Peanut butter & chocolate come together with whole grain oats, flax and chia seeds to make these gluten-free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Energy Bites. Perfect for meal prepping, lunch packing and easy snacking!
A weekend meal prep staple.
If you’ve been a reader of our blog for a while you have likely gathered that we are big on meal prep. We love having healthy foods that are ready to eat for the busy week and we feel that dedicating 1-3 hours on the weekend to prep food and plan a menu is 100% worth the time it takes. Today, I’m sharing one of my go-to, meal prep recipes and it’s perfect for easy snacking and lunch packing. These Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Energy Bites are hands down my favorite energy bite recipe of ALL. They’re made with wholesome ingredients, they’re absolutely delicious and they’re easy to make. What more could you ask for? So you can put an end to your Pinterest search for the best energy bite recipe ever, because you’re looking at it right now! 🙂
Perfect for gifting to a new mom…or really anyone.
In addition to meal prepping, these have also become my go-to for gifting. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Energy Bites make for the perfect and easy snack for new moms and with several of my friends having babies in the past couple of months I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve made this recipe. So the next time you’re in a need of a gift for a busy mom or parent, make these Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Energy Bites. Sometimes the best gift comes in the form of delicious fuel for the body.
Peanut butter & chocolate come together with whole grain oats, flax and chia seeds to make these gluten-free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Energy Bites. Perfect for meal prepping, lunch packing and easy snacking! Click To Tweet
Freezer-friendly for the win!
Yes! I’m all for freezer-friendly recipes and you bet I’ll be stocking my own freezer with Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Energy Bites as I approach my own October due date. Feel free to double this recipe and enjoy some in the present moment and then stash some away for the weeks or months to come. They will keep well in the fridge for up to 1 week and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Recipe video for Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Energy Bites!
Endless ‘mix-in’ options.
You can make this recipe your own with what you have on hand or what sounds best to you. I almost always follow this recipe as written because it’s just that good, but sometimes I do like to change it up or I need to modify the recipe due to not having an ingredient on hand.
Here are some additional mix-in options:
- Chopped nuts or seeds
- Almond butter, cashew butter or pecan butter
- Sunflower seed butter, tahini or pumpkin seed butter
- Raisins or dried cranberries
- Chopped dates
- Diced dried apple or mango
- Protein powder (I prefer collagen)
- Cacao nibs
- Hemp seeds
- Pumpkin puree in place of half of the peanut butter
- Mashed banana in place of half of the peanut butter
And probably so many more. Would love to hear what some of your favorite energy bite mix-ins are!
Peanut butter and chocolate, a combo you can’t beat! It’s time to give these Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Energy Bites a try!
And if you’re looking for other energy bite options be sure to check out these: Dark Chocolate Cherry Energy Bites, Double Chocolate No-Bake Brownie Bites, or 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Bites.
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Energy Bites
Peanut butter & chocolate come together with whole grain oats, flax and chia seeds to make these gluten-free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Energy Bites. Perfect for meal prepping, lunch packing and easy snacking!
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 28 energy bites 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: No-bake
Ingredients
- 1 cup organic peanut butter* (may sub any nut or seed butter of choice)
- 2 Tbsp. virgin coconut oil or butter
- 3 Tbsp. maple syrup (may sub honey)
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups old-fashioned oats
- ¼ cup flaxseed meal (may sub hemp hearts or flour of choice)
- ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- Pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup dairy-free, mini chocolate chips
- 1½ Tbsp. chia seeds, divided (recipe update – see below in notes)
- Optional: 1/4 cup protein powder or collagen (may need to add 1-2 Tbsp. water)
Instructions
- Mix 1 Tbsp. of chia seeds with 3 Tbsp. of water and set aside to form a gel. (Recipe update – see below in notes)
- In a small saucepan over low heat combine coconut oil, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. Stir until just melted then remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, combine oats, flaxseed meal (or flour), coconut flakes, and remaining 1/2 Tbsp. chia seeds.
- Add cooled peanut butter mixture and chia gel to oat mixture and stir with wooden spoon, in a mixer or with hands (hands work best). Note: the dough needs to be mixed very well before to come together. If dough doesn’t come together add 1 tsp. of water at a time until it starts sticking together. You shouldn’t need more than 1 Tbsp. of water.
- Mix in chocolate chips. Make sure dough is not warm otherwise chocolate chips will melt.
- Roll dough into small round bites.
- Store in covered container in the refrigerator or freezer.
Notes
*use sunflower seed butter for a nut-free option
*store in fridge for up to 1 week or freezer for up to 3 months.
Recipe update (1/14/21): this recipe has recently been tested without the chia gel and it works great! Simply add 1 tablespoons chia seed with the rest of the dry ingredients and omit the step of making the gel. If the bites are not sticking together, simply add 1 teaspoon at a time of water. We have found that we might just a need a tiny splash of water when we get towards the end of the bowl when rolling the bites.
We also omitted this optional step – “Add oats to a food processor and pulse 5-10 times to break down the oats. Some oats will remain whole.” We found that it wasn’t needed. If you have been making these bites and like to run the oats through the food processor, feel free to do so.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bite (without protein)
- Calories: 125
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 55mg
- Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
Pin now, make later!
Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Jess of Plays Well with Butter.
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Angela Starry says
These are delicious! A great pre- or post-workout treat. I used almond butter and added a couple of tablespoons of vanilla protein powder, and they’re great. I also (accidentally) didn’t let the almond butter mixture cool very much and the chocolate chips kind of melted into the oat mixture, but it almost enhanced the taste of these because the flavor got dispersed throughout. Great recipe!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Thanks, Angela! You’re right, they do make a great pre- or post-workout treat. We love them for skiing and hiking and sometimes we can’t wait long enough for the nut butter mixture to cool and we get that delicious melty chocolate thing going on too.
Stacie Hassing says
Yes, I too add a scoop of protein or two sometimes! Such a perfect little snack! Thanks for the feedback 🙂
Melissa Haugh says
I make something very similar but do both chia seeds and flax meal and also add brewer’s yeast to promote lactation while breastfeeding. Such a great snack!
Jessica Beacom says
Great idea to add brewer’s yeast! I was never so hungry as I was when I was breastfeeding my kiddos – these would have been the perfect portable snack.
Cynthia says
Any suggestions to sub for the coconut oil? My son has peanut/treenut allergies, but now has a sensitivity to coconut….thanks so much!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Cynthia,
I would either substitute additional seed butter (like tahini or sunflower) for the coconut oil or just leave it out and add a little more honey to bring the mixture together.
Audrey Dalley says
I have made many, many Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Energy Bars – these are, by far, the very best. Great flavor & texture. My family thanks you and I do too!
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
Great to hear!! 🙂
Jeanie M Raimondi says
I made these and my boyfriend was hooked and he has great taste in food. Thanks for sharing a great recipe!
★★★★★
Kami says
My almost three year old and I made these the other day using sunflower seed butter that we needed to use up! He loves them! He thinks he’s getting a special freezer treat! Can’t wait to pack them for part of his lunch when he returns to school!
Jamie says
Can you leave out the chia seeds?
Stacie Hassing says
Hey there! You could. You may just need to add a little water (or additional PB) since the chia gel helps to hold the bites together. You could also use ground flax in place of the chia to make the gel if you wish. But water would probably work or additional peanut butter. Enjoy!
Sara says
I read recently that flax is not a good for your thyroid and if you have issues, to certainly avoid. What is your understanding of this?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Sara,
Flax seeds (along with other nuts, seeds, and legumes) do contain ‘goitrogens’, which in people who are iodine deficient or have been diagnosed with a goiter – an enlarged thyroid gland – these should be limited or possibly avoided depending on the severity of the case. Flax seeds, however, are a good source of omega-3 fats which are important for hormone production and have anti-inflammatory effects in the body. So if you have hypothyroidism or are worried about developing it, I would suggest using flax seeds and flax meal in moderation (i.e. in recipes such as this which are not consumed regularly or in large quantities) while avoiding large doses such as adding a tablespoon to your morning bowl of oatmeal every day.
Mary P says
I made these grain free with unsweetened shredded coconut in place of the oats. Also used almond butter. They turned out great. Forgot to add the collagen, but will try that next time.
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Mary! Good to know. We have a grain-free energy bites recipe that we’ll be sharing this month that sounds familiar to what you made! 🙂
Mila says
I have everything except the chia seeds. How would I adjust the recipe..just omit? Thanks.
Stacie Hassing says
Yes, you can simply omit or use ground flax seeds instead. If you omit, you may have to add 1-2 tbsp. of water (or additional PB) for the dough to stick together. Enjoy!
Leah Case says
Are these ok for toddlers age 1? Thank you!
Jessica Beacom says
Unless your child has a food allergy or they pose a choking risk for your child, they should be fine. I would break them up into smaller bites and supervise while she/he is eating just to be sure though.