Make these for your sweetie or your gals for valentine’s day! Energy bites are small sweet treats made to keep you fueled throughout the day, whether you’re working out, on the go or just looking to satisfy your sweet tooth. This post features easy energy bites recipes, each taking less than 30 minutes to make and assemble. What better way to say i love you?
What are energy bites?
Energy bites have long been a staple in the vegan, vegetarian and workout world. Their versatility and ease make it light on your time in the kitchen, and you can mix ingredients to whatever your liking. I love to use a 1:1 base of pitted medjool dates and nuts, with nut butter, such as almond or cashew. Cashew being my favorite because it yields the creamiest flavor. I find this combination makes a great textured “bite” that holds its shape well and has a mild flavor for building upon. I find that choosing ingredients that are in dried or powdered form adds a punch of flavor without compromising the texture of your energy bite. Use ingredients such as chocolate, dried fruit (I love freeze-dried), oats, cinnamon, espresso powder, matcha etc. your possibilities are endless.
For these energy bites, I chose to combine flavors you might find in a box of chocolates. Chocolate hazelnut, praline, and strawberries n’ creme.
Other cool combinations I will try in the future:
Cookie dough- add vanilla and chocolate chips to base recipe
Peaches n’ cream- swap strawberries for freeze-dried peaches
Matcha -add matcha powder to base recipe
Recipe tips
There are minimal steps required to assemble these recipes. Simply combine in a food processor, add your flavors, shape and eat. For the chocolate hazelnut bites, I add cacao powder to the hazelnut/date mixture. I have grown to prefer it over baking cocoa, because it infuses a massive dose of rich chocolate flavor, with naturally occurring magnesium. I finish these my pressing the mixture into heart-shaped silicone molds, and freezing for 5 minutes before unmolding. They came out easily and hold their shape well. you can serve as is (like I did) or dust with extra cacao powder.
Don’t skip toasting the hazelnuts for your praline bites before pulsing with the dates. This step “blooms” the oil in the nuts, and gives them a wonderful brown butter flavor. Paired with the naturally chewy, caramelly dates make the perfect french praline combination.
Strawberries n’ creme bites get the most flavor from freeze-dried strawberries over fresh. Simply pulse the strawberries into a powder before starting your bites. Remove the powder and reserve half for dusting. You don’t have to clean out the processor before moving onto making your bites, it’s extra flavor!
Eat your bites immediately or prep up to 4 days in advance by storing them in the fridge. They are great as a sweet treat, for meal prep or post-workout.
Valentine's Energy Bites
Ingredients
Chocolate Hazelnut Bites
- 1 cup dates
- 1 cup walnuts
- ⅓ cup cacao powder
- ¼ cup cashew butter
- pinch of salt
Hazelnut Praline Bites
- 1 cup dates
- 1 cup hazelnuts
- ¼ cup cashew butter
- pinch of salt
Strawberries n' Cream Bites
- ½ cup freeze dried strawberries
- 1 cup dates
- 1 cup walnuts
- ¼ cup cashew butter
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Chocolate Hazelnut Bites
- In a clean food processor, add nuts, dates and nut butter.
- Pulse mixture on high until it begins to bind together.
- Remove top and add cacao powder and pulse to incorporate.
- Using a 1oz scoop or a tablespoon, Scoop mixture into 1 oz mounds.
- Shape into balls or press into heart-shaped candy molds. If using a mold allow bites to chill in the freezer for 5 minutes before un-molding.
Hazelnut Praline Bites
- Toast hazelnuts on low heat until slightly warmed and smells like browned butter.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- In a clean food processor, add nuts, dates and nut butter.
- Pulse mixture on high until it begins to bind together.
- Using a 1oz scoop or a tablespoon, scoop mixture into 1 oz mounds. shape into balls or cylinder shapes.
Strawberries n' Cream Bites
- In a clean, dry food processor, pulse freeze-dried strawberries until the consistency of a powder.
- Remove powder from the food processor and set aside.
- Add nuts, dates and nut butter to the food processor. Pulse mixture on high until it begins to bind together.
- Add half of strawberry powder and pulse again until incorporated.
- Using a 1 oz scoop or a tablespoon, scoop mixture into 1 oz mounds. Shape into balls and toss in remaining strawberry powder.
To store:
- Store in the refrigerator in a parchment-lined lidded container for up to 4 days. Allow bites to warm up at room temperature before serving.
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