This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Star Market. All opinions are 100% mine.
Need a healthier snack to satisfy your sweet tooth? These easy no-bake chocolate chip cookie energy bites are full of healthier ingredients like gluten-free oats, almond butter, and plant-based protein powder; and bonus: they taste just like chocolate chip cookies!
Now that school is back in swing, I’m looking for snacks and easy meals to keep the kids fed and happy. We’ve always been big fans of energy bites; a.k.a., no bake healthy cookies, because they taste like a sweet dessert treat, but typically pack protein and healthier ingredients like peanut butter or almond butter, oats, flax, etc. They’re also naturally gluten-free.
We already love and regularly make these classic oatmeal chocolate chip energy bites and these sweet and salty peanut butter pretzel energy bites. Both no-bake cookies recipes delicious and definitely better for you than a traditional cookie. Basically, energy bites are dessert without really being dessert. 😉
And I’ll be the first to tell you: we’re total snack-a-holics.
Especially as the afternoon hours tick on, I find myself falling into that 3′ o clock afternoon slump, craving something sweet. Which is why, having a batch of these chocolate chip cookie energy bites in the refrigerator is a total no-brainer.
If you’re craving something sweet, but you’re also hoping to keep the snack options a bit healthier this back-to-school season, energy bites; a.k.a., no-bake cookies, are just the ticket!
Grab everything that you need at your local Star Market. (We shop at our Star Market here in Boston and stock up on so many of the back to school essentials.) I’ve been so impressed with both their O Organics® and Open Nature® Products. They have a wide assortment of high-quality plant-based products at a value. O Organics® and Open Nature® plant-based products are a budget-friendly, high-protein alternative to meat, without sacrificing quality and flavor. They’re also high-quality, non-GMO and 100% USDA-certified organic plant-based products, and Open Nature® offers high-quality, minimally-process plant-based products free from 110 food additives.
And did I mention Star Market offers Grocery Delivery and Pick Up for convenient ways to shop? SO convenient. Of course I shopped at Star Market in my local area, but you can also find O Organics® products exclusively at the Albertsons Companies family of stores, including Albertsons, Safeway, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Randalls, Shaw’s Supermarket, Star Market, and Tom Thumb.
As for those chocolate chip cookie energy bites, once you have your ingredients, all you have to do is stir everything together until combined, scoop them into cookie balls, and throw them in the refrigerator for at least fifteen minutes or so and then they’re ready to devour. Easy peasy!
We even get our little ones in on the action. Both our 6 year old, Scarlett, and 2 year old, Emme, always help me to stir everything together and then roll the cookies into balls.
Emme, our youngest, is particularly good at “taste-testing” our bites to make sure we’re on track. And of course, they both love using the measuring cups to measure our ingredients and Scarlett is the official cookie ball scooper!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Energy Bites (That Taste Just Like Cookies!)
Lately, I’ve been experimenting with flavors and ingredients to come up with the perfect energy bites (that taste just like cookies!)
And my goodness, we found THE ONE. They basically taste like chocolate chip cookie with way less sugar and the addition of protein powder, so they’re a great snack to help keep you full for longer too. Such a win!
Of course, the beauty of energy bites is that customization is the name of the game. Switch out the kind of nut butter you prefer, add chocolate chips, ground flax seeds, coconut flakes, etc., and choose your natural sweetener (like honey, agave, or maple syrup.) But if you want your healthier energy bites to come to as close as a chocolate chip cookie taste as possible, this recipe right here is the one!
See Also → our Classic Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Energy Bites and these Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Pretzel Energy Bites
To Make Your Own Chocolate Chip Cookie Energy Bites:
INGREDIENTS
DRY INGREDIENTS:
- old fashioned gluten-free oats
- mini chocolate chips (we use dairy free vegan chocolate)
- toasted chopped almonds or pecans (We use O Organics Organic Roasted Unsalted Almonds)
- vanilla vegan plant based protein powder (We use Open Nature Plant Based Vanilla Protein Powder)
- chia seeds or flax seeds (optional)
WET INGREDIENTS:
- almond butter (We like O Organics Honey Almond Butter … it’s seriously SO yummy!)
- honey (We like O Organics Honey)
- vanilla extract
- almond milk (We like O Organics Unsweetened Almond Milk)
HOW TO MAKE THE ENERGY BITES
- First you’ll combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl and set that dry mixture aside.
- Next, you’ll combine all of the wet ingredients (except the almond milk) in a medium bowl and microwave for about 30 seconds to make it easier to stir in with the dry ingredients.
- After that, you’ll stir together all of the ingredients in the larger wet ingredient bowl. If you use natural almond butter (I do!), and if it seems too dry to come together, drizzle the mixture with 1-2 tablespoons of almond milk and then stir again.
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop out one cookie ball at a time (and then roll the balls the rest of the way in your hands to form a ball shape). (Using a cookie scoop really helps to create equal portions and form the start of your cookie balls.)
- Refrigerate the cookie balls covered for 30 minutes and then enjoy!
Turn Your Energy Bites Into Energy Bars
You can also just press the mixture into a baking dish lined with parchment paper and cut the no-bake cookies into energy cookie bars instead (though our kids get a a kick out of the “bites,” especially when I make teeny tiny bites just for them; and to be honest, I really like the bites myself because they help me with portions.)
These little snacks are so customizable, portable, and fun. They’re also filling and totally satisfy even the snackiest sweet tooth!
Chocolate Chip Almond Energy Bites
These easy no-bake chocolate chip cookie energy bites are full of healthier ingredients like gluten-free oats, almond butter, and plant-based protein powder; and bonus: they taste just like chocolate chip cookies!
Ingredients
- DRY INGREDIENTS:
- 1 Cup gluten free old fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (we use dairy free)
- 1/4 cup roasted chopped almonds (pecans work too)
- 2 Tbsp of vanilla vegan plant based protein powder
- 1 Tbsp chia seeds or flax seeds (optional)
- WET INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup almond butter
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 Tbsps almond milk (only if needed once mixed)
Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Combine all of the wet ingredients (except the almond milk) in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds to make it easier to stir in with the dry Ingredients.
- Stir together all of the ingredients in the larger wet ingredient bowl. If you use natural almond butter (I do!), and if it seems too dry to come together, drizzle the mixture with 1-2 Tablespoons of almond milk and then stir again.
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop out one cookie ball at a time (and then roll the balls the rest of the way in your hands to form a ball shape). (Using a cookie scoop really helps to create equal portions and form the start of your cookie balls.)
- Refrigerate the cookie balls covered for 30 minutes and then enjoy!
Notes
These no-bake energy bites store well in the refrigerator in either a zip top bag or container with a lid for up to a week (if they last that long!)
What about you? What easy snack recipes does your family love? I’d love to hear what your favorite healthier snacks are! I’m always looking for new ideas!
Love these chocolate chip almond energy bites? Head to our recipe page to check out what else we’re dreaming up in the kitchen!
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