I could seriously live off these things. Energy bites, protein balls, power bites, no-bake bites, whatever you wanna call them are something I make weekly and keep on hand at all times.
They’re absolutely perfect for a pre-workout snack, post-workout snack, on-the-go breakfast, or healthy dessert. Or, that 3pm sweet craving. I know you know the struggle. I can’t stress enough how much I LOVE these. They taste seriously sinful, but they’re super healthy and made from dates and nuts.
Usually when I make my bites for the week, I don’t use a recipe. I pretty much use whatever nuts, nut butter, dried fruit, dates, chia seeds, oats, and protein powder I have on hand. I throw a bunch of random stuff in the food processor and give it a whirl.
I am going to start writing down what I put in, because there have been so many times where they turned out SO delicious and I wanted to re-create them, but had no idea what proportion of ingredients I used. This is the start of me breaking my habit.
This is the first time I stuffed them…which was the BEST idea. I can never have too much nut butter. It’s kind of a problem. Use whatever you have on hand, like peanut butter or cashew butter.
Also, I think we can all agree that dark chocolate and coffee flavor are a match made in heaven. SO amazing. So many good things going on here!
To make these extra delicious, I drizzled them with a little extra dark chocolate. Totally optional, but deffffinitely recommended. It just adds that little extra something and helps to bring out the espresso flavor.
I can’t tell you how many times these bites have saved my life. Well, that might be a little dramatic, but still. I’m someone that gets SUPER hangry and moody when I’m hungry. Trust me, you don’t want to be around me. Having a few of these in my purse at all times is crucial. I also keep a quart sized ziplock filled with various protein bars in my purse at all times. #dontjudge
You will LOVE these. I can’t stress it enough. Go make them!
Chocolate Espresso Almond Butter Stuffed Energy Bites
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 c. medjool dates, packed, and then pitted
- 1/2 c. almonds
- 1/2 c. pecans
- 2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp. espresso powder
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 2 T. almond butter (the natural, drippy kind)
- 2 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 tsp. coconut oil
Instructions
In a food processor, pulse the almonds, pecans, cocoa powder, cinnamon, espresso powder, and salt until very fine. Add pitted dates and vanilla and pulse a few times, then process until mixture comes together. This may take a minute or two depending on the strength of your food processor. Roll into 12 balls.
Slightly flatten each ball and fill with a tiny spoonful of almond butter, then squeeze together and roll back into balls.
Place chopped chocolate into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between until just melted. Mine took just under a minute and a half. Stir in the coconut oil. Drizzle bites with chocolate and freeze for 30 minutes. After freezing, store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks!
I would love to try this recipe – looks delicious!! Where can I find espresso powder? Is this the same as Instant Coffee?
Thank you for sharing and I can’t wait to try this out!
Thank you so much! It’s not the same as instant coffee – it is much more concentrated and has a deeper, richer espresso flavor. It’s usually sold in the coffee aisle, in a small glass jar! Let me know if you try it 🙂