No Bake Cookie Energy Bites

No Bake Cookie Energy Bites – The perfect protein packed snack when you’re craving something sweet. (gluten free, vegan) 

This was one of those happy surprises that sometimes happens when I decide to completely wing a recipe. I’ve been recipe developing and blogging for almost 10 years now, and I can usually cobble together dinner out of a mostly-empty fridge (Iron Chef-style), but I usually have to test a recipe at least 2-3 times before I feel completely confident writing it down and recommending it to you.

I whipped these together on Sunday, writing down a few notes on a post-it and posted an Instagram story about some of the recipes I’d made that day. Several of you said you’d like to see the recipe for these, so I made another batch Monday morning using the exact measurements from Sunday and was delighted to see that I’d gotten it just where I want it!

These energy bites taste like no bake cookies. For real.

Energy bites have been a great way for me to get more protein into both kids’ diets (especially Milo’s). I don’t for a second feel like these are a perfectly “clean” snack. (Flavored protein powders tend to be sweetened, but otherwise, they can be pretty well-balanced nutrient-wise.) Instead, I view them as a great choice when you want to reach for something sweet, but but you’re also looking for something with some nutritional value. I pair one or two of these with something like fruit or veggies for afternoon snack, or tuck one into Sophie’s lunchbox for school.

They taste AMAZING. It truly feels like you’re eating no bake cookie batter. The chocolate/peanut butter combination is amazing, but if you’ve got a peanut allergy or prefer to avoid peanut butter, you can sub something else, like sunflower seed butter, this 7 Nut and Seed blend, almond or cashew butter, etc.

I hope you just LOVE them, like we do!

Notes on the Recipe:

Keep in Mind. When I’m using protein powder in a recipe like this (rather than as a smoothie), it’s important to take into account that the powder will absorb some liquid over 10-15 minutes (or longer). I like for my energy bites to last a full week without drying out, so I like adding a little bit extra milk to the blend (not so that it’s soupy, but so that it’s a little bit sticky). This will keep things from drying out throughout the week.

How long will they keep? About a week (if you don’t eat them all before then!)

If you’re vegan, you can absolutely swap pure maple syrup for the honey. It works like a charm. We also like OLLY’s chocolate protein powder for recipes like this (this isn’t a sponsored post). It’s gluten free & vegan.

As far as the oats go… you can use either old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats for these. We’re gluten free, so we buy certified gluten-free oats. If that’s not a concern, any kind will do!

Like this Post? You might also like…

• Cookie Dough Energy Bites
• Make-Your-Own Trail Mix Bar
• Chocolate Cherry Hazelnut Energy Bars

(this post is not sponsored or compensated in any way)