Easy Monster Cookie Energy Bites packed with gluten free oats, shredded coconut, honey, pumpkin seeds, and all natural creamy peanut butter. With lots of five-star reviews, these monster cookie energy balls are the best out there and perfect for a quick snack or an after dinner treat. These are gluten free, vegan, and so easy to make!

monster cookie energy bites on plate this recipe

I first created this Monster Cookie Energy Bite recipe in 2020 and years later, it’s still an All the Healthy Things reader (and husband) favorite! If you love monster cookies then you’re going to love these healthy energy balls. They give you all of the peanut buttery chocolate goodness that you love about monster cookies, but in a bite size cookie dough ball that you can feel really great about eating.

Why You’ll LOVE These Energy Balls

  1. They’re perfect for everyone! This recipe is gluten free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and can easily be made vegan and nut-free which means they’re a great option for everyone!
  2. They’re packed with all the good stuff! These energy bites are packed with good for you ingredients like chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, and shredded coconut. They’re also naturally sweetened with a touch of maple syrup or honey (you choose!) instead of refined sugar. 
  3. They’re easy to make! Just add all of the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Scoop, roll, and cook for the perfect easy snack or treat!

More Reader Favorite Energy Bites

monster cookie energy ball ingredients

Peanut Butter: Traditional monster chip cookies are made with peanut butter and the base of these bites is creamy peanut butter as well. When buying a peanut butter to use in this recipe, look for one that is made without any added sweeteners or preservatives. The only ingredient on the label should be peanuts.

Gluten Free Rolled Oats: These help to bind everything together for the perfect cookie dough like texture. Be sure to use gluten free old fashioned rolled oats for this recipe and not quick oats.

Chia Seeds: Chia seeds are packed with healthy fats and add a little extra texture and crunch to these bites.

Pumpkin Seeds: Raw pumpkin seeds, also called pepitas, add even more great texture and crunch.

Shredded Coconut: Look for a finely shredded coconut that is unsweetened.

Honey or Maple Syrup: A touch of honey, or maple syrup if you need to make these vegan, adds just the right amount of sweetness.

Vanilla Extract: They give the bites just the right touch of vanilla flavor. 

Dark Chocolate Chips: You can’t have monster chip cookies without chocolate chips! Dark chocolate chips give these bites the perfect balance of sweet and bitter, but, if you do not like dark chocolate, you can use milk chocolate chips instead.

Chocolate Candies: The hallmark of any monster chip cookies are the chocolate candies! I love using these naturally colored chocolate candies that use a bit less sugar than traditional candies.

Sea Salt: A little bit of flaky sea salt is what sets this recipe apart form the crowd. It gives the balls the perfect delicious finish.

ingredients in mixing bowl

Easy Ingredient Swaps

  • If you are particularly concerned about your bites being gluten-free, be sure to use certified gluten free rolled oats.
  • Feel free to add more of your favorite mix-ins to make this recipe your own! Things like dried fruit, sliced almonds, or ground flax seed would all be great options!
  • Want to up the protein content? You can add in a scoop of your favorite protein powder (vanilla, chocolate, or plain would work best) or collagen protein powder.
  • You can also feel free to leave out an ingredient if you have an allergy or do not love it. For example, if you are allergic to coconut, you can always leave it out and add a little more oats, pumpkin seeds, or 1/4 a cup of your personal favorite mix-in to stand in it’s place.
  • Switch up the chocolate! Don’t like dark chocolate? Use milk chocolate instead. Don’t have mini chocolate chips? Use chunks! If you need to keep this recipe dairy-free, be sure to grab a variety of chocolate that is completely dairy free.
  • Swap the peanut butter! If you have a peanut allergy, or just do not love the flavor of peanut butter, feel free to use another nut butter. Cashew butter, almond butter, or sunflower seed butter would all work really well in this recipe. Whichever nut or seed butter you choose to go with, just make sure that it does not have any added sugars or preservatives.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

energy ball dough in mixing bowl

Step One: Add the peanut butter, honey, oats, pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut, chia seeds, sea salt, dark chocolate chips, and chocolate candies to a large mixing bowl.

Step Two: Use a wooden spoon or non-stick spatula to stir the ingredients together until well combined and a sticky “dough” has formed.

Step Three: Place the mixing bowl in the fridge and let the dough chill for 15-20 minutes.

Step Four: Lastly, use a cookie dough scoop to scoop the energy bite dough. Use your hands to roll each scoop of dough into a ball and then place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top of the bites and enjoy!

scooped energy balls on sheet pan

Troubleshooting Tips and Tricks

  • Be sure to use an all-natural smooth, creamy, and drippy peanut butter for the best results. Something like a Jiffy or Skippy won’t work as well in this recipe and may make the balls too dry.
  • Don’t skip letting the dough chill a bit before scooping and rolling. I find this makes it much easier to form the “dough” into balls. 
  • If you happened to add just a bit too much of the dry ingredients, and the dough seems a bit too dry, try adding a tablespoon of extra peanut butter!
  • A cookie dough scoop is the easiest way to scoop and roll these balls.

energy bites on plate

How to Store and Freeze Your Energy Bites

Because these energy bites are made with only real food ingredients and don’t have any preservatives, you’ll need to store them in the refrigerator or freezer to ensure that they stay fresh.

Fridge: Store the bites in the fridge for up to a week to keep them fresh.

Freezer: My preferred method of storing these bites is in the freezer. They freeze incredibly well in a freezer safe storage container or bag and taste incredible straight out the freezer.

To freeze the bites, place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and then place the sheet pan in the freezer. Once each individual bite is frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer safe storage bag or container. When you are ready to eat, grab a bite and let it thaw for just a few minutes before digging in.

energy bites on plate

More Delicious Reader Favorite Recipes

I hope you give these Monster Cookie Energy Bites a try! They are so easy to make and delicious! 

If you do give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews and ratings help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you trust and love.

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energy bites on plate

Monster Cookie Energy Bites

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 25 reviews
  • Author: Ashlea Carver
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 20 bites 1x
  • Category: Snacks
  • Method: No Bake
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe

Description

Monster cookie energy bites packed with gluten free oats, shredded coconut, honey, pumpkin seeds, and all natural creamy peanut butter. These energy bites are perfect for a quick snack or an after dinner treat. They are gluten free, vegan, and so easy to make!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter 
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 3 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut 
  • ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 cup chocolate candies
  • ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • flaky sea salt for topping

Instructions

  1. Add the peanut butter, honey, oats, pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut, sea salt, chia seeds, dark chocolate chips, and chocolate candies to a large mixing bowl.
  2. Stir the ingredients together until well combined and a sticky “dough” has formed.
  3. Place the dough into the fridge to chill for 15-20 minutes.
  4. Use a cookie dough scoop to scoop the energy bite dough. Use your hands to roll each scoop of dough into a ball and then place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top of the bites and enjoy!

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

Recipe by: Ashlea Carver / All the Healthy Things | Photography by: Eat Love Eat

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41 Comments

  1. These are perfect to have on hand for a quick snack! I usually skip the coconut because some people in my house aren’t fans, but I keep all the other measurements the same and they turn out great. This last time I used mini m&ms and I think they were easier to form into balls with the smaller candies. Definitely a go-to recipe for our family!

    Reply
  3. Christine says:

    These are so delicious! I did need to add about 1/4 more pb and another tablespoon or so of maple syrup so they would hold together…they were pretty crumbly otherwise.

    Reply