Step 1

Soak the dates in hot water for a few minutes to soften. Drain and squeeze out excess water.

Step 2

Pulse the nuts, nut meal, and cocoa in a food processor until finely ground. Add the dates, vanilla and sea salt and pulse until a thick, sticky dough ball forms. Remove the dough ball from the food processor – taste and add any salt or other flavors you want (like peppermint extract around the holidays – yummay).

Step 3

Roll the dough into small balls – you should be able to get 18-Roll the balls in toppings of your choice like cocoa powder, chocolate sprinkles, or flaked coconut, or you can just leave them without any toppings for a not-super-cute-but-still-tastes-good snack. Place on a baking sheet and store in the freezer until they are hard enough not to stick together. Transfer to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator or freezer.