This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.
These no-bake energy balls with oatmeal and raisin are an easy-to-make snack that kids will ask for in their lunchboxes often!
Energy Bites for Kids
The colorful packages from the store-bought snacks may look appealing, but flavor and nutrition will be the winners once your kids try these energy bites! As a busy mom, I’m all about easy recipes, and if this isn’t the easiest snack ever, I don’t know what it is.
I really mean it. You combine the ingredients in a bowl, and BOOM! You have a healthy snack to enjoy throughout the week. If you want to know what they taste like, imagine oatmeal raisin cookie dough and peanut butter in every bite. No wonder they are a favorite healthy treat!
Speaking of, I love snacks so much that I wrote an entire book, The Best Homemade Kids’ Snacks on the Planet, devoted to helping families master homemade snacking!
Ingredients
I love how easy it is to whip up a dozen of these bite-size treats with simple ingredients like oats, shredded coconut, and peanut butter. Plus, they keep their chewy, delicious texture for up to a week, so you’ll have a healthy snack on hand all week long. Here’s what you need to make these happen:
- Old-fashioned rolled oats: have the best texture for these bites. You can use quick oats, but you might need to add more oats since the mixture might be sticky.
- Coconut flakes: tasty and good-for-you!
- Ground flaxseed: adds tons of nutrition.
- Mini chocolate chips: optional but so tasty!
- Raisins: add sweetness and fiber.
- Peanut butter: you can swap it for soy or sunflower butter or your favorite nut-free option. I have a review on the best nut butter alternatives.
- Honey: helps holding the ingredients together.
- Vanilla extract: makes everything tastier!
How to Make Oatmeal Energy Bites
How easy these no-bake energy balls are? Well, if you can combine ingredients in a bowl, you can make them! Check it out for yourself:
- Mix ingredients
Combine oats, coconut flakes, flax seed, mini chocolate chips, and raisins in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. - Combine
Pour the wet mixture into the oat mix, and mix to incorporate. - Refrigerate
Let the mixture chill in the fridge for half an hour. - Shape
Once the mix is chilled, roll it into balls and store in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Check out the full recipe for these chewy, bite-size treats in the video below:
More School Lunch Snacks
Kick up lunchbox nutrition with healthy snacks you can easily make at home, like peanut butter granola bars, baked banana chips, or cinnamon sugar pretzel bites. You can also make these no-bake chocolate brownie bites for chocolate lovers. Amazing!
No-Bake Oatmeal Raisin Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup coconut flakes
- ½ cup ground flax seed
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips, or raisins
- ½ cup peanut butter, or other nut/non-nut butter*
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix the oats, coconut flakes, flax seed, mini chocolate chips, if using, and raisins.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla.
- Pour the peanut butter mixture into the oat mix, until thoroughly incorporated. Let it chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll it into balls. Store in an airtight container or lunchbox, and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Amber says
Can you make these without the coconut and raisins? What are some good substitutes for them? Thanks!
MOMables says
you can make these. they don’t have either.
Martha says
I’m planning on making these, they sounds great but I have a question. The last ingredient is vanilla. Is that vanilla extract?
MOMables says
yes. sorry
Kgiuliani says
Any suggestions on substitutions for the butter-my kids are allergic to all nut and seed butters
MOMables says
unfortunately, this is the base for the snack so no.
Sue says
You can substitue with “WOW” butter!
MOMables says
Of course!
Alejandra Pazos says
I’m trying to figure calories before making these… On average how many balls do you get from a recipe?
MOMables says
I get 18-20 bites
Ilissa says
I just made these today. They were not holding together as some other people had also indicated so I added more peanut butter. They rolled together much easier after that. I think the recipe should call for 1 cup of peanut butter instead of 1/2.
MOMables says
thanks Ilissa!
Elizabeth says
hi I made these last night. put them in the fridge overnight. I made some balls input the rest into a pan and covered it. thinking I could make those into bars. They weren’t sticking this morning so I put that tan in the freezer. I read a comment I need to add more liquid than? I will try this again I tasted it and it taste yummy.
Michele says
I have made these twice now. They are very good, but the first time I really struggled to get it all to hold together for balls and this time I can’t get the balls to form at all; it’s too crumbly. Obviously it needs more liquid, but at this point what should I add, and how much?
MOMables says
Michelle, did you make any substitutions? they hold fine for me every time. perhaps add a little bit more honey
Pam says
Love the recipe. Do you know the calorie count when rolled into small balls?
Thanks.
MOMables says
I don’t know Pam. You can plug all the ingredients to some of the calorie counting websites out there.
Renae says
Not sure what I did wrong….they tasted wonderful but there’s no way I could have rolled them into balls, they just all fell apart. I did omit the raisins, would that have been the problem?
MOMables says
did you use quick oats? that will do it.
Jenny says
Do you think they are really only good for a week? All the ingredients are shelf stable much longer then a week! Just trying to get as much out of them as I can!
MOMables says
Yes, I am sure they last longer than a week.