Pumpkin Spice Energy Balls (GF+7 Variations)

These gluten-free energy balls with dates and oats have a slightly chewy, nougat-like texture and a heavenly hint of caramel taste—who can resist that! 

They contain healthy fats, proteins and are refined sugar-free. Plus, you can easily make them dairy-free, vegan, nut-free, and play around with other spices and flavors. 

 I love them for breakfast, as a post-workout snack, a quick dessert, or an on-the-go snack. 

But with a little bit of dressing up, they also can become a beautiful fall treat that brightens any Holiday table. 

These energy balls were born accidentally with the idea of making a pumpkin pie crust which never took off because we all kept picking on the chewy caramel-tasting base.

So, with some adjustments to what should have been a pie crust, I turned these few ingredients into low-effort energy balls—well, they're equally well-suited to serve as a treat.

And if you have a large family or big snackers, you can easily make them ahead and double or triple the batch because they stay well for a few weeks in the fridge or longer in the freezer.

This recipe gets you 15 energy bites.

• When refrigerated, they slightly harden and develop a lovely nougat-like texture.
• Medjool dates give these bites a natural caramel-like flavor. But, I'll share substitutions.
• Yes, you can make energy balls with gluten-free steel-cut oats—I highly recommend it. When lightly toasted in (coconut) butter, they add a lovely nutty flavor.
• Pumpkin pie spice makes them a special treat. But you can change up the flavors, and I give you some options.
• The best part is that by swapping some ingredients, you can quickly change this gluten-free snack into a nut-free or vegan one. 
• The wholesome ingredients make it a healthy treat when enjoyed in moderation—because they're sweet enough to pass as a dessert.
• Also, you can share them on your Holiday table with just a few extras.

What you'll need & Substitutions

You only need a few essential ingredients, and some add-ins can be swapped based on what you have on hand or what you prefer flavor or diet-wise.

• Butter or coconut butter (to keep it dairy-free and vegan-friendly);
• gluten-free steel-cut oats;
• pumpkin pie spice for extra flavor (see other options below);
• A medley of nuts like whole cashews, pecans, almonds (see options below to make it nut-free);
• A natural sweetener like Medjool dates and black raisins (see variations below).

How to make these energy balls

Toasting the Oats

• For about 4 to 5 minutes, toast the raw oats in some melted butter over medium-low heat until they are a few shades darker.
• They will smell almost like popcorn—no kidding.
• It gives them a lovely crunchy texture with a buttery consistency and makes them easy to process in the blender.
• You want to go for steel-cut oats because it adds a depth of flavor, rich nuttiness, and a subtle sweetness to these energy bites.
• If preferred, you can add one teaspoon of coconut sugar while toasting—optional but perfect if you want to make these treats into a Holiday worthy bite.
• Allow the oats to cool just a tad before you process them into the blender.
• But don't cool completely. The toasted grain might harden into clumps, and then it will be hard to get them out of the pan.

Blending all the ingredients

• Use a Vitamix, a Nutribullet type of blender, or a food processor.
• I recommend adding in the toasted oats first to ensure that they will be processed entirely, followed by the spices, soft dates, raisins, and nuts.
• The mixture should have a beautiful smooth consistency.

Note: The color of the mixture may vary based on the color of the toasted oats, the type of natural sweetener, and the nuts used.

Form Balls

Use a spoon or one tablespoon measurement of the mixture and roll it into balls. Repeat until done.

Chill & Serve

Usually, I place them on a large plate slightly separated from each other to prevent them from sticking and let them completely cool somewhat in the fridge before serving. Chilling is optional, but I highly recommend it.

If you want to store them immediately for later, place them in an airtight container, preferably separated with parchment paper between each layer.

Energy Ball Variations

Nuts versus nut butter

I usually make these energy balls with cashews and pecans. Don't have any on hand? Use other nuts you like, such as almonds or even almond butter instead.

Note: if you opt for a nut or seed or tahini butter instead of whole nuts, the texture will be slightly softer.

Make it nut-free

For those who have nut allergies, sunflower butter is a great alternative, and I have used it many times myself in this recipe.

Make dairy-free or vegan-friendly energy balls

To make it vegan-friendly, you only have to swap real butter for coconut butter or coconut oil. That's it!

Other spices or flavors you can use

Want to change it up?

Use Dutch Speculoos instead—it gives you that warm autumn smell and tastes that Pumpkin Pie spice can do.

They also taste incredible when adding Chai spices, apple pie spice, cacao or unsweetened cocoa powder, and cinnamon.

All good options.

Adjust the level of sweetness

The Medjool dates and half a cup of black raisins usually are plenty enough to sweeten these snacks naturally.

But feel free to pump up the number of raisins to one cup or leave them out for a less sweet taste.

You can also add a few pinches of Stevia Powder or some coconut sugar according to your taste while you toast the steel-cut oats for a sweeter experience.

Like it less sweet, use only the Medjool dates or whatever dried fruits you substitute it with, and leave out any raisins.

What can you substitute for dates

If you don't have any dates or raisins on hand or like to play with different flavors, then try the following natural sweeteners :

• dried figs
• dried prunes
• dried apricots
• dried cherries, or cranberries
• or only use dried raisins instead

At home, we prefer Medjool dates, raisins, or dried apricots. Of course, your flavors will differ based on what you choose, so pick a dried fruit you love.

Other Add-ons

Before you refrigerate, roll the energy balls a few times through a bowl filled with either

• sesame seeds
• fine unsweetened coconut shreds
• hemp seeds
• ground flax seeds

They'll stick to the energy balls and add a nice nutritional touch.

Make it a Festive Treat

Serve these energy balls in mini cupcake holders, and they become the best version of themselves during the Holidays. 

How long do energy balls last

They stay well for a few weeks in the fridge or a few months in the freezer. However, you do have to let them sit on the counter after freezing, so they can soften a bit before serving.

Meal prep idea

They're a lovely rotational make-ahead snack because they are easy to pull together, store well, and are portable.

I hope you enjoy these pumpkin spice energy bites as much as my family does!

More healthy treats you might want to try

You might also like my Creamy Coconut and Protein-rich dark chocolate-covered bites. Or my Rice Crispy Cupcake Treats—the healthy way, of course. They are super fun to make with your kids too. Or try these No Flour Peanut Butter Cookies—they are a real treat.

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This post was originally published in November 2016 and has been updated with new pictures and more information.