5-minute Energy Bites Recipe | Gluten Free – 7 Ingredients

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This Energy Bites recipe is gluten-free, no-bake, and easy! It’s guaranteed to satisfy your salty/sweet & crunchy/chewy cravings too.

It’s our favorite because it’s as if a granola bar and chocolate chip cookie dough had a meet cute and next thing you know… ENERGY BITES!!!

Why You’ll Love these Energy Bites

These little tasty nuggets are the perfect balance between sweet, salty, crunchy, and chewy. Aside from being snack-a-licious and borderline addictive, they’re super neat, as in hardly any crumbs. They are perfect for car trips and make for an easy grab-and-go snack.

They are messy to make, but so much fun! I haven’t had the chance to make them with my granddaughters, but you bet I will next time they come for a visit.

The BEST Energy Bites Recipe Guide!

Below is a formula you will want to print out and tape to the inside of your kitchen cabinet. Energy balls (or as I like to say, “bites”) have a basic formula that makes them simple and easy to create in all sorts of crave-worthy variations.

With the guide outlined below, you’ll be able to quickly whip up a batch of any of the following:

• Chocolate chip
• Mounds/Almond Joy
• Orange Cranberry
• Death by Chocolate
• Oatmeal Raisin
• Trail Mix
• Gingersnap
• Snickerdoodle

No-Bake Energy Bites Recipe Base (gluten-free)

No need for fancy equipment (like a stand mixer or food processor) and with just a few common pantry ingredients you can whip these up in less than 15 minutes.

Base Ingredients

• FILLER – 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• MAIN BINDER – 1/2 cup nut butter, creamy or crunchy: I usually opt for peanut butter until making Mounds Energy Bites or Almond Joy Energy Bites
• 2ND BINDER – 1/3 cup honey
• BALANCE – 1/2 teaspoon salt, coarse kosher
• BALANCE – 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, salt, and any mix-ins or add-ins (see below👇🏼).
2. In another bowl, thoroughly combine the honey and nut butter.
3. Add the honey-nut butter mixture to the other ingredients, and stir well.
4. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
5. After chilling, scoop a bite-size amount of the mixture and roll it into a ball. Repeat until all the mix is gone.
6. Store Energy Balls in an air-tight container for up to 7 days in the refrigerator.

Add-In Ingredients

Power-Ups! (Great super food choices)

These can go in any of the following variations. I always add them because they don’t change the flavor and I like the extra fiber, protein, and texture. However, they are totally optional.

• 1/3 cup flax seeds, ground
• 1/4 cup chia seeds 
• 2 tablespoons unflavored protein powder

Trail Mix Energy Bites (gluten-free)

• 1 cup pretzels, gluten-free and crushed into crumbs
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (or mini M&Ms)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup peanuts

Chocolate Chip

• 1 1/4 cup chocolate chips (regular size)

Mounds/Almond Joy

• Use Almond Butter for the nut butter
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• For Almond Joy, use the above plus: 1/2 chopped toasted almonds
• Optional: melt 2 cups of chocolate, dip 1/2 of each ball in the chocolate, then immediately roll it in coconut flakes.

Orange Cranberry

• 1 cup cranberries
• 2 tablespoons orange zest (about 2 large oranges)
• 1 cup white chocolate or regular chocolate chips

Death by Chocolate

• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa powder

Oatmeal Raisin

• 1 cup raisins

Gingersnap

• 1 1/2 cups chopped crystalized ginger pieces
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Snickerdoodle

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 cup sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon (after chilling and rolling the bites into balls, roll them in this cinnamon-sugar mixture)

Super Easy Energy Bites Recipe Pro Tips

No Fuss! No Mess!

For easy rolling, chill the mixture for at least 1 hour. If it’s still too sticky, try wetting your hands with a little water, or feel free to add a little more rolled oats.

If the mixture seems too dry and crumbly (not sticking together), add more honey or nut butter.

Can you freeze energy bites? Yes! These freeze very well. Store them in an air-tight container and they will last for 3 months in the freezer.

Creamy or Crunchy Peanut Butter? Use whatever you have.

I use creamy peanut butter only because prefer creamy over crunchy peanut butter. (I just don’t like the texture of the nuts in crunchy peanut butter.) But if you love crunchy peanut butter, you will love it even more in these energy bites.

Variations

Energy bites are fun to play with and there are endless variations and mix-ins you can choose from.

If you are concerned with allergies because of the nut butter, substitute the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter. If allergies are not a concern, try replacing the peanut butter with almond butter or even cashew butter!

On the sweeter side, you can sub the honey out for agave nectar or maple syrup.

If you’re not worried about being gluten-free, use regular pretzels and chop them up instead. If staying gluten-free is your jam and there are no gluten-free pretzels on hand, simply leave them out or swap them for 1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut flakes.

More Mix-Ins to Play With

• Shredded coconut (1/2 cup)
• Vanilla extract (2 teaspoons)
• Other morsels: peanut butter, white chocolate, butterscotch, toffee bits
• Dried berries (1/2 cup chopped): cranberries, blueberries, currents, raisins, dates
• If you’re a peanut butter lover, add 2 tablespoons of peanut butter powder (PB2)

Is this Energy Bites Recipe Healthy?

These little guys are keto-friendly with only 10 net carbs in each one and less than 85 calories!

My problem is I want to eat ALL of them, and in that case, the health factor goes straight out the window. I know, I know, everything in moderation. Lol

More Healthy Snacks from Lakeside Table

Here’s a free download of 15 healthy and easy snacks you can make that are great to have on hand. Plus they’re not messy so they’re perfect for car rides and long road trips!