Recipes for energy bites that make these tempting morsels perfect for you!
There are many snack options available, but very few allow you to fully personalize for performance, taste and how you feel on any given day. So why not give energy bites a try?
What are Energy Bites?
Energy bites (some people call them energy balls or protein balls or even bliss balls!) are homemade snacks made from real food that serve as fuel for workouts or competition. Usually they’re some combination of nuts or seeds, nut or seed butter, dried fruit and maybe sweetener. They can also contain protein powder for those that want more protein than the other base recipes naturally contain. Energy balls are infinitely variable, with additions and substitutions and variations on the ratios of contents.
When would you use Energy Bites? Or NOT use them?
These energy bites can serve as snacks before exercise. They contain carbohydrate from the dried fruit, possible sweetener, and a bit from the nuts. They’re also portable, so you can take them along to practice or tournaments or events. They also have fat for sustained energy from the nuts or seeds, coconut, or chocolate.
Energy bites can be used during exercise, provided you can do it in a food-safe way. And if you can tolerate them. If you can’t tolerate them, try a different recipe or find a different option altogether!
Energy balls can be used for recovery. They have plenty of carbohydrate to replenish muscle glycogen stores and wipe out hunger. And they can be made with protein to jumpstart repair and muscle building.
How do you make them?
There are two options here. The first one is to use a food processor to mix up your combination of nuts or seeds and dried fruit, and the second one is to mix pre-chopped ingredients by hand. They’re very straightforward.
Once you have your ingredients pureed/chopped and mixed together, roll small portions of 1-2 tablespoons in your hands to make a ball. That’s it. Really, they’re incredibly easy!
Recipe with nuts and dried fruit
Option #1
Put a 1:1 ratio of a nut and a dried fruit in a food processor and mix until the ingredients form a ball. The most common dried fruit is dates, as they become a thick, smooth puree that holds everything together while their flavor becomes mild and sweet in the background. Try 1 cup of peanuts and 1 cup of dates (about 8 dates) and see how you like them!
A variation would be 1 cup of cashews and 1 cup of dried tart cherries. The cashews are very mild but the cherries really pop with vibrant flavor. I like these energy bites with a little chopped chocolate included and a thin cocoa powder coating.
Option #2
Add in some nut butter in place of some of the nuts. Try a 1:1:2 ratio of nuts, nut butter, and dried fruit. In this case, it would be ½ cup peanuts, ½ cup peanut butter, 1 cup dates. You’ll find that the final mixture is smoother and thicker than Option #1, and it rolls into a more cohesive ball.
A variation would be to add ¼ tsp each salt and ground cinnamon, as well as ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, for more of a snickerdoodle flavor.
Option #3
Add in some protein powder. Try the variation recipe in Option #2, with 2 tablespoons to 1 scoop of protein powder. You might need to add extra liquid if you add too much protein powder. This is a chance to refine your personal preferred version as you move forward.
Recipe with oats, nuts, sweetener
Option #1
Put a 1:1 ratio of a oats and nuts in a food processor and grind them up. This mix will be dry when compared with the above recipe. Add in some sweetener, since there aren’t any dates to provide it, and then add water as needed to get the mix to hold together in balls. The exact additions will depend on the type of sweetener you use. If you pick a liquid option, like honey, molasses, maple syrup or agave syrup, this will help bind the mixture. A dry option, like straight sugar, won’t.
Try 1 cup oats, ground, 1 cup peanuts, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, a few chopped chocolate chips and coconut to roll in. This energy bite recipe is delicious!
Option #2
2:1 ratio of oats and nut butter. Grind the oats first, then add the nut butter and blend. This mix will hold together much better, although how soft or firm the balls end up will depend on the exact nut butter used.
Try 1 cup oats, ground, and ½ cup peanut butter, then add 2 tablespoons brown sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla, ¼ tsp each salt and ground cinnamon for the snickerdoodle flavor above.
Option #3
Include protein powder. Try 1 cup oats, ground, and ½ cup peanut butter, then add 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons to 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, ¼ tsp each salt and ground cinnamon for the snickerdoodle flavor. You might have to play with the amount of protein powder or add some liquid, as this does dry the energy balls out considerably.
Recipe that DOES NOT require a food processor
Same ratio as Option #2 above, but use nut butters and oats or instant oats as you prefer. Combine with a spoon in a mixing bowl. Add in any sweetener you like, either to preference or to balance the softness and texture of your energy bites.
I would start with 1 cup instant oats (personal preference!), ½ cup peanut butter, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla, ¼ teaspoon each salt and ground cinnamon.
For a hand-mixed version with protein powder, if your mixture is too dry, consider adding a little extra nut butter, 1-2 teaspoons of water, or using a liquid sweetener like honey, agave or maple syrup.
Additions and mix-ins. There are SO MANY choices here!
To add into the actual bites: chopped nuts, chocolate bits or chips, cocoa powder, carob powder, chopped dried fruit, powdered dried fruit, coconut or coconut milk, citrus zest, chopped dried ginger, spices and blends (chai, tex mex (cocoa powder and cinnamon), pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice), vanilla or other extracts, jams/jellies, fruit or vegetable purees like pumpkin, applesauce, or other baby food/snack pouch flavors.
As coatings: oats (whole or ground), finely chopped nuts, coconut, colored or large crystals of sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon sugar, powdered dried fruit, sprinkles.
For multi-flavored balls: split your mixture in half. Add some jam or spices or cocoa powder or dried powdered fruit to one half. Add a complementary flavor to the other half or leave as is. Portion out into half-size balls, then mash two balls of different flavors together and roll into one two-flavored energy bite! Example: peanut butter half with added chopped peanuts; chocolate half with cocoa powder and a couple of finely chopped chocolate chips mixed in.
Note: The more neutral-flavored energy balls might work better for before and during exercise. The more vibrantly-flavored bites would work better for recovery. Strong flavors or high-fiber foods can be off-putting in tough workouts.
How do you package them to take them along for workouts?
Depending on what you’re using them for, you can put them in hard-sided container (so they don’t get squashed) or in a cooler so they stay fresh and food safety doesn’t become an issue. Baggies are fine for short-term, such as in a bike jersey pocket, and where space is tight.
How do you store them? How long do they last?
These energy bites store well in the fridge for up to a week and freeze for up to 3 months. Wrap them carefully to avoid freezer burn. Defrost and enjoy!
For additional snacks to carry along to meets or ways to fuel yourself for triumph at home, get a copy of our free snack list.
Just have questions? Get in touch!
For more information on different nuts and nut butters and how to use them, find more here.
Organize your kitchen to better fuel your workouts and support a performance body composition here.
If you’re worried about too much chocolate or need to justify the use of cocoa powder, I talk all about it here.