Chocolate Churro energy bites are easy to make with 5 ingredients in 10 minutes. These high protein balls taste sweet and spicy like churros, and are an easy make-ahead, healthy snack. Dairy free, gluten free, high fiber.
Healthy snacks like these churro energy bites are so valuable because they are inexpensive to make, free of processed ingredients and weird additives, and can be made ahead and stored in the fridge or freezer.
These cinnamon protein energy bites have a cake-like texture even though they are no bake. And it is easy to lower the sugar in this recipe. I rolled mine in brown sugar and cinnamon like churros, but you can leave off the sugar coating.
Why You'll Love Churro Energy Bites
- Full of protein and fiber
- Churro flavors including cinnamon and chocolate
- No bake, no eggs, no dates
What are Churros?
Churros are a popular dessert originating in Spain, but popular in Portugal and Latin America. These churro energy bites have the quintessential churro cinnamon sugar flavor, and like traditional churros, they have the texture of a donut.
The traditional churro is like a stick donut made from a simple dough that is fried and rolled in sugar and cinnamon. Churros are billed as a dessert for breakfast and often served with chocolate. This chocolate churro protein ball recipe is a healthy twist on that recipe, only these energy balls are no bake and made with healthier ingredients.
Ingredients for Churro Energy Bites
- Rolled Oats. Look for the gluten free certification if you need the bites to be gluten free.
- Walnuts. Whole or chopped.
- Peanut butter. Or any nut butter.
- Maple syrup. Or date paste, or any liquid sweetener.
- Cinnamon. Ceylon cinnamon is considered the healthiest version of this spice because it contains the lowest levels of coumarin, a natural compound that can be harmful in large quantities.
- Coating: Use a mix of brown sugar, sugar, cocoa and cinnamon for an authentic churro flavor.
See the recipe card at the bottom for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Steps to Make Churro Bites
For more detail, visit the complete and printable recipe at the bottom of this post, but here are general steps.
Step 1: Add all ingredients to a food processor or a bowl.
Step 2: Process into a paste or batter.
Step 3: Roll 2 tablespoon of batter into balls. Line them on a tray and prepare the cinnamon, cocoa and sugar coating in a bowl.
Step 4: Roll the balls in the coating. Keep in an airtight container, refrigerated or frozen.
Tip: To lower the sugar of these churro energy bites, coat only with cinnamon and cocoa, and leave off the brown sugar.
Storage
These energy bites do best stored frozen, then thawed for a few minutes before eating. Or pop them in your lunchbox. You don't want to keep them refrigerated because they will dry up. Also when refrigerated, the sugared coating is likely to turn wet.
Variations
- Mix in mini chocolate chips
- Mix in crush nuts
- Mix in raisins
FAQS
Energy bites are a healthy snack that is inexpensive to make, easy to make ahead, and full of protein, fiber and nutrients without any processed ingredients or artificial additives.
Traditional churros made with flour and sugar are not bad for you but are also not nutritious - they don't have protein or fiber. But churro energy bites are very healthy, and carry the spicy chocolate churro flavor.
More Healthy Snacks
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📖 Recipe
Chocolate Churro Energy Bites
Equipment
- blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup walnuts
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- 3 tablespoon maple syrup or 3 dates
- 1 tablespoon cocoa
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Coating
- 2 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon sugar
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Instructions
- Add all ingredients in a food processor or a blender.
- Mix all the ingredients into a batter.
- Scoop 2 tablespoon of dough using a scoop and roll into balls.
- Mix up the coating in a small bowl.
- Roll the balls in the coating. Store in an air-tight container.
Dee Dine
These cinnamon and chocolate flavored bites are no bake and ready in 10 minutes.