📖 Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). This is important, so don't skip this step!
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This prevents sticking and makes cleanup a breeze.
3. In a food processor or blender, combine the walnuts, oats, and shredded coconut. Pulse until you have a coarse crumbly mixture. Don't over-process—you want some texture left!
4. In a separate bowl, mash the Medjool dates with a fork until they're mostly smooth but still retain some texture. Adding a tiny splash of water can make this easier if you're working with drier dates. I learned this the hard way!
5. Add the maple syrup, bacon bits, and vanilla extract to the mashed dates. Mix well to combine.
6. Gradually add the dry ingredients (walnut mixture) to the wet ingredients (date mixture). Mix until everything is evenly combined but you still have a little bit of texture. Don't overmix!
7. Once everything is combined, roll the mixture into balls, about 1 inch in diameter. If you have a cookie scoop, that's great; otherwise use a spoon. You’ll end up with about 12-15 energy balls. I personally prefer them a little smaller, so I end up making more.
8. Place the energy balls onto the prepared baking sheet. Make sure they're not touching. Try not to squeeze them too hard.
9. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Keep an eye on them to prevent burning. Overbaked energy balls are sad energy balls.
10. Let the energy balls cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring them to a serving dish or airtight container. Let them cool completely. This step is important for their structure!