Sugar Cookie Energy Bites

These sugar cookie energy bites are both sweet and healthy. Make a batch in only a few minutes and include them as part of your energetic, nutritional diet. We used oats combined with cashews to create a perfect no-bake sugar cookie base, then we added the perfect flavorings, and of course, a few sprinkles for playful color!

Sugar Cookie Energy Bites

Have one of these sweet, healthy sugar cookie energy balls as part of your energetic, nutrition-focused diet. Your sweet tooth and your desire to eat nutritionally can finally be at peace. 

If you love nutritional, sweet treats, be sure to take a look at my Almost Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, my Energy Date Balls, or these Vegan Truffles.

Why is This the Best Recipe?

  • Raw cashews provide a neutral base for these cookies, making them light in color and chewy in texture
  • Vanilla extract adds the flavor we’re looking for in a sugar cookie
  • Rolled oats add the perfect chewy texture to these tasty treats.

Key Ingredients

You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:

  • Rolled oats — I use rolled oats, otherwise referred to as old-fashioned oats.
  • Cashews — You can buy raw cashews at health food stores or online.
  • Syrup sweetener — I prefer to use maple syrup or agave.
  • Peanut butter
  • Vanilla extract
  • Salt — A bit of salt adds depth of flavor.
  1. In your food processor bowl, add the oats and cashews. Pulse for a few seconds, until a course mixture results.
  2. Add the syrup sweetener of your choice and peanut butter. Pulse until combined.
  3. Next, add the vanilla extract and salt. Pulse until combined.
  4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and roll into balls.
  5. Store in an airtight container in your fridge for up to two weeks.

What Are Energy Bites?

Energy bites are made from a mixture of natural ingredients, including oats, nuts, seeds, dates, and maple syrup. They’re nutritionally dense treats that give you energy to get through your day, thus the name, energy bites.

I created something very similar several years ago, I just didn’t call it an energy bite. I called it a Date Ball. Energy Bites are much more hip these days, and you know, that’s so me…so I think I’ll go with that instead.

Storage Tips

Store energy balls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They can be refrigerated for up to 10 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

This recipe is such a great, natural way to quench your sweet tooth. Energy bites are sweet but also so good for you.

Several sugar cookie energy bites sit on a table. There are pink, red, and white heart-shaped sprinkles all around the table and on some of the energy bites. Beside them are two bowls, one with cashews and one with oatmeal.

Energy Bites Are Healthy

Not only is this recipe healthy, it’s also gluten-free. Here’s a rundown of some of the nutrition from these energy bites, based on their ingredients:

  • Oatmeal is good for you. You’ll find manganese, biotin, magnesium, fiber, and more.
  • Cashews are a great source of magnesium, copper, and zinc.
  • Even Maple Syrup has some benefits. First of all, it falls lower on the glycemic index than regular sugar. Maple Syrup is made from the sap of trees and therefore has some trace minerals as well.

I love to have one of these sugar cookie energy bites prior to a tennis match. They provide me lots of great energy without making me feel like I’ve got something heavy in my stomach. Every activity you’re involved in — whether it’s running a 5K, yoga, tennis, and more — requires energy. Making sure you find the right source for that energy is important.

More Energy Bites

Everyone loves these no-bake sugar cooke energy bites! Here are even more tasty energy bite recipes to try:

Several no-bake sugar cookie energy bites sit on a counter top with a bunch of multi-colored heart-shaped sprinkles around them. There are two white bowls holding ingredients, including whole cashews and rolled oatmeal.

Marly’s Tips

  • I love the flavor of almond in my vegan sugar cookies, so using half raw almonds and half cashews would work.
  • If you don’t want to use maple syrup, why not add pitted dates? They will be a little darker in color, but they will taste just as good.
  • Add a pinch of cinnamon or ginger to the dough.
  • Roll the finished sugar cookie energy bites in chopped almonds for added crunch.
A group of Sugar Cookie Energy Bites sits on a white surface surrounded by red and pink heart-shaped confetti

Sugar Cookie Energy Bites

These No Bake Sugar Cookie Energy Bites are both sweet and healthy. Make a batch in only a few minutes and include them as part of your energetic, healthy diet.
4.50 from 2 votes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 12 balls
Calories: 63kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • ½ cup cashews raw or roasted
  • 4 to 5 tablespoons syrup sweetener maple, agave, or honey
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt I used sea salt

Instructions

  • In your food processor bowl, add the oats and cashews. Pulse for a few seconds, until a course mixture results.
  • Add the syrup sweetener of your choice and peanut butter. Pulse until combined.
  • Next, add the vanilla extract and salt. Pulse until combined.
  • Transfer the mixture to a bowl and roll into balls.
  • Store in an airtight container in your fridge for up to two weeks.

Recommended Equipment

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Notes

You can use almond butter or cashew butter in place of the peanut butter. 
Substitute almond extract for the vanilla extract for a different flavor profile with these energy bites.
Depending on how much syrup sweetener you use, you may want to add additional oats so that the batter is not too sticky.
Calories: 63kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 68mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.7mg

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

This post was originally published in 2018 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2021.

7 Responses to Sugar Cookie Energy Bites

  1. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyKim Reply

    4 stars
    I think they would be good with a little almond extract added in. I had to add extra oats because they were too sticky when I followed the recipe.

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Thanks, Kim! You know, I tried them with almond extract and I ended up liking the vanilla better. I think because it reminded me of the sweet vanilla frosting on sugar cookies. But that said, I love almond extract as a flavoring so I truly appreciate your adaptation. Thanks for your note about the oats, I’ll add that to the notes section of the recipe. Sometimes it takes a village to get a recipe just right!

  2. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyAnne Reply

    How much salt do you suggest? It’s in the instructions but not in the ingredients list. Thanks Marly, this looks yummy! 🙂

  3. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyEric Reply

    5 stars
    Loved them. Made them before a 52 mile bike ride and they helped bring me back home!

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      OK, Eric. Your message is SO timely because Shawn and I are going on a 40-some mile bike ride next month so now I know I’m going to pack these Energy Bites! We’re going in a group so maybe I’ll have to bring enough to share with others. 🙂

  4. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyJenna Reply

    Recipe instructions discuss dates…but dates are not listed in ingredients??

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Thanks, Jenna. When I first tested this recipe I wanted to use dates as a sweetener, but it didn’t give the same flavor and color that I wanted so I switched to a syrup sweetener. I changed it in the ingredients but not in the instructions. Thanks for catching that!

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