These energy bites are the perfect fall snack when you are craving a delicious treat! They are dairy free, naturally sweetened with dates, and paleo and vegan-friendly.
Place the sunflower seeds in the bowl of a large food processor fitted with an "S" blade and process them into a fine flour. Add in the dates, coconut, pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt and process until a sticky dough is formed. At this point, you can taste the batter and see if you'd like to make any adjustments-- add in more nuts for a drier texture, more dates for sweetness, or more spice to taste.
Use a one-inch cookie scooper to drop the dough onto a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper, making roughly 24 balls. Place them in the freezer to set until firm, about 2 hours. Serve chilled for best texture. (They will soften at room temperature but they're still tasty!) When stored in an airtight container in the freezer, these bites should keep well for at least 6 months.
Notes
I used sunflower seeds in this recipe to keep it nut-free, but I imagine using pecans or walnuts would make it taste even better! Feel free to use any nut or seed of your choice.