No Bake Matcha Coconut Balls with Almond Flour

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These no bake matcha coconut balls make for an amazing wholesome plant-based snack to boost your energy level. They feature nutrient dense ingredients such as shredded coconut, almond flour and matcha powder... and not a hint of oil! Keep some in the freezer so they are always ready to go.

Showing are a few matcha coconut energy balls in a white bowl with on the side a cup of tea and some matcha powder on a small plate.

These no bake matcha coconut balls are so dreamy!

I might be biased though as I am also slightly addicted to matcha. Anyone else?

I have talked about matcha powder having that little something that will get you hooked after a few tries in my mini matcha brownies post.

Matcha does have a mild bitter flavor, almost 'vegetale', but when combined with sweet wholesome ingredients, it becomes a magical element that turns recipes more bright with complex umami and sweet flavors.

And although I thought chocolate + matcha was the way to go (oh hello, delicious matcha chocolate creamy oatmeal), combining green tea flavor with coconut totally makes me rethink that assumption.

The tropical sweet flavor from the coconut adds a nutty twist to these mini bites that pairs so well with the matcha. These bliss balls will give you a nice boost of energy that can help you power through a down in the middle of the day, but without a post-buzz-unproductive-collapse you can get with coffee.

Showing is a bowl with some bright green energy balls made with shredded coconut, matcha, almond flour and chia seeds. There is a small plate with some matcha powder in the background.

Vegan bliss balls without dates

Medjool dates are great at creating a sticky sweet base for making energy balls. But, my husband, and I know some of you, don't enjoy dates, so here is a bliss ball recipe completely made without using them.

So, what's replacing the date binding factor? It is a combination of chia seeds and almond flour that when in contact with moisture become more sticky.

To help the balls hold well together, you will have to combine the ingredients and then, allow some resting time so the moisture will be absorbed and the batter will become sticky.

Why you'll love this recipe

Only 6 ingredients
Quick and simple to prepare
One-bowl, no food processor or blender!
Healthy
Oil-free, dairy-free and 100% plant-based
Raw
Great for meal-prep and freezer friendly

Close up on a few raw matcha energy balls that were rolled into shredded coconut.

What's matcha

For those of you who are new to matcha, it is simply dried green tea leaves that are crushed into a very fine powder.

When drinking 'regular' green tea, you have to remove the leaves after steeping compared to matcha tea where the crushed leaves are whisked into water or milk. This explains the exceptionally powerful health benefits from matcha mostly because the antioxidant-rich leaves are fully ingested.

Consuming matcha green tea on a regular basis has been proven to help lower your blood pressure and even help prevent heart disease. But what's also great on a day-to-day is that it also boosts your metabolism. This can help your mind stay focused and your body energized in such a relaxed way.

Matcha tea is part of a traditional tea ceremony in Japan for centuries, but became more popular in USA recently mostly for its health benefits. I do enjoy a nice cup of matcha latte, but one of my favorite way is actually to include matcha in baked goods, such as muffins, cookies, brownies and these no bake matcha coconut balls!

Ingredients you'll need

Shredded coconut
Matcha powder
Almond flour
Maple syrup
Chia seeds
Vegan milk

Showing are the ingredients needed to make this recipe.

How to make them

Step 1- Combine

In a large bowl, simply combine all the ingredients and stir. Be sure to break all coconut and almond flour clumps by pressing with a spatula or a spoon.

Step 2- Rest + chill

Cover and transfer the dough to the fridge for about 20 minutes. This is essential so the balls hold well.

Step 3- Roll

Roll in balls of desired size. I like to use a small ice cream scoop as it helps create balls of the same size. First press the mixture to squeeze the ingredients together and then roll to smooth. I made 15 balls of about 2 tablespoons each, which I find it to be perfectly bite sized.

This is optional, but you can also cover the balls with more shredded coconut if you want, just to give it a pop in color.

In process picture: overhead on a bowl containing a few ingredients.

In process picture: over head view on a bowl filled with a bright green mixture with a spatula stirring.

Watch how to make them

Showing is a no-bake coconut ball that has a bite taken off to show the middle texture. There are more balls in the background in a bowl.

What kind of coconut to use

Desiccated or finely shredded (coconut for baking): These are the best options. The finer the coconut is, the better the balls will hold. I used the fine shredded coconut from Let's Do Organic.
Regular shredded coconut: These are longer/large shreds which can work great to add texture to baked goods, but won't work well for this recipe as the balls might fall apart.
Coconut flakes: Not a good option either as they are too big and won't create a sticky bulk to have balls that hold well.

If you only have larger kinds of coconut pieces, then simply give it a few pulse in the food processor before incorporating into the batter.

Also, I recommend to use UNSWEETENED coconut. These balls are not overly sweet so there is place for adding for sweetness, but sugary coconut just would be too much. If you want sweeter bites, just add a tablespoon or two extra of maple syrup.

Almond flour tips

Choose a BLANCHED and FINE almond flour. This is what will give you a better base to absorb on the moisture and create a sticky batter. 'Blanched' simply means that the skin from the almonds were removed before pulverizing them.

Almond meal is made by grinding whole almonds and usually results in a more coarse and brownish mixture that's less processed, but also that won't give you the best result for this recipe.

If you don't have almond flour, then you can make your own. Try to use peeled slivered almonds or whole and blanched almonds for best results. Here is a nice guide on how to make your own almond flour from fool proof living.

More almond flour recipes

Close up on a no-bake coconut ball placed into a bowl with more balls.

Variation and substitutions

You can use any vegan milk you have on hand. If you want extra coconut flavor, then you can use coconut milk.
Add a splash of vanilla extract for added flavor, which will pair very well with the coconut and matcha.
The bites are not overly sweet, so taste the batter after resting and add a little more maple syrup if desired. You could also roll in some coconut sugar for added sweetness.
I like to roll them in extra shredded coconut to give them a pop of color, but feel free to roll in hemp seeds, chia seeds, cacao nibs or drizzle with nut or coconut butter (or melted chocolate!).
You can make the balls as big or little as you want!

Storage

After rolled, simply store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days. For longer storage, keep in the freezer for up to 6 months, they freeze so well! Let them thaw at room temperature for a few minutes before enjoying.

Front view on a white bowl filled with raw matcha and coconut balls with the top one having a bite that's missing to show texture.

FAQ's

How to make them nut-free

I haven't tried it, but the almond flour could be replaced using coconut flour. Start with a little less as it is more absorbent. Also, be sure to use a nut-free vegan milk such as oat or coconut milk.

Are these gluten-free?

Yes! These are 100% gluten-free!

I do not have chia seeds. What can I use instead?

The chia seeds soak some of the moisture to form a gel, which is super helpful to make the balls stick well. I haven't tried using any other ingredients, but you could try using GROUND flax seeds instead if you have some.

My balls don't hold well enough. What can I do?

First, be sure you allow the batter to rest for at least 20 minutes before rolling them. I noticed a HUGE difference in between texture pre vs post resting, so don't skip on that. Also, before rolling, you have to press the ingredients in your palm/fingers to first squeeze them against each other, then roll. If the dough still isn't sticky enough, then add 1-2 tablespoon of maple syrup for added stickiness, it should be enough!

More matcha recipes you might like

More energy ball recipes you might like

I hope you enjoy these coconut matcha bliss balls as much as we do! If you try them, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how they were. Your feedback is so helpful!

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