Learn how to make pumpkin energy balls in just 5 minutes and with 8 ingredients! Made with canned pumpkin and pumpkin spice, this easy vegan energy ball recipe is healthy and delicious. The pumpkin balls taste like a mix of pumpkin pie, pumpkin donut holes and pumpkin cake bites. This quick healthy snacks recipe is vegan, naturally sweetened, gluten-free, paleo and Whole30 approved.
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Pumpkin Balls – Easy Healthy Energy Balls Recipe
With the first autumn chills, all I want is to cuddle up with a book and enjoy a delicious healthy pumpkin treat. This cake-like pumpkin spice energy balls recipe tastes like pumpkin donut holes and takes only 5 minutes and 8 ingredients.
Energy bites are wonderful healthy snacks for kids, for work or on the go. Whether you need and energy boost in the morning or mid-afternoon, this healthy snacks recipe provides sustenance and keep you focused. Loaded with nutrients, vegan energy balls satisfy those pumpkin spice cravings in the best way. No doubt, you’ll love them.
Healthy snack on the go
I try to avoid processed food and store-bought snacks. They’re often stuffed with refined sugar, preservatives and other additives. One of the reasons why I love to make energy balls from scratch is that I know exactly what’s in them. With this vegan energy balls recipe, you only get good protein, healthy fats and filling fibre, all rolled into a delicious and easy pumpkin dessert.
Keep my no-bake energy balls in your freezer all fall long – then they’re available whenever you need a healthy treat without added sugar. I definitively like to have a stash of vegan energy balls around.
Pumpkin energy balls: a great vegan no-bake snack
This homemade no-bake energy balls recipe is made with pumpkin puree, dried apricots, almonds, coconut flour, and a splash of maple syrup to sweeten it up. This combination is fruity and fresh but also tastes like vegan edible cookie dough or pumpkin pie filling. So good!
Looking at the ingredients, you can see that this simple energy ball recipe is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free and suitable for the paleo diet and Whole30 diet. And when you swap the almonds and almond butter with sunflower seeds and sunflower seed butter, you get nut-free energy balls. Meaning almost everyone can enjoy them.
I can’t wait for you to try these no-bake pumpkin energy balls. They are:
- soft and chewy
- made with pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice
- naturally sweetened
- vegan and gluten-free
- super satisfying
- the perfect portable snack
Best of all, pumpkin pie balls taste so good – think a mix between pumpkin pie, pumpkin donut holes and pumpkin truffles. Pure healthy pumpkin bliss!
Ingredients for pumpkin energy balls
Want to know the reason that this energy balls recipe is so yummy? It’s because of the variety of the ingredients! Each one adds it’s own aroma to the pumpkin balls. The energy bites recipe can be customised and I included a few substitution options:
- coconut flour
- whole almonds (almond flour works too, sunflower seeds can be used for nut-free)
- maple syrup (you can also use agave syrup or a liquid sugar-free sweetener)
- almond butter (can be subbed for peanut butter, cashew butter, or sunflower butter for nut-free)
- soft dried apricots (make sure to use SOFT dried, pitted apricots, can be subbed for Medjool dates for energy balls with dates)
- canned pumpkin (homemade pumpkin puree can also be used)
- ground cinnamon
- pumpkin pie spice (try my homemade pumpkin pie spice mix)
A food processor does all the heavy lifting in my vegan no-bake energy balls recipe. These healthy energy bites can also be made in a blender or in the blending jar of a hand blender.
How to make pumpkin energy bites
These energy balls with pumpkin are one of the easiest vegan fall desserts you can make. It only takes a few minutes and a blender. Here’s how to make pumpkin energy balls:
- Simply put all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a smooth dough forms.
- Roll tablespoons of the mixture into energy balls. I used 2 tablespoon portions because I wanted pumpkin balls that resemble vegan no-bake donut holes.
- Optionally, roll the pumpkin energy bites in pumpkin spice and almond flour.
And there you have it, yummy healthy no-bake pumpkin energy balls.
Tips for making the best pumpkin spice energy balls
Here are a few tips to help you get the best pumpkin energy balls:
- Add the maple syrup gradually. Start with just 3 tablespoons and keep adding more until you like the sweetness and the mixture has a soft, pliable texture. 3 to 4 tablespoons are enough texture-wise, 8 tablespoons will create a smooth, cookie-dough like consistency.
- This energy ball recipe turns out best with thick canned pumpkin. You can learn how to thicken pumpkin in my homemade pumpkin puree recipe.
- Don’t have pumpkin spice? Use ground cinnamon, ginger or cardamom to season your healthy energy balls instead
How to store pumpkin energy balls
Pumpkin energy balls can be kept at the counter for a day. They will last longer in the refrigerator. Put the vegan energy bites in an airtight food container and stored them refrigerated for up to 5 days.
And the best way how to store energy balls? Freeze the pumpkin bites! The last for 2 months and you can get a pumpkin bliss ball whenever you’re ready to eat one. They firm up a bit in the freezer but remain chewy, I actually prefer energy bites frozen.
Pumpkin balls: a healthy homemade food gifts idea
As a reader of this blog, you probably know how much I love to make and package homemade food gifts. Energy balls are unique edible gifts and healthy gourmet food gift ideas. The are thoughtful gifts for your family and friends, coworkers, teachers, or to bring to a party as hostess gift. It’s a great snack to bring to work to share and a healthy snack for kids (Halloween… hint, hint.)
Because food gifts in a jar are super cute, I put a few energy spice bites into a jam jar and also threw in a few dried apricots for good measure. I used empty, cleaned jam jars, clip top jars or mason jars will work, too. I decorated easy fall gift with a big eyelet ribbon and a printable gift tag from our Prestwood Pumpkin collection.
More healthy pumpkin recipes
When those pumpkin spice cravings strike, be prepared! I you like this easy energy ball recipe, you might also enjoy these simple no-bake energy balls. And check out the following vegan and gluten free pumpkin recipes:
- soft pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting
- pumpkin pie spice syrup
- fluffy pumpkin pancakes
- healthy pumpkin muffins
- vegan pumpkin latte
- homemade fall food gift ideas
Pumpkin Energy Balls Recipe – Vegan Gluten-Free Paleo Pumpkin Balls
Learn how to make pumpkin energy balls in just 5 minutes and with 8 ingredients! Made with canned pumpkin and pumpkin spice, this easy vegan energy ball recipe is healthy and delicious. The pumpkin balls taste like a mix of pumpkin pie, pumpkin donut holes and pumpkin cake bites. This quick healthy snacks recipe is vegan, naturally sweetened, gluten-free, paleo and Whole30 approved.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Energy Balls
- 1 cup / 90 g / 3.2 oz coconut flour
- 1/2 cup / 70 g / 2.5 oz almonds
- 8 tbsp maple syrup
- 4 tbsp almond butter
- 2/3 cup / 125 g / 4.4 SOFT dried apricots
- 1 cup / 225 g / 8 oz pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Coating (optional)
Instructions
- Weigh out the ingredients.
- Place the almonds in a blender or larger food processor fitted with an “S” blade. Pulse until the almonds are just ground.
- Add the coconut flour, maple syrup, almond butter, pumpkin, ground cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and dried apricots. Blend in 30-second intervals until a sticky dough forms. Don’t over-process the dough, the mixture is ready when you can form a dough ball.
- Roll tablespoons of mixture between the palms of your hands into balls.
- To decorate the pumpkin energy bites, mix 1/2 cup almond flour with 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice. Roll the truffles in the almond flour mixture.
Notes
Storage and shelf life
Pumpkin energy balls can be kept at the counter for a day. They will last longer in the refrigerator. Put the vegan energy bites in an airtight food container and stored them refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Energy bites freeze very well and last for 2 months in the freezer.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 30 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 64Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 15mgCarbohydrates: 7gNet Carbohydrates: 0gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gSugar Alcohols: 0gProtein: 2g
Over to you!
Do you like pumpkin spice season and what is your favourite pumpkin spice recipe? Leave me a comment, I’d really love to know!
Thanks so much for visiting Country Hill Cottage – we’re so happy you’re here! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the commentsection below!
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Cyna xo
Tricia Wright
Friday 27th of September 2019
I'd like to try the recipe but don't have dried apricots. Can I use dates?
Cyna | Country Hill Cottage
Friday 27th of September 2019
Thanks for stopping by, Tricia! Yes, you can use dates. Depending how moist your dates are, you may have to add more or less maple syrup to get the right consistency.
Kyla @ A Life Adjacent
Monday 9th of September 2019
Wow, these look so delicious. I'm definitely adding these to my list of must-make recipes this fall! (Plus, they taste like a mix of pumpkin pie, pumpkin donut holes and pumpkin cake bites? I'm sold.)
Country Hill Cottage
Tuesday 10th of September 2019
Thanks a lot, Kyla! I think these pumpkin energy bites are my new favourite fall treat and I hope you'll love them, too.