bakingglutenfreememories Have you ever looked at the ingredients on a bag of trail mix to discover it is dusted with wheat flour? I’m sure I wasn’t the only unhappy one to discover that. There are of course some gluten-free trail mixes, but they are usually so expensive for the tiny amount of nuts and seeds that you are getting. Not to mention all of the added sugar and other ingredients that aren’t the most healthy. I’d rather make my own snack so I made these peanut butter energy bites, which I am now sharing with you.
These energy bites are baked and are great for when you need a snack with protein when hiking, traveling, or just while on your coffee break at work. They are definitely more cost-effective than buying energy bars too!
How to make peanut butter energy bites…
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a mixing bowl, add the oats, coconut sugar, ground flax seed, salt, and cinnamon. Use a spoon to mix it all together.
Then add in the peanut butter, water, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
Next, add the sunflower kernels and raisins, or any other nuts or dried fruit of choice. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes to allow the oats to absorb some of the moisture.
Roll into tablespoon sized balls and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. (the mixture will be a little sticky) Sprinkle the tops with sea salt, if preferred.
Bake the bites on the middle oven rack for about 8 minutes. Let them cool.
Storage Notes and Tips
- Other add-in options are dried cranberries, nuts, and chocolate chips
- Using natural peanut butter with some oil works best for this recipe. Just stir the peanut butter well before measuring it, since the oil separates
- These bites can be frozen for up to 2 weeks for best results. Just allow time for them to thaw, at least 10 minutes
- Store them in a sealed bag or container at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 4 days
Peanut Butter Energy Bites
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup rolled oats, gluten free (85g)
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon crunchy, unsalted natural peanut butter (make sure it has oil in it) (140g)
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup water (57ml)
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup raisins or chopped dates (33g)
- 1 tablespoon sunflower kernels, unsalted
- sea salt for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a mixing bowl, add in the oats, coconut sugar, ground flax seed, salt, and cinnamon. Mix with a spoon.
- Next, add in the peanut butter, water, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
- Then add in the sunflower kernels and raisins. (or any other nuts, chocolate, or dried fruit of choice) Let it sit for 5 minutes to allow the oats to absorb the extra moisture.
- Roll into tablespoon sized balls and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. (the mixture will be a little sticky) Sprinkle the tops with sea salt. (optional)
- Bake the bites on the middle oven rack for about 8 minutes. Let them cool.
