These easy no-bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites are healthy snacks disguised as dessert. Make a batch today to enjoy all week!
I’m so into these easy no-bake oatmeal bites. They are made with all kinds of whole foods, simple to put together, and just the thing you need in the afternoon when your sweet tooth is making a fuss but you are trying hard to eat well. This year I’m not doing any organized diets or challenges (except for this fun one!) and I’m simply trying to eat whole foods, move more, and be more intentional with my time and resources. I’m trying really hard to cut down on processed foods (it’s amazing how quickly they creep back in during the holidays – I’m looking at you, marshmallow creme!). That means I need to plan snacks and treats because my kids hate it when they go to the cupboard and only see ingredients for food instead of something they can grab.
These Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites taste a whole lot like no-bake cookies, and my kids (and I) aren’t at all sad about it. These are great to make on your meal prep day (along with some snacks in a jar) and keep in the fridge. Then you can pull them out when you need a little something sweet or when the kids get home from school. Who doesn’t like no-bake cookies for a snack?
Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites are made with:
Oats
One of my favorite whole grains. They are cheap, easy to find (and easy to get gluten-free if needed), and just plain fun. I use old fashioned oats and they make a chewier, more “toothsome” energy bite. You could use quick cooking oats (still a whole grain, they are just cut smaller) or half and half to change the texture. My husband likes the quick cooking oats better and I like the old fashioned in this recipe. The flavor will stay the same with either, but the texture will change. The quick cooking oats will make the balls softer.
Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
I get Bob’s Red Mill unsweetened coconut flakes online, but I did see them at a bigger grocery store last month. I love these coconut flakes. They are nice chubby flakes which toast up really nicely and are great added to all kinds of things, like yogurt and desserts.
Peanut Butter
My favorite food! I used the organic natural peanut butter from Costco; we love it! You can use any natural peanut butter for this recipe. If you use a more traditional peanut butter, you might need to increase the amount by a few tablespoons or add a bit more honey so that they stick together. Natural peanut butter has a bit more moisture in it than traditional peanut butter, which helps this recipe form into balls. I’m confident you could use another nut or seed butter in this if you need to, though it will affect the taste.
Ground Flaxseed
You can buy ground flaxseed in a bag (also called flax meal), or you can buy whole flax seeds and grind them yourself at home (most people use a little coffee grinder for this, I have this one just for this purpose). Flaxseed that you grind at home is going to be more nutritious, which is true for most things like this, but both options work great. Flax is fun because it is a great source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. I’m trying to use it more and this is an easy way to do that.
Honey
Long live nature’s natural sweetener. I bought a hive 2 years ago and have yet to put bees in it. I can’t wait! Buy local honey when you can, and when you can’t, Costco has it for a great price.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
I used normal wonderful unsweetened cocoa. You could also used dutch processed or even ground cacoa, though the latter will alter the taste. You can read all about cocoa powders in this post if you are wondering about the differences.
Chia Seeds (optional)
These are a fun add-in if you have them. It’s another superfood that adds some great healthy fats and fiber. I like to throw them in if I have them.
Splash of Vanilla
Because a little vanilla makes everything taste like dessert. Yes, please!
See! Pretty normal stuff that makes a fun little treat.
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Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites
Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites Author: Melissa Griffiths Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 20-25 balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup (dry) oatmeal (I like old fashioned)
- 2/3 cup toasted unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1-2 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add everything to a medium bowl and mix to combine well. Stick the bowl in the fridge and let it chill for about half an hour. This resting time helps to ensure that the balls will stick together when rolled.
- After the chilling time, take a tablespoon of the mixture in your hand and roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining oat mixture. If your balls aren’t sticking together after the resting period, you can add a little more honey or peanut butter, stir well, and try rolling again. Sometimes it just needs a little more of the wet ingredients to hold together well.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer much longer.
I love to keep a batch of these in the fridge and this Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bite recipe is the favorite of my three year old. He’s one that gets “hangry” really quickly, so I love having these on hand. It helps to get us through the after-nap hump and then again before dinner when he’s starving and about to start screaming and I’m 25 minutes away from dinner on the table. They make great on-the-go snacks, pack well in lunches, and are perfect post-workout when you need a little something to keep moving. We love them! I can’t wait for you to make these! I’d love to hear how it goes.
These were SO good!
Yay! More recipes coming soon just like this!
I raided the pantry and found all the ingredients! Wahoo! Had to add a bit more peanut butter and honey to get the stick’em right. These are super good…..the best part….he really won’t like them! Oh ya….the whole batch is mine!!!
Here is what to do when you are craving these things and have no flax seeds to grind up……….you dig around until you find the bag of hemp hearts and use them! OH….. Happy day!!
These sound delicious! I will be making thes today as I have everything on hand. Do you have the nutrition info and serving size? Thanks!
I normally eat 2 for a serving and when I entered all of the ingredients into MyFitnessPal I got this for a recipe that made 20 balls (so this is for 1 ball, though I normally eat two): 129 calories, 13 grams of Carbs, 8 grams of fat, 3 grams of fiber, and 4 grams of protein. It’s probably not perfectly calculated but that’s what it MFP came up with and I normally think it’s pretty close to correct!
Thank you!
Yummy! I want to make these energy bites. Thanks
They look so yummy!! Can I skip the flaxseeds or replace with something else? ? Not sure I can find them anywhere around..
I think some flour or ground oats would work!
These are the best!!!! I shared it on FB.
Thanks for sharing the love Robi!
Is it okay NOT to toast the coconut flakes? Will shredded coconut work? Not sure I will make this if I need to toast the coconut, and you did not explain HOW to toast it. Never assume…?
Yep, they are fine without toasting, you can toast them in a skillet on the stove top or in the oven, just google it!
Going to make these now! I love trying out different energy ball recipes.
★★★★★