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These naturally nut free sunbutter energy balls are the perfect way to satisfy a sweet tooth or re-energize after hours of play! Kids love the chocolatey, sweet flavor, and you’ll love the good-for-you ingredients. One batch makes enough for 24 energy balls, so you can keep a stash in the freezer for a sweet snack any time!
Easy Sunflower Seed Energy Balls
More and more families are looking for nut-free snacks, either to nourish kids with nut allergies or to find safe alternatives to take to school or daycare. That’s why we’re a huge fan of these sunbutter energy balls! They’re a fantastic make-ahead option for packing in those lunchboxes or as on the go snacks!
And did you know that sunflower butter is a nutritional powerhouse? These little seeds are high in monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, and magnesium, which can help lower blood pressure, prevent heart disease, reduce inflammation, and more. What’s not to love?
For more nut-free snacks, you’ll also want to try out these nut free breakfast bars!
Why These Bites are Dietitian-Approved
- Safe for kids with nut allergies
- High in healthy monounsaturated fats to promote heart health
- Good source of plant-based protein (Xg in each one)
- Sweetened with pure maple syrup for extra flavor
- Just enough chocolate to satisfy a sweet craving without going overboard
- Lasts up to 3 months in the freezer for a healthy snack anytime
Ingredient Notes
- Rolled oats: These are the old-fashioned oats from the local grocery store.
- Flax meal: If you can’t find flax meal at your grocery store, buy whole flax seeds and grind them yourself. Ground chia seeds or hemp seeds are a good alternative.
- Unsweetened shredded coconut: You can use either flakes or shreds. Shredded coconut is easier for young kids to eat.
- Sunbutter: Either make your own homemade sunflower seed butter or grab a jar from the store.
- Pure maple syrup: For a little sweetness. You can also use honey for kids over two years old.
- Vanilla extract
- Mini chocolate chips: The small size is best for kids. You can also chop or pulse full-sized chocolate chips in the food processor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together oats, flax meal and coconut flakes.
- Add Sunbutter, maple syrup, and vanilla and mix until well combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Using your hands, roll mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls. You may wish to place mixture in the fridge for 20 minutes or so to allow it to firm up a bit before rolling into balls. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge or freeze for later.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
RECIPE TIPS
- You can use a cookie scoop to scoop out the energy ball mixture to ensure that the balls are equal in size.
Recipe FAQs
Obviously, if you’re dealing with nut allergies, only one of these foods is safe to eat. However, many parents grew up with regular peanut butter and they’re curious about the differences between the two products. Are their kids eating a lower-quality product? In general, the nutrition facts are very similar between the two.
Sunbutter has slightly less protein, but it has a little more fat, fiber, vitamin E, B6, and folate. Peanut butter has polyunsaturated fats while sunflower seeds have monounsaturated fats, but these are both good, anti-inflammatory fats the body needs. Calorically, they’re about the same too. Sunflower butter is really a great alternative to peanut butter, and it’s not a downgrade in any way!
It’s very easy to make any type of nut butter at home, including sun butter. Toast the raw seeds in the oven, then blend them in a food processor until they form a thick paste. To bring out the flavor, add a splash of oil and a little salt. That’s it!
Yep! These sunbutter balls are really the perfect prep-ahead snack. They are very easy to freeze and will last up to 3 months that way! You can make a batch once and snack on them for months.
Storage Guidelines
- Store these no bake energy balls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. For longer storage, they can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
Think of these sunflower energy balls as a bite-sized snack to serve after school or sports practice. They’re also sweet enough to be enjoyed as a healthy dessert option!
Since they’re so delicious, it’s easy to eat too many of them, though. I recommend serving 1-2 with fresh fruit to give the tummy time to realize it’s had enough and for extra fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Try pairing these bites with fresh berries or some heart-shaped fruit kabobs.
Recipe Variations
- Use regular nut butter: You can certainly make these energy balls with almond butter or peanut butter if you prefer.
- Add chopped dried fruits: For a little extra chew and flavor, add some finely diced raisins, dried cranberries, apples, or blueberries.
- Use white chocolate: White chocolate has much more sugar than dark chocolate, so it’s best to do this sparingly or as a dessert. This tastes especially great with some dried cherries or cranberries for a fruity flavor!
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More Tasty Snacks
- 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls
- Blueberry Bliss Balls
- Strawberry Bliss Balls
- 3-Ingredient Cookies
- Banana Pumpkin Bars
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Sunbutter Energy Balls {Nut-Free}
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups rolled oats
- 1/4 cup flax meal
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup Sunbutter
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together oats, flax meal and coconut flakes.
- Add Sunbutter, maple syrup, and vanilla and mix until well combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Using your hands, roll mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls. You may wish to place mixture in the fridge for 20 minutes or so to allow it to firm up a bit before rolling into balls. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge or freeze for later.
Notes
- You can use a cookie scoop to scoop out the energy ball mixture to ensure that the balls are equal in size.
