Gluten-Free and vegan, these Trail Mix Energy Bites are packed with goodness, customizable, satisfying and so delicious! And being No Bake (and no food processor!), they come together in One Bowl in just 15 minutes and can be enjoyed immediately or later for an easy, nourishing snack!
For years now, we always have a stash of our favorite Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Energy Bites in the freezer (a snack everyone in my house eats multiple times a week!) and in the past year, with everyone home a lot, we’ve been loving adding new flavor energy bites into the mix as well!
And today, we’re introducing a new one… No Bake Trail Mix Energy Bites!
They were inspired because I’ve been loving trail mix type snacks lately — reaching for handfuls of a homemade mix of walnuts, dried cranberries, dried apricots and dark chocolate chips…. but love the convenience of having pre-made energy bites in the freezer.
And they turned out exactly as I was hoping! They taste like a mix between our Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Energy Bites and a granola bar, and are so yummy!
They are packed with nutrients and super satisfying!
Perfect whether you need a mid-morning or late-afternoon snack or want to take a snack on the go to the beach or hiking!
So let’s make them!
There’s a lot of room to customize to personal tastes or dietary needs, but here’s what we make them with…
dark chocolate chips ( or chocolate chip of choice, or even m&ms!)
dried cranberries or dried cherries or raisins
walnuts (or pecans)
pumpkin seeds
dried apricots (optional but I love!)
A note about oats: There has been a lot of talk about oats in the celiac community lately. 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 articles by Gluten-Free Watchdog from January 2023 and April 2023.
Also, some people with celiac don’t tolerate oats so please do what ‘s best for you and your health.
How to make the Trail Mix Energy Bites
All you do is literally add all the ingredients to one bowl and mix!
There’s no food processor or mixer required…. just good ol’ arm strength!
The mix will be thick and heavy so it does require a few good mixes to make sure it’s well combined.
At this point, you can taste it and see if there is anything else you want to add.
Then just roll them into balls of 1 to 1 1/2 inch in size.
The texture is amazing and they can be enjoyed right away!
This photo below was taken immediately after rolling them…
Want one?
Every bite has a mix of flavors and textures and is so yummy and satisfying!
As they make a lot of energy bites, they store well too!
I tend to store more our energy bites in the freezer so they stay fresh longer, but feel free to keep a few in the refrigerator too!
These Trail Mix Energy Bites are packed with goodness, customizable, satisfying and so delicious! And being No Bake (and no food processor!), they come together in just 10-15 minutes and can be enjoyed immediately or stored for later for an easy, nourishing snack!
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 ...
What can I use instead of coconut flakes, I am not a fan of coconut.
Thank you
I don’t have a good substitute for the coconut. You could just skip is and it is too wet add in some extra oats.