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No Bake Cookie Energy Bites (Gluten Free, Vegan)

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No Bake Cookie Energy Bites – The perfect snack when you’re craving something sweet. These chocolate peanut butter energy bites are gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and taste like a cookie! 

Chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookie energy bites in a white bowl

We’re counting down the last few weeks until summer break! I don’t know about other moms, but the summer anthem at my house is “I will take all the snacks you have, please.”

Between growth spurts and burning extra energy playing and swimming on hot days, my kids are extra hungry in the summer! For the last few years, we’ve been in the habit of keeping a stash of energy bites in the fridge so we always have something easy and ready to offer when it’s snack or mealtime.

Energy bites have been a great way for me to get more protein and fat into my kids’ diets, which really helps them stay full longer. They’re just so handy! Granted, these chocolate peanut butter energy bites definitely blur the line between sweet and snack, but I love that they’re made from a really simple ingredient list and come together quickly.

It also helps that they bites taste like no-bake cookies. For real.

I love the blend of favors here–the peanut butter chocolate combination is so satisfying! Plus, with oats, flax, and coconut, these get even more filling. It truly feels like you’re eating no-bake cookie dough! I typically pair one or two of these with something like fruit or veggies, or more protein (like nuts in a trail mix or a protein-boosted toast) for afternoon snack, or tuck one into their school lunches throughout the year (they’re the perfect size for packing!). Both kids LOVE them, and I love that they’re so convenient and easy.

Here’s what you need to make these no-bake cookie energy bites…

Overhead view of ingredients for chocolate peanut butter no bake cookie energy bites
  • (Gluten-Free) Rolled Oats. I most often use rolled oats to make no-bake cookie energy bites, but quick oats will absolutely work in a pinch. If you’re gluten-free, be sure to buy certified gluten-free oatmeal to avoid cross contact or cross contamination! (See the FAQ below for more!)
  • Unsweetened Shredded Coconut. Finely shredded unsweetened coconut works best for these energy balls, rather than the large shavings or coconut chips. If you have a few minutes to toast the coconut first, it’ll add even better flavor!
  • Unsweetened Cocoa Powder. You can add SO much delightful chocolate flavor to your no-bake energy bites just by using cocoa powder. Since our recipe is raw and doesn’t need leaveners like baking soda or baking powder, you can use either regular unsweetened cocoa or Dutch-processed/dark cocoa powder. Whichever you have or like best!
  • Ground Flax Seed. Not 100% essential, but I love to add it when I can for some extra fiber, protein, and healthy fats. Ground flax is better than whole flax for this recipe!
  • Peanut Butter. I use natural peanut butter (just peanuts and salt–no sugar or oils added), and have found that different brands vary in consistency. Some are quite runny, others aren’t. You may find you need to add a little more peanut butter or a little more syrup or some milk if your peanut butter is thick.
  • Pure Maple Syrup. Some natural sweetener helps bind these chocolate peanut butter energy bites together and rounds out the flavor. Don’t worry! It won’t taste maple-y. It’ll let those chocolate peanut butter flavors shine through!
  • Vanilla & A Pinch Of Salt. Balance the flavor with some vanilla and a little pinch of salt. *chef’s kiss*

Have A Peanut Allergy? 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 butter or cashew butter, or another nut butter. They’re flexible and easy that way!

Related: 15 Healthy Snacks to Make Right Now

How To Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bites, Step By Step:

  1. Combine the ingredients in a food processor: combine oats, coconut, cocoa powder, ground flax, and salt. Add peanut butter, syrup, and vanilla.
  2. Pulse just until mixture comes together and is fairly smooth. (You’ll still see some pieces of coconut and oats, you just don’t want large chunks of anything.)
  3. Check your texture: Peanut butter varies in thickness, so if your mixture seems a bit dry, feel free to add a touch more peanut butter or syrup to help the mixture come together, as needed)
  4. Scoop mixture into 1″ balls and roll out to smooth.
  5. Store. Place energy bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator and store up to 1 week. (You can also freeze these up to 1 month)
Overhead view of meal prep no-bake cookie energy bites in a glass container

Add a layer of flavor. When I have time, I love toasting the coconut before making these. It adds another little layer of flavor that’s so satisfying and delicious!

My favorite trick: I swear by using a cookie scoop for making energy bites. It’s easy to get them all the same size. I scoop them out, then roll them in my hands to smooth them. I use my cookie scoop for everything from meatballs, to energy bites, to measuring muffin batter and more. It’s one of my favorite kitchen tools!

Notes on Oats (& a Gluten Free Tip): You can use either old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats for these chocolate peanut butter energy bites. We’re gluten free, so we buy certified gluten-free oats, like Bob’s Red Mill, Thrive Market, Trader Joe’s, or One Degree. Oats themselves don’t contain wheat gluten, but processing and farming practices often cause cross-contamination. We buy certified gluten free oats and have never had a bad reaction. If that’s not a concern, any kind will do!

Add More Chocolate! If you want, you can also mix in some mini chocolate chips right at the end before you roll them. Or, drizzle with chocolate like we do in our Thin Mint Energy Bites!

Front view of no bake cookie energy bites
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Chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookie energy bites in a white bowl

No Bake Cookie Energy Bites


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5 from 4 reviews

  • Author: One Lovely Life
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 30 energy bites 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

The perfect snack when you’re craving something sweet. These chocolate peanut butter energy bites are gluten free, vegan and taste like a cookie! 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats (use gluten free, if needed)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (I use this kind) – toasted, if you like.
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder
  • 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed (optional)
  • pinch salt
  • 1 cup natural peanut butter*
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup (can sub honey if not vegan)
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Combine the ingredients in a food processor: combine oats, coconut, cocoa powder, ground flax, and salt. Add peanut butter, syrup, and vanilla.
  2. Pulse just until mixture comes together and is fairly smooth. (You’ll still see some pieces of coconut and oats, you just don’t want large chunks of anything.)
  3.  Check your texture: Peanut butter varies in thickness, so if your mixture seems a bit dry, feel free to add a touch more peanut butter or syrup to help the mixture come together, as needed)
  4. Scoop mixture into 1″ balls and roll out to smooth.
  5. Store. Place energy bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator and store up to 1 week. (You can also store them in the freezer these up to 1 month)

Notes

  • *Natural peanut butter – I use natural peanut butter (just peanuts and salt–no sugar or oils added), and have found that different brands vary in consistency. Some are quite runny, others aren’t. You may find you need to add a little more peanut butter or a little more syrup or some milk if your peanut butter is thick.
  • Add a layer of flavor. When I have time, I love toasting the coconut before making these. It adds another little layer of flavor that’s so satisfying and delicious!
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Category: Snacks
  • Method: No bake
  • Cuisine: American

Originally shared 8/16. Fully updated 5/22.

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19 Comments

  1. What would you suggest to use if we don’t use honey or maple syrup? Is there any other sticky substitute that isn’t sugar?

      1. blue Agave syrup, or 100,%fruit juice, use your imagination, ingredients you like.
        I will do flax, oats, cut up ginger pieces,crushed cashews, sunflower seeds, dates, dried figs, toasted coconut, vanilla Costco natural pnt butter…if it needs hydrating …maple syrup, unless to sweet then lil bit of flax or cashew milk. Yummy

  2. Weird question: do you think it world work to sub nut pieces (like almonds or chopped peanuts) for the coconut? I just don’t like coconut.

    1. That’s not a weird question! I haven’t tested it that way, but I bet it’d work pretty well! I’d make sure to chop them pretty fine before adding them to the mix. If you find that your mixture is more wet (and sticking to your hands instead of rolling out well), I’d just mix in a little more oats to make up the difference. If you give it a try, I’d love to know what you think!

  3. Yum, these are fantastic! They really do taste like no-bake cookies! My picky two year old gobbled them up. Thank you!






  4. My recipe is too soft to pick up. It’s not runny tho. After they are cooked and too soft do you have any suggestions to fix them. I tried putting them in the freezer but they are still soft. Do you have any alternative options that they can be turned into?






    1. Melinda – I’m not totally sure I understand the question, but I’d love to help! Energy bites are a no-bake recipe meant to be pretty soft to bite into (kind of like a healthy truffle or cookie dough ball). They should hold their shape in balls but also still be soft to bite into.

      If your “dough” is too soft to roll into balls, it could be that you need more oats or coconut to help the mixture stick together. You could try putting the dough back in a food processor and pulsing with 1 Tbsp. of oats or coconut at a time until the mixture comes together in a ball to help the mixture firm up a bit.

      I hope that helps!

  5. I made these last night and they are delicious! I used a blender for the oats and coconut (no food processor) and then mixed that with the rest in a bowl. Great flavor and super easy!






  6. After trying two other cocoa snack recipes that were taste tested by friends who complained that the recipes tasted bitter I finally found this delicious recipe. The peanut butter blended in well with the cocoa and yes even picky kids who like store bought cookies will love them. The cocoa and oats have many health benefits and the maple syrup digest better than a lot of other sweetners.
    I suggest this sweet snack over a store bought one because it’s better than most store bought sweet snacks.

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