The Best Protein Bites {Master Recipe: Tons of Add-In Options!}

With so many add-in and nut butter options, this protein bites recipe is the only one you’ll ever need! Make-ahead and store in the freezer!

Have you gotten on the energy bite train yet? They’ve been around a while (definitely not a new trend), and we loooooove them.

I have a few different variations on my blog (some of them are called granola bites, but essentially, they are the same thing):

No-Bake Healthy Cookie Dough Bites

Dark Chocolate Granola Bites

Healthy Granola Bites

Easy enough to whip up in just a few minutes, little energy bites and granola bites like these are some of our favorite summertime and school time snacks.

For a while now, I’ve wanted an all-purpose, master recipe for the best energy bites on the planet. A go-to recipe that requires every day pantry ingredients, has no refined sugar, and doesn’t require any cooking or baking.

There are tons and tons of energy bites recipes out there in the interwebs with every variation you can imagine. But I wanted a more simple approach. One recipe that is adaptable enough for any add-in under the sun.

This is the one!

We’ve been making these energy bites constantly over the summer. Literally, I cannot keep them stocked – my kids grab them out of the refrigerator all the livelong day (ok, I do, too). They are the perfect protein-packed snack – and have saved my breakfast a time or two, as well (a couple of these + my kefir smoothie, and I’m golden).

With school about to start next week, I have my eye trained to all the things I can do to make my lunch-making endeavors easier. And by I, I mean my kids. I’m turning the lunch making over to them this year.

While the control-everything part of my personality has developed a nervous twitch about this idea, the save-my-sanity part of my personality is thrilled. The plan is to pack lunches the night before. I have a list with categories of acceptable foods (protein, fruit, vegetables, etc) that can be added to their lunches.

You know, so they don’t end up with a lunchbox full of just goldfish crackers.

These energy bites are high on the list of requests to keep stocked in the fridge at all times for easy lunch making. You can see from the notes below the recipe that there are TONS of variations available – from what type of nut butter you use to the add-ins you throw in there.

I always at least double the batch (just did this morning, in fact!), and it goes without saying that my favorite add-in is mini chocolate chips. Lately, though, we’ve just been keeping them simple as can be – no add-ins at all, and they are fabulous.

This really is the best energy bites recipe!

Bonus: they freeze great (for several months) and will keep in the refrigerator for a week or so. So basically, there’s no reason not to at least quadruple the batch. Go big or go home, like I always say!

The Best Energy Bites {Master Recipe}

Yield: 24 Small Bites

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 20 minutes mins

4.73 stars (218 ratings)

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Ingredients

• 1 cup (100 g) old-fashioned oats
• ⅓ cup (35 g) ground flaxseed meal
• ⅔ to 1 cup (170 to 255 g) nut butter (see note)
• ¼ cup (85 g) honey
• Dash of vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt, more to taste, if needed
• Add-ins: mini chocolate chips, shredded coconut, chopped nuts, dried fruit, chia seeds, etc.

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Instructions 

• In a food processor, add the oats and process until coarsely chopped. If you don’t have a food processor coarsely chop the oats in a blender and add to a bowl.
• Add the flaxseed meal, nut butter, honey, vanilla and salt. Process/mix until the mixture comes together into a soft but not overly sticky ball.
• If the mixture is overly dry, add nut butter a tablespoon at a time and process/mix until the consistency is soft but not overly sticky or crumbly.
• Remove the blade from the food processor, if using. Add any add-in ingredients, and mix with your hands until evenly combined.
• Roll the dough into small balls (I use my small cookie scoop – #60) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet or tray. Refrigerate until firm enough to stack in a lidded container or in a bag. The energy bites can be frozen for several months or refrigerated for a week or so.

Notes

Nutrition Facts: the nutrition facts for this recipe were calculated based on the bites (but do not include the optional add-ins as those are added based on personal preference). 

Nut Butter: as far as nut butter, I’ve tried these with almond butter, peanut butter (both natural and Skippy-types), and cashew butter. My favorite combo is half peanut butter/half cashew butter (to die for). Almond butter is my least favorite of the options, but that’s just personal preference (my kids like it less, too) – the texture of the bites tends to be a bit grainier.

Consistency: for the overall consistency of these energy bites, a lot will depend on how coarsely the oats are chopped in the first step and the thickness of the nut butter (for instance, cashew butter and natural peanut butter are sometimes runnier). If you are using a nut butter with a thinner consistency, start with the 2/3 cup amount and add more, if needed. 

Author: Mel

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Method: No-Bake

Serving: 1 Bite, Calories: 100kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 2mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g

Recommended Products

Breville Food Processor

Measuring Cups

Cookie Sheet {Half Sheet Pan}

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Granola Bites

Delicious No-Bake Cookie Dough Bites

Healthy Dark Chocolate Almond Joy Bites

No-Bake Dark Chocolate Granola Bites