These easy pumpkin energy bites are gluten free, dairy free, vegan, plant based, and refined sugar free. eight round balls sit in a white bowl. each is a dark chocolate color with a hardened texture. one in the middle is bitten into to show the soft golden orange texture inside from the peanut butter and pumpkin. thick white flakes of sea salt top each bite.

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These Pumpkin Energy Bites are gluten-free, dairy-free, and can be high-protein with the addition of one simple ingredient! They’re healthy, packed full of nutrients thanks to their wholesome ingredients, and are ready in just a few steps. These bites are so soft inside and have a satisfying crunch from the hardened chocolate coating. The pumpkin and chocolate combo?? My FAVE

It’s no secret I love pumpkin season, a simple high-protein recipe, and anything to satisfy my afternoon sweet tooth. Homemade energy bites are amazing because they can be made with simple ingredients you probably have already at home, taste like a little dessert, while also keeping your blood sugar and gut happy!

I’ve been loving prepping these for the week and grabbing them as a pre-workout snack, an afternoon snack, or a post-meal sweet treat!

Watch my full video tutorial HERE.

Why You’ll Love These

Blood sugar balancing – These are a sweet treat or snack that won’t spike your blood sugar as much thanks to the balance of carbs, fats, and protein. We have protein from the protein powder or collagen and peanut butter, healthy fats from the peanut butter and coconut flour, and carbs from the oat flour, honey, and pumpkin puree. So much nutrition is such little bites!
Fall meal prep snack – Do yourself a favor and prep a batch (or two) of these to use as snacks for your week ahead. Put them in a packed lunch, have near a workout, as dessert, etc. Just know that you have a healthier option ready to go!
Dietary friendly – These are gluten free, dairy free, can be higher protein, and can be refined sugar free depending on what chocolate chips you use for the coating. They can easily be made vegan with a few simple swaps listed below!

What You’ll Need

Peanut butter – I use organic peanut butter that only has peanuts and salt as the ingredients. It’s runny and makes measuring and mixing easier this way! Any nut/seed butter will work.
Pumpkin puree – You’ll want to make sure this is 100% pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin should be the only ingredient!
Honey – For a vegan version, use maple syrup instead.
Coconut flour – I like the consistency of this one, the coconut flavor is subtle and doesn’t come through in this recipe – it just adds to the texture.
Oat flour – Buy premade oat flour or make your own by blending oats. I like to blend my own using these Gluten Free Sprouted Rolled Oats! They’re organic, glyphosate free, and sprouted for easier digestion.
Pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon – Either or a mix of both!
Vanilla extract
Chocolate chips – I love these dairy free chocolate chips or these white chocolate chips. If you want to keep this recipe refined sugar free, Hu Gems are my favorite and sweetened with coconut sugar.
Sea salt
Coconut oil
Optional scoop of protein powder, or collagen – I love this vanilla protein from Truvani!

How To Make

In a large mixing bowl, add your peanut butter (or nut/seed butter), pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon, honey, coconut flour, oat flour, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt, and mix well. If using protein powder or collagen, mix that in here! (Tip: Mixing in protein powder or collagen is completely optional. I love adding this to treats and energy bites like these for an added protein source and to help make it an even better blood sugar-balancing snack)
Depending on the type of peanut butter you use, you may need more flour or protein powder. Continue to add until you reach a dough-like consistency! (Tip: When choosing a nut butter, try to make sure it’s organic with few ingredients – I find this is KEY to a runnier consistency which is easier to use!)
Next, roll the dough into balls (about twenty) and place them on a parchment paper-lined plate or baking tray (just make sure it fits in your freezer). Freeze for one hour!
While the bites freeze, make the chocolate coating. Melt one cup of chocolate chips with one tablespoon of coconut oil in the microwave in thirty-second intervals, stirring between each.
Once the bites are done, dip each one into the melted chocolate and place back on the plate. Put them back in the freezer for another twenty to thirty minutes until their fully set. Enjoy!

Recommended Tools

Baking sheet – any size, just make sure it fits in your freezer.
Parchment paper
Mixing bowls
Silicone spatula – this makes it easier to stir the sticky dough!
Stainless steel measuring cups and spoons
Glass food storage container

More Bite-Sized Snacks

Pecan Pie Energy Bites (Gluten Free, Paleo, Vegan)

Thin Mint Bites (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

Sugar Cookie Energy Bites (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

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