No Bake Energy Balls

These no bake energy balls are the perfect snack when you need something quick, delicious, and healthy, but you want to feel like you're eating dessert. With 7 simple ingredients like rolled oats, coconut, peanut butter, and flax seeds, these energy bites will leave you feeling satisfied.

Anyone who knows me knows I'm never without snacks. I've always got goodies like chocolate avocado mousse and black bean cookies on hand. Call it a crutch, call it wanting to be prepared, but I've always got a variety of snacks stashed in my purse/bag/backpack.

These no bake energy balls are the best kind of snack: a little savory, a little sweet, no bake, lots of texture, and they fill me up so I'm not hungry again an hour later. And they're portable! I hope you love them as much as I do.

Jump to:

• ⭐️ Why These Energy Balls are the Best
• 🍫 Ingredient Notes
• 📝 Variations & Substitutions
• 🥣 How To Make No Bake Energy Bites
• 👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips
• 🍪 More Snack Recipes
• Energy Balls Recipe

⭐️ Why These Energy Balls are the Best

• A little nutty, a little sweet, a little coconut-y, and a LOT of deliciousness
• Protein balls with just 7 simple ingredients
• Healthy breakfast, snack, or dessert that's a good source of protein & fiber, dairy-free, and very satisfying
• No bake, portable, and easy to make energy bites

🍫 Ingredient Notes

• Old-fashioned rolled oats - Avoid using instant oats, as the texture will be too chewy.
• Flaked unsweetened coconut - You can toast your coconut ahead of time, but make sure that it's completely cool before using it, or your chocolate chips will melt.
• Natural peanut butter - I use the unsweetened kind of peanut butter, so the ingredients are literally just peanuts and salt. If you use sweetened peanut butter, you can skip the maple syrup.
• Maple syrup - Honey can be used as a substitute (for non-vegan folks), or see my list of popular substitutes for maple syrup.
• Flax seeds - High in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids; you can use chia seeds as well
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips - Use your favorite brand of semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips.

📝 Variations & Substitutions

• Make energy bars: Line an 8"x8" baking dish with parchment paper. Transfer the mixture into dish and press down with your fingers or a rubber spatula; chill for 30 minutes. Grab parchment on two opposite sides, lift bars out of the pan, and place on a cutting board. Cut into bars using a sharp knife.
• Use your favorite nut butter. Although peanut butter is my preferred nut butter, I know some folks have peanut allergies. Therefore, you can easily substitute the peanut butter with almond butter or cashew butter for a similar flavor.
• Gluten-free version: Substitute with gluten-free oats
• Vegan energy balls: Use vegan chocolate chips

🥣 How To Make No Bake Energy Bites

Place the rolled oats and unsweetened coconut into the bowl of a food processor and pulse for 1 to 2 minutes, until coarsely ground.

Add peanut butter, maple syrup, flax seeds, vanilla extract, salt, and chocolate chips. Pulse mixture for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the mixture starts to come together.

Transfer mixture into a small mixing bowl and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Use a 1" cookie scoop to make the protein balls uniform in size, and roll into balls using the palms of your hands; place on prepared baking sheet. (If the mixture isn't coming together well, add 1 tablespoon of water or maple syrup and stir until well combined.)

Chill energy balls until firm, at least 30 minutes, or place in the freezer for 15 minutes.

👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips

• Storage: Place balls in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
• How to freeze: Place in a freezer-safe container and store for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight.
• Chill for 30 minutes. This will help your energy bites firm up before serving them.
• Use a cookie scoop. This will ensure balls that are all the same size.

🍪 More Snack Recipes

Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook.

Subscribe to my email newsletter to get a FREE e-book of 20 vegetarian recipes, and get new recipes delivered to your inbox every week!