These no-bake energy balls are the best on-the-go energy boost! They’re easy to make and packed full of juicy dates, raw almonds, chocolate, and nut butter, without oats.
I’m always finding tasty ways to fuel up on busy days, and it’s even better when the snacks are homemade, like these 5-ingredient energy bites. Try my honey-roasted almonds and homemade banana chips next.
My eyes start watering whenever I see the price of grocery store energy balls (not to mention, store-bought granola). They’re charging HOW MUCH for ground nuts and dates now?! That’s where my homemade no-bake energy balls come in. These could not be simpler or quicker to make, and they’re loaded with feel-good ingredients that, when bought in bulk, make a BUNCH of energy balls. Energy balls for days! With almonds, dates, and creamy nut butter, every bite is sweet, chewy, and satisfying.
Why You Need These No-Bake Energy Bites In Your Life
- Simple ingredients. With room to make them your own! I use only 5 ingredients in my energy balls recipe, and they’re easy to find in just about any grocery store.
- Functional (and flavorful!). I coat my energy balls in wheat germ or flaxmeal for an extra texture boost, and it also makes them a bit less sticky. Win-win.
- Ready in 10 minutes. These energy bites come together in minutes in the food processor, then it’s a matter of shaping the mixture into balls or bars.
- The perfect energy boost. I make my energy balls without oats, so they’re a bit lower in carbs than recipes I’ve seen that use oats as a binder. And since I’m a big fan of almonds, I doubled down on the almond flavor with ground raw almonds and almond butter in the mix. One ball packs plenty of filling ingredients to keep me satisfied on the go.
Gather These Ingredients
My favorite energy balls recipe is pretty much a shopping list of my go-to snacks, mashed together into a bite-sized treat. I’ve included notes and easy substitutions here. Scroll to the recipe card after the post for the printable list and recipe amounts.
- Raw Almonds – I’m partial to almonds, but you can use any nut you’d like. Walnuts, pecans, peanuts, macadamia nuts, and hazelnuts are all great options. I recommend using raw nuts as opposed to the kind that are roasted and salted.
- Chocolate Chips – These can be semi-sweet, dark chocolate chips, or even cacao nibs. You could also use an equal amount of chopped chocolate if needed.
- Dates – Make sure they’re pitted! I always look for Medjool dates as they’re juicier and sweeter. Deglet Noor is another common type that’s smaller and nuttier tasting. Both work with the nut butter to help bind the ingredients in these energy bites.
- Vanilla Extract – Feel free to swap this for another extract depending on the flavor you’re going for (i.e., orange extract, almond, or peppermint).
- Almond Butter – You can easily swap this for another nut or seed butter, like peanut butter, cashew butter, or sun butter.
- Wheat Germ – Or ground flax meal, to coat the outside of the energy balls.
Once you have your ingredients, you’ll simply combine them in a blender or food processor to make the energy ball “dough” before rolling it into balls. I’ve included a detailed step-by-step with photos at the bottom of the post, after the recipe card.
Easy Variations
- Make bars instead. It’s as easy as pressing the energy ball mixture into a lined pan, then chilling the bars before slicing.
- Use different nut butters. Make peanut butter energy balls with peanut butter instead of almond butter, or swap in cashew butter or any nut or seed butter you prefer.
- Protein energy balls. For an extra protein boost, add a spoonful of your favorite protein or whey powder to the mix. You may need to add a bit more water to compensate for the dryness.
- Mix-ins. Feel free to add in oats if you’d like, or shredded coconut, chopped dried fruit, and mini chocolate chips. Be careful not to overload the energy balls with add-ins, though, or you may have trouble keeping the energy balls held together.
- Spice it up. Add more flavor with cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.
FAQ: Why Are My Energy Balls Falling Apart?
If your energy balls aren’t holding together while you’re rolling them, it could be that the mixture is too dry. My recommendation here would be to add a little more nut butter so it gets a bit stickier. If all else fails, you can always press the mixture flat into a pan to make bars instead! See the How To section for details.
On the flip side of this, if your energy ball mixture seems too wet, consider grinding up extra almonds or adding a small amount of wheat germ at a time to thicken it up.
Pin this now to find it later
Make the Energy Ball Mixture
-
Process the almonds and chocolate chips. In a food processor, grind the almonds and chocolate chips until they resemble coarse bread crumbs.
-
Add the remaining ingredients. Add the dates, vanilla, and almond butter, then process until combined. Now add water 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture has the consistency of dough and holds its shape when pressed into a ball.
To Make Energy Balls
-
Roll into balls. Scoop a generous tablespoon of the mixture and roll into a ball. Proceed with the rest of the mix until you have 14-16 bites.
-
Roll in wheat germ. Place the wheat germ on a plate, then roll each bite in the wheat germ to coat.
To Make Energy Bars
-
Prepare your pan. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
-
Spread the mixture into the pan. Transfer the energy-ball mixture to the prepared pan. Spread and flatten it evenly, using your hands or the back of a spoon coated with baking spray. If using your hands, wet them with water first to prevent the mixture from sticking to your skin.
-
Chill and cut the bars. Fold the excess plastic wrap over to cover the mix and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Using the plastic wrap liner, lift the mixture from the pan and transfer it to a cutting board. Uncover and cut into 12-14 bars, depending on size. Coat with wheat germ if desired.
- Storage: Transfer the energy balls or bars to a storage container and refrigerate.
Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 24mg | Potassium: 149mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 104IU | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Energy Balls
Convenience has a price, but I’m all about convenience that’s also budget-friendly! Here’s how to make your own energy balls from scratch that taste better and fresher than anything you’ll buy in stores:
- First, process the ingredients. Grind the almonds and chocolate chips in a food processor. Next, blend in the dates, vanilla, and almond butter.
- Add water. Then add water, 1 spoonful at a time, to bring the mixture together. It should hold its shape when you form it into a ball, like cookie dough.
- Roll into balls. Now, divide the mixture and roll it into balls. I usually aim for a heaping tablespoon per energy ball, ending up with 14-16 bites.
- Roll in wheat germ. Lastly, add the wheat germ to a shallow dish or plate, and roll each energy ball to coat before storing the balls airtight.
Make Energy Bars Instead
I always use a loaf pan, since it’s easy to slice the loaf into bars afterward.
- Prepare a baking pan. Start by lining a 9×5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap. I like to coat it lightly with non-stick baking spray as extra insurance against sticking.
- Spread the mixture into the pan. Next, scoop the energy ball mixture into the pan and press it evenly into the bottom. You can do this by hand if you don’t mind getting sticky. Otherwise, coat a spoon or spatula with cooking spray and use that to flatten the mixture in the pan.
- Chill and cut the bars. Cover the bars with plastic wrap and pop the whole pan into the fridge for 30 minutes. Afterward, use the plastic lining to lift the energy bars from the pan. Transfer the bars to a cutting board, slice into 12-14 bars, and coat with wheat germ if you’d like.
Storage and Freezing
- Refrigerate. Keep your homemade energy balls in an airtight storage container in the fridge. They’ll last for about 2 weeks (mine are often gone way before that, though!).
- Freeze. You can make these in bulk and freeze the energy balls for up to 2 months. They thaw quickly at room temperature, perfect for satisfying a mid-afternoon craving.