Pumpkin Energy Balls (No Bake)
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Oct. 27, 2024
These Pumpkin Energy Balls are bursting with all the goodness of pumpkin and real, wholesome ingredients. The best part – you won’t even have to touch the oven to make them!
In This Article
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Why This Recipe Stands Out
It’s the season of pumpkins and baking. Loads of both have been happening in our kitchen. But today, we’re getting our fill of double pumpkin yum, all without touching the oven door. Here’s why we love this recipe:
- Healthy AND Tasty: Pumpkin Energy Balls taste like blissful bites of pumpkin pie, but are only sweetened with honey and dates. We use only the good ingredients.
- No Oven Needed: Our oven’s been busy this season baking up treats like Pumpkin Coffee Cake and Pumpkin Bread, but there’s no need for the oven with this one.
- Allergy Friendly: These pumpkin balls are dairy-free, gluten-free (as long as you opt for gluten-free oats), and nut free!
- Great Make Ahead Snack: We whip these energy balls up at the beginning of the week and store them in the fridge for an effortless snack recipe the whole family loves.
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Dates – Dates naturally sweeten energy balls and help everything stick together.
- Pumpkin Puree – Pure pumpkin puree is the star of this recipe. Not only does it add that highly-coveted pumpkin flavor, it also keeps these bites moist and tender.
- Pure Honey – We use pure honey for some extra sweetness, but pure maple syrup also works great here.
- Chia Seeds – In case you haven’t heard, chia seeds are bursting with health benefits. They add some crunch and help bind all the ingredients together.
- Old Fashioned Oats – Old fashioned oats make these Pumpkin Energy Balls extra chewy and filling.
- Coconut Flakes – Reach for unsweetened coconut flakes. The slightly sweet, nutty flavor pairs wonderfully with the pumpkin!
- Pepitas – Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) add crunch and even more healthy fats.
- Spices – This wouldn’t be a fall pumpkin recipe without the major spices: cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
Substitutions And Variations
Pumpkin Energy Balls are the perfect avenue for all the mix-ins. Here’s some of our favorite variations:
- Add Some Nuts: Feel free to substitute the pepitas with chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans like we do in these 5 Ingredient Energy Bites.
- Dried Fruit: If you can’t use dates, try raisins instead.
- Bring on the Chocolate: It’s no secret that pumpkin pairs really well with chocolate, just try this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread! We love the addition of semi-sweet, dark, or even white chocolate chips to this recipe.
- Adjust the Base: Check out our No-Bake Energy Balls recipe, for a nut butter-based energy bite.
- Use Flax Seeds as a Substitute: If you don’t have chia seeds on hand, ground flax seeds also work great in this recipe.
Easy Recipe Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse dates, pumpkin, honey, chia seeds, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt until smooth.
- Transfer mixture to a large bowl and stir in remaining ingredients; Chill for 1 hour.
- Form 1″ energy balls and store in the fridge. Enjoy!
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
Storing Energy Balls
Pumpkin Energy Balls keep super well in the fridge and freezer. Here’s how we store them:
- In the Fridge: No Bake Pumpkin Energy Balls will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 weeks.
- In the Freezer: To freeze pumpkin balls, place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and flash freeze until hard. Then, transfer energy balls to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 2 months.
Commonly Asked Questions
If your energy balls aren’t wanting to stick together, your mixture is likely too dry. Try adding a little extra pumpkin puree or even a few teaspoons of water to get things sticking.
First, you could simply try chilling the mixture a little longer. If this doesn’t help, we usually either mix in a few extra tablespoons of oats or coconut flakes.
Try baking these Chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles or these Super Moist Pumpkin Scones. Check out all our favorite pumpkin recipes for more ideas!
Chopped nuts are going to be your best bet at getting a similar taste and texture without the coconut flakes. Try mixing 1/2 cup almond or cashew flour with 1/2 cup chopped nut of your choice like pecans, walnuts, or almonds.
Did you make this?
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Pumpkin Energy Balls (No Bake)
Ingredients
- 8 oz chopped dates
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup pure honey
- 2 TB chia seeds
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp table salt
- 1 ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats, dry
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 ½ cups toasted pumpkin seeds, pepitas
Instructions
- In a food processor, add the dates, pumpkin, honey, chia seeds, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Pulse until incorporated and smooth.
- Using a rubber spatula, scrape mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients until fully incorporated. Cover tightly and chill 1 hour or longer.
- Form 1-inch energy balls using clean, damp hands. Keep energy balls in airtight container in fridge. Best served chilled.
Equipment
Notes
- For gluten-free recipe, be sure to get oats that are labeled gluten-free.
- Slightly wetting your palms will help a lot with ease of shaping, without ingredients sticking to your hands.
- Have fun with whatever mix-ins you can think of! We love adding chopped toasted pecans and chocolate chips.
- Check out this recipe for No-Bake Energy Balls for a nut butter-based version.
Nutrition (per serving)
More To Make And Eat
- Pumpkin Trifle – Fluffy, creamy, and crunchy all at once, this Pumpkin Trifle is the perfect treat for holiday gatherings.
- Pumpkin Churros – Just in time for fall, these Pumpkin Churros pack a punch of fresh pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice – a truly addicting treat.
- Healthy Pumpkin Bread – This ultra-moist pumpkin bread is made with pure honey and whole grains. You have to try it to believe how good it is!
- The Best Pumpkin Cheesecake – We LOVE classic cheesecake, but add pumpkin puree, fall spices, and a gingersnap crust to the mix; and it gets even better.