Name: No-Bake Pumpkin Energy Bites
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 cup hulled sunflower seeds; 1 cup dates (, pitted (about 7 ounces)); 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut; 1/4 cup pumpkin puree; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger; pinch of nutmeg; pinch of salt

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These snacks were a life-saver this weekend.

I originally made them as an experimental pumpkin spiced Larabar recipe, hoping they’d be a good nut-free school option, but the dough was a little too sticky to form into bars using my hands. So, I ended up using my trusty cookie scoop to drop the dough onto a lined cookie sheet and placed the pan in the freezer for them to firm-up. They turned out deliciously, and my son keeps requesting more of these “puh-keen snacks,” so I threw them in a baggie for our flight this weekend, along with a jar of almond butter and a box of dates. (Dates and spoonfuls of almond butter are currently his favorite things ever.)

Little did I know, almond butter counts as a “liquid” at airport security, so we got held up by the TSA agents. This isn’t unusual for me, as I usually travel with smoothies for my son, too, and we’re used to having those smoothies tested before we’re allowed to proceed to our gate. However, this time the agent informed me that the almond butter couldn’t be tested the same way the smoothies were, and that they’d have to throw the almond butter away. I was crushed! (We had a LONG layover ahead of us, so I was counting on using that almond butter as a distraction for my toddler… the longer it takes him to eat, the better it is for everyone in the airport.) I asked her if there was any I could have the almond butter tested, and she told me I could wait for someone to do an extra pat-down type of security exam done on myself, and then I could take the almond butter with me. Hmm….

We didn’t have that kind of time on our hands, and I have no idea how a pat-down would make the almond butter any safer, so I dropped it and lost the almond butter. Luckily, these pumpkin snacks were a hit while we were waiting for our flight to board, and even though they got a little soft after being in my bag for several hours, they were still delicious! I hope you and your family will enjoy them this Fall, too.

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No-Bake Pumpkin Energy Bites
Makes 24 one-inch balls

Ingredients:

1 cup hulled sunflower seeds
1 cup dates, pitted (about 7 ounces)
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of salt

Directions:

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.

No-Bake Pumpkin Energy Bites

4.50 from 2 votes

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.

prep5 mins total10 mins

Servings:24

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Ingredients

1 cup hulled sunflower seeds
1 cup dates , pitted (about 7 ounces)
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of salt

Instructions

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.

Nutrition

Author: Megan Gilmore

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dates, pumpkin, snack

Calories per energy bite: 64, Fat: 4g, Carbohydrates: 6g, Fiber: 1g, Protein: 1g

Enjoy!

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Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite travel snack? We usually like to bring smoothies with us to stay hydrated, but I think next time I might bring some homemade pumpkin seed granola, too!