Cinnamon Apple Energy Bites
on Dec 03, 2014, Updated Jul 16, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These Cinnamon Apple Energy Bites are perfect for a pre-workout or after school snack! They’re easy to make, gluten-free, vegan and you’ll love the cinnamon apple flavor!
Tis the season for a non-stop supply of cookies, candy and desserts staring you in the face. I have a serious weakness for dessert, especially Christmas treats, I can’t keep my hands off of them. If you have the same problem as me, then it’s essential that you make these Cinnamon Apple Energy Bites to ward off the cookie cravings!
Lately I feel like all I’ve been doing is shoving one cookie after another in my mouth. They’ve all been delicious, but I’m starting to get a little disgusted with myself. I know it’s the time of the year when overindulging is expected, but I really don’t want January to come and find out I have to run off 10 extra pounds of gingerbread, eggnog and peppermint ice cream!
To help combat my sugar cravings I decided to make a healthier snack that would still let me feel like I was eating a sweet treat.
These Cinnamon Apple Energy Bites are the perfect cure for your sweet tooth. The best part is they’re guilt free, unlike those 3 cookies I shoved in my mouth yesterday.
The energy bites are a combination of dried apples, oats, almonds, dates, cinnamon, allspice, and maple syrup for sweetness. To make them, start by soaking the dates in hot water for 10 minutes. Don’t throw out the water the dates soak in.
Add all of the ingredients to a food processor or high-speed blender and blend them until they form a paste/dough consistency. You may need to add a couple of tablespoons of the water that the dates soaked in if you find the mixture isn’t combining.
Once the energy bite paste is made, take a tablespoon of it and roll it into a ball. I like to have damp hands when I roll them to keep the dough from sticking too much.The Cinnamon Apple Energy Bites are best stored in the refrigerator or freezer. I prefer to pull mine right out of the freezer and eat them, but you can also let them sit out for a few minutes to get soft.
The flavor of these Cinnamon Apple Energy Bites can best be described as having a little piece of apple pie without the crust. The combination of the dates, dried apples, and maple syrup makes these perfectly sweet, and the almonds and oats add a nice nutty flavor to them.
If you’re like me and trying to control your cookie intake this month, then make a batch of these healthy Cinnamon Apple Energy Bites to have on hand for those days when your sweet tooth is calling!
Cinnamon Apple Energy Bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried apples
- 1/2 cup medjool dates, pits removed
- 1/2 cup unsalted almonds
- 1/2 cup old fashioned oats, gluten-free if needed
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice optional
- 2 tablespoons water, more if needed
Instructions
- Soak the dates in hot water for 10 minutes. Add all of the ingredients to a food processor or high speed blender and blend until the mixture turns into a paste or dough like consistency.
- Scoop out heaping tablespoons of the mixture and roll into balls. Store the energy bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Energy Bites
Thanks for the yummy recipe. I ended up making it a few times in a row. The third time, I ran out of almonds and used almond flour (1/2 cup almonds = 1/3 cup almond flour (meal)) and it worked fine. I almost preferred it as there were no hard almond bits to bite down on. I also used ‘generic’ dates and it worked fine. I think they’d be great snacks to take on a hiking trek.
Thanks for trying out the energy bites, they are one of my favorite snacks! Glad to hear the almond meal worked, I’ll have to try that out next time I make them!
These are so, so amazing. I dried my on apples in the oven, and toasted raw almonds in the oven for 10mins, at 350.
This resulted in warm, and delicious apple bits. The recipe only yielded a dozen for me, so my only recommendation is to double or triple the recipe, and if you want more of an apple taste, to add 1.5 cups instead of 1. One of my new kitchen staples.
What a great idea to dry your own apples and toast the almonds Corinda! I’m so happy to hear you like them!
can i use fresh apples
Hi! I haven’t made these with fresh apples, but I’m afraid they might have too much moisture in them and make the energy bites too wet. If you do try it, I’d love to know how they turn out.
Sorry but would you mind explaining what dried apples are if not freeze dried? Also the dates you list….are those just regular dates? Thanks so much!
Hi Stephanie. When I say dried apples I mean the chewy ones like other dried fruits such as apricots, raisins, cranberries, etc. I usually buy mine at Whole Foods or Trader Joes, but most grocery stores should carry them. Medjool dates are typically larger than other dates, contain more moisture, and are sweeter. They are the ones I recommend using, but if you can’t find them other dates may work as well. You may need to soak them longer and possibly use more of them.
Do you think I could substitute dry roasted sunflower seeds for the almonds? My son has a nut allergy, but can eat seeds. Thanks!
Hi Katie! I haven’t tried replacing almonds for sunflower seeds, but it’s definitely worth a shot. I would think you should have similar results in consistency. I hope they turn out for you!
Is there a way I might fit quinoa into this recipe? I have a vegetarian teen daughter, so I am always aiming for protein.
Hi Debbie! I’m not sure how the end result would be, but you could try replacing half or possibly all of the oats with quinoa flakes (Ancient Harvest makes some). The protein is slightly higher per serving than oats. I haven’t tried this myself so I can’t guarantee the results. If you do try it I’d love to hear how they turn out. Good luck!
Thank you, thank you!!! My kids and I absolutely LOVE these. They are so easy to make and a great alternative to sugary cookies. A new lunch box favorite.
I’m so happy to hear you guys like them Christine! Thanks for trying them out!
Thanks so much, Danae, I appreciate it. Not quite as low calorie as I had hoped, considering they are totally addictive. HaHa!
Just curious as to the calorie counts of these and of your pumpkin energy bites. I made these last night and they are fabulous!
I’m glad you enjoyed them! When I figured out the calories it came out to about 48 calories per energy bite.
Wondering if you need the dried apples for the consistency of the mixture? Could I use apple slices or apple sauce instead?
Hi Melissa! I think using the dried apples is important for the consistency of the energy bite. While I haven’t tried it with fresh apple slices or applesauce I’d be afraid that they would be too wet and wouldn’t hold their shape.