Super easy no-bake energy balls are a perfect energy booster for babies and toddlers and help their digestive systems work.
Honestly, this recipe came about because I was trying to find an anti-constipation cure for my toddler, one that is easy to make and easy to eat on the go (minimal mess).
So I thought of all the anti-constipation ingredients that I can put in there that he wouldn't usually eat on their own - like prunes, flaxseeds and dates. To that we added some protein and fat rich nuts and peanut butter and we got ourselves a delicious energy ball ready in 10 min.
The great thing about this recipe is that it is super adaptable to what you have at home - you just need to mix the right amount of nuts with the right amount or nut butter and dried fruits and you can make these balls.
This is a perfect healthy snack idea for toddlers and even a healthy idea for toddler breakfast as it is very nutrient dense.
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Nutrition and Ingredients
Oats
- Use rolled oats
- Great source of complex carbs and fiber but also the minerals manganese and potassium
Mixed Nuts
- We use a mixture of cashews, hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds and brazil nuts (I buy these already mixed). I prefer to use mixed nuts because each has a specific nutritional profile and then we can get a variety of different nutrients in such a small ball
- Nuts are high in mono-saturated fats and most nuts are also high in magnesium and vitamin E
Nut Butter
- We use peanut butter made from 100% peanuts (no added salt, sugar, palm oil or preservatives)
- Contain biotin, copper, niacin, folate
- If you don't have a nut butter on hand you can easily make one by processing nuts for about 5-10 minutes in a food processor (see our Hazelnut Butter recipe)
Flaxseeds
- Have a good amount of fiber and manganese. Fiber promotes proper digestion
- Can use whole or ground here
Pitted Dates and Prunes
- If your child has ever had constipation problems you may have been given advice to give them prune juice. My child won't drink that or eat prunes so this was a way of getting prunes into his diet and they give the sweetness to the balls that is necessary
- Prunes are rich in potassium, fiber and antioxidants and contain pectin which is a soluble fiber which helps with stool softening
- Dates are rich in B vitamins and antioxidants
- The more prunes you use the more anti-constipation benefit this snack will have, however you can you whichever ratio of dates to prunes you want, or just one or the other
At What Age Can I Give This To My Child?
From 6 months + if you have tested each nut that you are serving separately for allergens.
How To Make These 10 Min No-Bake Energy Balls?
Blend. Place all the ingredients together in a blender and process until you get a fully blended yet moldable consistency. Should be about 5 minutes in a good processor.
Make balls. This mixture makes about 16 balls. Roll the mixture into ping-pong size balls.
This is a great recipe that your toddler can help you make in the kitchen using a learning tower.
How to Serve Energy Balls To Baby and Toddler?
Serve the balls as they are from 6 months onwards if you have tested for all the allergens.
Possible Recipe Variations
Add chia seeds to include even more super foods in the mixture.
Add cinnamon and a pinch of salt. For babies over 1 year old.
Add cacao powder and coat in chopped nuts for 1 year old +. To make it full of even more antioxidants and fun for your toddler to roll into nuts.
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10 min No-Bake Energy Balls
EQUIPMENT
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup mixed nuts
- 3 tbsp nut butter (peanut butter)
- 2 tablespoon flaxseeds
- 1 cup dates/prunes ½ cup each recommended
Optional
- pinch ground cinnamon
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Blend. Place all the ingredients together in a blender and process until you get a fully blended yet moldable consistency. Should be about 5 minutes in a good processor.
- Make balls. This mixture makes about 16 balls. Roll the mixture into ping-pong size balls.
Isi
Thanks so much for this recipe! So easy to put together and I was so happy to see my 11month old eat them without spitting it back out again. And I can feel good eating them too. This will be one of our go to on the go snacks now, replacing bland store bought rice rusks!
Ana
Hi Isi
I am so glad to hear that you both enjoyed them!
Isi
Forgot to add the stars!
imsen
Really easy and adaptable recipe for no bake energy balls. All the family love them and really helps when you want to reach for a sweet treat and you have the balls made so quickly to hand!
Quick and Easy Family Recipes
Ana
Thank you!
Ashley Hansen
I'm making these for my girl! How long are they good in the fridge and can they be frozen?
CreativeNourish
Hi Ashley,
They keep well for a week in the fridge and they can be frozen for 3 months in the freezer.
Cris
I have read some recipes that you are supposed to boil the dates first? Is this true?
Ana
Hi Cris,
I am assume the recipe that says you need to boil them does so that they soften and blend more easily. I didn't have to do that for this recipe, because they blend easily but you do need a powerful blender. Instead of boiling them you can just place them in a bowl of hot water for 15 minutes and they will be soft.
Andreea
Hi,
Tried the recipe and it did not blend easily at all. Had to put some coconut oil and they are definitely not for a12 months babies - you can feel the nuts and its pretty tough to eat.
Ana
Hi Andreea,
Sorry to hear that. Maybe the blender was not powerful enough? I have tried it in the Kitchen Aid and Magimix food processors and they came out well.
What could possibly help is soaking the nuts and soaking the dates in warm water for a few hours beforehand.
The consistency should be like the image above, any nut parts should be a millimeter.
Courtney
Any suggestions for excluding the nuts if I don’t have them? Should I substitute anything or just leave them out? Thank you!
Ana
Hi Courtney,
I haven't tried making any variations without nuts, but will experiment and come up with a nut free energy ball. If you have nut butter you could put 1/2 a cup of nut butter and if it is too loose add more oats until you get the consistency firm enough to roll into balls.
Patel Shivani
Is it true that I don’t need to cook rolled oats.
Ana
Hi, yes, oats do not need to be cooked here.