No-Bake Lemon Energy Bites – These tasty little lemon energy balls make such a yummy snack or healthy treat! They’re a hit with kids and grown-ups! (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Paleo)
I feel like both my kids are in the middle of serious growth spurts. Everyone’s been hungrier than usual, so I’ve been looking for ways to fill out mealtimes and snacks a bit more. We have lots of healthy snack ideas on the blog, but today I’ve got a fresh one that I hope you’ll love as much as we do: No-Bake Lemon Energy Bites!
Light, bright, and super snackable, these lemon energy balls are the perfect little something to try this week! I love that they don’t take long to put together, taste great any time of day, and are easy to tuck into school lunches or add to snack time.
Plus, there are only 5ish ingredients needed to make them, and you might already have most of them on hand…
HERE’S WHAT GOES INTO MY LEMON ENERGY BITES:
To make these little lemon energy balls, you only need a few ingredients. You’re looking at:
MEDJOOL DATES. I like Medjool dates because they’re bigger, more caramel-y, tend to be nice and soft, and taste great. If you use a different variety, make sure you use 2 cups.
RAW CASHEWS. Cashews create a creamy, almond lemon cheesecake vibe in these lemon energy balls. I LOVE the flavor. (If you need a non-cashew option, check out the FAQ below!)
UNSWEETENED SHREDDED COCONUT. The unsweetened shredded coconut doesn’t overwhelm the lemon in these energy bites. It adds a subtle sweetness and gives it a fuller flavor.
FRESH LEMON ZEST & A LITTLE LEMON JUICE. The bright lemon flavor in these lemon energy bites comes from fresh lemon zest. The zest contains the lemon’s essential oils, which have the most concentrated lemon flavor. So good. Then, we punch it up even more with a little squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
VANILLA EXTRACT. To bring out even more of the sweet, almost-cheesecake vibes, a little bit of vanilla is LOVELY here.
And that’s IT! You’ll just give these ingredients a whirl in a food processor, roll them out, and you’re ready to go!
FAQ + TIPS & TRICKS FOR THE BEST LEMON ENERGY BITES
HOW TO REMOVE THE PITS FROM DATES. Unless you’ve bought pitted dates, you’ll need to remove the pits before using them. To remove the pits from your dates, use a small, sharp knife to make a cut down the center from the stem end. Pull the date open with your fingers and remove the pit. Easy-peasy!
HELP! MY MIXTURE ISN’T COMING TOGETHER. It’s most likely because your dates are a bit dry or the mixture hasn’t quite blended long enough. If this is the case, add a little more lemon juice 1 tsp. at a time, blending for at least 30 seconds before adding any additional liquid. If the mixture holds together when pinched between your fingers, it’s blended enough!
CAN I MAKE THESE WITH A DIFFERENT NUT? CAN I MAKE THEM NUT FREE? If you’ve got a cashew allergy or simply want to go a different direction, you can use sliced almonds. For a nut-free version, we use pumpkin seeds (these ones are sprouted and shelled) all the time for energy bites.
A TRICK FOR SCOOPING ENERGY BITES. To make these lemon energy bites easy to scoop and roll, I love using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to make them all even. I’ve found the process goes a lot faster when I use a scoop!
CAN I MAKE THEM WITH LIMES? Yep! I recommend following this Coconut Lime Energy Bite recipe for a lime version.
HOW LONG DO ENERGY BITES KEEP IN THE REFRIGERATOR? Our lemon energy bites will keep in an airtight container about 5-7 days in the refrigerator or up to 2 months in the freezer. They’re GREAT for meal prep!
LOOKING FOR MORE YUMMY SNACK IDEAS? YOU MIGHT LIKE…
- 15 Healthy Snacks to Make Right Now
- No-Bake Cookie Energy Bites
- My Ultimate Guide to Trail Mix (+6 Flavor Combos to Try!)
- Nut-Free Chocolate Cherry Energy Bites
- 10 Healthy Snacks with Fruit (Great Options for Kids + Grown-Ups!)
- Coconut Lime Energy Bites
HELPFUL FOR THIS LEMON ENERGY BALLS RECIPE:
Lemon Energy Bites
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: About 15 minutes
- Yield: 20-22 Energy Bites 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
These tasty little lemon energy balls make such a yummy snack or healthy treat! They’re a hit with kids and grown-ups alike. (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Paleo)
Ingredients
- 2 cups Medjool dates, pits removed* (about 16 dates)
- 3/4 cup raw cashews
- 3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2–3 tsp. fresh lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- 1–3 tsp. fresh lemon juice (as needed)
- 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place dates (remember to remove the pits first!), cashews, coconut, and lemon zest in the bowl of your food processor.
- Add 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice, and the vanilla.
- Pulse the mixture in your food processor 30-60 seconds, until the mixture smooths out and starts to come together.
- Depending on how dry your dates are, you may need to add more lemon juice, 1 tsp. at a time, to help the mixture blend.
- You’ll know you’ve reached the right consistency when there are no large chunks of dates or cashews, and the mixture easily holds together when pinched between your fingers.
- When the consistency is right, use a tablespoon or a small cookie scoop to measure out little balls from the energy bite dough.
- Roll each ball between your hands to smooth out the edges, then set aside. Repeat with remaining dough until it’s all rolled into balls.
- Store energy bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator 5-7 days, or in the freezer up to 2 months.
Note: for decoration, you can garnish with a little extra lemon zest, or dip the energy bites in additional shredded coconut.
Notes
*To remove the pits from your dates, use a small, sharp knife to make a cut down the center from the stem end. Pull the date open with your fingers and remove the pit. Easy-peasy!
- Category: Snack
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: No Bake Lemon Energy Bites, Lemon Energy Balls, Lemon Energy Bites, Lemon Cheesecake Energy Balls, Lemon Cheesecake Energy Bites
These look so good, and are making me dream of some nice spring weather! Totally making these today!
Right? Lemon is just so sunny!