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Home » Recipes » Bite Size

Chocolate Brownie No-Bake Energy Bites

By Laura Fuentes Updated Jul 25, 2024

5 from 29 votes

Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.

Need a healthy afternoon pick-me-up? These Chocolate Brownie Energy Bites are perfect for your kids’ after-school snack time or as a sweet treat for lunch.

Making these energy bites for kids couldn’t be any easier: you just need a food processor and no cooking at all! Healthy and delicious, no one will resist!

image: five brownie balls in a tin lunchbox.

Healthy Energy Bites for Kids

It’s like clockwork: around 3 or 4 o’clock every day, my kids start rummaging through the pantry and fridge, looking for a snack. That’s when these healthy and delicious brownie energy bites solve the problem!

These are super simple to make, requiring just a handful of nutritious ingredients. They’re refined sugar-free and grain-free (replacing the cashews). While these are perfect for snack time, you can even pack a couple of these in your kids’ lunch boxes as a sweet treat.

I love that they only take a few minutes to make, and I can make a big batch at the beginning of the week so we have snacks ready! It really is all about planning.

Ingredients

Made with all good-for-you ingredients and delicious chocolate taste, these brownie energy bites will be a hit with your kids!

Here’s what you need:

  • Raisins: a rich source of fiber and minerals.
  • Cashews: you can swap them for sunflower seeds to make the bites nut-free.
  • Cocoa powder: chocolate taste!
  • Vanilla extract: add an irresistible dessert-like taste and aroma.
  • Salt: to enhance the flavors.
  • Cinnamon: just a pinch for extra flavor.

You’ll find the measurements in the recipe card below.

How to Make Kid-Friendly Energy Bites

These nutritious energy bites for kids come together easily in the food processor. Just 10 minutes and no cooking required! 

Make them following these simple steps:

  1. Soak raisins
    Place raisins in a medium bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak for 5 minutes to soften, then drain.
  2. Process
    Add raisins and all remaining ingredients into a food processor and pulse until the mixture turns into the consistency of sand. Remove the blade from the unit.
  3. Make the bites
    Using your hands, scoop out dough and form into balls on the palms of your hands.
  4. Chill & store
    Chill for 30 minutes and enjoy. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for one week.

Take a look at how easy these brownie energy bites are to make:

How to Pack Chocolate Energy Bites for a School Snack

After the bites are chilled, pack them in the lunchbox in the morning, and they stay perfect until lunchtime.

How Many of These Homemade Energy Bites Can You Eat in a Day?

The energy source of these bites is a combination of simple and complex carbohydrates; therefore, energy bites that don’t contain caffeine, like these, can be enjoyed liberally (as many as you want) as long as they fit into your daily nutrition requirements. 

Chocolate Brownie No-Bake Energy Bites

image: five brownie balls
Servings: 18 bites
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Total Time: 10 minutes mins
Need a healthy afternoon pick-me-up? These Chocolate Brownie Energy Bites are perfect for your kids’ after-school snack time or as a sweet treat for lunch.
5 from 29 votes
Print Pin

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raisins, packed
  • 1 cup cashews
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Pinch cinnamon

Instructions

  • Place raisins in a medium bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak for 5 minutes to soften then drain.
  • Add raisins and all remaining ingredients into a food processor and pulse until the mixture turns into the consistency of sand. Remove blade from the unit.
  • Using your hands, scoop out dough and form into balls on the palms of your hands.
  • Chill for 30 minutes and enjoy. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for one week.

Equipment

The Best Homemade Kid’s Snacks on the Planet
LunchBots
Cocoa Powder

Nutrition

Serving: 1bite | Calories: 64kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.6g | Protein: 1.6g | Fat: 3.6g | Saturated Fat: 1.2g | Sodium: 26.2mg | Fiber: 0.9g | Sugar: 4g

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Comments

    5 from 29 votes (16 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Alice says

    June 30, 2022 at 7:29 pm

    5 stars
    No kids in the family, just me and my husband. Such as easy recipe with very few ingredients. These energy balls are delicious and a keeper!

    Reply
  2. Julia Mells says

    June 28, 2019 at 8:10 am

    5 stars
    Great recipe! Cooked these brownies for her family – everyone loved it! Thank you so much for sharing such a delicious recipe!

    Reply
    • MOMables - Laura says

      July 10, 2019 at 1:28 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Julia!

      Reply
  3. Lauren says

    May 15, 2018 at 9:40 pm

    5 stars
    Oh my goodness Laura! These are my new favorite treat! I realize I’m a little late to the party in terms of trying this recipe, but seriously-like eating brownies. I subbed almonds because I was out of cashews and they turned out great. I’m so excited because I LOVE chocolate (and brownies/cookies) and these completely satisfy my treat cravings! =)

    Reply
    • MOMables - Laura says

      May 16, 2018 at 3:49 pm

      I’m SO GLAD! Thank you for trying it!

      Reply
  4. Martine says

    May 14, 2018 at 5:14 pm

    5 stars
    Love!!!! I was just looking for something different to do for snacks for the kiddos.

    Reply
    • MOMables - Laura says

      May 16, 2018 at 3:49 pm

      Thank you for trying this recipe Marine! and also for texting me the pics :)

      Reply
  5. Jenny says

    August 07, 2017 at 10:29 pm

    5 stars
    Can you freeze these?

    Reply
    • MOMables - Laura says

      August 11, 2017 at 9:12 am

      Yes you can!

      Reply
  6. Luciana says

    August 01, 2017 at 5:41 pm

    5 stars
    Made this but used dates instead of the raisins and it worked just the same. It tastes delicious!

    Reply
  7. Crystal says

    August 03, 2016 at 4:31 pm

    5 stars
    Made these with sliced almonds, and they were fabulous! Also, added unsweetened shredded coconut. Great healthier snack.

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      August 03, 2016 at 6:40 pm

      I”m so glad you liked them Crystal!

      Reply
  8. Mindy says

    March 21, 2016 at 8:42 pm

    I had the opposite problem of some people posting, mine seemed too wet and sticky. Too solve this I added some oats. I also decided to add some peanut butter at the end! My kids love these. Sadly, my daughter (1st grade) gets made fun of at school for her healthy (different) snacks and lunches. Aren’t kids cruel? Anyways, she told me today, ” the kids didn’t make fun of me today because I told them I was eating chocolate!”

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      March 22, 2016 at 3:48 pm

      I’m glad you figured it out! And yes, Mindy, that is beyond sad – kids can definitely be mean when it comes to something different than what they know. At least you know she’s eating healthy!

      Reply
  9. BBishop says

    March 20, 2016 at 3:52 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve made these several times and they were a great success! Have shared the recipe link with many! About to try some of the variations mentioned by others :)

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      March 22, 2016 at 3:54 pm

      Awesome! Thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply
  10. Christina says

    February 27, 2016 at 2:07 pm

    5 stars
    I found these really tough to roll. The pieces would bream up as soon as I applied any pressure. I used almonds, so maybe they need to be broken into smaller pieces first.

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      February 27, 2016 at 6:41 pm

      You may need to process them a little longer, or add some more raisins to give them moisture. You can also try adding 1-2 tablespoons of water to get them to stick better!

      Reply
  11. cathy says

    February 23, 2016 at 5:27 pm

    Hi

    these sound great but I have a silly question.. can we substitute the raisins for anything
    else..not crazy about raisins..maybe dates,,I m just curious because these do sound
    yummy and healthy ,prob great before or after training too…

    thank you for your great ideas;0)

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      February 25, 2016 at 2:47 pm

      Dates or prunes would definitely work here!

      Reply
  12. Angelina says

    February 21, 2016 at 2:37 am

    If you don’t have a food processor will a blender work?

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      February 23, 2016 at 1:13 am

      Yes! Just make sure to watch it to get the right texture.

      Reply
  13. Kim says

    February 18, 2016 at 9:40 am

    Cocoa powder? Do you mean the unsweetened kind u bake with, or something else?

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      February 18, 2016 at 11:08 am

      Yes! Just plain unsweetened cocoa powder.

      Reply
      • Amy says

        September 15, 2021 at 7:15 am

        5 stars
        Are there any options for nut free? What could you substitute for the cashews?

        Reply
        • MOMables - Laura says

          September 17, 2021 at 11:28 am

          For the cashews, use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!

          Reply
  14. Charlene says

    February 17, 2016 at 7:35 pm

    5 stars
    My son is allergic to ALL nuts…. Can you suggest a no -nut substitution for the cashews? Thanks!!

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      February 17, 2016 at 11:01 pm

      Hey Charlene! Sunflower seeds could definitely work here.

      Reply
      • Charlene says

        February 18, 2016 at 2:29 pm

        Perfect! I was thinking of those as well!

        Reply
        • Libby says

          February 24, 2016 at 9:01 pm

          I can’t have nuts either and might try pumpkin seeds (pepitas)!

          Reply
          • MOMables says

            February 25, 2016 at 2:46 pm

            I definitely think that would work!

  15. Lisa says

    February 17, 2016 at 4:56 pm

    Wow! These are incredible!
    I used the raisin water to sweeten my tea.
    Thank you!!

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      February 17, 2016 at 11:01 pm

      That’s a genius idea!

      Reply
  16. Molly A. says

    February 17, 2016 at 2:52 pm

    5 stars
    I love these! The one time I tried to make something similar, it burned up my food processor, though, so I’ve only ever made them once. (My fault. It was a mini-food processor and not designed for the task.) What food processor do you use to make these? Since I’m in the market for one that will make this kind of thing without dying on me. :)

    The kids gobbled these up the one time I made it, and I’d love to be able to offer them this rather than other less healthy options when they get a sweet tooth.

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      February 17, 2016 at 11:03 pm

      I promise these won’t burn your food processor up! :) This one is great because you can scrape the sides without stopping the processor. I hope you get to try them!

      Reply
  17. Kara says

    February 17, 2016 at 2:13 pm

    any suggestions for a nut-free version?

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      February 17, 2016 at 11:04 pm

      Sunflower seeds would work!

      Reply
  18. Golda says

    February 15, 2016 at 11:18 am

    5 stars
    Sounds amazing! I’ll make sure to give it a try!

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      February 16, 2016 at 2:55 pm

      Yay! They’re such a great snack.

      Reply
  19. AR says

    February 15, 2016 at 6:40 am

    Can you suggest alternative to cashews for this recipe? Pecans, pistachios or almonds?

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      February 16, 2016 at 2:57 pm

      Hi! Any nut should do, though you may need to adjust the amount to get the right texture. Almonds or pecans sound delicious!

      Reply
laura fuentes momables holding a lunch bag and lunch boxes

My name is Laura Fuentes
I’m here to help you simplify school lunches with fresh ideas your kids will actually eat.

Mom of 3. Certified in Integrative Nutrition. 5x Cookbook Author.

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