No-bake Monster Cookie Energy Bites are a fun and energizing snack made with wholesome ingredients that taste like cookie dough! Made in one bowl, this gluten-free recipe is perfect for after-school snacking or as a healthier dessert option.
My kids are generally starving when they come home from school, so I like to have a snackle box or kid-cuterie board ready when they walk in the door.
(If 17-year-old me could hear current me talking like this, she wouldn’t believe it. Probably shouldn’t tell her about the minivan either. Ha!)
Anyway, I love these bento boxes which I typically fill with fruit and fresh veggies, plus something “fun” like my No-Bake Monster Cookie Energy Bites.
These adorable and delicious little snack bites taste like monster cookie dough but are filled with wholesome ingredients (ok, M&M’s too)! Gluten-free and easily made dairy-free, they take minutes to whip up, and disappear even faster.
That said, I recommend you make a double or triple batch. They freeze well!
What’s Inside
Monster cookies are a mash-up of peanut butter cookies, oatmeal cookies, and chocolate chip cookies in one.
Monster Cookie Energy Bites are the one-bowl, no-bake version free from eggs, butter, flour, and refined sugar. Woo! Here’s what you’ll need to make them:
- Old fashioned oats: ensure yours are certified gluten-free if you have Celiac Disease, a wheat allergy, or severe gluten intolerance.
- Almond flour: adds protein and fiber.
- Chia seeds: add fiber, nutrients, and a great texture to the energy bites.
- Creamy peanut butter: adds protein and keeps the balls together. I have not tried making these bites with natural-style/drippy peanut butter. I assume you’d simply need to add extra oats and almond flour to make them work!
- Honey: sweetens the energy bites.
- Mini chocolate chips + Mini M&Ms: can’t have Monster Cookies without them!
- Vanilla extract: for a dash of cozy cookie flavor.
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Make them Dairy-Free
We have a dairy allergy in my family, so I’ll typically make half the recipe with Mini M&Ms and the other half with dairy-free candy-coated chocolate pieces like Pure Food Candy Coated Chocolate Chips, or Unreal Chocolate Gems.
We almost exclusively use Enjoy Life chocolate chips at home, which are already free from the top 8 food allergens, including wheat and dairy.
Snack on Grain-Free Granola Next
How to Make Monster Cookie Energy Bites
I love that I can whip up these snack bites 10 minutes before the kids come home from school. It’s an “add everything into a bowl then stir” type of recipe!
That said, simply add the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl then stir with a fork to combine. Add the wet ingredients then use the fork to mix and mash everything together.
Scoop 2 Tablespoons of the dough into your hands (I love a 2 T cookie scoop for the job) then roll into balls and place inside a glass storage container with a lid.
Sometimes I’ll press the mixture into an 8×8″ dish then slice into squares, which goes even faster.
Recipe Tip
If the energy bites stick to your hands when rolling, sprinkle more almond flour into the dough. If the dough is too dry and crumbly, add more peanut butter or honey.
How to Store and Freeze Them
The energy bites are ready to eat right away, though they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. One of my kids prefers the texture of them after they’ve had a chance to firm up in the refrigerator for a few hours, versus when they’re soft and chewy right after rolling.
To freeze, place the energy bites in a Ziploc freezer bag then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or on the countertop before eating.
Whether you whip these snack bites up for your hungry kiddos or make a batch to satisfy a sweet tooth in a slightly healthier way, I hope you love every fun and yummy bite. Enjoy!
More Healthy(ish) Snack Ideas
- 1 cup certified gluten-free old fashioned oats
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, Enjoy Life recommended
- 1/4 cup Mini M&Ms, see notes
- 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
- pinch salt
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
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To a medium-size mixing bowl add the oats, almond flour, mini chocolate chips, mini M&Ms, chia seeds, and salt then stir with a fork to combine. Add the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla then mix with the fork until the ingredients are well combined.
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Scoop 2 Tablespoons of the mixture into your hand then roll into a ball and place inside a glass storage container. If the mixture sticks to your hands, stir in more almond flour. If it’s dry and crumbly, stir in more peanut butter or honey.
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Enjoy right away, or refrigerate for up to 5 days (one of my kids prefers the texture after they’ve firmed up in the fridge, as a heads up if you have texture kiddos too). Freeze the energy bites in in a tightly sealed container or Ziploc freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter before eating.
Calories: 158kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 38mg, Potassium: 94mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 10IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 33mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin