Chocolate Chip Hemp Energy Bites

No-bake, nutrient-rich Chocolate Chip Hemp Energy Bites that taste like cookie dough are loaded with wholesome ingredients like creamy almond butter, oats and hemp seeds. These healthy snack balls are gluten-free, easily made vegan and packed with healthy fats to keep you satisfied. The best on-the-go snack or treat!

These little nutrient dense, energy bites are super delish and just perfect as a grab-and-go breakfast, packed in lunchboxes, or served with some coffee or tea and enjoyed as an afternoon snack.

The super seed you see along the outside, are hemp seeds. I love the creamy texture and mild, nutty flavor! And get this, just 3 tablespoons of hemp seeds offer 10 grams of plant-based protein. That’s pretty impressive for such a small seed. To learn more about hemp seeds, check out my Hemp Seed 101 Guide. You can even learn how to make milk out of hemp seeds. 

What are energy bites?

Energy bites or sometimes called energy balls are a combination of wholesome ingredients like oats, dried fruit, nut butter, seeds, and other ingredient mix-ins that offer a densely nutritious snack in a little ball. They taste like dessert, but are actually good for you!

Sometimes you’ll see these snack bites called protein balls, which are basically the same thing. However, a protein ball recipe typically means that the energy bite includes protein powder for extra protein, like my Matcha Protein Energy Bites or Carrot Cake Energy Balls.

Everything we love about energy balls:

There’s so much to love about energy balls! They are the perfect snack to make at the beginning of every week that is both healthy and delicious. Here’s some of the reasons they’re so great:

• No baking required – There’s no need to turn on the oven to make this easy recipe!
• Kid-friendly – These taste like cookie dough and even picky eaters love these snack bites.
• Portable – If you have these meal prepped in your fridge, you’ve got a ready-to-go snack to grab anytime you need one. 
• Healthy – These bites are filled with nutritious, all-natural ingredients with no refined sugar!
• Customizable – Easy to change up the ingredients and experiment with different mix-ins. Looking for a different flavor? Try our No Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls, Pumpkin Spice Energy Balls, or Matcha Pistachio Energy Bites.

Ingredients needed:

These energy bites are made with simple, nourishing ingredients, taste like cookie dough with plenty of crunchy, yet doughy texture and chocolate chips are added for a touch of indulgence. Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make these energy bites:

• Rolled oats – The base of these energy bites is rolled oats. Feel free to use gluten free.
• Almond butter – These bites use creamy, natural almond butter that’s just almonds or almonds and salt. Sub with peanut butter as desired.
• Hemp seeds – Also known as hemp hearts — these little seeds are a great source of protein, healthy fats, iron and vitamin E. Looking for more ways to incorporate these into your diet? Try my Berry Hemp Smoothie.
• Maple syrup – For a little natural sweetness we’re adding some pure maple syrup. Feel free to swap with honey, if preferred.
• Mini chocolate chips – If you want to keep this snack as nutritious as possible, use dark chocolate miniature chocolate chips. (Dark chocolate has antioxidants and other healthful properties.)
• Unsweetened coconut flakes – I love the coconut flavor and texture you get from adding coconut flakes to these bites. However, if you’re not a fan of coconut, feel free to omit.
• Salt – Just a pinch of salt brings all of the flavors together.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Hemp Energy Bites:

In under 10 minutes, you can have these delicious energy bites ready to go for your weekly snack. Best part? There are no dates or food processors involved, so you can make these no bake energy balls in no time.

Here’s the simple process, but for full, printable instructions, reference the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium to large bowl and mix well.
2. Roll about 1 tablespoon per ball in your palms. If you’d like, you can roll each ball into some extra hemp seeds. Place on a plate or baking sheet.
3. Transfer to the fridge for a couple of hours or freeze for about 1 hour to set and then enjoy!

Variation Ideas

Feel free to get creative with different ingredients to truly make these energy bites your own!

• Nut butter – instead of almond butter, feel free to use peanut butter or sunflower seed butter. You can also use a natural, crunchy nut or seed butter instead of creamy, if preferred. 
• Vegan bites – to make these vegan, simply be sure to use pure maple syrup and not honey and also use dairy-free/vegan chocolate chips.
• Gluten-free bites – if the oats you’re using are certified gluten free, these energy bites are naturally gluten free.
• Add-ins – chocolate chips can be left out or subbed for another add-in like raisins, dried cranberries or blueberries.

How to Store Energy Bites

In the fridge – No-bake chocolate chip energy bites are great stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

In the freezer – You can also store these energy balls in the freezer for up to 3 months. If they get too hard, let them sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before eating.

Try adding this recipe to your weekend meal prep, so you have nutritious energy bites ready-to-go for a busy week. This recipe is also super easy to double (or triple), and freezes well, so keep that in mind when you are getting your meal prep done. Enjoy!

Thanks so much for reading! You can watch the video down below and if you make this recipe I would love for you to give it a ★ rating below.  And be sure to follow me on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook for more healthy food inspiration.

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