Almond butter energy bites made with just oats, almond butter, honey, chocolate chips, and unsweetened coconut
If I had to guess one recipe that I make most often, it’d be these four-ingredient peanut butter chocolate energy bites. I always have a stash in my freezer, and I pack one in my lunchbox most days for a dessert-y snack.
So, I tweaked that recipe just slightly to make these almond butter energy bites for something different and peanut-allergy friendly for my little brother.
The Ingredients
These almond butter bites have just almond butter, oats, honey, chocolate chips, and unsweetened coconut flakes!
I added unsweetened coconut to these delish little bites because I love the combo of chocolate, almonds, and coconut (kind of like an Almond Joy, which was my favorite candy back in the day!).
I think these are wayy better, though, because they remind me of cookie dough, plus they’re not overly sweet or artificial tasting.
What Type of Almond Butter To Buy
Depending on where you shop, you may have a ton or just a few options for brands and varieties of almond butter (no sugar added, flavored, etc.). This is what I look for if possible:
No extra ingredients: Like peanut butter, some types of almond butter have extra ingredients like sunflower oil and sugar. I look for almond butter with just one or two ingredients: almonds and possibly salt.
Raw if possible: Raw almonds are generally thought to be healthier than roasted, so I buy raw almond butter when I can. I’m also not typically into flavored nut butters since they’re not quite as versatile and usually have added sugar, so I usually just buy plain raw almond butter.
Organic? The organic raw almond butter I’ve found typically costs double its non-organic counterpart, which isn’t worth it to me personally. So, I generally don’t worry too much about organic vs. non-organic almond butter.
Where to Buy Almond Butter
You can buy almond butter at just about any grocery store, but it’s definitely a better deal at some stores than others. It’s a steal at Costco compared to most places.
In between Costco trips, I also buy Trader Joe’s raw almond butter, which is also a pretty good deal. I usually stock up whenever I go to one of those stores or when there’s a great sale at another store since almond butter can be surprisingly pricy.
How to Make Almond Butter Energy Bites
These are super simple to make– like dorm room simple. Although I’m thankfully now a couple of years removed from cooking in a dorm, I still think in terms of “would this have been easy enough to make in my dorm?” since that’s where I cooked and blogged throughout all of college!
Just stir together oats, almond butter, honey, chocolate chips, and unsweetened coconut flakes. If using unsalted almond butter, add a dash of salt, as well.
If you’re not a coconut fan, you can omit the coconut flakes and add an additional 1/4 cup of oats.
Form the ingredients into about 24 balls and place in the fridge for an hour or freezer for 20 minutes before enjoying. The most time-consuming part is rolling the ingredients into balls, but you can still easily finish prepping these in 15 or so minutes.
I always store mine in the freezer, honestly for portion control more than anything because they disappear so fast in the fridge! So, I just take one or two energy bites out of the freezer at a time to help myself out. 😉
Since these peanut butter version and these almond butter energy bites remind me of cookie dough, they’re addictive.
If you try these almond butter energy bites, let me know in a comment or take a picture and tag me @livbane on Instagram! I’d love to see!
5-Ingredient Chocolate Almond Butter Energy Bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond butter*
- 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (can omit and use an additional 1/4 cup oats)
- 1/2 cup honey (or slightly more, if needed, to bind ingredients together)
- 1/2 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips
- Optional: 1/4 cup ground flax seeds, chia seeds, or hemp seeds
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a medium mixing bowl and stir until fully combined, which may take a few minutes.
- Line a baking dish or rimmed cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper. Form the dough into about 24 tablespoon-sized balls and place in a single layer on the baking dish or cookie sheet.
- Refrigerate for about an hour or freeze for at least 20 minutes before transferring to a storage bag so the energy bites will hold their shape. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Adapted from my peanut butter energy bites recipe
We just finished our last almond butter energy bite and are ready to make another batch. Yum!
So glad you enjoyed these!
This is the perfect snack to eat after a big meal to satisfy my sweet tooth. I am so glad that you share your recipe.
I will definitey make these this coming week. I am looking for a good small, but satisfying snack and also something healthier to eat at the movies.
You’ll have to let me know what you think 😀
Thanks for the option without coconut. We aren’t coconut lovers and all the recipes have it !
So glad the coconut-free option is helpful 😀
These are great for a quick, easy treat! I made mine with gluten-free oats and will try vegan chocolate chips next time. 🙂
I was curious if maple syrup would work in place of honey? Was thinking of making that adjustment, as well.
Maple syrup should work, too! I’d try adjusting the amount more or less slightly if needed 🙂
The quick oats I use are obviously alot larger in size than yours – mine just turned out like dry oatcup balls. Think should have pulsed them a tiny bit in the blender to make them finer – not really something you can do after you’ve put it altogether. I’ll try them again another time.