These energy balls are a must-have! Whenever you’re feeling snacky between meals, rushing out the door without breakfast, or yearning for a nutritious little treat, these energy balls are here to save the day. They make for an ideal healthy on-the-go snack.
This recipe incorporates oats, honey, nut butter, and toasted nuts and seeds, but it’s easily customizable to fit your tastes. I crafted it to provide lasting energy from the whole grains and nuts. One ball is just sweet enough to feel like a treat, while also delivering a healthy boost of protein and fiber.
This recipe was influenced by my husband’s mother’s take on my no-bake granola bars. She always keeps a batch in her fridge for the grandkids, and they’ve also become a regular item in our home. I crumbled one over my yogurt just this morning, and they helped maintain my energy during this postpartum period. They’re the ideal homemade gift for anyone navigating a busy phase of life.
Energy Ball Components
This recipe comes together swiftly and effortlessly, particularly with the aid of some basic kitchen tools. Use a food processor to chop the mix-ins and a medium-sized cookie scoop to form the mixture into balls. The complete recipe is listed below. Here’s what you’ll require and the reasons why:
– Old-fashioned oats: Rolled oats provide a substantial, chewy foundation. You may swap in an equal amount of quick-cooking oats if that’s what you have on hand, but I prefer the texture of old-fashioned oats for this.
– Ground cinnamon and salt: Cinnamon is technically optional, but it adds a hint of warm spice. The salt amplifies the flavors of the other ingredients, making sure your balls are anything but tasteless.
– Mix-ins of your choice: I enjoy a mix of pecans, almonds, and pepitas (green pumpkin seeds). You can also add dried fruit, chocolate, and coconut. More flavor variations can be found below.
– Flaxseed: Toasted flaxseed introduces delightful little crunchy bits. It also captures some of the moisture from the nut butter while adding extra fiber. You can swap chia seeds for a similar outcome with a milder flavor (toasting isn’t necessary).
– Nut butter: This recipe calls for a full 16-ounce jar of either peanut or almond butter. Measuring nut butter can be tricky, but this recipe simplifies it!
– Honey or maple syrup: Either choice adds needed sweetness and essential stickiness to bind the mixture together. I personally prefer honey for its extra sweetness. An alternative of puréed Medjool dates is also provided in the recipe notes.
Variations & Substitutions
This recipe is versatile and enjoyable to experiment with. It requires a total of 1 3/4 cups of mix-ins, which includes the pecans, almonds, and pepitas. (The flax or chia seeds soak up extra moisture, so keep that part unchanged. Otherwise, the energy balls will be overly moist and might not hold their shape as well.)
You can easily modify the ingredients to cater to your palate. Consider swapping in different nuts, shredded coconut, dried fruit, chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate! You can blend all of these ingredients together in the food processor (if you’re using chocolate, make sure to let the nuts cool completely before mixing them to prevent the chocolate from melting).
Here are some variations to explore:
Fruity
– 1 cup pecan pieces
– 1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries
– 1/4 cup pepitas
Chocolate-almond
– 1 1/4 cup almonds
– 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Coconutty
– 3/4 cup almonds
– 1/2 cup pecans
– 1/2 cup shredded coconut
Trail mix-inspired
– 1/2 cup pecans
– 1/2 cup almonds
– 1/4 cup pepitas
– ¼ cup shredded coconut
– ¼ cup chocolate chips
More Healthy Homemade Snacks
If you love these energy balls, try one of these wholesome, nutty recipes next:
Please share how your recipe turns out in the comments! I’m eager to hear from you.
Energy Balls
These energy balls are the ultimate healthy snack! Each one is loaded with whole grains, nuts, and seeds, providing a generous amount of protein and fiber. The recipe makes approximately 36 balls.
Instructions:
1. Put the oats in a large mixing bowl. Add the cinnamon and salt, and mix well. Set aside.
2. Toast the nuts: Heat the pecans and almonds in a large skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until they become fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Move them to the bowl of a food processor (if a food processor isn’t available, pour them onto a cutting board), then return the skillet to the heat and add the pepitas.