Red Velvet Energy Balls
These red velvet energy balls are tender, nutritious treats infused with color and flavor. I like to call them my little red devils because they’re devilishly delicious!
There are some everyday staples in my vegan kitchen. That includes green smoothies (yes, we have one every day), and energy balls. They’re healthier than traditional sweets but satisfy your sweet tooth just the same. See more of my favorite energy ball recipes below.
I love to show the versatility that comes with a vegan diet. Sometimes we want fast and easy. But it’s got to be delicious too.
This recipe has it all — easy, healthy, and delicious!
Key Ingredients
- Rolled oats — You can substitute instant oats, but it may change the texture so be sure to test the batter.
- Dates — you’ll need approximately 12 soft Medjool dates.
- Almond butter — I prefer the more neutral flavor of almond butter.
- Protein powder — I prefer using chocolate protein powder.
- Ground flax seeds — You can substitute ground chia seeds.
- Red hibiscus powder — Hibiscus powder does add a citrus flavor, but I actually enjoy that. You can substitute red food coloring if you prefer not to order hibiscus powder or simply don’t like it.
- Chocolate chips — Use my dairy-free chocolate chip guide to find your favorite chocolate chips or white chocolate chips.
How to Make Red Velvet Energy Balls
- Place the oats and pitted dates in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine.
- Add the almond butter, vanilla, protein powder, flax, coconut flakes, and 2 tablespoons of the red hibiscus powder.
- Pulse for a few seconds. Use a spatula to push down the ingredients and pulse again until the ingredients are combined.
- Test the batter. It should stick together between your fingers. If not, add a little bit of syrup sweetener (such as maple syrup) and pulse to combine.
- Add the chocolate chips and either pulse in short bursts until combined or stir them into the batter.
- Reserve some of the chips for the topping.
- Stir together 1 tablespoon of the red hibiscus powder and 1 tablespoon of chocolate protein powder.
- Roll the dough into bite-size balls. Roll in the hibiscus mixture and press in a few reserved chocolate chips.
Storage Tips
Store energy balls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to 14 days. They can be frozen for up to 2 months. Serve them cold or let them sit at room temperature before eating.
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- Using hibiscus powder is a natural way to turn these energy balls a beautiful shade of red
- Adding chocolate protein powder provides hints of chocolate to every bite
- Rolled oats create the best texture, making these treats healthy and delicious
Red Food Coloring Options
There are a few ways you can make these energy balls red:
- Hibiscus Powder — Red hibiscus powder is a great way to naturally color your food red, but it does add a citrus flavor.
- Red Food Coloring — You can go old-school and simply use red food coloring. You won’t need much, so I wouldn’t stress about using it.
- Beet Powder — Beets are another great way to transform food with a red color. However, beets have an earthy flavor that comes through in beet powder.
Energy Ball Recipes
If you love these red velvet energy balls, here are even more energy ball recipes you’ll want to try:
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Red Velvet Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup medjool dates (approximately 12 dates)
- ½ cup almond butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup chocolate protein powder, divided
- ⅓ cup ground flax seeds
- ½ cup coconut flakes
- 3 tablespoons red hibiscus powder, divided (see notes)
- ½ cup vegan white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Place the oats and pitted dates in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine.
- Add the almond butter, vanilla, protein powder, flax, coconut flakes, and 2 tablespoons of the red hibiscus powder. See notes if you'd like to substitute red food coloring. Pulse for a few seconds. Use a spatula to push down the ingredients and pulse again until the ingredients are combined.
- Test the batter. It should stick together between your fingers. If not, add a little bit of syrup sweetener (such as maple syrup) and pulse to combine.
- Add the white chocolate chips and either pulse in short bursts until combined or stir them into the batter. Reserve some of the chips for the topping.
- Topping: Stir together 1 tablespoon of the red hibiscus powder and 1 tablespoon of chocolate protein powder.
- Roll the dough into bite-size balls. Roll in the hibiscus mixture and press in a few reserved chocolate chips.
- Store energy balls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to 14 days. They can be frozen for up to 2 months. Let the sit at room temperature before eating.
Recommended Equipment
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Notes
Red Food Coloring
Here are some natural options for coloring your energy bites red:- Red Hibiscus Powder (natural and adds a bit of tangy flavor)
- Organic Red Food Coloring (natural and adds no flavor)
- Beet Powder (natural and adds an earthy flavor)
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This post was originally published in 2015 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2022.
Hi is the calories for one beet ball 120 calories ??
Hi Makenzie. Yes, that is correct.
Have you tried roasting your beets to turn them into a puree? Wrap your beets in foil and place on a cookie sheet in a 425 degree oven until easily pierced with a fork (about an hour depending on size of beet). The skins then easily slide off and you can pulse them in a food processor with a touch of water for a great puree that can be used in all kinds of fun recipes. Roasting them brings out a great flavor too! I do this with a handful of beets and portion them out in the freezer to have on hand. Definitely going to be defrosting some for this recipe 🙂
Can you use something in place of hemp seeds?
Hi Chelle! If I didn’t have any hemp seeds on hand, I’d probably use sesame seeds instead. Those are easy to find at most grocery stores and have a lot of great nutritional value as well. Let me know how it goes!
I have read the recipe at least twice and did not see hemp seeds listed as an ingredient. This recipe has apparently been updated. Did the original recipe call for hemp seeds and nit flax seeds.
Hi Jeanettel. Yes, the recipe was recently updated to make the energy balls easier to make while maintaining the same flavor!
I love so much about this post! I had wanted to try to get beets into a no bake energy bite recipe but couldn’t get it to work. LOVE these bites! They are so pretty and wow, packed with so much good stuff! Definitely pinning these!
I know what you mean – they’re such a fun (and colorful) ingredient to work with!