not work.
- Oats: Quick oats, rolled oats or quick cooking steel cut oats work. Use gluten free, if needed.
- Vanilla extract: Use pure one for best flavor.
How to Make Healthy Chocolate Coconut Balls
- Melt coconut oil: In a medium saucepan on low heat, melt the coconut oil. Once melted, remove from heat.
- Combine the ingredients: First, mix in the cacao powder and vanilla into the coconut oil. Next, whisk in the maple syrup. Finally, stir in the coconut flakes and oats until well combined.
- Freeze the mixture: Just 10 minutes in the freezer! If using refrigerated maple syrup, chocolate mixture will harden while mixing. You might not need to place it in a freezer before rolling. Also honey might require extra time whisking as it is quite solid.
- Make the balls: Use a small cookie scoop and form the balls. Place the balls on a parchment lined baking sheet. Then pop the baking sheet back into the freezer for another 30 minutes.
Tips for Best Results
- Use small trigger scoop to help shape your chocolate coconut balls.
- Do not worry about runny consistency because it is just melted coconut oil – that will solidify in the fridge/freezer. However, adding extra oats is OK too, your chocolate balls might just be thicker.
- Reduce cocoa powder if experiencing a bitter aftertaste.
- Remember to store these in the refrigerator or freezer – they are safe to place on a cookie platter for a few hours without worrying they will melt, though!
Optional Add-In’s
- Orange zest for an orange chocolate taste.
- Pinch of salt to enhance the chocolate profile.
- Dash of espresso powder for an even more intense chocolate taste.
- Pinch of cinnamon to add a warm spicy taste (like Mexican hot chocolate).
- Maca powder for an earthy taste.
- Dried sour cherry in the center for a “chocolate covered cherry”.
How to Store
Store: Best to keep these chocolate balls in an airtight container in the fridge. They will remain fresh for up to 7 days (if they last that long).
Freeze: Freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw on the counter for an hour or so or in the fridge overnight before enjoying.
FAQs
A reader has reported back that they added a small amount of unflavored protein powder and these became chocolate coconut protein balls. I have not tested with protein powder, so proceed with caution and if you use a flavored protein powder, the taste will turn out different.
Unfortunately, no. Balls have to be refrigerated in order to keep their shape otherwise they will melt (coconut oil problems).
More No Bake Chocolate Desserts to Try
- Chocolate rice krispie treats
- Homemade crunch bars
- No bake peanut butter oat cups
- Date snickers
- Healthy rum balls
- Homemade peanut butter cups
Healthy Chocolate Coconut Balls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup cacao or cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
- 1 cup coconut flakes, unsweetened
- 1/4 cup quick, rolled or quick cooking steel cut oats
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium pot, melt coconut oil on low heat.
- Remove from heat and whisk in cacao powder and vanilla extract. Whisk in maple syrup.
- Add coconut flakes and oats, stir until well combined.
- Place mixture in a freezer for about 10 minutes.
- Line flat sheet or platter with parchment paper. Using small trigger scoop, form and roll golf size chocolate coconut balls placing on a platter.
- Freeze for 30 minutes. Enjoy chilled straight from the freezer or fridge.
Notes
- Serve: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 7 days. Warm up on a counter for 5 minutes.
- Freeze: For up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter for an hour or so or in the fridge overnight before enjoying.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’ve made these several times. They are absolutely delish. I don’t change a thing.
I’m so happy to read this! Thanks for your positive feedback!
Cane across these after searching for sugar free desserts. Made these! Love these! So yummy. Thank you
So nice of you to say, so happy you loved it! Thank you for the rating!
Yummy!! Only change for me was doubling the oats to get a nicer consistency!
So glad you enjoyed them!
I just made a double batch of these and these are AMAZING. I’m normally quite afraid of baking (and so rarely make sweet food) but this looked so easy and tasty I had to give it a try. I added pistachios and cashews. The little tip of adding sea salt really lifted the flavours. Thanks for this beautiful recipe!
So glad you enjoyed them!
Please help me make these work better. I followed the recipe and they were so liquid even after being in the freezer – they were not anywhere near balls. I added oatmeal as another person said they had done, but it still did not make it possible to make balls. They are more like flat discs. Is there a particular brand of coconut oil that works better? Not sure what makes these ball – unless you allow the oil to cool completely before proceeding? I truly wish to make these work. Everyone seems to love them as these posts state, but I just do not seem to have been able o be successful.
The coconut oil should solidify, did you add too much maple syrup? Oats are included in the recipe as well, did you forget to add those?
No – I added exact amounts of everything. They ended up patties as leaving them in the freezer hardened the edges of the “batter” but not the inside of it. They still tasted delicious and everyone loved them, but they were melted blobs, not balls, and I had to add too much oats so that they would even form a melted patty. I am just trying to figure out what went awry as everyone else here posts that all went smoothly and I cannot figure out what went wrong. I followed the directions to the “t”.
The only thing I can think is that perhaps after melting the oil, one needs to let it cool substantially prior to adding the other ingredients. To me it reads like you melt and then take it off the heat and just proceed. But for me, this just was a runny mess that never hardened enough to form a ball.
I also will get smaller flakes of coconut next time.
You can try letting it cool down after melting and see if that helps.
Hi Margaret, I know this is a few years late but I just saw your comment. I am one who measures my ingredients by weight. I found that the weight advertised on the bag of shredded coconut produced almost twice as much as what the cup could hold, so I went by the weight rather than the cup, and it came out in ball form. I hope that helps 😊
Absolutely amazing! To make them 100% GF for sister, I increase the coconut flakes by 1/4 cup and then add 1T ground flaxseed meal. Delicious!
I am so happy to hear this, Ray!
Yum! Super easy & hits the spot.
I didn’t melt the coconut oil, I just used a bit of elbow grease & I used shredded coconut and rolled the balls in that, so tasty!
Yum! So glad you enjoyed it!
These are so yummy! i added some desiccated coconut before I froze them it was great.
So glad you enjoy these chocolate coconut balls so much!
These are delish! I love the fact that there is no white flour, no white sugar, and I don’t have to use the oven. Genius! I added about 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans, yum! Next time I’ll try a previous reviewer’s tip and toast the coconut, oats, and pecans first. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it Jessica!
Yum. Three are really tasty. I added 2 turns of sea salt as well. Totally satisfied my dessert/chocolate craving and really fast to make.
Yum with the sea salt! So glad you enjoyed them 🙂
These* haha. I’ll be eating more than three 😂
This is one delicious recipe! Thank you for sharing this recipe. Would definitely recommend this recipe to everyone. 🙂