Looking for healthy snacks for school? These no-bake hemp heart bites make a tasty nut-free snack while also being a great source of protein, fibre and omega 3’s! The perfect kid-friendly snacks for back to school or for those requiring a nut-free snack option! {Vegan, gluten-free & nut-free}
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The Perfect Peanut-Free Snack
If you’re struggling to come up with some nut-free healthy snacks for school, then I’ve got you covered with these hemp heart bites!
They’re basically like trail mix bars, except they’re in cup form, which means that they are perfectly portioned and easy to transport!
Made with sunflower seed butter, hemp hearts and coconut, this nut-free recipe is a great healthy option packed with protein, fibre and healthy fats which makes them ultra satisfying.
But it doesn’t end there. This peanut free snack is totally customizable too! Simply add your favourite toppings or enjoy them plain. Either way they’re delicious!
This portable snack is perfect to pop into kids’ lunch boxes, and makes for a great afternoon snack or breakfast on the go for mom and dad too!
For more nut-free snacks, be sure to try my Nut-Free Apple Oat Energy Bites too!
Why We Love This Hemp Heart Recipe
- Nutritious: These snack bites are a great source of protein, fibre and omega-3s and will keep you feeling full and satisfied for hours. They’re also lower in sugar than your typical store-bought granola bar so they make a healthier snack option.
- Make ahead: These cups are perfect for weekly meal prep and are freezer-friendly too. Be sure to make a big batch to always have tasty ready-made snacks on hand!
- Quick and easy: It takes minutes to mix together the ingredients before you freeze them solid. No baking involved, which is always a bonus!
- Allergy-friendly: These little bites are vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free so they suit a wide range of dietary needs.
- Kid-friendly: Kids adore these tasty snack bites and they’re simple enough that they can help prepare them too. The perfect fun little snacks that are peanut free!
Ingredient Notes
- Coconut Flakes: Use unsweetened coconut flakes to minimize added sugar. The coconut adds a nice flavour and texture to each bite and makes these cups taste like coconut macaroons!
- Hemp Hearts: Hemp hearts are soft and chewy with a slight nutty flavour. They make the perfect nut-free alternative with similar health benefits to nuts!
- Cinnamon: A little cinnamon helps to flavour up the snack cups. Feel free to add more or less depending on your personal taste preference.
- Chocolate Chips: Use dairy-free chocolate chips to keep these vegan. You can also use milk or white if you prefer.
- Sunflower Seed Butter: I used Sun Butter, but you can use another nut-free substitute such as Wow butter, pumpkin seed butter or sunflower seed butter.
- Maple Syrup: Used to sweeten the cups and also helps the ingredients bind together. If you don’t require a vegan option, you can also sub in honey.
- Toppings: These are optional and you can use any toppings that you like. I used pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, coconut flakes and chocolate chips, but feel free to switch it up!
Step by Step Instructions
- Mix together the coconut flakes, hemp hearts, cinnamon and chocolate chips in a large bowl.
- Add in the sunflower seed butter and maple syrup and mix until well combined.
- Evenly distribute the mixture between 12 silicone cups in a muffin tin and press the mixture down with a spatula or the back of a spoon until the surface is smooth.
- Top with desired toppings.
- Place muffin tin in the freezer for at least 1 hour.
- Once frozen, pop each cup out of the silicone mold.
Expert Tips
- I like to evenly distribute the mixture into reusable silicone baking cups because all that you have to do is stick them in the freezer and then 30 minutes to an hour later later, pop them out of the silicone molds. If you don’t own silicone cups, you can simply press the mixture into a parchment paper-lined baking pan and freeze. Once mixture is firm, remove from pan and cut into 12 squares or bars. You can also try rolling the mixture into energy balls as well!
- To keep this recipe nut-free, I used sunflower seed butter. If you don’t require the recipe to be nut-free, feel free to sub in a nut butter if that’s what you have on hand.
- You can eat these bites without the toppings or add desired toppings. I like to add pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, unsweetened coconut flakes and chocolate chips. I either like to add the toppings before freezing or when the bites have partially thawed so that they adhere to the surface of the cup.
- You can eat these snack cups from frozen, or from a partially or fully thawed state.
How to Store
You can store these snack bites in the fridge or the freezer. Once set, transfer to an air tight container or bag. They will keep well for 5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, these bites are very flexible! You can also sub in pumpkin seed butter, Wow butter, or your favourite nut butter such as peanut or almond butter if you don’t require them to be nut-free.
Hemp hearts are incredibly nutritious and contain a good ratio of omega 6s and omega 3s, which are essential fatty acids that have heart health benefits and immune boosting and anti-inflammatory properties.
Furthermore, they are a great source of protein, with 25% of their calories coming from high quality protein. Hemp hearts are considered to be a ‘complete protein’, meaning that they contain all of your essential amino acids. Additionally they contain vitamins and minerals such as vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc (source).
In general, hemp hearts contain more protein and essential fatty acids than most seeds and nuts, and are therefore, a very nutritious nut-free protein alternative.
Recipe Variations
These snack bites are pretty delicious as they are, but you can easily make them your own.
- If you don’t require nut free: Use a nut butter such as peanut or almond butter instead of sunflower seed butter.
- Sweetener: Use honey instead of maple syrup.
- Different toppings or add-ins: Try raisins, sunflower seeds or any dried fruits.
More similar recipes
- Healthy Rice Krispie Treats
- No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
- Healthy Granola Bar Recipe
- Larabar Recipe {4-ingredients}
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Nut-Free Hemp Heart Bites
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 cup Hemp Hearts
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup sunflower seed butter (I used Sunbutter, but you can use another nut-free substitute)
- 1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup
Optional Toppings:
- Pumpkin seeds
- Dried cranberries
- Coconut Flakes
- Chocolate chips
Instructions
- Mix together the coconut flakes, hemp hearts, cinnamon and chocolate chips in a large bowl.
- Add in the sunflower seed butter and maple syrup and mix until well combined.
- Evenly distribute the mixture between 12 silicone cups in a muffin tin and press the mixture down with a spatula or the back of a spoon until smooth.
- Top each cup with desired toppings.
- Place muffin tin in the freezer for at least 30-60 minutes.
- Once frozen, pop each cup out of the silicone mold.
- Store the cups in a ziploc bag or container in the fridge for up to five days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
- I like to evenly distribute the mixture into reusable silicone baking cups because all you have to do is stick them in the freezer and then 30 minutes to an hour later pop them out of the silicone molds. If you don’t own silicone cups, you can simply press the mixture into a parchment paper-lined baking pan and freeze. Once mixture is firm, remove from pan and cut into 12 squares or bars. You can also try rolling the mixture into energy balls as well!
- To keep this recipe nut-free, I used sunflower seed butter. If you don’t require the recipe to be nut-free, feel free to sub in a nut butter if that’s what you have on hand.
- You can eat these bites without the toppings or top them with desired toppings. I like to add pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, unsweetened coconut flakes and chocolate chips. I either like to add the toppings before freezing or when the bites have partially thawed so that they adhere to the surface.
- You can eat these cups from frozen, or a partially or fully thawed state.
I love this recipe, and more than anything I really like that you have used moulds to make individual cups!
Thank you Richa! Yes, those molds make life a whole lot easier…plus, it’s portion-controlled!
I love all of the ingredients in these trail mix energy cups. They sound like they would make the perfect afternoon snack for me.
I know from personal experience that these cups make a great afternoon snack ;) Thanks for stopping by Dawn!
These look delicious and they appear to be low FODMAP, win! I’ll be sharing these on my blog’s FB page, thanks.
That’s great Nataliya! I’m glad the recipe meets your dietary requirements! And thanks for the share on FB :)
What a great idea to use the silicone molds instead of cutting them into a crumbly mess! :) These look delicious, especially the chocolate and cranberries, I’m sure they are delicious! I hope to make some soon! Great job :)
Thanks so much! The silicone molds are my new go-to for no-bake recipes. So much easier than cutting bars!! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
I love everything about these; and what a wonderful idea! I love how you made them into cups rather than squares that needed to be cut out after. I’ll be making these for sure!
These are so cute, and I like that they’re nut free – perfect for back to school!
These look super delicious!
I love everything about these! I love making healthy treats to take along on our summer adventures…or pack in the lunch boxes during the school year. This is definitely something I would make!
These are the perfect on-the-go energy snack! Love!
I love the idea of a cup instead of a bar or ball. They also look really delicious. Thanks I must give these a try.
These look like a tasty and nutritious grab and go snack! Can’t wait to try them!
Definitely! I was grabbing these bars all week as a quick and healthy snack on the go! So handy!
Such a lovely combination! These look amazing! Pinned!