Need a sweet treat that fuels your body in a nutritious way? Try these chocolate cherry energy bites! Made with just five ingredients, this recipe comes together easily and is perfect for meal prepping snacks for the week.
Plus, isn’t chocolate and cherry the quintessential summertime pairing?! Fresh sweet cherries are only in season for such a short time up here that I like to take advantage of them while I can. Our local farm even has cherry picking going on right now. And nothing goes better with them than chocolate.
Note: This post was first published in 2017. It has been updated in 2023.
Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon affiliate links; as an affiliate I earn a commission on qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
Here’s a photo of everything you’ll need to make these – just five ingredients!
- Oats – You want rolled oats for this recipe, or instant oats will also work. Do not use steel cut oats; they’re too dense and tough for this recipe.
- Dates – Look for pitted dates which you can typically find in the produce or dried fruit section of your grocery store.
- Cherries – You’ll need to pit your cherries, which is admittedly a little bit of a pain – but I promise, it doesn’t take too long!
- Walnuts – These add healthy fats and a little protein to the recipe.
- Chocolate chips – Who doesn’t love that chocolate cherry combo?! Use dark chocolate for the best flavor and health benefits.
Instructions
This recipe is super simple to make! You’ll find the full instructions and amounts in the recipe card, but here’s a helpful overview with photos.
Start by pitting your cherries. I find the easiest way to do this is to just take a small paring knife and quickly cut around the cherry, but you can do whatever is easiest! Add them to a measuring cup as you pit them until you’ve got half a cup.
Now take all your ingredients and place them in a small food processor bowl.
Pulse the food processor bowl several times until all the ingredients come together, still have some texture, and is slightly sticky – like this:
(If you don’t have a food processor, you can also use a blender; you may need to scrape down the sides a few times, and be careful not to over process.)
Now just grab a scoop of the mixture from the food processor bowl and roll it in your hands into a firm ball. Repeat until you’ve finished the mixture; it should make around 12 energy balls.
Recipe FAQ
Here are some common questions that may arise as you prepare this recipe:
Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Yes! To make gluten free, use certified gluten free oats (Like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oats). To make dairy free, use a dairy-free dark chocolate brand (like Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels).
Yes, these energy bites can be a great snack for kids. They’re naturally sweetened and provide a mix of nutrients that can help keep their energy levels stable. However, always be mindful of potential allergies to any of the ingredients.
Nutrition Benefits
As a dietitian and runner – and someone who works with lots of runners! – I like finding nutrient-dense snack ideas that taste great and fuel your body.
These energy bites provide fitness-fueling carbohydrates, key for supplying energy during intense runs and HIIT workouts. They also contain healthy fats that help your body absorb vitamins and keep you full longer.
And using dark chocolate means you give your body a boost of polyphenols – plant-based compounds that have beneficial effects in your body!
Research is still relatively new, but there have been positive effects on anything from cardiovascular health to the gut microbiome to inflammation. Yes, dark chocolate is totally good for you to include in your diet. {PS – If you like science, check out this research study for a great review of the data.}
Lastly – what active mama doesn’t love snacks that the whole family can get into?! My kiddo is a huge fan of these too, so it’s a win-win.
More Energy Ball Recipes
Love all the meal prep energy bite recipes? Try one of these other tasty options:
- Apple peanut butter energy bites
- Lemon energy bites
- Coconut almond date balls
- Hungarian cookie energy bites
- Chocolate coffee protein bites
Give ‘em a try and let me know what you think! If you have a chance, feel free to leave a recipe rating or comment below.
Chocolate Cherry Energy Bites
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ½ cup walnuts
- ½ cup dates, pitted and chopped in half
- ½ cup cherries, pitted
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
Directions:
- Add all ingredients to a food processor. Pulse several times until everything is well combined.
- Roll mixture into 12 balls and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to several days.
Notes
- If you need a gluten-free, dairy-free version of this recipe, be sure to select certified gluten free oats and dairy-free chocolate chips.
Nutrition
Share with me: Have you ever tried chocolate cherry energy bites? What’s your favorite energy bite flavor combo?
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Chocolate and cherries is a match made in heaven. These look awesome.
Right?! One of the classic summer flavor combos!
All of my favorite ingredients in one place and super easy too
Yes! Hope you get a chance to make them my friend 🙂
These look like the perfect on the go snack to have ready. And I totally agree with you, the cherry and chocolate combination is always delicious.
They are definitely perfect for grabbing one out of the fridge quick when you need something to tide you over. I love making a big batch and storing them to snack on over the next few days!
I love all things cherry!
Me too Paul!
My bestie loves the chocolate + cherry combo so I might have to make these for her the next time she visits! Yum!
Yay! I hope you get a chance to surprise her with them!
These look so delicious and simple to make.. and your little one is adorable.
Thank you for the compliments on the recipe – and my son! 😉
Hahah It’s TOTALLY crazy how much we evolve in just one year, I now 😀 I’m in process of going through my old posts and optimizing too. Like, what’s that.. bloggers summer mode?! hahah Anyway, I’m glad you pulled out this chocolate cherry brownies out and did this raw version because I’m absolutely crazy about that cherry-choco combo. These bites are perfect for summer 🙂 Yumm!
YES. I’m looking back at things from two years ago that have no keyword, no good photos, no pin image. I have like 200 posts to optimize, lol.
Energy balls ae my favorite snack ever! Made with cherries and chocolate is super yummy!
Me too! I love making all different flavor combos!
Can I use frozen cherries on this recipe?
Sure! I prefer them with fresh but you can use frozen and just toss ’em in the food processor with everything else. 🙂 Depending on the strength of your food processor, you may want to let the cherries thaw for a few minutes on the counter before using them.
I am constantly amazed at how adorable your kid is. <3
I've read enough to convince me of the physical benefit of eating dark chocolate. I've never needed convincing as to the emotional benefit. My current favorite is Endangered Species 88% – just the right balance of bitter and sweet.
I'm not crazy about fresh cherries. It may be the hangover from eating my weight in them every summer. (We had a massive cherry tree in our back yard. What we didn't throw at each other, we ate.) We have a grafted sweet cherry for The Hubs and a tart cherry for me (some day, I'll have enough cherries to make my own juice; until then, I make pies). This year, we lost ALL of our cherries to Western Cherry Fly. I am a failure as an organic farmer – next year, we bomb the backyard. 😉
Aww, thank you! I think he’s adorable too but I’m obviously biased, lol.
I LOVE the endgangered species variety. It’s either them or green and black that has an amazing dark chocolate with espresso chips in it. SOOOO good.
Oh no, sorry to hear about the loss of cherries! I would be so sad!
I have exactly this many cherries in my fridge right now – these look like the perfect use for them!
Yay, hope you enjoy the energy bites!