Chunky, delicious and easy to make, these flavorful no bake Oatmeal Energy Bites with cranberries, pistachios, dates and chocolate chips are the perfect healthy and guilt-free snack or dessert!

Healthy meets delicious with these naturally sweetened healthy oatmeal energy bites studded with chunky bites of cranberries, pistachios and chocolate chips!

This energy bite recipe is:

gluten free
clean eating
no bake
quick and easy
healthy
& wholesome

Full of flavor and goodness you can taste in every bite, these colorful energy bites make a perfect dessert or snack!

You are officially warned, these are delicious and won’t last long. But not to worry because they’re easy to make so you can whip up more in a cinch!

Without further ado, let’s get to it!

Table of Contents

Ingredients You’ll Need

In the recipe, a cinnamon date paste is made and mixed with oats, cranberries, pistachios, and chocolate chips then rolled into healthy energy bites for a nourishing and delicious snack.

Here is everything you will need, plus ingredient substitution ideas:

dates – medjool dates, fresh as possible
oats – old fashioned oats preferred
cranberries – dried or fresh
pistachios – pref unsalted or lightly salted
seeds – any small seed such as chia, hemp hearts or flaxseed meal
cardamom – or cinnamon (optional)

How to make Healthy Oatmeal Energy Bites

(Note – The full printable recipe is at the bottom of this post)

Start by making your date paste. Place dates, water (or maple syrup), seeds of choice (I used chia seeds), optional spice and salt into the bowl of a food processor or high speed blender. Process until the mixture becomes a paste like consistency, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed to push the ingredients down.

In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the oats, pistachios, cranberries and chocolate chips, add in the date paste and mix well.
Using a tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop up rounded tablespoons and roll into bite size balls, packing them well.

And that’s it! Now you’re ready to snack on these chunky bits of goodness!

Top Tips

Keep your hands clean. This mixture is somewhat loose and needs to be packed well when rolling. Keeping your hands clean will help greatly in the process. Be sure to rinse your hands after every few balls, leaving a little moisture on your hands.

How To Store

Refrigerator: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freezer: For longer storage, energy balls will keep in the freezer for up to 2 – 3 months. To freeze, place the balls on a baking sheet or plate, about 1 inch apart, place in the freezer for a few hours (this will help them not stick together). Once frozen you can store them in freezer safe ziplock bags or containers. Let thaw in the refrigerator a few hours before snacking.

More No-Bake Recipes

If you try this easy no bake recipe or have a question, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.

CRANBERRY PISTACHIO OATMEAL ENERGY BITES

head on view of freshly rolled oatmeal energy bites with pistachios and cranberries on a plate.

These chunky and delicious no-bake energy bites with oatmeal, pistachios, cranberries, and chocolate chips are full of flavor and wholesome nutrition!

Author: Julie | The Simple Veganista
Prep Time: 40 min
Total Time: 40 min
Yield: Makes 16 - 18 1x
Category: Snack, Dessert
Method: food processor
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan

Scale

Ingredients

Date Paste

1 cup medjool dates, pitted and chopped (about 11 – 12 dates)
1/4 cup water (or pure maple syrup)
1 tablespoon chia seeds, hemp hearts or flaxseed meal
1/2 teaspoon cardamom (or cinnamon), optional
pinch of mineral salt

Fold-Ins

1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup unsalted pistachios (lightly salted ok too)
1 cup cranberries (dried or fresh chopped)
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, cacao nibs, or a dark chocolate bar chopped into small pieces

Instructions

Paste: Place dates, water (or maple syrup), seeds of choice, optional spice and salt into the bowl of a food processor or high speed blender. Process until it becomes a paste like consistency, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed to push the ingredients down.

Mix: In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the oats, pistachios, cranberries and chocolate chips, add in the date paste and mix well.

Roll: Using a tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop up rounded tablespoons and roll into bite size balls. This mixture is somewhat loose and will need to be packed well into ball shapes. It helps to rinse your hands after every few balls, leaving a little moisture on your hands, to remove any excess date paste (otherwise it gets to be messy and the balls don’t roll as well).

Makes about 16 – 18

Store: Keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week. For longer storage, keep in the freezer for up to 2 – 3 months. Let thaw before eating.

Notes

If you can, try using fresh chopped cranberries in place of dried. They a little tartness and pair well with the sweetness of some of the other ingredients without adding refined sugars that are usually in dried cranberries. You can find organic dried cranberries that use pure cane sugar or applesauce to sweeten the berries. Fresh is always best so give it a try sometime, you may be surprised how good they are in this recipe.

Updated: Cranberry Pistachio Oatmeal Energy Bites was originally published in December 2012. It has been updated with new photos and helpful tips in April 2020.

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