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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 the coconut has cooled before adding in the chocolate chips or the chocolate may melt.) Feel free to use either sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut.
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.
These were amazing! Loved them! I made them without chocolate chips and regular flaxseed instead of ground (didn’t have ground) and I will definitely be making it again.
As a mama to 4 teens I love love this recipe my children can be very picky eaters but with this recipe everyone is HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!! Thank you I am fast becoming a Pintrest Alocholic…
I love these for my stepson’s lunch. I could sub. the peanut butter for soy butter but I was wondering if I could use agave syrup instead of honey? He is on a restricted diet and can’t have honey. Will they still stay together?
Thanks!
A
Erin —
If his school allows seeds, you may be able to use Sunbutter as a peanut butter alternative (better choice than soy, especially for boys… but depending on the company it may have been in contact with nuts). Substitute honey with Brown Rice Syrup.. it holds together the way that honey does. Good luck!
My 10 year old son and I made this today and it was soooo yummy!!! We sampled it before we put in the frig to cool and was hooked. This recipe is definitely a keeper!!!
So good! Instead of chocolate chips I added a couple tablespoons of nutella.
I used myfitnesspal.com to calculate the calories
I used Wheat germ instead of ground flaxseed.
The aproximate calorie count for the entire recipe is 1856
If you get 25 servings, it is about 74 calories per serving.
(those numbers are not accounting for added chocolate.)
Stephanie —
Where on the website did you find the calorie calculater?
Whit —
Use My Fitness Pal ~ it’s the best!! You can add your own recipes and get calories per serving :) Hope this helps!
These are wonderful! I made them with wheat germ and left out the coconut (hubby doesn’t like it). My family wasn’t fond of the ball shape so the second time I used mini chocolate chips so I could flatten it with a roller. Then I used a pizza cutter to cut them into squares. They are a big hit in my house!
PS. for the people wanting the calorie counts. It differs depending on the ingredients you chose so check the labels on your ingredients.
These are really good…and good for you too!! I did add 1/2 c. ground walnuts to the mixture. I had to use Quick-cooking oats and mini chocolate chips as that was what I had on hand, both worked out well. Used flaxseed, but will try with wheat germ the next time. I got 22 balls from the recipe, but to save time, I will try pressing into a pan and cutting into bites next time. Hubby loves ’em!!
I just made these, they turned out wonderfully! I used peanut butter, oatmeal, ground flax seed, and a tiny bit of vanilla extract. They are very tasty, nutritious, and a great quick snack. Good to have on hand. My two year old loves them too.
Just made these last night and i am in love!
I’m not dieting, but im living healthy which includes daily exercise for mind and body as well as making good eating choices. I am trying to monitor my caloric and nutrition intake, and i didn’t see that info with the recipie. Did i miss it or do you have a general idea?
Looking forward to using this site quite often in the future:)
Thanks so much for a great recipe! I have been making these for a few months now and always keep them on hand in the fridge, usually for breakfast or an afternoon snack (sometimes both!). I’ve tripled the recipe like this to make more:
-3 cups old fashioned oats
-1 1/2 cup peanut butter
-2/3 cup honey
-half the box of ground flax (not sure of measurement- maybe a cup?)
-1/2 cup of chocolate chips
I leave out the vanilla just bc I’m lazy and I don’t think it adds to it and I leave out the coconut as well, bc I don’t like coconut flakes….I also don’t enjoy dried fruit, so I don’t go that route either.
Since I eat these so much, I would be very interested to hear ideas to make these “healthier”… such as replacing the peanut butter with something else. I tried using half natural peanut butter & half regular, but the consistency wasn’t sticky enough to hold everything together. I also did not have good luck with agave…. felt like it made it fall apart too. That’s my problem with trying to add healthier stuff to it… they won’t stick into balls!
I do think these are much healthier than many snacks as is, I’m just trying to up the benefits any way I can! Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks :)
Just made these and I love them. I used dried strawberries instead of chocolate chips. I also used reduced fat peanu butter. I have to have reduced fat peanut butter or my stomach will not tolerate it. I cannot seem to get the balls to stick though any ideas as to why?? I just put it all in a container and scoop it out as I want but it crumbled. I still love the favors though
I’d just like to say that I love your recipe however I had trouble rolling them into balls. I followed your recipe exactly however I found that the mix was very moist and I found it extremely difficult to roll. Can you offer any suggestions to remedy the problem I am having? Thanks
For those of you looking for a calorie counter, www.sparkpeople.com has a great one! Just add your ingredients into it and how many servings it is and it will tell you all the nutrition info!
I made these the other day and Loved them! So yummy! I did however use agave nectar and just added a little bit more oats. They turned out great. Oh, I added dark chocolate chips too. I have kept mine in the fridge. I was curious if you did use this as a breakfast, how many did you eat? I have used mine for my afternoon sweet cravings and they did the trick. And I only needed one or maybe two, depending on how my day is going. :)
These are awesome! I found the link to this recipe on Pinterest and tried them out. Now, I make them every Sunday so I’ll have them all week! I like to replace the flax with rice krispies for an extra crunch. Sometimes I leave out the chocolate chips, but mini chips definitely work best if you decide to add them. I’ve also tried replacing the vanilla with cinnamon and the chips with raisins for a cinnamon-raisin bite; they’re my favorite version so far. Sometimes they’re difficult to roll into balls, but I found that pressing them into mini muffin tins and popping them out works well. Whenever I get an urge to eat something unhealthy, I grab some of these instead. Thanks for my snack/breakfast every day!
Thank you so much for sharing this yummy & easy recipe! My 10 yr. old made these last week and we all loved them!
*I blogged about it on our blog and gave you full credit!
i just did them, changed some dry ingredients with what I have in hand and half the recipe.. they came out just great!! Thanks for the posting, Greetings from Mexico!!
OMG…very good. I had no coconut but I think it should be unsweetened because these are sweet enough. I also added some cinnamon. I am on a diet so this is a nice little healthy treat. Will make again.
I just have to say, I’ve been doing this recipe for a couple of months now and the whole family loves them. They are DELICIOUS! I like to have two for my morning or mid afternoon snack or sometimes I will sneak after the kids go to bed when I am craving something sweet. I do wish that we knew how many calories approximately is in each one of these balls. I am really bad at math! Thanks for posting this. So good….
Tami R. —
Oh ya, I also add in some chia seeds and ground flax for extra health benefits. Yum!
Love these. They are not low cal. approx.84 calories each. BUT they are excellent and you cant beat the health benefits for that mid morning boost. I made mine with almond extract and I feel like I’m eating an almond joy!!
made these and they gave rave reviews from the kids :) I used unsweetened coconut and crunchy PB. They were sweet enough and had a nice crunch. 84 calories each isn’t too bad…I had one with a peach this afternoon and it was a perfect snack to get me to dinner.
Hi – we’re in the middle of a disaster crisis where we live – no electricity since 2pm Sunday (and it’s now 11am Thursday) so these would be great for the kids! However, I don’t have any ground flaxseed or wheatgerm – what can I use as a substitute? I have almond meal and normal flour, would either of these work?
These were SO good! No changes made and they were gone in just a few days! A little bit difficult to roll because of their crumbly texture, but amazing nonetheless. Thanks for the keeper recipe, Ali!
I’ve been making a double batch of these every week for months now! but, I recently stumbled onto a new use for them. I chop up an apple, toss it with cinnamon and a drizzle of honey and then microwave it until my desired texture. I top it with crumbled oatmeal balls (mine looks drier than yours) and greek yogurt. Tastes like I’m eating an awesome apple crisp w/none of the guilt. I typically eat this for a meal, and not as a dessert because it is so filling… and amazing.
Thank you very much, these are a fab gluten free snack and the kids loved making them to. We weren’t overly impressed with their meatball appearance so drizzled choc over the top. Amazing!
These were amazing! Loved them! I made them without chocolate chips and regular flaxseed instead of ground (didn’t have ground) and I will definitely be making it again.
How can this become Gluten Free? I have a niece and granddaughter that have to be Gluten Free.
You would just need to buy GF oats. Everything else is GF.
As a mama to 4 teens I love love this recipe my children can be very picky eaters but with this recipe everyone is HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!! Thank you I am fast becoming a Pintrest Alocholic…
Hi there,
I love these for my stepson’s lunch. I could sub. the peanut butter for soy butter but I was wondering if I could use agave syrup instead of honey? He is on a restricted diet and can’t have honey. Will they still stay together?
Thanks!
A
If his school allows seeds, you may be able to use Sunbutter as a peanut butter alternative (better choice than soy, especially for boys… but depending on the company it may have been in contact with nuts). Substitute honey with Brown Rice Syrup.. it holds together the way that honey does. Good luck!
These were super delish! I used chia seeds instead of wheat germ and they turned out yummy. Also super easy to make. Thanks!
My 10 year old son and I made this today and it was soooo yummy!!! We sampled it before we put in the frig to cool and was hooked. This recipe is definitely a keeper!!!
I was wondering how many calories per ball? And if you can use quick oats?
Can you please provide serving size & calories? I made these last night. They are delicious! My husband couldn’t keep his hands off of them:)
These are the best snacks ever….My whole family loves them. I loved that they were easy. Thanks for the recipe.
So good! Instead of chocolate chips I added a couple tablespoons of nutella.
I used myfitnesspal.com to calculate the calories
I used Wheat germ instead of ground flaxseed.
The aproximate calorie count for the entire recipe is 1856
If you get 25 servings, it is about 74 calories per serving.
(those numbers are not accounting for added chocolate.)
Where on the website did you find the calorie calculater?
Use My Fitness Pal ~ it’s the best!! You can add your own recipes and get calories per serving :) Hope this helps!
These are wonderful! I made them with wheat germ and left out the coconut (hubby doesn’t like it). My family wasn’t fond of the ball shape so the second time I used mini chocolate chips so I could flatten it with a roller. Then I used a pizza cutter to cut them into squares. They are a big hit in my house!
PS. for the people wanting the calorie counts. It differs depending on the ingredients you chose so check the labels on your ingredients.
These are really good…and good for you too!! I did add 1/2 c. ground walnuts to the mixture. I had to use Quick-cooking oats and mini chocolate chips as that was what I had on hand, both worked out well. Used flaxseed, but will try with wheat germ the next time. I got 22 balls from the recipe, but to save time, I will try pressing into a pan and cutting into bites next time. Hubby loves ’em!!
I just made these, they turned out wonderfully! I used peanut butter, oatmeal, ground flax seed, and a tiny bit of vanilla extract. They are very tasty, nutritious, and a great quick snack. Good to have on hand. My two year old loves them too.
I love these! Best treat I’ve made in a while!
Can you use chia seeds instead of flaxseeds ??
Just made these last night and they are SO SO SO good!!! Thank you for the recipe!!
Just made these last night and i am in love!
I’m not dieting, but im living healthy which includes daily exercise for mind and body as well as making good eating choices. I am trying to monitor my caloric and nutrition intake, and i didn’t see that info with the recipie. Did i miss it or do you have a general idea?
Looking forward to using this site quite often in the future:)
I made these today and subtracted the coconut and added 1/4 cup sunflower seeds and they are about 130 cal per 2 tbsp ball, according to MyFitnessPal.
Whoa! per ball?? Thats alot!
Just made these this morning and they are so so good. I replaced the honey with maple syrup and added some cranberries.
Thanks so much for a great recipe! I have been making these for a few months now and always keep them on hand in the fridge, usually for breakfast or an afternoon snack (sometimes both!). I’ve tripled the recipe like this to make more:
-3 cups old fashioned oats
-1 1/2 cup peanut butter
-2/3 cup honey
-half the box of ground flax (not sure of measurement- maybe a cup?)
-1/2 cup of chocolate chips
I leave out the vanilla just bc I’m lazy and I don’t think it adds to it and I leave out the coconut as well, bc I don’t like coconut flakes….I also don’t enjoy dried fruit, so I don’t go that route either.
Since I eat these so much, I would be very interested to hear ideas to make these “healthier”… such as replacing the peanut butter with something else. I tried using half natural peanut butter & half regular, but the consistency wasn’t sticky enough to hold everything together. I also did not have good luck with agave…. felt like it made it fall apart too. That’s my problem with trying to add healthier stuff to it… they won’t stick into balls!
I do think these are much healthier than many snacks as is, I’m just trying to up the benefits any way I can! Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks :)
Just made these and I love them. I used dried strawberries instead of chocolate chips. I also used reduced fat peanu butter. I have to have reduced fat peanut butter or my stomach will not tolerate it. I cannot seem to get the balls to stick though any ideas as to why?? I just put it all in a container and scoop it out as I want but it crumbled. I still love the favors though
Hello,
I’d just like to say that I love your recipe however I had trouble rolling them into balls. I followed your recipe exactly however I found that the mix was very moist and I found it extremely difficult to roll. Can you offer any suggestions to remedy the problem I am having? Thanks
I’m going to make these and add whey protein powder for that extra protein charge.
For those of you looking for a calorie counter, www.sparkpeople.com has a great one! Just add your ingredients into it and how many servings it is and it will tell you all the nutrition info!
I made these the other day and Loved them! So yummy! I did however use agave nectar and just added a little bit more oats. They turned out great. Oh, I added dark chocolate chips too. I have kept mine in the fridge. I was curious if you did use this as a breakfast, how many did you eat? I have used mine for my afternoon sweet cravings and they did the trick. And I only needed one or maybe two, depending on how my day is going. :)
This recipe is so delicious! My roomie and I added a little cocoa to the recipe and it was bomb.com!
These are awesome! I passed some out at work and everyone loved them! Thanks!!
These are awesome! I found the link to this recipe on Pinterest and tried them out. Now, I make them every Sunday so I’ll have them all week! I like to replace the flax with rice krispies for an extra crunch. Sometimes I leave out the chocolate chips, but mini chips definitely work best if you decide to add them. I’ve also tried replacing the vanilla with cinnamon and the chips with raisins for a cinnamon-raisin bite; they’re my favorite version so far. Sometimes they’re difficult to roll into balls, but I found that pressing them into mini muffin tins and popping them out works well. Whenever I get an urge to eat something unhealthy, I grab some of these instead. Thanks for my snack/breakfast every day!
I’m a fussy eater and these have become my favourite treat at work when 3pm hits! Thanks from sunny Australia! :-)
Do you know how many calories for one of these?
Can you tell me what the calorie count is for each ball please?
They look extremely yummy I’m off to make a batch
Carol
Thank you so much for sharing this yummy & easy recipe! My 10 yr. old made these last week and we all loved them!
*I blogged about it on our blog and gave you full credit!
i just did them, changed some dry ingredients with what I have in hand and half the recipe.. they came out just great!! Thanks for the posting, Greetings from Mexico!!
Hello,
I am unfortunately allergic to honey, do you have a substitute?
I was thinking that maybe agave would be a good substitute?
I bet natural maple syrup would be good. Maybe even Karo syrup if you don’t want the maple flavoring.
I use half maple syrup and half honey and they are delicious! I don’t see why you couldn’t use all maple syrup.
OMG these are GREAT!!! Can’t wait to make these again to take with me on a camping trip.
OMG…very good. I had no coconut but I think it should be unsweetened because these are sweet enough. I also added some cinnamon. I am on a diet so this is a nice little healthy treat. Will make again.
I just have to say, I’ve been doing this recipe for a couple of months now and the whole family loves them. They are DELICIOUS! I like to have two for my morning or mid afternoon snack or sometimes I will sneak after the kids go to bed when I am craving something sweet. I do wish that we knew how many calories approximately is in each one of these balls. I am really bad at math! Thanks for posting this. So good….
Oh ya, I also add in some chia seeds and ground flax for extra health benefits. Yum!
Love these. They are not low cal. approx.84 calories each. BUT they are excellent and you cant beat the health benefits for that mid morning boost. I made mine with almond extract and I feel like I’m eating an almond joy!!
made these and they gave rave reviews from the kids :) I used unsweetened coconut and crunchy PB. They were sweet enough and had a nice crunch. 84 calories each isn’t too bad…I had one with a peach this afternoon and it was a perfect snack to get me to dinner.
Hi – we’re in the middle of a disaster crisis where we live – no electricity since 2pm Sunday (and it’s now 11am Thursday) so these would be great for the kids! However, I don’t have any ground flaxseed or wheatgerm – what can I use as a substitute? I have almond meal and normal flour, would either of these work?
These were SO good! No changes made and they were gone in just a few days! A little bit difficult to roll because of their crumbly texture, but amazing nonetheless. Thanks for the keeper recipe, Ali!
I’ve been making a double batch of these every week for months now! but, I recently stumbled onto a new use for them. I chop up an apple, toss it with cinnamon and a drizzle of honey and then microwave it until my desired texture. I top it with crumbled oatmeal balls (mine looks drier than yours) and greek yogurt. Tastes like I’m eating an awesome apple crisp w/none of the guilt. I typically eat this for a meal, and not as a dessert because it is so filling… and amazing.
Hey they look great! Any idea on the nutritional info? Calories/serving?
Is any nutritional info available on the no bake energy balls?
this energy bites how many calories east has .
Do you think these can be frozen for later use?
Thank you very much, these are a fab gluten free snack and the kids loved making them to. We weren’t overly impressed with their meatball appearance so drizzled choc over the top. Amazing!
Hi, I’m just wondering if you know the calories and nutritional value of it?
These are amazing. They taste like cookies, but they are much healthier, not to mention easier. I will make these very often. Thank you!
I used 1/4 cup chocolate chips and 1/4 cup cranberries and substituted 1/2 a shredded apple in place of the coconut and it was delicious.
Just made these with raisins and cinnamon too. Oh boy. So good! Didn’t have time to roll them into balls…just ate it!