These Peanut Butter Granola Bites are a healthy little snack to munch on when you are trying to what you are eating.
After an entire month of enjoying holiday food and not working out very much at all, I am ready to jump back on the healthy eating and exercise bandwagon full force.
But don't worry. I have a few other recipes that I will have to jump off the wagon, so I can share them with you soon! It's all about that moderation, right?
Do you set resolutions or goals at the beginning of each new year? My goal is to continue working out in our garage doing some BeachBody workouts and eating lean and green dinners. Eating right and working out isn't about losing weight. I honestly feel better mentally and physically when I fuel my body this way.
But..I'm also planning to also enjoy a few bites of each new dessert that I create because I love me some sugar. I do need to work on my will power though.
When I have Homemade Chocolate Chip Brownies and Reese's Peanut Butter Pudding Cookies in our kitchen, my sweet tooth becomes so much stronger than my will power.
I'm always looking for an easy snack idea, so I made these sweet little granola balls to pacify my sweet tooth. These little oatmeal energy bites did not last very long in our house. My entire family loved them and helped me gobble them up in a hurry. They also loved these Peanut Butter Banana Cookies.
I took the recipe for these No Bake M&M Granola Bars and removed the sugar and then added some peanut butter and a little bit of raw honey. There is no need for any sugar when you use honey to sweeten these healthy no bake granola bites.
Basically the old recipe looks nothing like the new, and these are way softer. I'm a fan of soft chewy granola snacks.
Now I realize the name of this recipe is kind of a farce because something with honey and chocolate chips cannot really be considered a skinny treat. But hey, these are better for you than a candy bar or a chocolate laden cookie, right?
What are skinny granola bites?
They are a no bake mixture of whole grain oats, honey, and peanut butter. That's it. A great little snack that is full of protein and keeps you full until your next meal.
Now I did add some mini chocolate chips to these healthy granola balls because this is me we are talking about. Chocolate is an anti-oxidant right? Totally still healthy-ish in my books.
Oh, and the sprinkles. Just because we are eating healthy doesn't mean we have to cut out sprinkles. They add a little bit of fun and flair without adding too many extra calories. Feel free to leave them out if you have an issue with cutesy sprinkle goodies.
My hubby told me I could make these no bake energy bites again, but he prefers the non-sprinkle version. Boring if you ask me, but whatevs.
I'm just excited to have a "sweet" treat that he is asking for seconds on. Score another point for the baking blog!
Now excuse me while I go polish off the last two skinny bites waiting for me in the kitchen. Wish me luck that I can resist the M&M Blonde Brownies that are also sitting beside them!
How to make Skinny Peanut Butter Granola Bites:
- Stir together the coconut oil, honey, and peanut butter in a small sauce pan over low heat until melted and smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Place the oats in a large bowl and pour the warm peanut butter mixture over them. Stir until all the oats are coated. Let the oat mixture cool for about 30-45 minutes.
- Stir in the mini chocolate chips and sprinkles. Spoon a Tablespoon of the mixture into your hands and press into a ball. Squeeze it together very tightly until if forms a ball. You may need to move it from one hand to another to get it to form a proper ball.
- Place on a piece of parchment and let them dry. Store in a sealed container on the counter or in the refrigerator.
What if I can't get the bites to stay in a ball?
You can also press the entire mixture firmly into a foil or parchment lined 8x8 square pan and let it cool completely. Cut it into 16 squares and press each square into a ball.
Do I have to use peanut butter?
Feel free to sub any other nut butter in these skinny granola bites.
Can I add anything else to these granola bites?
Yes. You can add nuts, chia seeds, or dried fruits instead of the chocolate chips and sprinkles.
More healthy no bake recipes:
- Almond Joy Energy Bites - honey and almond butter give these little oatmeal bites a sweet taste
- Healthy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bites - a mixture of peanuts and dates creates a sweet little snack that tastes great
- No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake - little cheesecake cups are a sweet and healthy treat to serve for dessert
- Raspberry Orange Frozen Yogurt Bowls - add fresh fruit and granola to the top of this healthy frozen yogurt for a sweet treat
- No Bake Apricot Chia Energy Bars - dried fruits and chia seeds come together in one easy sweet treat
Recipe
Peanut Butter Granola Bites
Peanut butter and honey make these Peanut Butter Granola Bites a healthy little snack to munch on when you are trying to what you are eating.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 3 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips
- 2 Tablespoons sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- In a saucepan heat the coconut oil, honey, and peanut butter until melted and creamy. Stir in the vanilla. Pour over the oats in a large bowl. Stir until thoroughly coated.
- Let the peanut butter oatmeal mixture cool on the counter for 30-45 minutes. You can refrigerate it to help cool it down, if needed.
- Stir in the mini chocolate chips and sprinkles. Take Tablespoons of oats in your hand and press very firmly until it forms a ball shape. You will have to squeeze the mixture very firmly to get it to stay in a ball.
- Set on a piece of wax paper to dry. Makes 16 granola bites. Store in a sealed container on your counter or in the fridge.
Notes
You can also press the mixture very firmly into a greased 8x8 pan, refrigerate, then cut into 16 even squares. From there you can either eat them square or press into the ball shape.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 126Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 20mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gProtein: 2g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
*This post for Skinny Peanut Butter Granola Bites was originally published on January 9, 2014. The post and pictures have been updated and republished on January 2, 2019.
Rachel
How do you recommend storing these?
Jocelyn Brubaker
You can store them in a sealed container on the counter. Thanks for pointing that out...I'll add it to the recipe 🙂
Jessica Fust
Do you use melted coconut oil? I have made these a few times as bars. If I store them at room temperature they tend to fall apart. Any ideas.
Jocelyn
My coconut oil is solid when I start out, but it melts down with the peanut butter and honey. I just made another batch of these and they are sitting on my counter in balls. I do not refrigerate my mixture. After I stir the oats in to the hot peanut butter mixture, I set the pan aside for about 30 minutes. Then stir in the sprinkles & chocolate chips and compress it with my hands into 16 balls. It should be wet enough to press everything together, then let them sit on the counter to dry. I hope that helps!
Alisha Clark
How many calories are in this recipe?
Jocelyn Brubaker
Hi, Alisha. I haven't actually done a calorie count on these. You can use your favorite online calorie counter and input the ingredients. Someone earlier did it and said around 100 calories per bite. If you leave out the chocolate chips and sprinkles you can save a few calories too.
Angels
What about mini white chocolate chips? I love white chocolate.
Jocelyn Brubaker
I have actually never seen the white chips in miniatures, but if you can find them, I think that sounds like a great idea. You could also chop up regular white chips to use too!
Amy Davis
These look so yummy! I just made them, but mine did not pack into cute little balls like yours did. I firmly shaped them until I gave up and packed them into an 8x8 casserole dish. They still taste heavenly, but what did I do wrong? Any pointers?
Jocelyn Brubaker
Hhhhmmm I have made these a few times now and never had a problem getting them to stick into a ball shape. You do need to squeeze each tablespoon of granola rather tightly in your hand to start to get a ball. I usually move it back and forth from each hand squeezing as tight as my fist can. But pressing them into a pan as bars is also a great option...I have done that too. I'm glad you at least liked the taste!
Kristen Duke
These sound like the perfect treat for a sweet tooth and you don't have to feel guilty about enjoying them! The sprinkles are the perfect touch of color for these!
Janice
Like the person before these did not stick together. Not even a little bit. Putting the batch in the fridge and will try again in the morning.
Jocelyn Brubaker
How hard are you pressing the mixture together? You will need to place the tablespoon of granola in your hand and squeeze very firmly. I don't think it will work after being in the fridge because everything will have hardened.
Janice
I did try pressing them together quite hard with no luck. After being in the fridge for a few hours I was able to use my portion scoop for the initial scoop and then my hands for the finish. This worked fine. Family is gobbling them up.
Jocelyn Brubaker
I am glad to hear they came together finally 🙂
Tonia
These are just what I need to make for my kids!
Lyuba@willcookforsmiles
Sounds really tasty! I want to try granola bites! They look so fun too!
Alexandra @ Confessions of a Bright-Eyed Baker
I'm ALL about snacks like these, especially because it's incredibly hard for me to resist eating desserts when I'm baking them. These sound so good with all the oats and peanut butter and honey... and I always say that it's okay to add chocolate! Anti-oxidants are my excuse too. 🙂
Jocelyn Brubaker
I have a very hard time resisting snacking on all the things I bake too! LOL bring on the anti-oxidants 🙂
Linda Arney
I loved this recipe, BUT I tweaked it just a bit since I am not a fan of chocolate...[ya I know...something wrong with a person who doesn't like chocolate! hear that all the time! :)...I used half molasses and half honey and substituted sunflower seeds for the chocolate chips! Yummy!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Say what? 🙂 Ok, I guess I'll allow that! I do love the substitutions you made. They sound amazing!!!
Jess @ On Sugar Mountian
Oh I am doing plenty of stumbling on my own lol. Working out is the WORST. >_< But these granola bites could be just what I need to get on the right track! 😀 Work out for 30 minutes, then enjoy these later in the day when I'm having that sweet craving. They look so adorable and delicious, how can I resist?
Jocelyn Brubaker
Hahaha! I like the sounds of your work out routine! I should do that too 🙂 And you can't resist, so just do it!!!!
Kelly
These granola bites look so cute! Love the sprinkles and everything in here 🙂 Pinning and can't wait to give them a try, thanks for sharing Jocelyn!
Kristin
I love this!! Adding the sprinkles is just so darn cute! I've been meaning to make so e energy bites, but I think I'll make these instead!
Bryn
Would these hold their shape if they were pressed into a pan and cut?
Jocelyn Brubaker
Yes, that would work too. Press them into a pan that has been sprayed with non stick spray and press very firmly. Let them set completely before cutting into bars.
Roxana | Roxana's Home Baking
Wish I had a few of these nutty bites earlier. They sound like a great grab-and-go snack, especially int he morning when I'm always on the run
Jocelyn Brubaker
These are perfect for snacking on the go for sure!
Nikki
So about how many calories are in each ball? I am counting calories and these look and sound delicious!!
Jocelyn Brubaker
I don't usually calculate calories for recipes. I did some researching online and found this site. You can track calories in different recipes by using a site like caloriecount.com.
Kristin Pezzulo
I calculated 98 calories per ball.
Lisa @ Garnish with Lemon
Anything that has peanut butter in it is a winner in my book. Add the fact it's skinny and I'm sold! Pinned!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Skinny and peanut butter sells me too! Thank you for the pin love 🙂
Heather @ French Press
LOVE the srprinkles - they make skinny so cute 🙂
Jocelyn Brubaker
Sprinkles definitely help skinny look good 🙂
Pam
I just tried making these but mine will not stay in a ball. What was your trick? They are very tasty though!
Jocelyn Brubaker
I just took a tablespoon of granola and squeezed it in my hand until it formed a ball. They dried and stayed in the ball shape.
Kelly T
Mine wouldn't stay together either. 🙁 But it was still tasty!
Jocelyn Brubaker
I'm not sure why everyone is having trouble with it staying together. I have made them so many times and they have made balls every single time. Are you pressing the mixture together as hard as you can in your fist? I actually move the ball back and forth in my hand to get a ball going.
Christin
I had the same problem. These are delicious and would love to know if there is a trick to getting them to stick together!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Press the mixture as hard as you can in your hand. I have made them several times without any problems. You can also press them firmly into an 8x8 pan, let cool completely, cut into 16 squares and press into a ball with your hand.
teresa
I couldn't keep mine together at first either, I think it is because the coconut oil. I am in Florida and our room temp at home keeps my coconut oil kind of melted. I put the mix on a pan and put it in the fridge for a little while so it would firm up. Then I was able to squeeze the mix into balls. I am also storing them in the fridge so they don't fall apart again. I will say that this is so tasty that I was eating the loose mixture with my fingers and almost couldnt stop! I am so glad i found a way to get them to stay together!!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes)
Those bites are the cutest things ever!
Jocelyn Brubaker
Thank you so much 🙂