~ Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Energy Balls that taste like edible, no-bake cookie dough! Ridiculously good, and so quick and easy! Filled with nuts, flax and oats for sustained energy. Like all our energy bites, these freeze really well and are a great make-ahead to keep in the freezer for emergency snack attacks! (Originally published as Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Snack Bites) ~
This Recipe Is: • Ready in 30 Minutes or Less • Freezable • Make Ahead • Vegetarian • Gluten Free •
Healthy Cookie Dough?
You gotta be kidding me! Really? Cookie dough that’s healthy???
Oh, yeah!
When we chose the Quick and Healthy Snack Bites to be our first recipe, we didn’t realize what a major hit they would be – both in our own homes and with lots of our THK readers!
They’re incredibly easy to make, freeze great, and are super portable for ultimate grab-and-go convenience. We especially love that these tasty little nuggets are loaded with whole grains, protein and other goodies that keep your energy levels sky high even when life gets really busy!
We’ve made so many Energy Balls for our families that our poor little fingers are tired and sore! We’re kinda wondering if we should focus our attention on patenting a machine to mass produce these babies. Nah … we’re having too much fun playing in the kitchen!
Honestly, once we all got hooked on this awesome concept – a fantastic alternative to store-bought, pre-packaged snacks – we were just so excited to test more yummy flavor combinations.
These Cookie Dough Snack Bites are another of the top picks among THK taste-testers (who are … ummm … well … of course, our families!).
These remind us a little bit of Derby Pie (and our Kentucky Derby Chocolate-Pecan Cookie Bars), or maybe oatmeal-chocolate chip cookie dough (hence the name!). Either way, they’re delicious enough to be called dessert, but healthy enough to be an energy-rich snack.
When it comes to our taste-testers, these rank right up there with our original Quick and Healthy Snack Bites and our Tropical Snack Bites with Almonds and Chia. Really – our families can’t pick a favorite!
We’d love to know which one you love best, so head for the kitchen to give this new version a try!
How to Make Our Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Energy Balls
Step 1
To get started, place a cup of pecans in a mini food processor (we like to use the smallest, “mini” container in our Ninja processor set).
Whir them up for just a couple of minutes, scraping down the sides once or twice. You want to get your pecans to the consistency and texture of natural peanut butter. You’ll end up with about ½ cup of pecan butter from the 1 cup of pecans.
Step 2
Transfer the pecan butter to a medium-sized bowl and add the oats, flax, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and sea salt. Give it all a good mix and then add your chocolate chips and the coconut (if you’re using it). One more good mix, and then …
Step 3
You just shape this delicious concoction into one-inch balls. (Or, just grab a spoon and enjoy! We’d be lying if we said we’d never done it!)
Make-Ahead and Freezable!
Like our other Snack Bites, these chocolate chip energy bites are no bakes and freeze beautifully, so it’s a great, easy, idea to make a double- or triple-batch all at once and stock up for those hectic moments.
Don’t worry if you don’t have time to stand around forming a double- or triple-size batch of tiny balls … just shape as many Energy Bites as you need right at the moment, and then stash the bowl in the fridge until you have some extra time on your hands! (Hint: We usually find that time once the kids are in bed!)
What’s Your Pick?
We weren’t kidding when we said that our families can’t choose a favorite from among all our Energy Ball recipes. (We may have to look for better, more decisive taste-testers!) So, we’re throwing this one to you, friends … which of our energy bites reign supreme at your house? Is it our:
- “Cookie Dough” Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Energy Balls
- Granola Energy Balls
- “Almond Joy” Almond Butter Energy Balls
- “Peanut Butter Cup” Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Balls
- Walnut Oatmeal Energy Balls
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Energy Balls
- Tropical Date Energy Balls with Chia Seeds
Hmmmmm … decisions, decisions … We can’t wait to hear your picks!
And, while you’re at it – feel free to chime in with any ideas you have for new, yummy flavors! Just head down to our comments box and weigh in …
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Energy Balls
These healthy cookie dough energy balls are ridiculously good, and so quick and easy (no baking)! They're full of nuts, flax and oats for sustained energy. And, like all our Snack Bites recipes, they freeze great!
• Ready in 30 Minutes or Less • Freezable • Make Ahead • Vegetarian • Gluten Free •
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 1 cup quick oats
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- a pinch (about 1/16 teaspoon) sea salt
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup coconut, optional
Instructions
- Place 1 cup pecans in a mini food processor (we like to use the smallest, “mini” container in our Ninja processor set). Process, scraping the sides occasionally, until the pecans have reached a consistency similar to natural peanut butter. You should end up with approximately 1/2 cup of "pecan butter."
- Place pecan butter in a medium bowl and add oats, flax, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Add chocolate chips and coconut (if using). Stir again, just until chips and coconut are evenly distributed.
- Using your hands, press firmly to form one-inch balls.
- Place in air-tight container and refrigerate until serving.
Notes
Freezing: These freeze well, and will thaw in about 20 minutes.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 servings Serving Size: 2 ballsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 138Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 22mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 2gSugar: 8gProtein: 2g
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.
Thanks for linking up this week, I hope you can make it back next week.
Thanks Cassidy! 🙂
Sounds good! And easy to make gluten-free 🙂
Hi, Marianne! Thanks for stopping by! Yep – these are super-easy to transform into gluten-free snacks! They’re really adaptable! Hope you love them as much as we do! ~G&S
I have a tremendous amount of old fashioned oats on hand from a previous granola making frenzy. How do you think those would work in this recipe instead of the quick oats?
Hi Kathy! We can tell you that the snack bites will be just fine with the old-fashioned oats, but we’ve found that the quick oats work better. The main difference is how thick the oats are, so naturally, the old-fashioned will be a bit thicker (and they don’t cook as quickly as … quick oats, which are rolled slightly thinner to cook faster). The snack bites will be a bit more chewy, with the oats playing a larger part in texture. If it’s all you’ve got – go for it! They will still be delicious!
Mmmmmmm ….. granola …… 🙂
~Gretchen
Next trip home I volunteer to help taste test!! 🙂
Game on, KC! ~G&S
Tomorrow I will make these for our trip this week. I will use Almond butter instead of Pecans due to allergies. My only problem is the kids eat the ingredients before I can make anything! We’ll let you know how they turn out after I go back to the store. Thanks girls!
Kelly, these are a perfect snack to bring along! We speak from experience that Snack Bites have saved the day more than once! Whether it’s a hectic day of dance/soccer/baseball or a long road trip, you’ll be full of good-for-you fuel to power through it with a smile on your face! Have a great time on your vacation – and yes, please let us know how you like the almond butter in this recipe! ~G&S