Are you looking for healthy snack recipes? I know I always am, and as soon as I made these no bake oatmeal cookie energy bites (which just so happen to be sugar free, gluten free, and vegan) I knew I had found my go-to snack recipe for the new year!
I love thinking about all the possibilities and goals for the year ahead. One thing I really want to focus on this year is eating more mindfully, and one of the things that helps me do that is having healthy snacks around. If I don’t have any healthy snacks on hand, chances are I’m going to eat something not-so-good-for-me.
As I’m shopping at Trader Joe’s for some healthy snacks I see dates on sale…for $2.99!! Normally these same dates sell for $10-15 so I grabbed some right away! I mean $2.99, you can’t go wrong, right? That’s the cost of one fancy granola bar, I was so excited I immediately shared my find on Instagram, @philiakelnhofer and got back several replies of people who went out to get them that same day and also found them at the sale price…so fingers crossed they stay that price?
I’m such a huge fan of energy bites (you may remember these no bake coconut date energy bites) and with my newly procured dates I wanted to try out a new flavor combination, and I hit the jackpot of deliciousness with these oatmeal cookie energy bites. The energy bites taste like an oatmeal cookie, and they only have 5 ingredients…making them absolutely perfect for the first FIVE INGREDIENT FRIDAY of the new year (<– can you tell how jazzed I am about Five Ingredient Fridays this year?!!)
Making energy bites is super fun, but sometimes they can look difficult (they’re really easy to make, promise) so I’ve put together my top six tips for making energy bites:
- Use a good food processor. I use this food processor, it really makes a difference texturally
- Process the dates first so that there are no big chunks
- Use a cookie scoop to make even size balls, then roll with hands
- Add a few drops of water if the mixture isn’t coming together easily
- Fun little cupcake liners make the energy bites super enjoyable (we eat with our eyes too, right? And how cute are these?)
- Let your energy balls refrigerate for an hour or over night (and store in the fridge) this will allow them to harden and come together
These no bake are perfect for bring to work and keeping on hand for when you need a healthy snack! Right around 2 pm when I need a little snack, instead of eating an unhealthy cookie I have been having one of these and have been loving it- the bites provide natural energy and totally helps with the afternoon energy slump.
Other energy bite recipes you might enjoy:
- No bake coconut date energy bites
- 5 ingredient peanut butter pretzel energy bites
- 3 Ingredient chocolate hazelnut date energy bites
No Bake Oatmeal Cookie Energy Bites
Ingredients
- 15 dejlet noor dates pits removed (1 heaping cup - can also use medjool dates, 8oz)
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- In a food processor, process dates and tablespoon of water for 5 seconds.
- Add almond butter, raisins, oats and cinnamon into the food processor and process for 5-10 seconds, until the mixture comes together, it should be sticky to touch and easily form a ball. If the mixture does not stick together when pressed between two fingers add a few more drops of water.
- Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop 1 tablespoon of mixture into your hand and roll it into a ball shape. Place in a mini muffin liner or in an air tight container.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour and then enjoy or keep stored in the refrigerator.
Notes
- You can use medjool dates or any other kind of dates you'd like.
- You can use peanut butter instead of almond butter.
- You can use any kind of raisins you'd like (I used yellow raisins).
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Brianna Baker says
Love this recipe. I sub the raisins for Cacao Nibs. My daughter loves these. Great to keep a bunch in the freezer for a sweet treat.
Sweetphi says
Ohhhhh yum, I love that you sub in cacao nibs, I want to try that now! And also great tip on the freezer storage, I just started doing that and it’s so amazing!!
Sheri says
Love love love all your energy ball recipes!!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much, really appreciate that. I make these ones all the time too!
Monica M says
This sounds like a great recipe. I’m going to make them this weekend, so I can throw a few in my lunches next week. Thanks!!!!
Sweetphi says
I hope you love these as much as we do – they’re great for snacks/lunches all week long!
Gemma says
I love having this type of energy bites in the fridge and grab a couple after a workout. These ones look delicious plus oats have so many health benefits!
xo
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for commenting – these are definitely perfect for a quick snack to have on hand!
Winnie says
Fantastic snacks!!
Easy, and super tasty, especially when I LOVE dates 🙂
Sweetphi says
If you love dates, you will absolutely fall in love with these oatmeal cookie bites, they’res SUPER tasty 🙂
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
I love these kinds of no bakes bites – one of the best things about them is how long they last too (unless you eat them all of course haha)
I find them so difficult to photograph though, so well done as these look great.
Sweetphi says
These are my new favorite healthy snack/dessert. They taste like cookies to me, and you’re right, they last for so long. With one a day, they last for two work weeks because they make 11-12, it’s a win-win, healthy snack and one that doesn’t have to be purchased! And thank you for the photography compliment 😉
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Totally wish there was a TJs near me! Guess I am going to have to pay an arm and a leg for dates, because I NEED these energy bites in my life! Oatmeal cookies are one of my favorite cookies, so turned into a healthy bite of deliciousness is perfection! Pinned! Cheers!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for the pin, I appreciate that!! Have you ever purchased dates on Amazon? I’ve heard one of my friends do that because she doesn’t have a TJs near her, and she said they were good, and a lot cheaper than at the store too 🙂
Andrea Rentea says
These look really delicious. At work one needs bite sized portions for snaking seem to be just the go to snack with plenty of fiber also. Thank you for such a great recipe.
Sweetphi says
You’re absolutely at right, a one bit sized portion for snacking is perfect for work, I make a batch of these and I’m set for snacks for the week. Thank you so much for your comment.
Emma says
These sounds really yummy! And I love that they are healthy, too!
Sweetphi says
Lately I’m all about snacks that are delicious and at the same time healthy, and these definitely fit the bill, you’d love them!!
sarah says
What a delicious little snack idea! Loving this 🙂
Sweetphi says
No bake date energy bites are my fave when it comes to healthy delicious snack! They’re soooo good 🙂
Ashley@CookNourishBliss says
Anddd now I need to go see if they are still on sale! That is crazy cheap!
These little bites sound perfect! And gorgeous photos too!
Sweetphi says
Isn’t it SO cheap? I too did a double take when I saw dates for that price. They were totally worth it, as I’ve made these little bites more than once already. And thank you so much for the compliment about the photography-much appreciated!
Rachel @ Bakerita says
Don’t you love that everything is SO much cheaper at TJ’s?! It’s the best 🙂 these bites look like the perfect pre- or post- workout snack.
Sweetphi says
I totally am in love with TJs, everything is so much cheaper and amazing! These would definitely be a great pre or post workout snack 🙂
Little Cooking Tips says
An excellent, yummy and healthy snack! Kudos Phi, another great recipe! Thank you!
Have an amazing weekend ahead!
Sending lots of sunshine from Athens,
Panos and Mirella
xoxoxo
Sweetphi says
I could really use all that sunshine from Athens right about now, here it is cold and snowing 😉
These little bites have been my healthy snack for the past week and a half, they’re just SO good!