Pumpkin Cookie Dough Bites

These pumpkin cookie dough bites are filled with oats, flax seed, pumpkin puree, honey or maple syrup and dark chocolate chips.

They're absolutely delicious, nutritious AND filling, which is what makes a delightful snack.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Energy bites are basically a 2 or 3 bite snack that are nutrient-packed, such as these pumpkin cookie dough bites.
2. They provide a good boost of macronutrients (we discuss this in more depth later in this blog) and give sustainable energy until the next mealtime.
3. They're pretty easy to make, as all of the ingredients basically get stirred together in a bowl, then rolled up into balls/bites.
4. This version is a mixture of pure pumpkin puree, peanut butter, ground flax seed, oats, honey or maple syrup, vanilla extract and dark chocolate chips.
5. Once the ingredients are all mixed together, you can stick the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to let the dough harden up a bit to make them easier to roll.
6. Or, you can dive right in if you can't wait to eat a few!

Ingredient Substitutions and Alterations

• For the pumpkin. I love the addition of pumpkin to energy bites because it provides unique flavor and a boost of fiber, vitamins and minerals.
  • You may argue pumpkin is for fall only, but I eat these babies year-round!
  • If you want to omit the pumpkin, you certainly can, or you can change things up and use butternut squash or sweet potato puree - whichever you have on hand.
• For the oats. You can use old-fashioned rolled oats, quick oats or even steel cut.
  • If you follow a gluten free diet, choose oats that are certified gluten free.
• For the sweetener. I like to use honey or maple syrup in my energy bites because the stickiness helps them hold together.
  • You could try using agave nectar or date syrup, as well.
  • You could even throw dates in the food processor and use the paste as a sweetener.
• For the peanut butter. Any nut butter will work here, such as peanut, almond or cashew.
  • And if you're following a nut free diet, you could use sunflower butter or tahini (sesame seed paste).
• For the extract. Vanilla extract is pretty classic for energy bites, as it's flavor goes well with typical energy bite ingredients.
  • But, there are a ton of extracts out there that will add unique and fun flavors to your energy bites, such as almond or maple extract. Yum!
• For the chocolate chips. You can really use any mix-in for this recipe, including dried fruit, chopped nuts or chocolate chunks.
  • Mix it up to keep things interesting!

Storage Instructions

• At room temperature. Store the energy bites in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
• In the refrigerator. Store the energy bites in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 weeks.
• In the freezer. Store the energy bites in an airtight container in the freezer up to 2 months.

What makes a snack nutritious?

• Protein. Protein helps build strong muscles and keeps you full and satisfied longer than if you consumed a snack with just carbohydrates or just fat
  • The protein in this recipe comes from the nut butter.
  • For a higher protein energy bite recipe, add in a few spoonfuls of protein powder (be sure to choose a flavor that goes well with your mixture).
• Fiber. Fiber also helps keep you full and satisfied, and can also help keep your cholesterol and digestive health in check.
  • In this recipe, the fiber comes from the oats, pumpkin puree and flax seed.
• Heart-Healthy Fats. Fats are another macro that help keep you satiated, so be sure to include mono- and polyunsaturated fats in your diet.
  • In this recipe, the heart-healthy fats come from the nut butter and flax seed (flax has omega 3 fatty acids!).
• A note on sugar: These bites takes a whole lot better with the maple syrup or honey.
  • Yes, they add a bit of sugar, but not too much. It's important to enjoy the foods you eat, so don't be afraid to use a little bit of sugar here and there.

Other Delish Pumpkin Recipes:

• Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
• Pumpkin Muffins with Pistachio Crumble
• Maple Pumpkin Butter
• Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Donuts
• Spiced Pumpkin Bread
• Pumpkin Crumb Bars

Print