Sometimes, “real” food sounds exhausting and you just want something quick and easy to throw into your purse and call “lunch” without anyone judging you.
Well, consider this a judgment free zone. And if today is one of those days, here is my solution: Energy bites!
5 ingredients
15 minutes
Naturally sweetened (when using naturally sweetened dark chocolate!)
Tastes like a peanut butter cup
Get on board.
I’m kind of into quick and easy right now.
Warmer weather has meant more adventuring for us and I love having snacky things on hand for sporadic activities. I’m like that weird friend of yours with all the mom things in her purse who doesn’t actually have any kids. No sign of babies around here, just so many snacks.
So, energy bites! 5 ingredients:
Dates
Peanut butter
Chia seeds
Oats
Dairy-free dark chocolate
The good news about these little gems is they’re totally customizable! No peanut butter? Sub any other nut butter. Not into chocolate (seriously Rhonda?)? Omit it and add more oats and chia seeds. Never heard of chia seeds? Sub flax or hemp seeds. It’s that easy friends.
This is basically hippie cookie dough. Take a spoon and eat it straight. (Who on Earth would do such a thing? Me – I would.)
Or reach down in there and roll the batter into little portable energy bites.
Your friends are gonna be so happy to see what’s in your mom purse.
These guys are so good it’s dangerous! They’re:
Tender
Peanut buttery
Crunchy from the chia seeds
Naturally sweetened
Chocolate-studded
Wholesome
& Seriously delicious
Races? Hikes? Road trips? Travel? These are the snacks for you.
If you try this recipe, you know the drill. Let us know by leaving a comment or taking a picture and tagging it @minimalistbaker on Instagram! We love seeing what you come up with. Cheers!
5 Ingredient Peanut Cup Energy Bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup dates (pitted // if dry, soak in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain well)
- 3 Tbsp all-natural salted peanut or almond butter
- 1/4 cup dairy-free dark chocolate (roughly chopped)
- 1 Tbsp chia seeds (or sub flax or hemp seeds)
- 2/3 cup rolled oats (gluten-free as needed)
Instructions
- Pulse pitted dates in a food processor or blender until they’re in small pieces or it forms a ball (see photo).
- Add oats, chocolate, chia seeds, and peanut butter and pulse or mix until combined. You want there to be consistently small pieces but not overly processed.
- Carefully roll into 1-inch balls (29-30 grams per ball), using the warmth of your hands to mold them together. Should yield 14-15 balls (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
- To set, pop in fridge or freezer for 15 minutes. Otherwise, eat as is! Will keep fresh in an air-tight bag or container for up to a week. Freeze for longer term storage.
Video
Notes
* Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Mary-Beth says
Delicious, easy and they really do pack energy!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Mary-Beth!
Gerty Shipmaker says
I come from a long line of professional bakers and bake everything from bread to cream puffs. I spent over $25 on ingredients for this recipe and it would not hold together or puree or anything. I had soaked the dates even but there was not enough moisture so I added melted coconut oil. A complete bust. So very disappointing.
Sorry to hear that was your experience, Gerty. Would you mind sharing what type of dates you were using? Medjool work best in this recipe.
Diana says
I added a tsp of vanilla extract, and sea salt, and OMG these tasted like a Reese’s Peanut Butter cup!! Will definitely be making them again.
Whoop! We’re so glad you love them, Diana. Thank you for sharing! xo
Chip says
These look great. Very keen to try them out. As I only have ground flaxseed and not whole flaxseeds, should I reduce the quantity by half? So half a TBSP of ground flaxseed?
Hi Chip, yes, reduce by half!
Chip says
Thanks for the reply. Made these last night and they came out brilliantly! Very tasty! My dates were a bit dry (even after soaking) so I added a little extra peanut butter. As the peanut butter I used was 100% peanuts and nothing else, I added a little sea salt to the batter. I used 1/4 cup of 70% dark chocolate in the batter (as instructed) and melted another 1/4 cup with a little coconut oil to coat the balls. I half dipped the balls in the melted chocolate and sprinkled some sea salt on top. That touch of salt balanced out the sweetness perfectly. Will definitely be making these again! Thanks for posting this recipe.
Amazing! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Chip.
Catherine says
Not at all as in pictures. And very disappointing. It’s really mostly oats, loosely held together by dates and nut butter. I have had delicious date-based energy balls that looked like the picture, and these are not very good in my opinion. I followed the recipe and it feels like a waste of time and ingredients.
We’re so sorry you had a negative experience with the recipe, Catherine! This one is usually a reader favorite. Since they weren’t holding together well, we wonder if perhaps the dates were too dry?
MR Baker says
Haha! That’s too funny. Because these are amazing!
Karen says
Made these just as the recipe read. So good and a great healthier treat when I want something sweet.
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Karen! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Iliana says
These look delicious! Can I substitute almond flour for the oats?
Hi Iliana, that might work! It’s less absorbent so you may need to use more of it.
Milena says
Recipe looks very tasty.
Dark chocolate typically contains palm oil which is bad for health and the environment. Have you tried to sub in powdered cocoa (or even better, ground raw cocoa) instead and increase the peanut or almond butter to compensate?
And roll them in coconut flakes … 🥥
Hi Milena, we have a recipe for German Chocolate Cake Energy Bites that sounds more like what you’re looking for! Just leave off the “frosting”. Hope that helps!
Marianne Egling says
Made these delicious little peanut balls today. Did add some LSA to the mixture and a few drops of coconut oil. also made them smaller, they are lovely little snack when craving something sweet. Will certainly be making them again.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Marianne. Thank you for sharing! xo
Linda Addison says
I just finished making this quick and delicious recipe. I added Lily’s stevia baking chips and a 1/4 tsp vanilla. I was afraid they wouldn’t make it to the freezer for my snack tray I am taking to a baby shower. I did a bit of snacking myself. They are absolutely delicious and super easy. I used the small scoop in my cookie scoop grouping and it made 18. That’s ok with me. Thank you for such a quick and tasty little energy bite! I always enjoy your recipes. Next time I will definitely add unsweetened dried cranberries. I bet a few small chopped nuts would finish it off just right……Yum Yum!!!
Thank you so much for your kind words and lovely review, Linda! xoxo
Jenny Taylor says
Can I used cocoa nibs rather than dairy free dark chocolate?
Hi Jenny, you can! If they are unsweetened, just keep in mind the recipe will be less sweet.
Paulette says
I use my homemade peanut butter (Trader Joe’s reduced salt peanuts blended in my Ninja until smooth and creamy) to make these. I have to admit that I use more peanut butter than called for in the recipe. They are just so delicious! I’m wondering if the home made peanut butter is what makes the balls a bit oily as I roll them. The taste and texture are not affected; just wondering if the oil is from the peanut butter. These are definitely a vegan go-to snack for me and my husband.
Hi Paulette! We’re so glad you and your husband enjoy them! It is probably the peanut butter that makes them a bit oily!