These easy no-bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites are healthy snacks disguised as dessert. Homemade oatmeal energy balls can be whipped up in just 5 minutes! Make a batch today to enjoy all week!
No Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls Snack Recipe
I'm so into these easy no-bake oatmeal balls. 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.
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?
I love to keep a batch of these in the fridge and this Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Balls 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.
What peanut butter should I use?
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 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.
What kind of coconut flakes should I use?
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.
How do I get 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.
Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Balls
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 20-25 balls 1x
Description
These easy no-bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Balls are healthy snacks disguised as dessert. Homemade oatmeal energy balls can be whipped up in just 5 minutes! Make a batch today to enjoy all week!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (dry) oatmeal (I like old fashioned)
- ⅔ cup toasted unsweetened coconut flakes
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ½ cup ground flaxseed
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ 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.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Snacks
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: energy bite recipe, chocolate energy bite recipe, peanut butter energy bite recipe, chocolate peanut butter energy bite recipe, how to make the best energy bites, oatmeal energy bite recipe, quick snack recipes, no bake energy bite recipe, easy energy bite recipe
More Energy Ball Recipes:
- Extra Protein Oatmeal Balls
- 9 Energy Bites Recipes Everyone Needs
- No-Bake Pumpkin Oatmeal Energy Balls
- 8 No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
- Pumpkin Date Balls 3 Ways
- Healthy Cherry Energy Balls (Homemade Cherry Pie Larabars)
- Blueberry Muffin Date Balls (healthy, no-bake treat)
More Snack Recipes:
- Easy After School Snacks for Busy Families
- 10 Healthy Snacks You Can Prep in Advance
- Healthy Homemade Snack Bars Recipe
- Spring Snack Mix
- 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Honey Granola Bars (no bake)
This post was originally published in 2017 and has been updated in July 2019.
These Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites are an easy snack that fills you up and make you feel like you're eating a dessert, without the extra sugar and with extra fiber and fats.
Megan Busse
my friend made these for me after I had a baby and I loved them!!! Great snack for breastfeeding moms. I want to make them for a friend, but she’s gluten free. Are these gluten free?
Melissa
If you use GF oats they are!
Melissa
These are so delicious! I wonder if I can substitute dates for the honey?
★★★★★
Melissa
Do you have a food processor to run them through first? I think if you could get them a bit pasty first it would work really great!
Isabelle
Thank you sooo much! I was really looking into a chocolate version of the energy balls and yours is PERFECT!! My teen loves them!! It actually is his.... breakfast! 🙂 I mean seriously, with a glass of orange juice, I am pretty sure it's better then the famous Oatmeal in paper bags (full sugar) he usually eat!
So thank you!! 🙂
★★★★★
Melissa
Awesome! That made my day!
shannon c watson
love these dangerously good!
★★★★★
Melissa
LOL I get you!!! I feel the same way friend.
Emily
Hi, do you by any chance have the nutritional information for these bites?
★★★★★
Melissa
Comin' right up. Plan on it being in there in the next few days!
Kacie Zajic
Going to make these now! I love trying out different energy ball recipes.
★★★★★
AJ
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...?
Melissa
Yep, they are fine without toasting, you can toast them in a skillet on the stove top or in the oven, just google it!
Robi Perley
These are the best!!!! I shared it on FB.
Melissa
Thanks for sharing the love Robi!
Laura
They look so yummy!! Can I skip the flaxseeds or replace with something else? ? Not sure I can find them anywhere around..
Melissa
I think some flour or ground oats would work!
Amy Hines
Yummy! I want to make these energy bites. Thanks
Charisse Stokes
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!
Melissa
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!
Charisse S.
Thank you!
deb c
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!!!
deb c
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!!
Christina
These were SO good!
Melissa
Yay! More recipes coming soon just like this!
Jenda
These are AMAZING! Me and kids just live them! Thank you?
★★★★★
Melissa
So happy to hear that!