These Chai Energy Balls taste like a warm cup of chai and are perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up. These small—yet satisfying—bites get their deep earthy flavors from cardamom and cinnamon, while ginger kicks in a spicy note. Protein-packed almond butter and antioxidant-rich dates bind the fiber-filled oats and crunchy cashews, chia and hemp seeds together, while maple syrup adds a touch of sweetness that is balanced with a pinch of salt. Keep reading for our expert tips, including how long you can store these energy balls (if they last that long!).

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• You can use a premade chai masala blend instead of the individual spices we call for.
• Make sure you purchase smooth almond butter rather than crunchy, because this will act as the binder, and you’ll need that moisture to hold the ingredients together.
• Keep your hands wet when rolling and squeezing the mixture into balls to help prevent it from sticking to your hands.
• You can swap almond butter for cashew butter or a smooth natural peanut butter. And you can substitute the hemp seeds with ground flaxseeds.

Nutrition Notes

• Oats are a fiber-filled complex carbohydrate that provides lasting energy. Eating oats regularly has been linked with lower cholesterol, healthy digestion and stable blood sugar.
• Almond butter is simply ground almonds. Like whole almonds, it’s loaded with vitamin E, heart- and brain-healthy fats and plant protein. Like oats, almonds and almond butter promote healthy blood sugar and digestion.
• Dates are often a base for energy balls and bars. They’re rich in fiber and also provide small amounts of potassium and magnesium. If you eat low-FODMAP, you will want to use caution when eating dates, as they can be bothersome to people with IBS. 
• Cashews are another great source of heart-healthy fats and plant protein. Eating cashews regularly can help lower cholesterol.