These healthy lemon bliss balls taste like a healthier, bite-sized lemon bar. Bright and just the right amount of sweet, learn how to make them now. 

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If you love lemon, then you’re going to fall in love with these healthy lemon bliss balls 

Forget chocolate and vanilla, lemon is my favorite. 

Bright, yet calming at the same time, lemon is a flavor I enjoy at any time of day. So, it was only time until I made these healthy lemon coconut bliss balls. 

I’ve fallen in love with this healthy bliss ball recipe as they’re: 

• Made with whole ingredients.
• So lemony thanks to fresh lemon juice and zest.
• Naturally sweetened with dates. 
• Contain healthy fats to help keep you full and satiated. 
• A perfect work, travel, or pre-workout snack. 
• Ready in 10 minutes. 

Plus, if you’re looking for more healthy CBD recipes, then these vegan lemon energy bites are ideal! 

If you use CBD to help manage symptoms, but feel uncomfortable bringing CBD products with you to work/the gym/traveling/etc., then these lemon bliss balls are the perfect solution! Plus, the lemony flavor will help mask any earthiness from the oil. 

These lemon energy bites taste like healthier, mini lemon bars 

While I’m a big fan of these raw lemon bars from Minimalist Baker, I don’t always want to have dessert in order to get my lemon-fix. 

These no-bake lemon coconut bliss balls taste like a cross between lemon bars and a lemon poppyseed muffin. 

The key is using fresh lemon juice and zest. Do not use bottled lemon juice!

Plus, unlike muffins and lemon bars, these lemon energy balls are made with just a handful of whole ingredients, making them a nourishing snack before a morning workout or for an afternoon snack. 

Are energy balls good for you?

Despite their popularity, you may be wondering: are energy balls good for you? Generally yes, but as with anything, it depends on the ingredients in them. 

These vegan energy balls are a nourishing snack option as they’re made with whole ingredients, naturally sweetened with dates (no sugar alternatives here!), and filled with healthy fats thanks to chia seeds and cashews. 

Plus, if you have a food allergy, these healthy lemon bliss balls are also: 

• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free
• Soy-free 

What are the benefits of using dates rather than other sources of sugar? 

While dates are definitely sweet, they also have a lot more than just sugary goodness. 

First of all, unlike white sugar, dates are rich in fiber.

In fact, a 3.5-ounce serving has 7 grams of fiber. As a result, when you eat dates, the fiber helps to slow down the absorption of that sugar, meaning it won’t spike your blood sugar levels as much as regular sugar. 

Plus, dates are also rich in important nutrients like: 

• Potassium and magnesium — important for bone health.
• Copper and manganese — important for brain functioning. 
• Vitamin B6 — needed for protein metabolism and red blood cell formation.
• Antioxidants — reduce damage to your cells caused by oxidative stress. As a result they can help reduce inflammation and protect against chronic disease. 

What you’ll need to make these no bake lemon coconut balls 

There are just a handful of ingredients for these healthy lemon bliss balls: 

• Raw cashews: to save money, I recommend buying cashew pieces in bulk rather than whole cashews. You can also use almonds or walnuts instead, but I find the texture is a little less creamy. 
• Medjool dates: make sure to use soft ones! Again, you can save money by buying dates in bulk. 
• Unsweetened shredded coconut: Even if you don’t usually like coconut, don’t leave it out! Because it gets pulsed with everything else, there isn’t much of a texture and the taste is quite subtle. Just skip rolling them in shredded coconut at the end. For more of a desert than healthy snack, you can use sweetened coconut instead. 
• Chia seeds: I also buy my chia seeds in bulk online. I like adding them to this recipe as they give the appearance of a lemon poppyseed muffin, while also having the benefit of adding healthy fats and essential minerals. 
• Lemon juice and zest: I love lemon, so I used the zest of 1 whole large lemon and the juice of half that large lemon. 
• Pinch of salt: You’ll use just a tiny amount, but it does help to bring out the sweet and tart flavors. 
• Vanilla extract: use a pure vanilla extract for best flavor. If you don’t like using vanilla extract, you can use vanilla beans or vanilla powder instead. Notes in recipe on how to substitute. 

And for a CBD-infused option, you’ll also need CBD oil. I talk about what kind to use further down in this post! 

Don’t want to use CBD? Simply leave it out. No other adjustments needed! 

How to make healthy bliss balls 

Vegan bliss balls are simple to make, but they do require a good-quality food processor. 

Step 1: Start by measuring out all your ingredients. 

My medjool dates were super soft, but if yours are a bit dry, I recommend soaking them in a bowl of hot water for 10 minutes first

Step 2: Pulse cashews until they form a coarse sand-like texture. Scrape down the sides of the food processor. 

Step 3: Add remaining ingredients and pulse until fully combined. The mixture should hold together when rolled into a ball and be quite sticky. If your mixture is crumbly, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time until it reaches the right consistency.  

Step 4: Roll mixture into 16 balls. If you want extra coconut, roll the lemon bliss balls in extra shredded coconut.

Enjoy immediately. Or, place balls in a container (I like using glass containers with lids) and store in the fridge for 2 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months. 

If you plan on bringing a few bites with you, without access to a fridge, I recommend freezing them the night before as they’ll soften throughout the day. 

Adding CBD oil to these lemon bliss balls 

There are so many CBD products out there nowadays. Unfortunately, not all of them are made with high-quality CBD. 

As a registered dietitian, I care a lot about what I put in my body. So, when it comes to CBD, I want to make sure that I’m using top quality CBD oil. If you’re curious about how to figure out what CBD oil to buy, be sure to check out my previous post here. 

My preferred brand is CBDistillery as they only use high-quality hemp-derived CBD oil.

How much CBD oil should I add to energy bites? 

How much CBD oil you should add to this recipe will depend on your individual needs. 

As I don’t know your medical history, I cannot recommend a dosage. Instead, I can simply help you figure out how to calculate the amount to use based on your daily dose. Unsure what your daily dose should be? I recommend talking with a dietitian or medical provider. 

For these balls, I used CBDistillery’s THC-Free Pure CBD Oil Tincture 83mg. 

This means that each full dropper provides 83 mg of CBD. So, if I wanted to make each bite have 20 mg of CBD, and I made 16 balls, then I would need to add 16 x 20 = 320 mg of CBD. So, 320 mg / 83 mg = 4 full droppers. 

When choosing CBD, if you plan on adding it to recipes like these bliss balls, I recommend going with a more concentrated oil, like this 83 mg one, so that you don’t have to add as much oil.

If you use a less concentrated oil, you may need to adjust the amount of ingredients added to reach the right consistency. This may mean adding more nuts, dates, and coconut flakes. 

Also, while isolates are flavorless, if using a broad-spectrum or full-spectrum oil, you may need to increase the amount of lemon zest to mask the earthy flavor. 

But why add CBD to these healthy lemon bliss balls? 

While much more research is needed, so far what we do know about it is that CBD can help reduce chronic inflammation. This is because of its effects on the endocannabinoid system (ECS). 

Without getting too sciency (you can get a much more technical explanation by clicking the link above), the ECS is a complex signaling system in the body that contributes to homeostasis – a.k.a the internal balance in your body. 

So far, scientists have discovered that the ECS plays a role in regulating a handful of vital processes including appetite, sleep, mood, chronic pain, inflammation, stress, and even learning. 

While we’re still learning exactly how CBD interacts with the ECS, so far research suggests that one way it may work is by preventing endocannabinoids from being broken down.

Or in simpler terms, CBD keeps the ECS activated and in turn, promotes balance in the body.  

As a result, studies have suggested that CBD may help manage symptoms for certain conditions, including anxiety, chronic pain, and insomnia. 

However, just as you might take turmeric or cinnamon to help reduce inflammation, you wouldn’t expect it to cure your pain. Similarly, CBD can help reduce symptoms, but it shouldn’t be thought of as a cure-all. 

More healthy energy ball recipes 

Looking for more healthy bliss ball recipes? I’ve got you covered: 

• Mint Chocolate Hemp Seed Energy Bites on TheHealthyToast
• Turmeric Maca Bliss Balls on The Toasted Pine Nut 
• Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Energy Bites on TheHealthyToast 
• Coconut Matcha Bliss Balls on From My Bowl 

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