Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Bites

Last updated on July 22nd, 2022

These no-bake energy balls are loaded with peanut butter, oatmeal and chocolate chips! The perfect to-go snack that is filling too!

I’m not sure you will find an easier recipe than this one! With only 5 ingredients and no need to turn on the oven, you can whip these up today and start enjoying them in no time.

I’ve made so many versions of these energy bites over the years and my kids never fail to gobble them up. But this is the basic version to start with and once you get it down, you can start adapting it from there.

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What are Energy Bites?

Sometimes referred to as protein balls, lactation bites, power balls or energy bites… there are lots of different variations on the same healthy snack.

Whatever you call them, though, they are packed with protein and fiber, are no-bake and are very filling so a little goes a long way. They’re the perfect snack to grab while you’re on the go when you know you’re going to need energy for the next few hours.

We love them because:

They’re no-bake so no worries about heating the house up with the stove
They’re easy enough for the kids to help with
They store well in the fridge and you can freeze them them so they last even longer
Only 5 ingredients and most of them can be found in our house at any given time
They’re incredibly versatile! Mix and match the ingredients to suit your family!

How Do You Make Peanut Butter Energy Bites?

This recipe is as easy as dumping your ingredients in a bowl, mixing, chilling and scooping! That’s honestly all there is too it.

My energy bites contain butter, peanut butter, oatmeal, coconut and chocolate chips. I mix everything together until it’s really well combined and then place the bowl in the fridge to chill for an hour or two before I scoop them into balls.

You can scoop them right away, but they’ll be a lot stickier and harder to handle. If you can manage to wait a little bit until the batter chills, you’ll have a much easier time.

I find it’s easiest to scoop them using a 1 tablespoon or 2 tablespoon scoop depending on what size you like them. You can definitely just scoop some out with a spoon and roll with your hand, but it will be easier and more consistent in size if you use a scoop.

After you scoop them, roll in your hands once or twice to smooth them out and then place in a storage container

You can start enjoying them right away or store in the fridge and just grab one when you’re ready. They last in the fridge for about a week or so, but honestly, they only last a few days around here. You can also freeze them for a couple months with no issues.

This recipe makes about 15-20 energy balls depending on size.

Variations on Energy Balls

Peanut Butter: I’ve used creamy, chunky and all natural peanut butter. Any of them work just fine!

Coconut: I know a lot of people don’t like coconut so feel free to omit it if you want. You will need to substitute it with something else, though, to help it keep it’s shape. You can also just add a little more oatmeal in place of the coconut to help keep the balls more solid. If you’re like me and love coconut, you might want to try to lightly toast your coconut first for some extra flavor!

Use a Different Nut Butter: If you’d prefer not to use peanut butter, you can use almond butter, sunflower butter, cashew butter or any other one that you’re familiar with.

Try Different Add-ins:

sunflower seeds
chia seeds
dried cranberries
dried cherries
a tablespoon of cocoa powder
chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans
1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice

Make Bars: If you want to skip the step where you roll them into balls, make bars instead! After you’re done mixing your ingredients, spread the mixture into an 8×8 square pan that is lined with parchment paper. Press down firmly, refrigerate and then cut into small squares.

Looking for More No-Bake Treats:

Whether it’s because of the heat of summer or we’re just trying to get our kids in the kitchen more frequently, we’re always on the lookout for more no-bake recipes that our family will love! Here are some more favorites:

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