These No-Bake Reindeer Energy Bites make a fun and healthy treat for the holidays and contain no added sugar! Prep them in advance for an easy snack to serve to guests during the Christmas season. Great for both kids and adults! {Gluten-free, dairy-free, & vegan}
So if you’ve been following along with me, you probably know that I have this thing for energy balls.
They’re just so convenient and make such a great alternative to your typical sweet treats, which are often LOADED with not-so-good-for-you ingredients like added sugar and refined flour. And we all know, there’s no shortage of those treats kicking around, especially at Christmas time.
I also am a tad obsessed with cute things, especially when it comes to food. Like these Mini Roasted Pineapples or Valentine’s Energy Bears, for example. They’re just so darn cute!
Given my obsession with energy balls and cute things, of course, I had to combine the two. Last year, as we were nearing Christmas, I decided to play around with one of my favourite Double Chocolate Energy Ball recipes and make them into these adorable little reindeer.
Because really, who wants to eat just a plain old energy ball at Christmastime anyways?! Might as well transform them into something festive, right?
I actually meant to post these last year, but then out popped my baby five days before Christmas.
Surprise!!
Needless to say, I was a little bit distracted, so sharing my little edible reindeer heads with the world wasn’t exactly my top priority..
But the good news is, they ARE happening this year!
Woo-hoo!
I love these little reindeer energy bites for so many reasons.
First, they make such a cute little treat/craft to make with kids and are easy enough for them to assemble themselves! They can help assemble the mixture, roll the energy balls and place on the antlers, nose and eyes. Perfect way to keep them busy over the holidays ;)
These energy bites also contain NO ADDED SUGAR. I highly recommend that you serve them to Santa this year. It’s no secret that he could use a little bit of help with his diet. I’m sure his blood sugar goes through the roof at this time of year, so do the guy a favour and give him some lower sugar treats.
They’re also great for his reindeer too ;)
They’re also perfectly portion-controlled and a good source of fibre, healthy fats and antioxidants, which we could all use a little more of during the holiday season.
And did I mention that they’re super cute?!
Here are some tips for making cute little reindeer energy balls!
First, you want to mix all of the ingredients for the energy balls in a food processor. I recommend refrigerating the mixture for a few minutes to allow it to harden a bit so that it won’t be as sticky (because sticky = messy)!
And while we’re on the messy topic, just a word of warning — these reindeer energy bites aren’t the cleanest treat that you’ll ever make in your life, so don’t go wearing your prettiest winter white outfit while rolling these balls. But the messiness is totally okay — it’s all part of the holiday fun, right?
Once you’ve rolled up the balls into little reindeer heads, next you’re going to accessorize them with eyes, a nose and antlers.
For the nose, I used a goji berry. You might notice that goji berries are surprisingly quite hard, so I recommend simply dipping them in a bit of water to soften them up and make them more pliable. Then roll the berry into a nose and stick it to face of the reindeer.
For the eyes, I used puffed quinoa, which adds a little crunch. You could also use mini dark chocolate chips. I just found that you could see the puffed quinoa better on the dark surface, so the eyes stand out more.
Finally, for the antlers, you can break large pretzels into pieces that resemble antlers. This part can be a little tricky, but once you’ve done a few, you start to get the hang of it.
And even if they don’t look perfect, that’s okay — it gives each reindeer their own unique personality!
If you’d like to make these in advance, go for it! Just store them in the fridge or freezer until they’re ready to be served. It’s a great way to save on oven space!
What are some of your favourite healthier holiday treats to serve up at Christmas time?
More similar recipes
- No-Bake Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake Cups
- No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
- No-Bake Chocolate Mocha Snowballs
- Larabar Recipe {4-ingredients}
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a rating and review!
No-Bake Reindeer Energy Bites
Ingredients
For the reindeer heads:
- 20 large pitted dates soaked in hot water for at least 20 minutes to soften
- 1 cup cashews
- 1 cup almonds
- 1/4 cup large flake oats can use gluten-free, if necessary
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp. coconut oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup water or more if necessary
To decorate:
- Pretzels for antlers can use gluten-free pretzels if necessary
- Goji berries for nose**
- Puffed quinoa for eyes
Instructions
- Combine almonds, cashews, oats, cocoa and cinnamon in food processor. Process until crumbly.
- Add vanilla, dates, coconut oil and water. Process until mixture is combined. If mixture is still dry, continue to add a teaspoon or so of water until the texture is firm and sticky. At this point, you may wish to put the mixture in the fridge for a few minutes to harden up slightly, making it easier to handle.
- Next, remove mixture from processor and form into approximately 1-inch balls. Place the balls on a large plate or piece of parchment paper.
- Break pieces of pretzel up so that they resemble antlers. Poke two antlers into the top of each ball. Next, dip a goji berry in a bit of water to make it more pliable and roll into a little red nose. Place on the reindeer's face. Place two puffed quinoa pieces right above the nose to form eyes. Repeat for each reindeer.
- Store in the fridge for up to one week or in the freezer for up to one month.
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from my Double Chocolate Energy Bites recipe
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