Almond Butter Energy Balls
~ Love Almond Joy candy bars? Then you’ve gotta try these Almond Butter Energy Balls! They’re full of protein, complex carbs and great nutrition from nuts, flax and oats. We’re talking sustained energy – no sugar crashes here! Easy, freezable, nutritious … and incredibly delicious, too! (Originally published as No-Bake Almond Joy Snack Bites.) ~
This Recipe Is: • Ready in 30 Minutes or Less • Freezable • Make Ahead • Vegetarian • Gluten Free •
Are you ready for Halloween? No, no – we’re not talking decorations and costumes. We mean the candy!
Soooo … what did ya buy this year? All the kinds you like most, just hoping there’ll be leftovers after the goblins and princesses have rummaged through your candy bowl? Or did you buy your least favorites so you’re not tempted to have JUST ONE? (Heehee – we’d be impressed – that’s very virtuous!)
And fess up … do you go through the kids’ Halloween bags as soon as they get home? Or do you wait until they go to bed to do the big raid?
Shelley always hunts for the Baby Ruths and Snickers, but Gretchen sorts through to get to the Laffy Taffy and Skittles! (Don’t you totally think we should trick-or-treat together??? We’d happily split the loot!) Oh, and don’t even get us started on those Almond Joys!
But, how do you really feel after you shove all that candy nibble on your kiddos’ stash? Entirely fulfilled? Pleasantly surprised? No?? Is it more of a horrible guilt in the pit of your stomach? (Ummm … it may not be the guilt in your stomach. It may be all that sugar – just sayin’!!)
So what are you gonna do this Halloween? You’re gonna rely on us – your friends at THK!
All of our Energy Balls (AKA: Snack Bites) are so yummy and crazy-popular (check out all our delicious Energy Ball recipes!), and we’re here to swoop in and save Halloween with a version inspired by your favorite almond candy that’ll satisfy your craving. Almond Joy Energy Balls! Perfect!
No sense of guilt here – just pure satisfaction! These perfectly bite-sized Almond Butter Energy Balls are full of protein, whole-grain oats and flax. You can nosh on something sweet and totally delicious without that awful (AW-FUL!) sugar crash that comes with candy.
Our kids are even happy to munch on these right along with us. And, they’d be the perfect treat to take along to a neighborhood Halloween party. Heck – these gems are perfect anytime – not just this spook-tacular time of year!
With trick-or-treat just around the corner, why not whip up a batch to keep on hand? There’ll be no moments of weakness if you’ve got a stock of these amazing little morsels to save the day. Trust us! No tricks here … only (the best ever) treats!
Almond Butter Energy Balls
Love Almond Joy candy bars? You've gotta try our quick no-bake Snack Bites! Nuts, flax and oats for sustained energy. Easy, freezable and nutritious!
• Ready in 30 Minutes or Less • Freezable • Make Ahead • Vegetarian • Gluten Free •
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole, sliced or slivered almonds (to make 1/2 cup almond butter once processed) or 1/2 cup purchased almond butter
- 3/4 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup quick oats
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/16 teaspoon salt
- 2 – 2 1/2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- To make almond butter, place 1 cup of almonds in a mini food processor. Process, scraping sides occasionally, until the butter is the consistency of natural peanut butter. (The exact timing for this will vary depending on your processor and on whether you begin with whole, sliced or slivered almonds.) You should end up with approximately 1/2 cup of almond butter.
- Place almond butter in a medium bowl and add all other ingredients except chocolate chips.
- Stir to combine.
- Add chocolate chips to mixture and stir again, just until combined.
- Using your hands, press FIRMLY to form one-inch balls.
- Place in air-tight container and refrigerate until serving.
Notes
Freezing: These freeze great (so you may want to make a triple batch, like we often do!), and they will thaw in about 20 minutes.
Almonds: Sliced or slivered almonds process much more quickly than whole almonds. We've also found that whole, dry roasted almonds process more quickly than whole, raw almonds. Use whichever you have on hand or find at a good price.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 servings Serving Size: 2 Snack BitesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 153Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 92mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 3gSugar: 9gProtein: 4g
Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only, and may vary depending on your choice of ingredients or preparation. No guarantees are made regarding allergies or dietary needs. Always consult a physician or dietician for specific advice and questions.
Very good! I used the tip of adding about One tablespoon of melted coconut oil to my almonds because they weren’t coming together. I’d personally half the amount of the almond extract. I’ve always found it to be one of the more potent extracts out there BUT even as is— delish. Love that they are GF as well!
Thanks for the wonderful feedback, Anthony! I adore almond extract, but appreciate the suggestion that people who find it a bit potent could cut it back a little. So happy they were still “delish” for you! 😀 ~Shelley
I made the almond Joy bites last night… They taste fabulous!!.., but I couldn’t get them to ball up. They just crumbled.
Hi, Christine! I’m so sorry to hear you had trouble shaping these energy balls, and I’m racking my brain to try to think what might have caused the trouble and what I could suggest that might help next time. They really are so delicious – I definitely want you to be able to try them again with better success! I’m wondering if it might have had to do with the brand of almond butter (or how you made your own). May I ask what brand you used or if you made homemade almond butter? A lot of purchased almond butters separate while sitting on the store shelves, and if you don’t stir them really, really thoroughly, they can be pretty dry in the areas where the oil isn’t mixed back in well – almost more of a crumbly paste than a moist almond butter. That’s one thought I had. Or that, if you made your own almond butter, it needed to be processed just a little further than what it was??? Also, I do find that my Snack Bites stick together better if the bag of coconut I use is nice and moist – if the bag is older and the coconut is pretty dried out, that can make a difference. Alternately, next time, you could try cutting back just a tiny bit on the dry ingredients – specifically on the oats or flax. And, although I don’t want you to add too much sugar to the recipe, adding just a tad more honey to batches that – for some reason – turn out to seem too dry, can really help get them to stick together better. I hope these ideas help you – let me know! 😀 ~Shelley
I had the same thing happen to me. I used fresh ground almond butter from Fresh Thyme. It was a drier butter. I added a little melted coconut oil to mine and solved the problem. maybe about a tablespoon at a time till you have the right consistency. LOVED THEM! making second batch today.
Thanks so much for the big thumbs-up, and the great tips, Susan! Really appreciate that you took the time to give such wonderful feedback, and also to offer the really helpful suggestions! We absolutely adore this recipe, and I’m delighted you do, too! 😀 ~Shelley