Zesty & crunchy vegan turmeric energy balls recipe – created with apricots, cashews, and coconut. Easy to make in a food processor or blender.

We could all do with a little more energy, don’t you think? At least when it comes to me, but that’s no surprise as I always have 100 projects running at any one time. I don’t know about you, but during all of these projects I also like to snack a lot, so recipes that both give me a tasty snack as well as some added energy, such as this Vegan Turmeric Energy Balls Recipe, are always more than welcome!

I first created this recipe back in 2017 and it was one of the first recipes on this website, however, I re-vamped it in 2021 to update the metrics of the recipe and also give it an overall new look alongside new pictures (hope you like it!)

What you’ll need for this turmeric energy ball recipe

Ingredients

dried apricots
cashews
desiccated coconut
vegan protein powder, vanilla flavoured
coconut flour
turmeric powder
black pepper
lemon juice
Optional: roughly chopped cashews for decoration

Equipment

kitchen scale
food processor
a bowl
fridge

How to create vegan energy balls

Equipment advice

The recipe steps for making energy balls – or also called ‘bliss balls’ – are pretty straight forward. I like to use a food processor to combine the ingredients, but you can also use either a stick blender and a tall jug to incorporate your ingredients OR a blender, however with the blender option you will have to use a temper stick or continuously stop and scrape down the sides. Whilst it’s possible to make them in a blender, it’s probably the least convenient option of the three mentioned, so if you have a food processor or stick blender instead, definitely use those.

Soaking cashews in just 20 minutes

To start with the energy balls, simply prepare and measure your ingredients. For the cashews, there are 2 options: our aim is to soften these, so they can be processed into the energy balls and you can either do so by soaking them for 4-6 hours in cold water (maintaining most of their nutritional benefits) or soak them in boiling water for 20 minutes (destroying a part of the nutritional components through heat). Both options result in perfectly soft and ready to use cashews. Thoroughly drain and rinse the cashews, before continuing with the recipe.

Processing the energy ball mix

Transfer them to a food processor (or Co) and process until the ingredients come together to create a thick but sticky mixture. If your processor struggles combining everything – after all, the juiciness of your apricots or used protein powder might vary – add 1-2 tablespoons of water in small portions until everything can be combined into one dough.

Resting time

Once you get a thick, but sticky mix, transfer it to a bowl and let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour. This will help firm the mix, so it’s easier to roll into the energy balls. If it’s more convenient for you, you can also leave the dough for a longer time period or overnight, however, I would recommend covering it for longer time periods, so it doesn’t dry out and become crumbly so quickly

Shaping the energy balls

To shape the energy balls, simply scoop out a portion-size with a teaspoon and roll the energy ball in between your palm to create the round shape. Set the finished energy balls aside on a non-stick surface, ideally, something like baking parchment as the turmeric can stain. Be aware that the turmeric will also stain your hands, so it’s best to wash and scrub them with soap as soon as you’re done.

I have found that this recipe roughly creates 10-12 energy balls, depending on the portion size.

The last step I’ve included here is totally optional, but I love adding an additional crunch to these energy balls: Use a large knife and chop a handful of cashews into small chunks. Firmly roll your turmeric energy balls in these chunks until they stick to the outside – you might have to add a little pressure here and gently roll them back into the ball shape after.

Storage

To store these energy balls, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge and consume them within 3-4 days.

This recipe is:

100% vegan
naturally gluten-free
easy to make
egg-free
dairy-free
zesty
a delicious snack
pure bliss! (no pun intended)