No-Bake Chocolate Cherry Energy Bites

How To Make Energy Bites

Energy bites are incredibly simple to make, requiring very few ingredients and minimal equipment. All you need to make this recipe is a food processor, a plate or baking sheet, and your hands!

Start by adding the medjool dates, dried tart cherries, raw cacao powder, and approximately 1 tablespoon of water to a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients form a paste-like mixture, about 1 minute.

Next, add the hemp seeds, chia seeds, and dark chocolate chips to the food processor, and pulse everything together again for about 30 seconds. I like a bit of texture in my energy bites, so I check to make sure there are still pieces of chocolate chips in tact.

If you’d like your energy bites to have a “topping” (I tried both raw cacao powder for a truffle vibe as well as desiccated coconut), get your topping ingredient(s) ready.

Simply pour a small amount of raw cacao powder or desiccated coconut into a small bowl. This part is optional – if you’d like to leave them “bare” you can do that too. If you’re curious, my personal preference was for the energy bites with the raw cacao powder!

Scoop a small amount of the mixture (about 1 Tbsp worth) into your hands. Roll into balls, then roll the ball into your topping of choice (if desired).

Transfer the finished energy bite onto a small baking sheet or plate. Continue until all the mixture is used up.

Place the completed energy bites into the fridge for 1 hour to let them harden and set. They are now ready to be enjoyed or stored for later!

How To Store Energy Bites

Store your finished energy bites in a airtight container. They can be kept in the fridge for about 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

If storing in the freezer, be sure to let them thaw for a few minutes before eating!

Chocolate Cherry Energy Bite Nutrition Notes

Cacao & Dark Chocolate Nutrition. Dark chocolate (<70% cocoa) is an excellent source of:

• antioxidants, which help to fight free radical damage in the body.
• essential minerals, like iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, potassium, and zinc!

Dried Cherry Nutrition. Like their non-dried counterparts, dried tart cherries are a source of :

• micronutrients like potassium, vitamin C, calcium, and B vitamins.
• antioxidants, like anthocyanins and quercetin, which are known to reduce inflammation and support heart health.

When purchasing dried cherries, try to choose unsweetened versions – like other dried fruit, they are already a source of natural sugars.

Hemp Seed Nutrition. One of my favourite, nutrient-dense seeds – hemp is rich in:

• essential omega-3 fatty acids
• complete plant protein (3 Tbsps provide 10 grams)
• vitamin E
• minerals like phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron, and zinc

Chia Seed Nutrition. My other favourite seed! Chia is an incredible source of:

• dietary fibre (2 Tbsp has 10 grams or 40% of your daily needs)
• anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.
• protein (2 Tbsps provide 4 grams)
• minerals like magnesium, calcium, and iron

Medjool Date Nutrition. Dates are rich in:

• dietary fibre
• essential nutrients like potassium, magnesium, copper, manganese, iron, and vitamin B6
• antioxidants like flavonoids, carotenoids, and phenolic acid, which help to prevent chronic disease and promote health overall.

Like other dried fruit, dates are a natural source of sugar. But because they come with all these other health benefits, I love using dates as an added sugar replacement!

As you can see, these no-bake chocolate cherry energy bites are a great combination of carbohydrates, dietary fibre, protein, and fat. When building a healthy snack, this is the combo of nutrients that I look for to provide a boost of energy (from the carbs), while also keeping blood sugar levels steady, and keeping us full between meals (fat, protein + fibre help to achieve this)!