No Bake Granola Energy Bites (+ Lots of Variations)

These homemade granola energy bites make it easy to keep a quick satisfying snack ready without much effort. Made with simple pantry ingredients and no baking required, they come together fast and can be customized with different mix-ins and flavors to fit what you have on hand (four variations are included here). Perfect for lunches, afternoon snacks, or busy days, they’re an easy make ahead option you’ll want to keep in the fridge.

Shortly after creating these delicious little granola energy bites made with almond butter and mini chocolate chips, I took them on a family girl’s weekend and everyone raved about them – and then wanted the recipe!

They are such a fun way to get some energy and a little protein in a no-bake, bite sized snack, especially on road trips like this one. One of my sisters even said they were like eating cookie dough. Um yeah – that’s a great snack.

But are they healthy?

Yes – especially when compared with store bought snacks! They are made with protein-rich nut butter and homemade granola, which is low in sugar (and no refined sugars) and fat, and filled with healthy nuts, seeds, and oats. When made with protein granola, it increases the energy bite’s protein content as well.

You do use a little more honey to help hold them together, but you can choose to add only nuts or leave them plain to keep the sugar content down (vs. add-ins like dried fruit or chocolate chips).

The energy bites are shaped in a small ball, which is good for portion control and then coated in good-for-you seeds like sesame, hemp, or sunflower.

While this variation does have chocolate chips they are mini chips, so you don’t need very much to get that chocolate flavor (or you could leave them out or choose a variation below).

I have made these more times than I can count over the years, taking them on road trips, athletic events, picnics, and simply using them for a small afternoon snack with milk (kids) and tea (me). They are a quick and simple option instead of expensive store-bought “healthy” snacks!

Recipe Ingredients

The base recipe uses just 4 ingredients and then you choose your add-ins and coatings:

• Nut butter: Almond butter is pictured, or use peanut butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter or the butter of your choice.
• Honey: I feel they hold together best with honey, but you can use maple syrup and I’ve used date syrup as well.
• Granola: preferably homemade or a quality store-bought brand wth any large chunks broken up. (The #1 question I’ve gotten about these bites is if you can use rolled oats instead of granola – yes, you can, but the flavor and texture will be different. Still good, just different.)
• Vanilla: This adds a nice flavor, though you can leave it out.
• Ground flaxseed: I’ve listed this as optional, though I always use it (or almond flour if I don’t have flaxseed) as it helps the bites stay together better.
• Add-ins: Mini chocolate chips are pictured. Other options include white chocolate, dried cranberries or cherries, chopped dates, or chopped nuts.
• Coatings: Your choice of hemp seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, or other chopped nut.

Make No Bake Granola Energy Bites

1. Mix the wet ingredients in a bowl and then toss the remaining ingredients, except the coatings, into a bowl and mix together.
2. Refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes.
3. Shape into balls and then coat in seeds. (TIP: use a small cookie scoop to get even sizes.)
4. Place in an airtight container in the fridge to store.

Do You Need To Coat The Balls? You could leave the balls uncoated, but they will be stickier to eat and transport. Plus it’s another way to add more wholesome ingredients!

I love having these energy bites on hand – not only are they a nice snack, they are also a great way to use up that last bit of granola when you make a new batch and don’t want to mix old and new (am I the only one who cares about that?).

Plus, a granola bite and a cup of tea with milk is my favorite afternoon snack. Well, with a few dried plums, that is.

Granola Bite Variations

• Chocolate Chip Almond: Use the 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips pictured here with almond butter.
• Almond Maple: substitute pure maple syrup for the honey and add 1/3 cup of dried cranberries or chopped cherries or chopped nuts.
• Chocolate Chip-Peanut Butter: Use peanut butter with 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips and roll them in finely chopped peanuts.
• Cranberry-Sunbutter: Use sunflower seed butter (I’ve heard Trader Joe’s is the best) and cranberries. Roll them in whole or chopped sunflower seeds.

And here’s another favorite of mine I created from this base recipe: Cashew, Cranberry & White Chocolate Granola Bites.

I hope these granola energy bites become a part of your family’s favorites like they have ours! Be sure to leave a rating and review to let me know.

More Healthy Snacks to Make

• 19 Healthy Snacks and Desserts
• Healthy Glazed Maple Sweetened Chili Pecans
• Cashew, Cranberry & White Chocolate Granola Bites
• Perfectly Salted DIY Roasted Almonds -seriously the BEST
• Ultimate No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars

This recipe has been updated – it was originally published in October of 2011.