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This No-Bake Energy Bites recipe is easy to make, full of feel-good ingredients, and irresistibly delicious!
Friends, have you tried this no bake energy bites recipe? ♡
It’s one of my all-time favorite recipes here on the blog, and one that I’ve personally made about a zillion times since I first published it here eight years ago.
I love these little energy bites because they are easy to make with simply pantry ingredients that I almost always have on hand. They are super easy to mix up and roll into cute little energy balls. (Or if you would like to save time, you can press the mixture into a parchment-covered baking dish, and then cut them into energy bars.) They are the perfect make-ahead recipe to keep on hand for healthy snacking or breakfasts. And most importantly, they are just irresistibly good.
Over the years, thousands of our readers have made and loved this classic energy bites recipe too. So I wholeheartedly recommend giving it a try!
No Bake Energy Bites Recipe | 1-Minute Video
No Bake Energy Bites Ingredients:
To make this no bake energy bites recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
Old-fashioned oats: Also called rolled oats — these will serve as the base ingredient for our energy bites.
Shredded coconut: Which I highly recommend toasting — either briefly in the oven or in a sauté pan — before adding to the energy bites. (Just be sure that they have cooled before adding in the chocolate chips, or the chocolate may heat and turn a bit melty.)
Creamy peanut butter: I have used both traditional creamy peanut butter and natural creamy peanut butter in this recipe, and both work!
Ground flaxseed: To add some extra protein, fiber and omega-3s to our energy bites.
Semisweet chocolate chips: I photographed this recipe with standard-sized semisweet chips, but mini semisweet chips mix in easier.
Honey: To add some natural sweetness and also help to bind the energy balls together.
Chia seeds (optional): Feel free to skip the chia seeds, if you do not have any on hand. But I love adding in a tablespoon or so when I do!
How To Make Energy Balls:
To make these energy bites, simply…
Stir everything together. Stir all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
Chill. Cover the mixing bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours, or until the mixture is chilled.*
Roll into balls. Roll into mixture into 1-inch balls.
Serve. Then enjoy immediately! Or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
If you have trouble getting the energy balls to hold together, I recommend adding in more peanut butter to make the mixture a bit more sticky. Or if you would rather, you can also just press the mixture into a square baking dish to make flat energy bars instead of round energy balls.
Possible Energy Bites Variations:
There are all sorts of ways that you can customize this energy bites recipe, so feel free to get creative! For example, you are welcome to…
Make energy bars: Press the mixture firmly into a parchment-lined 8×8-inch baking pan, chill, and then slice into energy bars (instead of rolling the mixture into energy balls).
Use a different nut or seed butter: Use almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, or any other nut/seed butters that you prefer in place of peanut butter.
Omit the coconut: I’ve heard from many of you over the years who don’t love coconut. If that’s the case, no prob, just omit the coconut and add in an extra shake of oats instead.
Add spices: If you would like to give these energy bites some extra flavor, feel free to add in a few pinches of ground cinnamon or some pumpkin pie spice.
More Healthy Snack Recipes:
Looking for more healthy snack inspiration? Here are a few of my favorite snack recipes!
Stir everything together. Stir all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
Chill. Cover the mixing bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours, or until the mixture is chilled. (This will help the mixture stick together more easily.)
Roll into balls. Roll into mixture into 1-inch balls.
Serve. Then enjoy immediately! Or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Prep Time: The prep time listed does not include time for the mixture to chill. To speed up the chilling, I recommend spreading the mixture out on a small baking sheet and popping it in the freezer for 20-30 minutes until the mixture is cool.
I found this recipe a few years ago and the family and grandkids loved them. The second time I made them I used the food processor for a smoother texture. I prefer them that way. I also put more peanut butter in (3/4 cup) because I thought it was too dry. Now that I found my recipe with notes I am going to make more. I am going to experiment with using maple syrup and mixed nut butter.
I’ve made these a hundred times over the last couple of years at the constant request of my kids (boys aged 6 & 10). They absolutely love them! They’re super easy to make and great to keep in the fridge as a quickie snack or as an add-on to a too-small breakfast.
I even use less sweetener than the recipe calls for and it’s not noticeable at all. (I do 1/4 cup honey instead of 1/3 cup.) My only comment with the measurements is that you need way more peanut butter than the recipe calls for. I do the 1/2 cup, and I always need to add in about 3-4 extra huge globs on top of that. Otherwise the batter just doesn’t stick. I don’t bother chilling the batter for 30 mins either. I found that this step isn’t needed. I just go right ahead and make my balls straight away after mixing my ingredients! They always turn out great!
Rubi —
Your recipe probably needs more peanut butter because you use less honey.
These are the best no bake energy bites I have ever tasted! There is only one thing I need to comment on. Why is there such a long chilling time?n Other than that, it’s great!
Does anyone freeze these? Curious if they thaw correctly. Theyre soooo good! I like almond butter instead of pb.
Brianna —
Yes! I freeze mine so they stay fresh and don’t go bad in the freezer since I make a bunch at a time. I just wait like 5 mins after I take them out of the freezer so they’re not so hard!
I make these weekly! So good :)
I’m trying to track them for weight watchers and I know it makes around 20-25 balls, but how many balls per serving? I can eat like 10 at a time but I know that’s too much for a serving. Thanks
Megan —
I used granola instead of rolled oats and it’s 3 WW points per ball.
Stinking delicious! They taste like no bake cookies with honey. I followed the recipe exactly and it formed into calls just fine. I have to say to those having problems- I was NOT able to roll these because it made the mixture crumble, BUT you just squeeze them into little balls and they hold their shape.
I think they are yummy but a little on the sweet side- but I did use sweetened coconut flakes. Next time I will use unsweetened coconut flakes, or I will add a little less honey.
Delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
This is a great recipe. I’ve been making these for a couple of years now and I always appreciate having a quick treat any time I have a sweet tooth or just need a pick me up. You really can change it up and create your own flavor combo. I just made a batch today and switched out the oatmeal and added brand flakes. That has to be one of my favorites for sure, the crunchiness was a real treat.
Great energy balls! Not overly sweet either. Everything is really nicely balanced. Very versatile too because you can add in anything you would like. I added in pumpkin pie spice because I’m all about that pumpkin pie spice right now??
https://helpfulforhomes.com/
Love this recipe! I use mini chocolate chips which disperse the chocolate flavor more. As other posters have noted, you don’t need to chill the dough before rolling. I tried to figure out the calories, as these are pretty dense. If my calculations are correct, the recipe totals about 2200 calories. So divide that number by how many balls you make, and that will give you a good idea of how caloric each serving is. I know, kind of depressing knowing that, especially since it’s hard to eat just one!
This is one of our family’s favorite recipes! My kids devour these and my husband eats the “batter” out of a bowl with a spoon. When my kids were younger, I enticed them to try the bites by calling them “little balls of chocolate”, which has now been shortened to LBCs. We all love them!!! Thanks for such a delicious and healthy recipe!
These are a staple in my house and I love how versatile they are. My kids love these and I generally pop one before my morning workouts to give me some natural energy. Best recipe I have found!
This was a great recipe! I read the last two steps out of order by mistake (I was rushing to make for my husband before he left for work) and so I had divided the mixture into little wells from a mini cupcake pan. I chilled them after separating and then rolled them. They came out great even though I made a mistake. I also left out the coconut because I didn’t have any so I used the suggestion in recipe and added more oats. I did not have flax only but used a combination trilogy of flax /chia/ hemp because it is what I had on hand. (Quarantine2020) #usewhatyouhave
Thank you so much. Great recipe!
After making these sooooo many times, I just had to figure out the nutrient value. So here’s what I got, taking into account the modifications below…
1 recipe = approx 10 balls (I typically double recipe and add extra 1/4 C peanut butter and 1/2 C oats)
Serving size= 1 ball
Fat=12 grams
Cals= 200
Fiber= 3 grams
Protein= 6 grams
Searching through hundreds of “no-bake-non refrigerated energy bites” and found they all include “pop them in a container and store in the refrigerater”. ‘Scuse me for being ignorant but WHY do they all need refrigeration? I’m looking for a recipe for my college kid that doesn’t need a fridge while being stored. Ideas?
It helps the energy bites stay more firm and hold together and also helps keep them a bit fresher. You can store them out of the refrigerator but they may not hold together quite as well and won’t last as long.
I have frozen them, no problem. I also added chopped almonds. I put whole almonds & regular sized chocolate chips in a bag and used a rolling pin to smash them up into smaller pieces. When I used the chocolate chips and did not smash them first they were hard to roll up in the balls. They kept falling out. We all love eating these in my home. Thank you
Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum. These are really good. My whole family likes them. We try different chocolate chips like butter scotch or cinnamon ?.
Our family adores this recipe. We have made it countless times over the past several years. It adapts well to ingredient swaps and never gets old. It’s easy enough for our 5 and 2 year old to participate making. Well done! Thank you!
Really delicious and super easy to make. I haven’t made them with chocolate chips but I add whatever I feel like: chopped nuts, sunflower or pumpkin seeds (or both!), raisins, dried cherries… honestly you can put in just about anything! A great quick snack or energy boost between meals or before/after a workout. Love them!
Thank you for this!! Love having energy balls around for an easy healthy snack and it’s so nice to have these variations! Can’t wait to try them out!
Looks delicious but what is the calories and protein grams for this recipe in each energy ball
Just made these then realized I just dumped in unsweetened coconut… was I supposed to toast it first?
It adds flavor if you toast the coconut, but it’s an optional extra step. :) They should still taste great!
I found this recipe a few years ago and the family and grandkids loved them. The second time I made them I used the food processor for a smoother texture. I prefer them that way. I also put more peanut butter in (3/4 cup) because I thought it was too dry. Now that I found my recipe with notes I am going to make more. I am going to experiment with using maple syrup and mixed nut butter.
Do you have the nutritional information?
I use this recipe ALL the time but there is so much to scroll through just to get to the recipe.
Am I missing an option to “jump to recipe” or may I suggest that link be added?
The “Jump to Recipe” is at the top of the page.
Yes you are missing the jump to recipe button it is at the top under gimme some oven next to comments
My entire family loves these!!! They go quick!! I’ve tried a few variations and this one is perfect, thank you!
I’ve made these a hundred times over the last couple of years at the constant request of my kids (boys aged 6 & 10). They absolutely love them! They’re super easy to make and great to keep in the fridge as a quickie snack or as an add-on to a too-small breakfast.
I even use less sweetener than the recipe calls for and it’s not noticeable at all. (I do 1/4 cup honey instead of 1/3 cup.) My only comment with the measurements is that you need way more peanut butter than the recipe calls for. I do the 1/2 cup, and I always need to add in about 3-4 extra huge globs on top of that. Otherwise the batter just doesn’t stick. I don’t bother chilling the batter for 30 mins either. I found that this step isn’t needed. I just go right ahead and make my balls straight away after mixing my ingredients! They always turn out great!
Your recipe probably needs more peanut butter because you use less honey.
These are the best no bake energy bites I have ever tasted! There is only one thing I need to comment on. Why is there such a long chilling time?n Other than that, it’s great!
This is great as is but I added dried cranberries. Nom Nom!
These are SOOOO amazing!!! Perfect healthier dessert substitute!
This is great as is but I added dried cranberries. Nom Nom!
Do you know the nutrition facts? Calories, protein, carbohydrates etc?
I would like to know this as well
I want nutrition info too! I’ve made these so many times and love them, but want nutrition info–maybe with and without the chia seeds.
Me too! Thanks.
Sooo good! And so easy to make!
Do you ever freeze these??
These are great and my fussy 5 year old loves them!
Does anyone freeze these? Curious if they thaw correctly. Theyre soooo good! I like almond butter instead of pb.
Yes! I freeze mine so they stay fresh and don’t go bad in the freezer since I make a bunch at a time. I just wait like 5 mins after I take them out of the freezer so they’re not so hard!
Does anyone know that macros for these?!
Thank you for sharing.
These are so good! Can you make bulk and freeze them?
I make these weekly! So good :)
I’m trying to track them for weight watchers and I know it makes around 20-25 balls, but how many balls per serving? I can eat like 10 at a time but I know that’s too much for a serving. Thanks
I used granola instead of rolled oats and it’s 3 WW points per ball.
Can I freeze these?
Yes. I store mine in the freezer and eat right from the freezer.
Stinking delicious! They taste like no bake cookies with honey. I followed the recipe exactly and it formed into calls just fine. I have to say to those having problems- I was NOT able to roll these because it made the mixture crumble, BUT you just squeeze them into little balls and they hold their shape.
I think they are yummy but a little on the sweet side- but I did use sweetened coconut flakes. Next time I will use unsweetened coconut flakes, or I will add a little less honey.
Delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
When I first mixed it together, it was quite sticky but after a day in the fridge, they solidified nicely and traveled well in my lunch.
Serving size?
This is a great recipe. I’ve been making these for a couple of years now and I always appreciate having a quick treat any time I have a sweet tooth or just need a pick me up. You really can change it up and create your own flavor combo. I just made a batch today and switched out the oatmeal and added brand flakes. That has to be one of my favorites for sure, the crunchiness was a real treat.
Great energy balls! Not overly sweet either. Everything is really nicely balanced. Very versatile too because you can add in anything you would like. I added in pumpkin pie spice because I’m all about that pumpkin pie spice right now??
https://helpfulforhomes.com/
Love this recipe! I use mini chocolate chips which disperse the chocolate flavor more. As other posters have noted, you don’t need to chill the dough before rolling. I tried to figure out the calories, as these are pretty dense. If my calculations are correct, the recipe totals about 2200 calories. So divide that number by how many balls you make, and that will give you a good idea of how caloric each serving is. I know, kind of depressing knowing that, especially since it’s hard to eat just one!
This is one of our family’s favorite recipes! My kids devour these and my husband eats the “batter” out of a bowl with a spoon. When my kids were younger, I enticed them to try the bites by calling them “little balls of chocolate”, which has now been shortened to LBCs. We all love them!!! Thanks for such a delicious and healthy recipe!
These are a staple in my house and I love how versatile they are. My kids love these and I generally pop one before my morning workouts to give me some natural energy. Best recipe I have found!
I alternate these with the chocolate energy bites every week. Delicious morning snack that keeps me full till lunch!
This is my favorite recipe! I sometimes sub those tiny m&ms and my kids go crazy for them!
How many is considered a serving
delicious!
Love these! So easy to make and easy to grab and go when I’m in a hurry!
I made this with my grand daughter. Huge hit. And they were super easy to make.
I LOVE THESE – I make them every week- some times I sub the Choco chips For butterscotch … which IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!
This looks like a recipe I’d like to try. Is there anything else I can use in place of the coconut?
Love this recipe!❤️
This was a great recipe! I read the last two steps out of order by mistake (I was rushing to make for my husband before he left for work) and so I had divided the mixture into little wells from a mini cupcake pan. I chilled them after separating and then rolled them. They came out great even though I made a mistake. I also left out the coconut because I didn’t have any so I used the suggestion in recipe and added more oats. I did not have flax only but used a combination trilogy of flax /chia/ hemp because it is what I had on hand. (Quarantine2020) #usewhatyouhave
Thank you so much. Great recipe!
These are sooo delicious ?
Great !! I added protein and used almond milk to get consistency. Yummy
After making these sooooo many times, I just had to figure out the nutrient value. So here’s what I got, taking into account the modifications below…
1 recipe = approx 10 balls (I typically double recipe and add extra 1/4 C peanut butter and 1/2 C oats)
Serving size= 1 ball
Fat=12 grams
Cals= 200
Fiber= 3 grams
Protein= 6 grams
Searching through hundreds of “no-bake-non refrigerated energy bites” and found they all include “pop them in a container and store in the refrigerater”. ‘Scuse me for being ignorant but WHY do they all need refrigeration? I’m looking for a recipe for my college kid that doesn’t need a fridge while being stored. Ideas?
It helps the energy bites stay more firm and hold together and also helps keep them a bit fresher. You can store them out of the refrigerator but they may not hold together quite as well and won’t last as long.
I have frozen them, no problem. I also added chopped almonds. I put whole almonds & regular sized chocolate chips in a bag and used a rolling pin to smash them up into smaller pieces. When I used the chocolate chips and did not smash them first they were hard to roll up in the balls. They kept falling out. We all love eating these in my home. Thank you
This looks delicious, thank you for sharing!
https://littlegreencloth.com/
Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum. These are really good. My whole family likes them. We try different chocolate chips like butter scotch or cinnamon ?.
Hi I love these balls so much they are a great energy booster!! I was wondering the nutritional information??
What can you sub for the honey? Something that wouldn’t add sugar but would help them stick together still.
Our family adores this recipe. We have made it countless times over the past several years. It adapts well to ingredient swaps and never gets old. It’s easy enough for our 5 and 2 year old to participate making. Well done! Thank you!
Really delicious and super easy to make. I haven’t made them with chocolate chips but I add whatever I feel like: chopped nuts, sunflower or pumpkin seeds (or both!), raisins, dried cherries… honestly you can put in just about anything! A great quick snack or energy boost between meals or before/after a workout. Love them!