No Bake Granola Dates Energy Bites – Breakfast on the go!
These no-bake sugar-free granola dates energy bites make a great snack for those evening hours when you crave for something sweet and indulgent like cookies. The sweetness of the dates and added nutrition from the nuts make these a great light, nutritious energy-packed snack before a workout too. These make a great breakfast substitute for busy days.
NO Bake Granola Dates Energy Bites
Energy bites in our home are a ritual before we go on our workouts. I use them before I go to my classes, so does Ziv before he goes to his swimming or the gym. Aadi has to have his energy bites before he goes for his basketball practice. If not he feels hungry. Rhea loves to have one before her dance. But in reality, she loves them any time of the day. One of these is all you need to take away those afternoon sugar cravings. Know what I’m talking about? I sometimes eat more than one a day! Just so I can keep my hands off the cookie jar. On busy days I grab these instead of breakfast. Aadi has these for breakfast every day he goes to school because often he wakes up late and has no time for breakfast
NO Bake Granola Dates Energy Bites
Dates the Superfood
I grew up with my mom always saying ‘dates and nuts are good for you’ Guess what she was right!
If you google benefits you will find many resources that speak very highly about dates. Some of the most basic benefits I got from online sources was that it is rich in vitamins, protein, and iron lowers cholesterol, good for bone health, strengthens the nervous system, improves the skin and a few others.
Though it’s high in sugar and calories it actually does help with keeping your weight in check simply by substituting date honey for sugar. Have you heard about date-honey? Being sweet dates make a great substitute for anything that needs sugar. In fact, we buy date honey and often I will substitute date honey for a recipe that calls for sugar. In fact, in our home, we often use date honey instead of regular honey for the kids over yogurts and treats.
Nuts are also a Superfood (google search)
The fact that a lot of people have nut allergies has given nuts the wrong impression. My Aadi actually said – ‘mama don’t eat nuts you can get allergic to them” Now, unless you are allergic to nuts it is highly recommended to add nuts to your diet. They a great source of nutrition, loaded with antioxidants. Like dates nuts are also high in calories and yet they are often associated with weight loss.
NO Bake Granola Dates Energy Bites
Oats another healthy grain
I always want to add oats to our family diet. It’s in incredibly nutritious packed with antioxidants, lowers cholesterol and can improve blood sugar are just a few of the benefits. Unfortunately, my kids don’t fancy oatmeal very much nor do they like it in their desserts. The only oats they ever eat is in my granola! Yup, they do love granola. So I make breakfast parfaits, cookies and energy bites with granola.
NO Bake Granola Dates Energy Bites
Let’s talk ingredients and substitutes – (Save/Pin)
- Dates – This is the glue that keeps it all together!! But if you do not like dates you can use either almond butter or peanut butter. You can then add some dried fruits such as cranberries and raisins for sweetness.
- Nuts – I love nuts and its’a great way to add more nutrition and energy before a workout. I eat one of these and I’m not hungry during my work out.
- Granola – This is where this gets interesting every single time you make it. I make many different flavors of granola. Fruit and nut granola, almond cranberry granola, almond blueberry granola, toasted coconut granola, pecan pie granola, dates and sunflower seed granola. You can find a few of these here on my site. So you see everytime the base is different so the results are also different.
I highly recommend using homemade or at least sugar-free. Most over the counter granola mixes are loaded with added sugar which defeats the purpose of making this. - Toasted Oats – are a great substitute of the granola if you cannot find a sugar free granola or don’t have homemade at home.
- Spices – I think cinnamon is the most preferred in our home but you can add pumpkin spice or gingerbread spice if you prefer.
NO Bake Granola Dates Energy Bites
Recipe – Granola Dates Energy Bites (Save/Pin)
Tools
NO Bake Granola Dates Energy Bites
Ingredients
- Mejdool Dates – 24
- Mixed nuts – 1 cups (cashews, almonds, macadamia, hazelnuts)
- Granola – 2 cups (find my recipes here)
- Ground cinnamon – 1/2 tsp
- Ground nutmeg – 1/4 tsp
- Vanilla – 1 tsp
Method
- Pit the dates and discard any loose dry skin.
- Place the dates in a food processor and pulse until breadcrumb consistency
- Add the nuts and pulse some more
- Add the granola, spices, salt, and vanilla.
- Pulse until coarse breadcrumb consistency.
- You should be able to smooch some into a ball.
- Use a cookie scoop to ensure you have similar size balls.
- Make balls and leave on a plate uncovered for 30 minutes.
- When the outside is aired and feels dry to touch.
- Store them in a cookie jar or box
- These will stay for a week outside the fridge or up to three weeks in the fridge.
- Enjoy!
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You can find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.
NO Bake Granola Dates Energy Bites
NO Bake Granola Dates Energy Bites
Ingredients
- 24 Mejdool dates
- 1 cup Mixed nuts cashews, almonds, macadamia, hazelnuts
- 2 cups Granola or toasted oats
- 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pit the dates and discard any loose dry skin.
- Place the dates in a food processor and pulse until breadcrumb consistency
- Add the nuts and pulse some more
- Add the granola, spices, salt, and vanilla.
- Pulse until coarse breadcrumb consistency.
- You should be able to smooch some into a ball.
- Use a cookie scoop to ensure you have similar size balls.
- Make balls and leave on a plate uncovered for 30 minutes.
- When the outside is aired and feels dry to touch.
- Store them in a cookie jar or box
- These will stay for a week outside the fridge or up to three weeks in the fridge.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Love Cookies? Me too! You may like to check out some of my other cookie recipes.
Or Click here to see a Recipe Index of all recipes on my blog.
Must have cookie jar recipe collection by Veena Azmanov
Notaro
Made these last weekend. Loved it. Was perfect for my before the gym snack. Thanks for sharing
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Nataro. So happy to here you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for coming back to write this feedback. Always happy to here from those who try my recipes. Please do tag me on Instagram @veenaazmanov when you share so I can see it. Or you can share it with me on my Facebook Page.
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
This is exactly what I need with all the high-calorie foods around. Sometimes I don’t even have a chance to eat lunch and these delicious-looking bites would be perfect. Even on busy shopping, I could carry some in my bag. Thank you, Veena.
Veena Azmanov
I often use these when I am busy preparing for my class and I have not time to eat breakfast or lunch. They are so nutritious.
Michelle
Those look absolutely delicious. What a perfect breakfast idea – and one I don’t have to feel guilty about!
Veena Azmanov
Absolutely no guilt. These make perfect breakfast on the go or snack for those sweet cravings
Denise Wright
This is such a healthy and yet tasty treat. I just bought some dates and they are so sweet and luscious I’m going to have to make these today. You have me craving them!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks Denise – I think you will love these.. We love them.
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
These are such a great snack…especially during this really hectic holiday season. We all need a little extra energy to get us through the LONG LONG days of holiday madness. Perfect for the kids to help make too.
Veena Azmanov
Definitely Gloria. Love these on hand all the time…
Jolina
These look amazing! And so perfect. And lucky for me, I love oats 🙂 I don’t work with dates a lot, thanks for the tip about discarding the dry skin.
Veena Azmanov
I love oats too! Nuts and dates too so it’s my favorite.