Who needs a super easy and healthy snack recipe? These No Bake Energy Bites come in 10 different flavors so you’ll never get bored. You can whip up a batch of these in just minutes. From there, your fridge and freezer will be loaded with quick grab and go healthy snacks. Each of the 10 recipe flavors are gluten free, dairy free, and can be vegan as well. These also make a perfect bite sized treat for dessert with just enough sweetness.
These energy bites are my new favorite thing to meal prep! They come together in just minutes, and they keep well in the fridge and freezer. That means I always have a healthy snack on hand with just minutes of prep work.
These have been so great for a little something to pack for Tyler for his lunches as well. He starts work at 7am, so by the 10am break, he needs a snack! And between these and my Overnight Oats flavors, he’s been having these best snacks lately.
Best of all, they’re made with pantry ingredients. And they’re just as popular with adults as they are with kids.
Watch how to make these No Bake Energy Bites
Let’s get started by talking about the ingredients for these No Bake Energy Bites
- Oats – I use old-fashioned oats here, both regular and the extra thick ones from Bob’s Red Mill. If you need this recipe to be truly gluten free, be sure to buy certified oats!
- Nut butter or seed butter – You can use any nut or seed butter you like here. I’ve listed out my preferences in the recipe, but feel free to mix it up. There are a few of the recipes that use peanut butter, like the Monster Cookie one, but you can use whatever works for you. Peanut butter is classic in some of these flavors, but you can totally swap it out if you can’t have it. Just be sure whatever you choose is salt free and sugar free.
- Maple syrup or honey – Again you can choose whatever works best for you. Maple syrup is easier to mix together, but honey adds a really nice flavor too. So really either way you go is good! You can also use agave nectar as well.
- Chia seeds or ground flax seeds – or a mix of both is all fine here. I find we both like the chia seeds for crunch and ground flaxseed when we’d rather not have crunch. It’s just a matter of preference again, and it’s nice to mix it up between the 2 for their different benefits.
- Lemon juice- is an unconventional but awesome addition to energy bites. It adds a touch of brightness that compliments most of the 10 flavors below. I only leave it out of the peanut butter versions.
- Vanilla extract – just a touch makes these energy bites taste even more like a bite of cookie dough.
- Sea salt – The nut butters I use are salt free so I like to add a touch of salt to round out the flavors here.
Now let’s chat about all 10 flavors you can make
- Cinnamon Roll – Is based off the Larabar flavor just packed with cinnamon flavor, and a touch of vanilla makes these taste even more like cinnamon rolls. You can keep these straight cinnamon or add the raisins and or chopped nuts too.
- 5-Ingredient – is the classic and most basic energy bite recipe. With just 5 ingredients it’s simple, and it’s also the base of every other flavor variation here. I like to add a touch of vanilla which is 6 ingredients, but no one’s counting right?!
- No Bake Cookie – is based off the childhood classic recipe of chocolate and oats all together in an energy bite with way less sugar than the actual cookies.
- Monster Cookie – is also based off the classic cookie with peanut butter and M&M’s. I use the Unreal brand of M&M’s because they have pretty clean ingredients.
- Strawberry – I use freeze dried strawberries here, but dried strawberries work as well. Either way the berry flavor is complimented by cinnamon and a touch of lemon.
- Cake Batter – is a fun one based off anything funfetti. These energy bites are colorful with sprinkles and vanilla cookie flavor. I use the Color Kitchen sprinkles that are all natural colors.
- Apple Pie – I used freeze dried apples here like the strawberry, but chopped up dried apples work too. For some reason dried fruit has been hit or miss at our health food store, so I just pick up whichever is available.
- Blueberry Muffin – I used fruit juice sweetened dried blueberries in this flavor. I don’t recommend freeze dried fruit for blueberries because the ones I’ve tried haven’t had much in the way of flavor. I based this flavor off my Paleo Blueberry Muffins with a touch of cinnamon and lemon to enhance the blueberries.
- Chocolate Chip Cookie – is your basic energy bite but with mini chocolate chips and optional chopped nuts in every bite!
- Cherry Pie – I used tart fruit juice sweetened dried cherries for the flavor. The bit of tartness is so good and makes these taste even more like cherry pie.
Now let’s make this recipe step by step
Step 1 – Measure out each of your ingredients for the base energy bite mixture.
Choose the kind of nut butter that will fit the flavor you’re making. You’ll find my suggestions in the recipe.
Step 2 – Add all of the ingredients to a medium bowl.
Step 3 – Mix until thoroughly combined. If the mixture is too dry add a touch of water 1 teaspoon at a time.
Step 4 – Choose your flavor and measure out the mix-in ingredients.
FAQ’s
Yes! You can add 2 scoops of protein powder or collagen to any of the recipes below to make these protein balls. Protein powder will suck up more or less moisture depending on what you use. So if it’s looking dry add a touch of water until the mixture comes together. I haven’t had any issues with collagen powder soaking up too much moisture.
There’s differing amounts of moisture in ingredients. So if your mixture is looking dry, just add water 1 teaspoon at a time until the mixture comes together.
These energy bites keep refrigerated up to 2 weeks. Or you can freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Up to 2 weeks for easy and healthy snacking!
Can’t have oats, check out these paleo, Larabar-like energy bites
- To store – these keep well for up to 1 week in an airtight container in the fridge. They dry out a small amount over the week, but not much.
- Freeze – place them in an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month.
I really hope you enjoy these No Bake Energy Bites! And if you do get a chance to make them, I hope you’ll leave me a comment/rating below. I always love hearing from you here! Also for lots more healthy snacks, head over to the recipe index.
No Bake Energy Bites (10 Flavors!)
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 20 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These No Bake Energy Bites come in 10 different flavors so you’ll never get bored. You can whip up a batch of these in just minutes. From there, your fridge and freezer will be loaded with quick grab and go healthy snacks. Each of the 10 recipe flavors are gluten free, dairy free, and can be vegan as well.
Ingredients
5-Ingredient aka the ‘base recipe’:
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup ground flax or chia seeds
1/2 cup peanut butter or nut/seed butter of choice for the other recipes, see notes
1/3 cup maple syrup, or honey
1 teaspoon vanilla, optional
Pinch of salt, or to taste
Monster Cookie:
1/2 cup M & M’s
No Bake Cookie:
Use almond butter for the base recipe
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, in addition to the base recipe
Blueberry Muffin:
Use almond or cashew butter in the base recipe
1/2 cup fruit juice sweetened blueberries
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Strawberry:
Use almond or cashew butter in base recipe
3/4 cup freeze dried strawberries, lightly crushed, or dried strawberries
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
Apple Pie:
Use almond or cashew butter in the base recipe
3/4 cup freeze dried apples, or chopped dried apples
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Cinnamon Roll:
Use almond or cashew butter in the base recipe
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup raisins or finely chopped pecans
Cherry Pie:
Use almond or cashew butter in the base recipe
1/2 cup dried tart cherries, fruit juice sweetened, roughly chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
Cake Batter:
Use almond or cashew butter in the base recipe
2 scoops or 6 tablespoons vanilla collagen or plant based protein
1 – 1.25 ounce package sprinkles, or 8 teaspoons
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Chocolate Chip Cookie:
Use almond or cashew butter in the base recipe
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup finely chopped nuts, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, in addition to the base recipe
Instructions
Add the rolled oats, ground flax or chia seed to a medium sized mixing bowl. If you’re making one of the flavors besides the base recipe, add any spices, (like cinnamon) at this time.
Add the nut butter, maple syrup or honey, vanilla, and pinch of salt. Stir to combine thoroughly.Â
From here you can portion out the 5-ingredient version, or choose a flavor and add the ingredients listed mixing well.
Use a cookie scoop, (I used a #40 which is about 4 teaspoons) or tablespoons from your silverware drawer to portion these out. The different flavors vary slightly, but you will generally have 18-22. A cookie scoop for 1 tablespoon (size 70 with OXO) will yield about 36 bites.
Notes
Each of these 10 recipes were tested with natural nut butter with no salt or sugar added. I like to use peanut butter for the Monster Cookie because it’s a classic combination. But you can use any nut/seed butter you’d like. Almond and cashew butter are mentioned as my favorite flavor options in the other flavors.
The texture of these energy bites varies a bit depending on the different nut butters. If it seems too loose, wait 5 minutes or so to see of the flax meal/chia seeds soak up enough, or you can add another 1/4 cup of oats.
For the cake batter version, you may need to add a bit more rolled oats or ground flax/chia seeds if you use the collagen. The mixture for this one is a bit looser, but not if you use protein powder which firms it up.
You can add 2 scoops or 6 tablespoons any collagen or protein powder you’d like. If you use protein powder, you may need to add a touch of water/milk until the mixture comes together.
I use the natural sprinkle from Color Kitchen and the healthier (no dyes) M&M’s from Unreal.
- Prep Time: 20
- Category: Snack
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: No Bake Energy Balls, Energy Bites, Energy Balls, High Protein Energy Bites, Healthy No Bake Energy Bites