I always like to have a healthy snack prepped in the fridge for the week, and these easy Energy Bites have quickly become a favourite. You only need 10 simple ingredients and about 20 minutes of hands-on time, plus an hour in the freezer to set. The mixture is pressed into a tin, cut into little squares and dipped in melted dark chocolate, so there is no rolling into a ball shape required!
Because they are nut free, they are perfect for lunchboxes, and the kids love them as an after school snack. They are also a great pre or post workout bite, a mid-afternoon pick-me-up or a little dessert after dinner when the sweet cravings hit.
Personally, I wanted to create an easy energy bites recipe that was completely nut free and didn’t rely on dates, oats or peanut butter. These have a lovely crunchy texture from the puffed quinoa and seeds, a little tang from the cranberries and that snap of dark chocolate on the outside. They taste a bit like a cross between a muesli bar and a chocolate treat, and they are a great one to meal prep on a Sunday for the week ahead.
If you love having healthy snacks ready to go, you might also like my No Bake Gluten Free Muesli Bars, Nut Free Chocolate Bliss Balls With Dates or Healthy Homemade Bounty Bars, which are all nut free too. For more no bake ideas, try my No Bake Choc Chip Oat Energy Balls, No Bake Energy Bars or browse my roundup of 30+ Healthy Bliss Ball Recipes!
Everything You Need to Make No Bake Energy Bites
These no bake energy bites are made using 10 simple ingredients. I’ve listed everything you will need below, including any notes and possible ingredient swaps. You can find the ingredient quantities in the full recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Binding mixture
- pure maple syrup – always choose pure maple syrup rather than maple flavoured syrup. It adds just the right amount of sweetness and helps bind everything together. Honey works well too, but the energy bites will no longer be vegan.
- coconut oil – I use extra virgin coconut oil, which helps the energy bites firm up in the fridge.
- hulled tahini – tahini keeps these nut free and adds a lovely, subtle sesame flavour. Choose hulled tahini as it is milder and less bitter than unhulled. If nut allergies aren’t a concern, you can swap for almond butter, cashew butter or peanut butter. For a nut free and sesame free option, use sunflower seed butter.
Dry ingredients
- desiccated coconut – adds texture and natural sweetness. You can use shredded coconut if that’s what you have, but desiccated works best for holding the bites together.
- dried cranberries – these add a lovely tang to balance the dark chocolate. You can swap for chopped dried cherries, dried blueberries or chopped dried apricots.
- seeds – you will need pepitas (pumpkin seeds), hemp seeds and sesame seeds. Together they add healthy fats, fibre, plant-based protein and omega-3s. Hemp seeds give these bites a little extra protein. You can swap the sesame seeds for chia seeds or ground flaxseed, or swap the pepitas for sunflower seeds.
- puffed quinoa – this gives the energy bites their light, crunchy texture and keeps them gluten free. You can use puffed rice instead. You can swap some of the puffed quinoa for rolled oats, but the texture will be chewier.
Coating
Would you like to save this?
We’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
- dark chocolate – I like to use a good quality dark chocolate, around 70% cocoa. You could also use dark chocolate chips. Check the label if you need these to be dairy free or allergy friendly.
Optional Extras
If you want to add extra flavour, try stirring 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract into the warm maple syrup mixture. A pinch of sea salt sprinkled over the chocolate before it sets is also delicious. To make them a fun treat for kids, add some natural sprinkles to the top before the chocolate sets. You can also make different flavours by swapping the cranberries for freeze dried raspberries or chopped dried apricots.
Tips for Making the Best No Bake Energy Bites
These this energy bites no bake recipe is really simple to make, and because they are set in a tin, there’s no need for a cookie scoop or rolling each one by hand. Here are a few of my top tips to make sure they turn out perfectly every time. You can find the full step-by-step instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- line your tin and tray – use a parchment-lined tin so the slice lifts out easily, and a parchment-lined tray for the chocolate-dipped bites so they don’t stick.
- heat the syrup until bubbling – bringing the maple syrup, coconut oil and tahini mixture to a gentle bubble helps it act like a glue. Pour it over the dry ingredients straight away while it’s warm.
- mix well – use a spatula to stir until every bit of the dry mixture is coated. If there are dry patches, the bites can crumble when you cut them.
- press down firmly – this is the most important step. Use the back of a spoon or spatula to really compact the mixture into an even layer. The firmer you press, the better the energy bites hold together.
- chill before cutting – an hour in the freezer firms the slice up so you get clean, neat squares.
- melt the chocolate gently – melt the chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir often so it doesn’t seize or burn.
- work quickly when dipping – the cold bites help the chocolate set fast, so dip a few at a time and keep the rest in the freezer until you’re ready.
Storage
In the fridge – store the energy bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. Because of the coconut oil, they soften at room temperature, so keep them chilled until you’re ready to eat them.
In the freezer – store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. They can be eaten straight from the freezer or left out for a few minutes to soften slightly.
For lunchboxes – pack them straight from the fridge or freezer with an ice pack so the chocolate doesn’t melt.
No Bake Energy Bites
Equipment
- Square cake tin 20cm x 20cm / 8 inch x 8 inch
- Sharp knife
- Chopping Board
- Fork
- Spoon
- Saucepan
- Medium heatproof bowl
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, extra virgin
- 1/4 cup tahini, hulled
- 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup pepitas
- 1/3 cup hemp seeds
- 1/3 cup sesame seeds
- 1 cup puffed quinoa
- 200 grams dark chocolate
Instructions
- Line a 20cm x 20cm (8 inch x 8 inch) tin and a medium baking tray with baking paper and set aside.
- To a large mixing bowl add the coconut, cranberries, pepitas, hemp seeds, sesame seeds and puffed quinoa and stir to combine.
- Add the maple syrup, coconut oil and sunflower seed butter to a small saucepan and bring to a low heat. Whisk to combine and once the mixture is bubbling, turn off the heat and pour immediately into the dry ingredients. Stir until well combined.
- Tip the mixture into the prepared tin, smooth out with a spoon or spatula and press down firmly so that the mixture is in a compacted and even layer. Place into the freezer for approximately 1 hour.
- Half fill a medium saucepan with water and top with a heat proof bowl. Break the chocolate up into the bowl and turn to a medium heat. Stir as the chocolate melts and once melted, turn off the heat.
- Remove the slice from the freezer and cut into 5cm x 5cm (2 inch x 2 inch) pieces. Place a piece of slice onto a fork and lower into the melted dark chocolate to coat the bottom of the slice. Transfer to the medium lined baking tray and repeat with the remaining energy bites. Use a spoon to drizzle the remaining dark chocolate over the top of each energy bite. Place into the fridge until set.
- Once set, transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge.
Like this recipe? Leave a comment!