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Pumpkin Energy Balls are a fun vegan snack perfect for the cozy season. These snack bites are naturally sweetened, gluten-free, soy-free and the perfect healthy treat both kids and adults will love.
It’s getting to be that cozy time of year where candy, desserts and all the comfort food start showing up. I can pass on most store-bought candy, but a piece of my pumpkin pie or vegan pumpkin bread are things I look forward to all year and cannot say no to.
This is the time of year I also start stocking the fridge and freezer with healthy fall-tastic snacks and mini treats that taste like the fall desserts I so love. These Pumpkin Pie Energy Balls or Snack Bites are the perfect replacement for when I’m craving a slice of pie but really just one bite – not the whole slice.
These vegan pumpkin energy balls are packed with cozy pumpkin spice, pumpkin puree, and healthy nuts and seeds. So as you can imagine they’re also great as a pre or post-workout snack.
These should be stored in the fridge until you are ready to eat them. Keep them no longer than 3 hours at room temperature. You could, however, coat these in melted, tempered dark chocolate to make them less sticky to handle.
More Vegan Snacks
- Blueberry Muffin Energy Bites – When you want a blueberry muffin without baking.
- Carrot Cake Bites – They taste like Carrot Cake!
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Balls with Rice Krispies– Cannot get any better than pb and choc
- Seedy Chocolate Snack Bars – no dates!
- Golden Sesame Balls – Because turmeric
- Mojito Energy Balls – so fresh and zesty!
Vegan Pumpkin Pie Energy Balls
Ingredients
pumpkin butter:
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 drops vanilla extract
- pinch salt
For the bites:
- 1/2 cup of finely chopped nuts and seeds such as pecans, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, or hemp seeds.
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1/4 cup almond flour +2 tablespoons
- shredded coconut for garnish
- chia seeds or hemp seeds for garnishing
Instructions
- In a skillet, add the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and pinch of salt, and cook to mix and thicken slightly. You want to continue to cook until it's bubbling really well and cook for another minute after it has been bubbling consistently.
- Take off heat and let cool. Add in the chopped nuts, chia seeds, and almond flour and mix in.
- Chill the mixture for half an hour and see if you need more almond flour. If the mix is still sticky to handle, you can add some almond flour or add in 1 tablespoon of coconut flour for less sticky snack bites.
- Use a cookie scoop to Scoop them out onto a plate and garnish with some shredded coconut, chia seeds, or hemp seeds. Lightly Press to stick. And serve.
- Store on the counter for 2-3 hours or refrigerate for upto 5 days. They freeze well and are delicious and Fudgy right out of the freezer
Notes
- You can store these in the fridge or in the freezer. In the fridge, they will last for 5-7 days. In the freezer for about two months.
- I like them directly from the freezer as the consistency is stiff and cookie like
- Nut-free: to make these without nuts: use 1/4 cup oat flour instead of almond flour. Add in more chopped seeds instead of the nuts
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients:
- we use unsweetened natural pumpkin puree as a base – So not sweetened pumpkin pie mix
- maple syrup adds some sweetness without turning these into candy
- pumpkin pie spice – storebought or homemade
- a pinch of salt to bring out the sweetness
- chopped nuts and seeds such as pecans, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, or hemp seeds to add some healthy fats
- chia seeds add some healthy omega-3
- almond flour is used to make these thicker and scoopable
- shredded coconut adds some texture – we also use some for topping along with chia seeds or hemp seeds
Tips & Variations:
- nut-free: to make these without nuts: use 1/4 cup oat flour instead of almond flour. Add in more chopped seeds instead of the nuts
- For a gourmet-looking treat, you could also roll the chilled batter into snack bites and roll them in shredded coconut, ground pecans or a mix of pumpkin spice and cocoa powder before chilling. Or roll them in hemp, sesame or chia seeds.
- Feel free to add some vanilla paste or some ground cardamom.
- Add the zest of half an orange for a fruity twist.
- For mess-free eating, arrange them bites on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then place in the fridge to set for at least 30 minutes or freeze them before serving.
-  If your dough isn’t sticky enough, add some almond flour or add in 1 tablespoon of coconut flour
How to make Vegan Pumpkin Energy Balls
In a skillet, add the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice, and pinch of salt, and cook to mix and thicken.
You want to continue to cook until it’s bubbling really well and cook for another minute after it has been bubbling consistently.
Take off heat and let cool. Add in the chopped nuts, chia seeds, and almond flour and mix in.
Chill the mixture for half an hour and see if you need more flour.
If you need more flour, you can add some almond flour or add in 1 tablespoon of coconut flour for less sticky snack bites.
Use a cookie scoop to scoop them out onto a plate and garnish with some shredded coconut, chia seeds, or hemp seeds. Lightly press them together to stick. Serve chilled.
Storage:
You can store this in the fridge or in the freezer.
In the fridge, they will last for 5-7 days. In the freezer for about two months.
I like them directly from the freezer as the consistency is stiff and cookie-like
Is it 1/2 cup of nuts that are then finely chopped or 1/2 cup of finely chopped nuts?
Either will work, there’s just a few tsp different here and there
Made these and they were a perfect fall snack! Rolled them in some cinnamon coconut sugar.
Awesome