If you are anything like me, you sometimes need a little, sweet, pick me up. Or your kiddos are always coming and looking for a snack. These simple chocolate chip energy bites save the day! Mix them up in about 10 minutes, pop them in the fridge and they will be waiting for you next time you need a little treat.
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Why you should make these now!
Chock full of oats and peanut butter they will give you a little boost of energy and fill you up. These protein balls are just what you need to help you power your day!
- The base of energy balls are oats which are known to be a great source of fiber, a super healthy grain, and naturally gluten free. Oats are proven to help reduce cholesterol, help with lowering blood sugar, and aid in digestion. They are known to be one of the world’s most nutrient dense foods. And, they are simple to prepare and delicious to eat! I love them for breakfast in these overnight oats and this smoothie.
- Another great benefit comes from the nut butter in these energy bites. Nut butters provide a great source of protein which helps us feel fuller longer, especially combined with the oats. And since you can sub in any kind of nut butter (peanut butter and almond butter are our favorites) into the energy bites, you customize the flavors to what your family likes.
- These no bake energy bites can satisfy the craving for something sweet while still being good for you.
- Chocolate chip energy balls can be mixed up in about 10 minutes and store well for about a week in the fridge. They are a great addition to meal planning and prepping!
Ingredients
A few notes on the ingredients:
- Oats: I like to use rolled oats in this recipe, but you could substitute quick oats as well. I would NOT use instant oats.
- Nut Butter: I like peanut butter in this recipe, but almond butter works great too. If you have a nut allergy, feel free to substitute SunButter or another nut-free alternative.
- Honey: You can easily substitute maple syrup or agave syrup here.
- Spices: Adding in warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg can help change the flavor profile from chocolate chip cookie to oatmeal raisin cookie.
How to make chocolate chip energy bites
First, add the oats and other dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
Then, add in the honey and peanut butter and mix until the mixture is well combined. If you see that the mixture is just a bit too crumbly you can add either a tablespoon or two of warm water or a bit more peanut butter. Either one will act as a glue to help things stick together well.
Stir in your mix-ins and then form the mixture into small balls, a bit smaller than golf ball size. Place the energy balls into an airtight container, separate the layers with parchment or wax paper and pop into the fridge. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Almost anything that you would like. You just want to keep the proportions the same. So if you leave out the chocolate chips, substitute and equal amount of another mix in. Here are some ideas for you:
* Super healthy (chia seeds, flax seeds).
* Fun and sweet (coconut flakes, chocolate chips, mini m&m's).
* Nuts and fruits (raisins, dried berries, chopped nuts)
Quite easily in fact. They are easily adaptable for those with special diets, food sensitivities, etc.
To make dairy free energy bites just make sure your mix-ins contain no dairy products.
To make nut free energy balls substitute the peanut butter for a nut free option like SunButter.
To make gluten free energy bites be sure your oats and mix-ins are all gluten free. Most old fashioned rolled oats are naturally gluten free, but always check the label.
Yes, however, if you are going to serve them to kids under 1 year old, I would substitute the maple syrup in place of the honey. They can get a little messy, but they are a great healthy-ish snack for your kiddos!
How to store chocolate chip energy bites
The chocolate chip energy bites are best stored in the fridge and keep up to about a week. Without refrigeration they tend to loose their shape and not stay together as well.
To freeze, simply put the refrigerated energy balls into a freezer safe zip top bag and pop into the freezer. They will last about a month. When you are ready to enjoy them, you can either eat them straight from frozen, or let these little oat balls rest a few minutes at room temperature before devouring.
Easily make these into chocolate chip protein bites
In order to really up the protein content in this recipe, you can add an additional ¼ cup of your favorite protein powder to the rest of the ingredients as you mix them up. You'll likely need to add more nut butter, honey, water or coconut oil than the recipe states to account for the additional dry ingredient.
One More Tip
Hide these little chocolate chip protein oatmeal balls for yourself...you won’t be sad about it.
Looking for other great recipes containing oats? Try these:
When you try this recipe and love it 😍 let me know by leaving a comment below or 5 ⭐ rating!
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Chip Energy Bites
Ingredients
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup peanut butter or any other nut butter
- ½ cup honey
- ½ Tablespoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon spice cinnamon
- 1 cup total mix-ins chocolate chips, coconuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, chopped nuts, dried fruit, etc
Instructions
- Put all ingredients into a large glass bowl
- With wooden spoon (or your hands) mix until thoroughly combined
- Refrigerate about 30 minutes to make it easier to roll into balls
- Roll into tablespoon size balls. (It’s about half the size of a golf ball)
- Refrigerate again for about an hour, then enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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