If you are looking for a delicious, easy to make snack that the whole family will love, these Trader Joe’s Energy Bites are a must try! They’re sweet, chewy, satisfying, and made with simple pantry ingredients. Best of all, there is no baking required! Our daughter introduced me to this recipe. The recipe was on the back of a package of Trader Joe’s Ground Golden Flaxseed. Her family absolutely loves them and after trying them ourselves, we could see why!
Of course I couldn’t help putting my own little spin on the recipe. We love adding ground cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg for an extra boost of warm, wonderful flavor.
You can use a small cookie scoop to portion them out and then roll them into nice little balls. I suggest wearing food safe gloves for this process as the mixture will stick to your hands.
Here is my daughter’s favorite time saving tip: instead of rolling them into individual balls, press the mixture into a pan, freeze and cut into bars. It is so much quicker, less messy and every bit as delicious.
If you are feeding a family or making for a crowd – double the recipe! No one can eat just one! Take the pan out of the freezer and let it sit for about 5 – 10 minutes then cut with a sharp knife into the size of “bites” that works best for you.
This is the size dish I use for 1 batch of energy bites. If I double the recipe I can use two of these dishes.
A FAMILY FAVORITE – EVEN WITH NON PLANT BASED EATERS!
One of the things I love most about these energy bites is that everyone seems to enjoy them, regardless of how they eat. I shared the recipe with my mom and now she makes them all the time for my siblings. None of them follow a plant based diet, yet they love these little treats! Sometimes the best way to introduce someone to healthier ingredients is simply to serve them something that tastes amazing.
THE PERFECT MAKE AHEAD FREEZER SNACK
These energy bites are wonderful to keep on hand for those times when you want a little something sweet. We store them in the freezer and they don’t seem to freeze rock hard. Remove from the freezer and let sit at room temperature for about 5 – 10 minutes, cut into bars. Store in the freezer in a covered freezer safe container. They are great for a little dessert, an afternoon snack with a cup of tea or something to have when the grand children come to visit.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Please know I have not tried all of these substitutions myself, but they are what I would try if I didn’t have the ingredients called for in the recipe.
Rolled Oats – quinoa flakes, quick cooking oats – you may have to adjust the moisture by adding more nut butter or maple syrup or even water.
Peanut butter – almond butter or sunbutter, tahini or peanut butter powder like PB2 Pure – no added salt or sugar- (you will need to add water to your PB powder according to the pkg instructions)
Ground golden flax – ground black flaxseeds, ground chia seeds, hemp hearts, almond flour, oat flour. Some of these substitutes won’t bind as well as the flax so you may have to add more moisture using more nut butter or maple syrup.
Maple Syrup – date syrup – it will make the bites a lot darker but still very tasty, date paste – 1/3 cup or more – since it is thicker and less moist than syrup, you may need to add some water or plant milk.
Chocolate chips – raisins, dried cranberries, chopped dried apples, dried cherries. shredded coconut, chopped nuts, cacao nibs. Try a version with a combination of dried fruit and chocolate chips or nuts and chocolate chips.
Vanilla extract – 1/2 teaspoon ground vanilla bean, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, or omit it
Cinnamon & nutmeg – pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice or 1/4 teaspoon cardamon – spices are optional – these are my additions – there were no spices in the original recipe – everything is better with a little bit of spice!
I couldn't find the brand of measuring cup I have but this OXO brand is a very good brand and it gets good reviews! Makes measuring sticky things like nut butters, maple syrup, date syrup and date paste so much easier.
Would you choose chocolate chips or raisins?
Link is to the Home page that features all of The Date Lady Products. Including date sweetened CHOCOLATE CHIPS! The date syrup comes in different sizes and containers. We love the BBQ Sauce and Chocolate Sauce. Also, explore the site for other delicious Date Lady Products.
Tami’s Tips for Successful Substitutions
When changing ingredients remember that the mixture needs to be moist and sticky enough to hold together when pressed.
Too dry or crumbly – add a little more nut butter or sweetener one teaspoon at a time.
Too wet or sticky – add a tablespoon of rolled oats at a time until it reaches the right consistency.
Press the mixture firmly into your pan so the bars hold together when sliced. Freezing helps them firm up beautifully. They are stored in the freezer. When they thaw out they are very soft.
Have fun experimenting with different combinations to create your family’s favorite version!
![PB2 Pure Peanut Butter Powder - [2 lb/32 oz Jar] - No Added Sugar, No Added Salt, No Added Preservatives - 100% All Natural Roasted Peanuts - 6g of Plant-Based Protein](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41PtGEYa9GL._SL500_.jpg)
Trader Joe’s Easy No-Bake Energy Bites
Ingredients
Method
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients.
- Stir until everything is thoroughly combined and the mixture holds together.
- For energy balls: Using a small cookie scoop for portion control, then rolling them into smooth balls. Use food safe gloves for this as it is messy.
- For bars: Transfer the mixture to a 8 inch square or about a 7 x 9 rectangular pan. Spread the mixture evenly and press it down firmly with a silicone spatula or off set spatula.
- Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit over the top of the mixture. Place it on top and use your hands to press everything down until the surface is smooth and even.
- Cover the pan and place it in the freezer.
- When ready to cut into bars, remove the pan from the freezer and allow it to sit at room temperature for approximately 5 – 10 minutes.
- Using a sharp knife, cut into squares or rectangles you choose how big you prefer them to be.
- Store the finished energy bites or bars in a covered, freezer-safe container. They become very soft at room temperature.
Notes
Tried this recipe?
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