‘Fruity Pebbles’ Dried Fruit and Nut Energy Balls | Paleo & Vegan No Bake Energy Bites
No Bake Dried Fruit and Nut Energy Balls with Mango, Strawberries, Dates, Apricots, Cashews & Macadamia Nuts!
Ditch the ultra-processed packaged snacks—satisfy your sweet, snacky cravings with these no bake dried fruit and nut energy balls instead! They seriously taste like FRUITY PEBBLES energy bites, but they’re made with all natural ingredients and no artificial junk.
And, since this is a NO BAKE energy balls recipe, they couldn’t be easier to make. Just combine everything in a food processor, then portion the mixture and roll into energy balls with your hands! They’re also a great travel snack to pack for healthy eating on the go because they don’t need to be refrigerated.
Most importantly, every ingredient in this healthy no bake energy bites recipe is a real, whole food, and they’re all plant-based and vegan. As you might’ve guessed, I’ve made these dried fruit and nut energy balls with just that: dried fruit, and nuts! Sort of like no bake trail mix bites, but with extra sweet and fruity flavor.
For the dried fruit, I went with dried mango and apricots, dates, and freeze dried strawberries—which I’d never used in a no bake energy balls recipe before, but it was a total WIN. They add such a tasty, tart-and-sweet flavor and a surprisingly fun crispy-crunch!
Then, for my nuts, I’ve included raw cashews and roasted salted macadamias. These are two of my favorites—and their buttery, crunchy goodness makes these no bake bites extra irresistible for me. Plus, they add a dose of healthy fats to my dried fruit and nut energy balls to keep each bite deliciously nutritious and balanced!
All-Natural Dried Fruit and Nut Energy Balls – That Taste Like Sweet Fruity Pebbles?!
These healthy energy bites are JUST as tasty and flavorful as any store-bought snack. I’m not kidding when I say they taste like Fruity Pebbles cereal, rolled up into energy balls for easy snacking! But, those perfectly sweet and fruity flavors, fun textures, and vibrant colors come from natural sources. How can it be??
So many of us have gotten used to the overly sugary, salty, artificially-flavored processed snacks that literally take up half of the grocery store. They’re convenient and easy, they’re undeniably tasty, and they can be downright addictive! (Unfortunately, they’re designed to be addictive.) But, they can also contribute to or worsen an unhealthy relationship with food.
We start to value (and sometimes crave) these processed snacks as ‘treats,’ and it can warp our thinking about REAL foods. Often, we lose sight of the fact that the flavors and textures in real, whole foods are actually AMAZING. There’s so much variety, so many new combinations we can make, and our taste buds actually appreciate real foods more as we eat them more!
These no bake dried fruit and nut energy balls have all of the elements of a crave-able snack, and MORE. Fruity and sweet, but from natural sugars. Chewy, crispy and crunchy, thanks to the natural textures of the dried fruit and nuts. And, with a gorgeous speckled pattern of colors from the naturally colorful ingredients!
Best of all, the nutrient-rich ingredients in these dried fruit and nut energy balls actually satisfy our snack-time hunger. Unlike a refined, ultra-processed, packaged snack—which just makes us hungrier after we eat it! Each of these no bake energy bites offers a healthy balance of carbs, fats, protein, and fiber, giving your body the kind of fuel it actually craves.
Healthy Road Trip Snacks | DIY Summer Snack Packs for Travel / Family Vacation!
How to Make No Bake Energy Bites with Dried Fruit and Nuts
The best thing about no bake energy bites for me is that they’re one of the EASIEST healthy snacks to make. And these dried fruit and nut energy balls are as easy as: pulse, portion, and roll!
First, add the dried fruit and nuts to a food processor: dried mango, dried apricots, pitted dates, raw cashews, macadamia nuts, and freeze dried strawberries. I’ve also included a pinch of salt and a bit of lime juice and zest for flavor!
Then, lock the lid into place and PULSE the mixture, rather than blending continuously. It will take a few minutes so just be patient!
Pulse, pulse, pulse the mixture to mince the dry ingredients, and continue to pulse as the nuts release their oils and the entire mixture moistens. If it’s getting too dry or too sticky, you can add a small splash of water or coconut water to get the consistency right.
It shouldn’t be TOO sticky, but when the mixture is clumpy and sticks together when pinched, your dried fruit and energy balls are ready to roll!
Next, PORTION the minced mixture with a 1-Tbsp cookie scoop (or measuring spoon) and ROLL into balls.
I recommend first pressing the mixture into your cookie scoop until you’ve got a firm, level scoop. Then, release that packed scoop into your hands and shape into a sphere. Like I said, the mixture will be a somewhat sticky so it might take some getting used to!
Transfer your finished energy bites to a plate or container, and continue until you’ve used all of the dried fruit and nut mixture. In total, I was able to make 40 dried fruit and nut energy balls with this recipe.
Once you’ve shaped all of the mixture into balls, they’re ready to serve and enjoy immediately! Or, transfer to the fridge for a few minutes if you want to firm them up a bit. No bake recipes, for the WIN.
Store in an airtight container or zip top bag at room temperature for 1-2 weeks, or you can also store them in the fridge to keep them firm. Since all of the ingredients in these dried fruit in nut energy balls are pantry items, they don’t need to be refrigerated.
But, if you plan to pack them as a road trip snack this summer and they might spend some time sitting in a hot car, I’d recommend storing them in a cooler!
‘Fruity Pebbles’ Dried Fruit and Nut Energy Balls
Ingredients
Dried Fruit and Nut Energy Balls
- 1 ½ cups freeze dried strawberries
- ¾ cup dried mango
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 cup roasted salted macadamia nuts
- ¼ cup dried apricots
- ¼ cup pitted dates
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- ½ tsp lime zest
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a food processor.
- Pulse dry ingredients to mince, and continue pulsing until mixture eventually reaches a more incorporated and moist stage as the nuts release their oils. (This will take a few minutes.) Pulse until mixture is clumpy and sticks together when pinched. If needed, add a splash of water or coconut water until the desired consistency is reached—it shouldn’t be TOO sticky!
- Portion mixture and roll into energy balls with hands. (I used a 1-Tbsp cookie scoop to help with portioning! I recommend pressing the mixture into a firm, level scoop before releasing it from the cookie scoop, and then shaping into a sphere with hands.)
- Transfer to the fridge for a few minutes to firm up if desired, or serve and enjoy immediately!
- Store in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for 1-2 weeks, or in the fridge.
- Yields 40 dried fruit and nut energy balls using a 1-Tbsp cookie scoop.
4 Comments on “‘Fruity Pebbles’ Dried Fruit and Nut Energy Balls | Paleo & Vegan No Bake Energy Bites”
Great recipe and web design
Thank you!
Easy to make and delicious. Clean up was pretty easy too.
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed 🙂