Gluten-free and vegan, these energy bites are my family's favorite anytime snack! They're nourishing, satisfying and so yummy! Perfect for meal prep, they are just 5 ingredients, No Bake, come together quickly and make a large quantity.
New! I’ve added a cooking video to this page so you can see how quick and easy it is to make these gluten-free Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Energy Bites!
If you’re new to the website, at the bottom of every page is a printable recipe with exact measurements and directions.
Hope you love them as much as we do!
Original post…
If you’ve followed the Healthy Gluten-Free Family a while, you know that we are big fans of energy bites, or “bliss balls” as many call them.
They are our go-to snack, any time of day.
And of all the ones we make, these Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Energy Bites are a hands down favorite, loved by everyone in the family. Literally, someone is always reaching one whether as breakfast, a snack or dessert.
So we keep a close eye on the stock in the freezer and fridge. (Some of us like them in the refrigerator, others eat them straight out of the freezer).
They are made with just 5 ingredients, are gluten-free and vegan and so yummy!
Here’s what you need:
Almond butter (we love Barney Butter – Amazon Affiliate link, used to be a brand ambassador)
gluten-free rolled oats (see notes below about gluten-free oats and celiac)
maple syrup
mini chips (we use Enjoy Life Foods mini chips Amazon affiliate link)
and shredded coconut (we like Let’s Do Organic – Amazon affiiliate link).
A note about oats: Oats are a naturally gluten-free grain but they are contaminated via cross contact with wheat, barley and rye during the growing and processing process. So definitely look for gluten free oats, preferably certified gluten free oats.
But there’s more.… back when my son was first diagnosed with celiac disease, gluten-free oats were mostly grown via a process known as purity protocol. In recent years, gluten-free oats have also been processed through a manufacturing process known as “sorting”. There is much controversy about sorting versus purity protocol oats. And some oats that were thought to be “safe” were recently tested to show gluten… For more information I’m linking to latest article by Gluten-Free Watchdog from January 2023
Also, some people with celiac don’t tolerate oats so please do what ‘s best for you and your health.
For those interested, we use gluten-free oats from GF Harvest (amazon affiliate link), grown through purity protocol.
And a note on Barney Butter... We used to be ambassadors for Barney Butter because it is our favorite for energy bites! It’s Certified Gluten-Free, peanut-free, non-gmo and vegan and it’s the best flavor & texture.
Enough background! Let’s make the Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Energy Bites!
They couldn’t be easier to make!
You literally just mix all the ingredients together in a big bowl and roll into balls.
They are what people refer to as “no bake”.
You can eat them right away or store them in the refrigerator or freezer. I like to store most of them in the freezer and keep a few in the refrigerator at all times for easy access.
They are the perfect energy boost and we’ve been known to eat them at breakfast, on the go, for snacks or dessert… see why they disappear so quickly?!
Additional option...
Some of us like them as the original recipe was developed… rolled in coconut.
Some of us like them not rolled in coconut. Sometimes I’ll roll with a few extra oats.
So we always have two types in the house.
No matter who you enjoy them or when you eat them, they are a nourishing, satisfying and yummy snack!
The original recipe was from my friend Carissa who used to run The Stand Juice in Fairfield CT. We’ve since adjusted quantities to taste but always think of her as we enjoy them!
Just 5 ingredients, gluten-free, vegan and no bake, these energy bites are packed with nutrients and so yummy! Perfect anytime of day you need a quick on-the-go energy boost or treat -- breakfast, snack or dessert!Celiac friends, be sure so read latest article by Gluten-free Watchdog to make sure you are purchasing and enjoying safe gluten-free oats.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Total Time20 minutesmins
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snacks
Cuisine: No Bake, Gluten-Free, Vegan
Keyword: almond butter chocolate chip energy bites, no bake gluten-free snacks, gluten-fre energy bites
Servings: 18-24 bites
Author: Healthy Gluten-free Family
Ingredients
THE BASICS
1 16 ozjar Almond Butterwe use Barney Butter amazon affiliate link
1 ¼cupGluten-Free old fashioned rolled oats
1cupshredded coconut + extra for rollingwe like Let's Do Organic amazon affiliate link
½cupmaple syrup
¾cupmini semi sweet chocolate chipsapproximately 1/2 bag Enjoy Life Foods mini-chips amazon affiliate link
41 thoughts on “Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Energy Bites”
A perfect snack for young chefs to prepare! My daughter loved making these on this snowy no-school day; I loved the no-need-for-baking in case we lost power, and everyone else loved eating them!
We love Barney Butter too! Unfortunately, I’ve never made these without the oats. But have you tried the Walnut Date Bliss Bites? They are made with Barney Butter too but the oats are optional — I’ve made them both with and without, and both ways taste great!
Great question! I tend to keep most of them in the freezer (for up to 3 months though they never last that long in my house!) and transfer a small amount (5 or 6 at a time) into a container in the refrigerator as needed. In the refrigerator, I think they are best eaten within a week. So happy you like them!
Very easy to prepare and everyone liked it. They taste like a cookie! We took them while traveling this Summer and it was a lifesaver! Thanks for sharing delicious recipes.
I made these with my daughter yesterday! So yummy. We replaced peanut butter with cashew butter. I added chia seeds and a little flax in half for my post-workout snacks 😉
Thanks again for all your recipes. I am new at this, so I am busy collecting. Thanks again for sharing, I have never tryed Barney Butter, so this will be another first. I also might add chopped dates
Thank you! We love Barney Butter almond butter — it’s certified gluten-free and has the best texture — works so well for no bake treats and snacks! Lmk if you try
These are delicious! I use unsalted almond butter but have to add just a dash of salt for a little kick. ? I look forward to that time of day I have these! Helps with chocolate cravings too!
Happy you loved them! I’m haven’t had that problem… one thought is to maybe mix it all together more before rolling into balls? My only other thought is that perhaps the almond butter was too dry to begin with? With Barney Butter, the oil doesn’t usually separate but with some brands it does and if you pour off too much oil rather than mixing it in, the almond butter could be dry so the bites does hold together….
Yep I had it all mixed before starting to roll them up and my almond butter had oil on top. IDK but I am definitely making them again! Ugly or not they were delicious!
I found mine too dry as I used less liquid, I used coconut syrup instead of maple syrup and only 1/4 cup as I can’t do much sugar, so I used 2 tb. of coconut oil to moisten them enough to roll into a ball. Very good.
These are amazing and super easy to make. I’ve been having one of these along with a banana right before my hikes and I’m really enjoying them. They provide just the right amount of sweetness and are quite satiating. Thank you for all the great recipes!
These are AMAZING. Honestly, I have looked at these every time you have posted them and thought “I should try these” but hesitated because my son (celiac) doesn’t like nut butters. Well, guess who LOVED them? He did. Total win for taste, ease of recipe, and versatility. Thank you!!
These are a staple in our household! My whole family loves them and asks for the daily! We use dates instead of chocolate chips but love them just the same!
Hi! My name is Karen, and I’m the mom in our Healthy Gluten-Free Family. My posts and pictures here and on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter are labors of love that allow me to share a very personal journey with you, one our family has taken together — learning, experimenting and sharing how to raise a healthy happy gluten-free family. Read more ...
A perfect snack for young chefs to prepare! My daughter loved making these on this snowy no-school day; I loved the no-need-for-baking in case we lost power, and everyone else loved eating them!
Thanks for sharing Monika! So glad you love them too!
Looks delish and we love Barney butter at our house!
We are currently off of oats… is there another substitute for them?
Thanks!
Kim
We love Barney Butter too! Unfortunately, I’ve never made these without the oats. But have you tried the Walnut Date Bliss Bites? They are made with Barney Butter too but the oats are optional — I’ve made them both with and without, and both ways taste great!
These are absolutely delicious. Exactly what I needed. I substituted date paste for the syrup. Still amazing. Thanks!
Great idea! Thanks for sharing! And you happy you love them as much as we do!
These taste so good! Do you know roughly how long they’ll keep in the refrigerator? Xx
Great question! I tend to keep most of them in the freezer (for up to 3 months though they never last that long in my house!) and transfer a small amount (5 or 6 at a time) into a container in the refrigerator as needed. In the refrigerator, I think they are best eaten within a week. So happy you like them!
Any substitution for the coconut? We’re not a fan unfortunately.
You could add some almond flour which I just did to cut down on coconut and is very good.
We always have these handy and keep them in our freezer! A great healthy snack to have ?
So happy you love them too!
Very easy to prepare and everyone liked it. They taste like a cookie! We took them while traveling this Summer and it was a lifesaver! Thanks for sharing delicious recipes.
Don’t they taste so good?! So happy you love them and found them easy to travel with too!
I made these with my daughter yesterday! So yummy. We replaced peanut butter with cashew butter. I added chia seeds and a little flax in half for my post-workout snacks 😉
So happy you love them! I bet they taste amazing with cashew butter! And lot the nutrient boosts you added! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks again for all your recipes. I am new at this, so I am busy collecting. Thanks again for sharing, I have never tryed Barney Butter, so this will be another first. I also might add chopped dates
Thank you! We love Barney Butter almond butter — it’s certified gluten-free and has the best texture — works so well for no bake treats and snacks! Lmk if you try
I love these and can’t stop eating them! So easy to make & have at work for the 3pm pick me up. Just too delicious to have one. Thanks for the recipe!
Yay! So happy you love them as much as we do! Thanks for sharing!
These are delicious! I use unsalted almond butter but have to add just a dash of salt for a little kick. ? I look forward to that time of day I have these! Helps with chocolate cravings too!
Aren’t they the best pick me up snack?! Happy you love them! And some salt is a great add if using unsalted almond butter 🙂
My kids and I LOVED these! Any tips on getting a tight ball? The more i tried I felt the more they fell apart and stuck to my hands.
Happy you loved them! I’m haven’t had that problem… one thought is to maybe mix it all together more before rolling into balls? My only other thought is that perhaps the almond butter was too dry to begin with? With Barney Butter, the oil doesn’t usually separate but with some brands it does and if you pour off too much oil rather than mixing it in, the almond butter could be dry so the bites does hold together….
Yep I had it all mixed before starting to roll them up and my almond butter had oil on top. IDK but I am definitely making them again! Ugly or not they were delicious!
I found mine too dry as I used less liquid, I used coconut syrup instead of maple syrup and only 1/4 cup as I can’t do much sugar, so I used 2 tb. of coconut oil to moisten them enough to roll into a ball. Very good.
These are amazing and super easy to make. I’ve been having one of these along with a banana right before my hikes and I’m really enjoying them. They provide just the right amount of sweetness and are quite satiating. Thank you for all the great recipes!
These are AMAZING. Honestly, I have looked at these every time you have posted them and thought “I should try these” but hesitated because my son (celiac) doesn’t like nut butters. Well, guess who LOVED them? He did. Total win for taste, ease of recipe, and versatility. Thank you!!
I was hesitant to make these, as I’m not a huge fan of oats. However, these are delicious, minus the coconut – and added the walnuts.
Does anyone have the calorie count on this?
These are a staple in our household! My whole family loves them and asks for the daily! We use dates instead of chocolate chips but love them just the same!
Happy you love them as much as we do! I’m going to try them with dates – great idea!
Do I cook the oats ??
No, the oats remain uncooked.
Delicious and so easy! I like to store them in the freezer and then let them sit out a bit before eating! Awesome!
Happy you love them too! Thanks for sharing!
These are delicious! So easy, nice and light, and a great breakfast or snack on the go. Highly recommend!
Thank you! So happy you love them as much as we do!
What is nutritional info of Almond butter choc chip energy balls?
At this time, I don’t have nutritional values on my recipes.
These are delicious and easy! The perfect grab and go breakfast.
So happy you love them too! Thank you!