Chocolate Hazelnut No Bake Energy Bites

Incredibly easy 4 ingredient chocolate hazelnut no bake energy bites that come together in 5 minutes and taste like Nutella in a bite! These energy balls are entirely vegan, gluten free, and sweetened with only dates!

4 Ingredient Energy Bite Recipe

I love a decadent yet healthy vegan snack as much as the next gal, but often times I’m just looking for something quick and that I don’t need to put a lot of thought into.

Enter in these hazelnut chocolate no bake energy balls. Quite literally ready in under 10 minutes, and then you’ll have vegan snacks and desserts for days.

And it’s true: this simple vegan energy ball recipe is made with quite literally only 4 ingredients.

Halzenuts

100% chocolate

Dates

Cacao powder

Of course, you can add in a few different ingredients as well if you want to really make a fancy snack, but in their essence, these energy bites are the epitome of minimal lifestyle.

Made with a homemade hazelnut butter, melted chocolate, and sweetened with nature’s candy (aka dates), you won’t believe the decadence that overpower your senses when you take a bite.

Basically like eating a ball of healthy vegan Nutella, if we’re being honest 😉

Are energy balls good for you?

I don’t like saying foods are good vs others are bad for you, because I don’t like to play into the duality and judgment that has basically ransacked the food and wellness communities.

But I will always take the time to highlight the benefits of a recipe so that we can celebrate the good in all food. That’s my motto at least.

Now, what’s cool about these hazelnut chocolate energy balls is that they’re completely vegan, dairy free, grain free, and gluten free, so for those with allergies to eggs, dairy, and gluten, these bites are for you (and everyone, we don’t need to follow a label to enjoy these!).

Another cool thing about these energy bites is that we’re using 100% cacao. Now, I know that seems like it will be really bitter, but trust me, the dates are so sweet, that there is absolutely no bitterness (just rich and decadent chocolate in every bite!).

The flavanols in cacao may actually contribute to improving one’s mood (no wonder I feel so happy eating chocolate!), and dates actually contain minerals that may improve bone health.

How to make no bake energy bites

These no bake energy bites come together as easily as 1, 2, 3!

1. Add the hazelnuts to a food processor and pulse for a few seconds. Then remove about 1/2 cup to save for the nut topping. Continue to pulse the hazelnut until it’s a smooth and creamy hazelnut butter. You can also roast the hazelnuts beforehand if you’d like a really toasted hazelnut flavor!
2. Once the hazelnut butter is smooth, add in the remaining ingredients and pulse until it’s a sticky dough.
3. Make the energy balls! Simply use a cookie scoop to roll the dough and then lightly coat it in the hazelnuts. Place onto a baking sheet and into the freezer to chill for 15 minutes.

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That’s truly it! These hazelnut chocolate energy bites are the epitome of an easy vegan snack or dessert.

How to customize these chocolate hazelnut no bake energy bites

If you want to expand beyond the 4 ingredients that it takes to make these hazelnut chocolate energy bites, feel free to add in any of the below ingredients!

Oats: if you want to add a bit of density to these bites, you can add in 1/2 cup rolled oats. Keep in mind that these energy bites will no longer be Paleo, but they can still be gluten free if you use gluten free certified oats.

Seeds: there are a few ways to add in seeds to these healthy vegan snack bites! I recommend using flaxseed or chia seed, and you can just add these right into the food processor as you’re adding in the remaining ingredients. You can also use pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or even add in whole nuts!

Use a different nut butter: maybe hazelnut and chocolate isn’t your thing (don’t worry, I don’t judge; my mom is the same way!). You can also use peanuts and make your own peanut butter for chocolate peanut butter energy bites or add in almonds, walnuts, pecans, or a mix of nuts!

Use carob powder: if you can’t have chocolate, not a problem! Use melted carob chips and carob powder in lieu of chocolate.

Spices: if you want to really add some pizazz to these vegan no bake energy balls, add in a teaspoon of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, or the like!

How long do energy bites last? How do I store them?

To store these hazelnut chocolate energy balls, I recommend keeping them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1.5 weeks, or up to 3 months when stored in the freezer.

I actually prefer to eat these energy balls frozen! For whatever reason, when I was a kid, my mom used to always freeze chocolate then eat it frozen, so I think that’s rubbed off on me!

Can I meal prep these?

Absolutely!! These vegan energy balls take all of 10 minutes to make, so you can make them any day of the week (typically, most like to meal prep on Sunday!).

Then you’ll have them for healthy vegan snacks and desserts all throughout the week!

Tips for making chocolate hazelnut no bake energy bites

If you’re struggling to roll the dough, place the dough into the fridge to chill for 10 minutes. This might help with your rolling!

Don’t use sweetened chocolate here! If you do, the bites will be very sweet. If really sweet is your thing, you definitely can, but these energy balls are meant to be more rich and decadent than overpoweringly sweet.

Always store these chocolate energy bites in the fridge or freezer. Not only will they last longer, but they’ll also hold their shape better.

Toast the hazelnuts for a more robust hazelnut flavor! Personally, this is what I like to do, but if you want a true no bake energy ball, this energy bite recipe is just as amazing with raw hazelnuts.

I hope you love these hazelnut chocolate no bake energy bites as much as I do! If you make them, let me know down below in the comments section, as well as giving it a rating so that others can see.

As always, I love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there!

Happy energy bite making!

More healthy vegan snacks

Healthier Peanut Butter Buckeyes

Homemade Protein Granola Bars

Healthy Vegan Chocolate Truffles (protein packed)

Edible Protein Cookie Dough (Single Serving)

Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!

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