These easy, no bake Oatmeal Peanut Butter Energy Bites are heart-healthy, protein-packed, high in fiber and they taste great. A super satisfying afternoon snack or grab-and-go breakfast that will give you a big energy boost, keep you feeling full and delight you with crunchy, nutty, sweet and salty satisfaction.
When I studied nutrition at Leith's School of Food and Wine in London, one of my homework assignments was to develop healthy, low calorie snack recipes. That's how these no bake peanut butter energy bites came to be.
These tasty bites are easy to throw together, they taste better than cookies, and they're nutritious. I hope you'll give them a try and maybe they'll become a favorite in your house. They are in mine!
WHAT MAKES THESE ENERGY BITES HEALTHY?
So many good-for-you ingredients packed into these little snack balls!
- Rolled Oats: Oats are high in soluble fiber which helps lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
- Almonds: Almonds are heart-healthy and packed with nutrition, high in protein, monounsaturated (healthy) fats, vitamins and minerals.
- Flax seed: Flax is an excellent source of omega-3 essential fatty acid and a very good source of dietary fiber, magnesium, potassium and manganese.
- Peanut Butter: Peanuts are high in protein and monounsaturated (healthy) fats and they have a good amount of vitamins and minerals.
- Dark Chocolate: Studies have found a number of health benefits from eating dark chocolate such as a reduced risk of heart disease. We already know the psychological benefits - it makes us deliciously happy.
How To Make Peanut Butter Energy Bites:
The recipe is easy: Toast the oats and almonds. Mix everything together in a big bowl. Shape the mixture into balls. enjoy!
- Toast the Oats and Almonds: Toast them in a dry skillet, stirring constantly, for a few minutes, until they color slightly. It's worth mentioning here that many energy bites and energy balls recipes use raw oats and nuts. I think it's worth the extra effort to toast them. It only takes a few minutes, the flavors are greatly enhanced, and toasted oats are more digestible than raw.
- Mix Everything Together: Combine toasted oats, almonds, flax seed, chocolate, salt, maple syrup and vanilla in a bowl. Add peanut butter and mix well. Don't worry if the mixture feels sticky at first. Let it sit for a few minutes. The oats and flax will absorb some of the liquids and your mixture will be ready to shape.
- Line a tray with parchment paper or waxed paper.
- Shape Energy Bites: You can simply roll the mixture into balls with your hands or you can shape them into neat little dome-shaped cookies that sit flat, using the tablespoon from a set of measuring spoon. Scoop up a generous tablespoon full of the mixture and press it firmly against the side or bottom of the bowl to pack it in. Push in gently on one edge of the filling and it should slide right out out of the spoon. Place it on the prepared sheet.
- Done! The recipe makes about 24 tablespoon-sized peanut butter energy bites.
- Storage: Peanut butter energy bites will keep for a week, stored in a plastic bag or airtight container in the fridge.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS:
- If you toast the oats and almonds just before making the energy bites, allow them to cool before mixing with the rest of the ingredients, to prevent the chocolate from melting.
- If your energy bites are sticking to your hands or to the spoon when you try to shape them, put the mixture in the fridge for ten to fifteen minutes. That should solve the problem.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT PEANUT BUTTER ENERGY BITES:
- They're perfect for grabbing when you want a tasty healthy breakfast on the run.
- They're portable. You can throw a couple of them in your kids' lunch box or into your own for a delicious healthy snack or dessert.
- They satisfy the 4 o'clock craving. Grab one or two when you're needing an afternoon pick-me-up and you'll feel full until dinner time.
These peanut butter energy bites have become a much requested favorite in my house lately. When I tested them out on my Leith's Nutrition classmates, they got big thumbs up. I sent some over to my neighbor who described them as "moreish, satiating and decadent with the chocolate."
These are fun to share!
I've been making a big batch every week. They've become my go-to late afternoon pick-me-up, with a cup of decaf or tea.
MORE HEALTHY SNACK RECIPES:
Here's the recipe for No Bake Oatmeal Peanut Butter Energy Bites. If you try this recipe I hope you'll come back to leave a rating and comment. I'd love to know what you think.
PrintNo Bake Oatmeal Peanut Butter Energy Bites
A nutty, crunchy, healthy, protein-packed, high-fiber snack that tastes great and is easy to make. The perfect afternoon pick-me-up or grab and go breakfast.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 24 energy bites 1x
- Category: snack
- Method: no cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, lightly toasted and cooled (see notes)
- ½ cup flaked almonds, lightly toasted and cooled. (see notes)
- 3 tablespoons ground flax seed
- 1 ½ ounces (¼ cup) chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips (I use Ombar)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup natural smooth peanut butter at room temperature, stirred well
Instructions
- Line a tray with parchment or wax paper and set aside.
- Combine toasted oats, toasted almonds, ground flax, chocolate and salt in a medium bowl. Add maple syrup and vanilla. Stir to combine. Add peanut butter and mix, using a spoon to start and then using your hands to work the ingredients together well. Don't worry if the mixture feels sticky. Let it sit for a few minutes to allow the wet ingredients to soak into the dry ingredients. Peanut butters differ widely in texture so If you find that even after a few minutes, the mixture sticks to the spoon when you try to shape the bites, add a bit more oats. If the mixture is still too sticky, chill it for 10 to 15 minutes in the fridge and try again.
- Shape the bites: You can roll up a tablespoon full of the mix into a ball or, my favorite method is to use the tablespoon of my measuring spoons to shape the bites into little domes. Scoop a generous tablespoon full of mixture and press it firmly against the side or bottom of the bowl get it packed in tight. Then, gently push your finger in on one edge of the oat-peanut mixture to nudge it out of the spoon. It should slide out easily. Set the bites onto the prepared tray.
- Eat and enjoy! Peanut butter energy bites can be stored in a plastic bag or airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
TIPS FOR SUCCESS:
- Toast the Oats and Almonds: Toasting will enhance the flavors of the almonds and oats and increase the digestibility of the oats. Toast oats in a dry pan over medium high heat, stirring constantly, for a few minutes, until they color slightly. Toast almonds in a dry pan over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until they turn golden brown in spots, about 2 minutes.
- Cool Oats and Almonds before mixing with the rests of the ingredients. Otherwise the chocolate will melt.
- Shaping The Energy Bites: If the mixture is sticking to your hands or to the spoon, chill the mixture in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes and try again. That will firm things up and make it easier to shape the bites.
Keywords: snack bites, energy balls, healthy snack
I wanted so much to like these. The flavor was AMAZING. But they crumbled all over the place. Impossible to scoop out of the Tablespoon. 3 of them worked, but when eating they turn into a “crumble”, not something you can bite into. Any suggestions?
I'm so sorry they were crumbly. The challenge with this recipe is that the texture of peanut butter varies a lot. I'm guessing yours was on the dry side. If you're up for giving this recipe another try, I would suggest adding a tiny bit of peanut oil to the mixture, if it's too dry to shape into solid balls. You want the mixture to be a little sticky. If it's too sticky to shape, you can refrigerate it for 10-15 minutes and then try again. Thanks so much for reaching out - keep me posted if you end up trying again - hopefully better results next time.
These are The Best no bake balls I've ever made !!! I added some toasted flaked coconut(unsweetened .of course.and finely chopped walnuts. Delicious 😋
Thanks for this recipe Lisa. I just made them and even though I substituted chia seeds for the flaxseed (which I didn’t have) they turned out delicious. Hard to not eat more than one at a time.
Hi Angie, I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe. I agree, it's hard to eat just one - luckily they're healthy!
These are fantastic! I made them because a friend recommend I try them. So easy and delicious. I am not a huge fan of flax seed but I used ground chia and flax seed flavored with vanilla and maple syrup - I’m a fan now😜
Yay, i'm so glad you enjoyed these Donna!
Can you freeze them
Hi Liz, I've never tried to freeze them but from what I've read, they freeze well!
Can you freeze them
Delicious! I love the flavor of the toasted oats and almonds-quite satisfying. I made a batch less than 12 hours ago and noticed that my family has reduced the count by 10...I think this is going in the regular weekly rotation❤️ The mix was a bit dry for me, but it could be because I live above 5,500 feet and need to add more Liquid.
★★★★★
Hi Hilary, the dryness could be the altitude or maybe the type of peanut butter you used? You can try adding a bit of coconut oil or peanut oil in the next batch, if you like. Anyhow, I'm really happy to know you all enjoyed. Thanks for your note!
These cookies are so tasty. Hard to believe they are healthy too!!
★★★★★
I just made these and absolutely love them! Thanks so much. Very easy to make and they are delicious! I am planning to bring one to work with lunch for the rest of the week!! Xx
★★★★★
Awesome - enjoy! And thanks for your comment Sammy! xx
Delicious!!
★★★★★
Can’t wait to try and hope I can eat just one.
Let me know how you do!
Yum!!! And vegan! Thanks Lisa! Can’t wait to try!!
I hope you enjoy Jen!!