No-Bake Energy Bites

One thing I knew I wanted to incorporate more of on my blog in 2023 is recipes! Some will be old tried and true favorites that I discovered from others and some will be original ones that I put time into perfecting. So be on the lookout for lots of delicious recipes!

Today I’m sharing an old tried and true favorite!

I discovered this no-bake energy bite recipe what feels like forever ago, but it has remained one of my baking, er, no-bake baking go-to’s to this day. I have tweaked a couple of things (I omit the shredded coconut and add cinnamon), but for the most part it’s true to the original.

RELATED READING: Easy Overnight Oats

I love these energy bites because they’re delicious, customizable and super easy to whip up. I like to make a triple batch and freeze immediately. Then I take some out at the start of each week and put in the fridge. I also love their versatility. They’re great to pack for lunch, are an easy on the go snack, satisfy a sweet tooth in between or after meals and even make a great pre-workout snack. Oh, and they’re toddler/kid approved, which is always a bonus!

INGREDIENTS – *For 1 batch

*Note: Check out the ‘Notes/Tips’ section below in case you’d like to make any adjustments prior to making

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup ground flaxseed (flaxseed meal)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Stir all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.

2. Cover the mixing bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours, or until the mixture is chilled. (This is an important step as it helps the mixture stick together better, which makes rolling them into balls easier).

3. Roll into 1-inch balls using your hand or a cookie scoop. (I like to make some closer to 1.5 inches for added variety).

4. Enjoy immediately, refrigerate in a sealed container for up to one week, or freeze for up to 3 months.

NOTES/TIPS

• Feel free to omit anything you don’t like or have on hand, add in any mix-in’s (dried cranberries, protein powder, hemp seed hearts, chopped nuts, craisins), make substitutions (maple syrup or agave nectar instead of honey, almond butter instead of peanut butter) or add more or less of an ingredient (less flaxseed meal, less chocolate chips).
• Keep in mind that depending on how you alter the recipe you may need to add more “sticky” ingredients (peanut butter, honey, etc.) to offset the addition of more dry ingredients or add a bit more oats or flaxseed meal if the mix is too wet.
• If you find that your batter is crumbly and difficult to roll into balls, there are a few things you can do to add moisture and stickiness: Add more honey or peanut butter, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or add 1 to 2 tablespoons of coconut oil.
• According to the original recipe, one batch yields approximately 20-25 energy bites, two batches yields approximately 40-50 and three batches yields approximately 60-75. Note that yieldings can vary depending on how small/large you roll the balls. From my experience these yieldings are a little on the generous size.
• If you want an easy way to switch up the taste a bit, I suggest using a different variety of chocolate chip. Possible options: semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, vegan chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips or cacao nibs.

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