Vegan Matcha Balls

You don’t have to be a matcha fan to love these energy balls, but if you are, you’ve probably just discovered your new favourite afternoon snack. These 4-ingredient vegan matcha balls are sweet, nutty, and packed with healthy fats and antioxidants. You can have them ready in just 15 minutes and keep in the fridge for up to a week, always at hand for when a sugar craving strikes.

These energy balls are every matcha lover's dream-come-true, made in under 15 minutes with a handful of ingredients. Here’s why you'll love them:

• Vegan and gluten free
• Sweetened only with dates
• A great natural pick-me-up
• No baking required
• Made with 4 ingredients
• Bursting with flavour

What Is Matcha Green Tea?

In the past few years, matcha has skyrocketed in popularity. It started with matcha lattes that seemed too hip not to try, and continued with matcha flavoured everything. So, is matcha actually good for you? Or is it just a tasty trend? Also, what the heck even is matcha?

Essentially, matcha is green tea that’s been grown a bit differently, which is why it has a unique nutritional profile. Unlike green tea, matcha contains the nutrients from the entire tea leaf, which results in a greater amount of caffeine and antioxidants. 

Here are the top health benefits of matcha:

• High in antioxidants
• Provides vitamin C, selenium, chromium, zinc and magnesium
• Is rich in fire, chlorophyll and vitamins
• Boosts metabolism, due to its high caffeine content

The bottom line is, yes, matcha is healthy. But, as is true with any other superfood, simply adding matcha to your diet won’t make a dramatic difference. If you like the taste, though, making it a part of your daily diet can additionally boost your health. And if you’re a matcha junkie like me, making matcha-flavoured energy balls might be exactly what's missing in your life right now!

Check out my post on matcha and my other recipes using matcha green tea powder.

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Vegan Matcha Balls

Medjool dates - add moisture and sweeten the balls naturally. If they're too hard, you can soak them in warm water for about 15 minutes before using them.

Cashews - raw nuts are what really makes these balls come together. If you're not a fan of cashews, you can replace them with almonds.

Unsweetened shredded coconut - adding coconut to these balls is optional, but highly recommended.

Matcha green tea powder - using high-quality matcha powder is essential for making amazing matcha muffins. If you already have a favourite brand that you use for cooking or homemade matcha lattes, go with that. If you don’t, I recommend trying out this matcha powder.

How to Make These Matcha Green Tea Energy Balls

1. Add the Medjool dates, cashews, shredded coconut and matcha powder to a food processor and pulse until it forms into a sticky dough.
2. Using your hands, roll into bite-sized balls, and then roll into a plate of shredded coconut if desired.

Important note: You may notice that I rolled half of these in coconut and the other half in matcha powder. This results in a very bitter, strong matcha taste, so if you're not a fan, feel free to roll all of them in coconut. Other possible toppings including cocoa powder and finely chopped nuts.

How Long Do They Keep?

You can store leftover matcha energy balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Looking for Energy Balls in a Different Flavour?

If you're looking for an easy no-bake recipe in a different flavour, make sure to check out these chocolate almond balls, coconut energy balls, or even these easy no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies.