Lemon Coconut Chia Balls are nutritious morsels that taste both refreshing and sweet at the same time. With only five ingredients, no nuts, and no baking, they're a cinch to make! These are an alternate variation to my Coconut Protein Balls, Healthy Apricot Balls, and Peanut Butter Energy Balls with Chocolate Chips.
Winter is the season for citrus, and we can enjoy it in all sorts of different forms. My daughter and I came up with this recipe while her father and I were staying at their house over the Christmas holiday.
She had in mind some “power bites” that she had made before. I wanted to change a few things for my liking. In the end, we came up with something entirely different!
I know they were a hit, because after sampling them, our then four-year-old grandson came back later and asked for them again! On subsequent visits, he has put in special requests for our lemon balls!
My daughter later made the breakfast bites with lime juice instead of lemon, also with very good results.
🥘 Nutrition Packed Ingredients
- Fresh lemon juice helps to get your digestion off to a good start in the morning.
- The anti-inflammatory effects of raw honey can soothe coughs and may reduce seasonal allergy symptoms.
- Chia seeds are densely packed with nutrients. They are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids something we almost always need more of.
- Oats are a good source of healthy fibre. Use gluten free oatmeal if necessary. Read more about gluten in oats here. If you don't have quick oats, you have two options: either simply use regular GF oats as they are or give them a quick pulse or two in the food processor before combining them with the other ingredients. I don't recommend steel cut oats for this recipe, because they are not soft enough to form a sticky dough.
- Coconut combines with the lemon to impart a lovely hit of the tropics! I tested this recipe with unsweetened coconut, so as not to add any extra sugars.
🔪 How to Make Chia Balls
You have several options when it comes to making this recipe. These chia balls are a snap to make in the stand mixer or food processor, but you could easily stir them together by hand.
Food Processor Directions
Using the food processor, I was able to simply add the ingredients in the order given and pulse a couple of times until everything was combined.
Stand Mixer Directions
With the stand mixer, I let it run on a low-medium speed until the ingredients are evenly combined. You want the dough to ball up as it begins to stick together.
Hand Mixing Directions
If you’re mixing by hand, I would recommend stirring each item in as you add it.
Whichever method you use, ...
Remember to save the second amount of coconut for rolling the balls.
After letting your mixture sit for 10 minutes to thicken up, form it into balls with wet hands. I found that rewetting my hands after every couple of balls added just the right amount of moisture. Then roll the balls in the extra coconut and enjoy them.
Because there’s no baking involved, it’s not important to make the balls all the same size. If you’d like to make some little, child-sized ones and also some larger, adult-sized ones, go ahead!
Hint: If you forget the batter and leave it sitting longer than 10 minutes, it might become rather dry and be difficult to form into balls. Ten minutes seems to be the optimal time for the chia and oats to absorb moisture before the mixture becomes too dry.
🥡 Storage
Store any leftover chia balls that don't get eaten within the day, covered in an airtight container, in the refrigerator.
❓Recipe FAQ's
Energy balls are good for your health when they contain whole food ingredients. These ones have chia seeds, which are a great source of much needed omega-3 fatty acids. The oats supply fiber, and raw honey is a good source of antioxidants.
Recipe
Lemon Coconut Chia Balls
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons lemon or lime juice (2 lemons should do it, but measure)
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 ½ cups gluten free quick oatmeal
- ½ cup unsweetened flaked coconut
- 4 tablespoons raw honey
- ½ cup extra coconut for rolling
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except for second amount of coconut to a stand mixer or food processor in order given and blend to combine evenly, OR mix ingredients in a mixing bowl in the order given, stirring after each addition.
- Allow to sit 10 minutes.
- With wet hands, shape into balls of approximately 1 inch, roll each one in some more coconut to coat, and place on a platter to serve.
Leticia Alvarez says
Alternative to oats? I can't eat oats, but this recipe looks delicious!
Lori says
So easy and so good!
Cathy says
Thank you, Lori! I'm happy to hear that you're enjoying the lemon balls!
Marge says
My family does not like coconut...won’t even taste if they know coconuts are an ingredient. Any substitute suggestions?
Cathy says
Yikes! My father didn't like coconut, either. Maybe you could replace it with some more oats, but I have not tried this.
Scarlet says
I used lime for the recipe! It was really good and super fun to make. The lime flavor really has a kick, like a beautiful pick-me-up healthy snack. Love them! My mom and my sisters as well. I thought that instead of rolling them out into a ball, I could use a rolling pin so it'd be like a cracker, add sliced almonds and other treats on top and freeze it for a bit and it'd be yummy bark! Will be trying that next time! I'd give this a 30 stars if I could!
Cathy says
Thank you, Scarlet! I'm so glad you enjoyed the variation!
Antoinette says
A good healthy option. Very easy to make and taste delicious.
Cathy says
Thank you, Antoinette!
Hennje says
Can I use quinoa flakes instead?
Cathy says
Hi Hennje! I'm sorry, I have not tried this recipe with quinoa flakes. If you do, please let me know how it turns out for you. That would be a nice option to have.
Teresa says
Hi! Fabulous recipe! I added almond meal in place of oatmeal. I have digestive issues with oatmeal. I also added maple syrup and a tablespoon of coconut oil.
Cathy says
I'm so glad that you enjoyed the recipe, Teresa. Thank you for letting me know! Your additions sound wonderful!
Leticia Alvarez says
Omg that is good to know, I've always look for alternatives to oats. I'm allergic so it sucks not being able to make majority of the recipe!
Cathy says
I hope this works well for you, Leticia! Thanks again, Teresa, for helping us out here!
Brenda says
Lemon Coconut Chia Balls
I made mine a bit different .. I only used 1 tsp of honey and 4 large dates. They came out great.
I didn't measure the oats, just gradually added so mixture held together without being dry.
I put mine in the freezer and love eating them that way. Partially frozen.
Cathy says
I love when my readers share their own twist on a recipe! I'm so glad that these turned out great for you. Thank you for telling us about it!
Shelley says
This recipe did not turn out for me. The mixture would not stick together. I used gluten free quick cooking steel cut oats. I now have a bowl of ingredients and don’t know what else to use it for 🙁
Cathy says
I'm sorry the recipe didn't work for you. I had not tested it with steel cut oats. Perhaps you could puree your mixture in a food processor until it becomes sticky enough to hold together. Wet your hands well to squeeze balls of dough together. I hope you are still able to enjoy some chia balls.
Justine says
Really tasty little morsels! I had fun making them with my three-year-old daughter. The lemon flavor is really bright and complements the oats beautifully. I used GF rolled oats instead of quick oats and they worked just fine. This will definitely be a go-to snack in our house whenever I have an abundance of lemons. Thanks!
Cathy says
I'm glad you enjoyed them! They seem to be popular with the kids!