No-Bake Energy Bites
Made at home in ten minutes, 160 calories an ounce, no wrapper to pack out.
- calories
- 480
- weight
- 3 oz
- cal / oz
- 160
- protein
- 12 g
- serves
- 4, scales
- prep
- 10 min
- cook
- 0 min
- total time
- 10 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Snack
- Dessert
- No cook
- Day hike
- Backpacking
- Bikepacking
- Thru-hike
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Dairy free
- Gluten free
- Eat in the bag
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Basic
Ingredients
| Rolled oats | 1 cup | certified gluten free if that matters to you |
|---|---|---|
| Peanut or almond butter | 1/2 cup | |
| Maple syrup or honey | 1/3 cup | honey is not vegan, syrup is |
| Ground flaxseed | 1/4 cup | |
| Chocolate chips | 1/3 cup | |
| Salt | 1/2 tsp |
Method
- Mix everything in one bowl at home. It will look too dry for about a minute, then it will not.
- Roll into 16 balls, roughly a tablespoon each.
- Chill for 30 minutes so they hold their shape.
- Bag four per day. In hot weather they will fuse into one large bite, which is still fine.
Commercial bars run four dollars for 250 calories in a wrapper you carry out. These run about fifty cents for the same thing, taste better, and go in a reusable bag.
In summer heat they soften and merge. That is a texture problem, not a food safety one, and freezing them the night before buys you most of a day.
Packing
Parchment between layers if you are bagging more than a day's worth, or accept the single large bite.
Variations
- Coconut and lime zest for a version that does not taste like every other bar.
- Espresso powder and dark chocolate for the morning bag.