No-Cook Peanut Butter Oat Energy Bites with Dried Cherries
Stir rolled oats, peanut butter, maple syrup, dried cherries, seeds and chocolate chips together in a bowl, then rest the dough 10 minutes in the shade. Roll it into tablespoon-sized bites with damp hands. No fire or stove needed, and the whole thing takes about 25 minutes.
These bites are made for camp. You need one bowl and one spoon, and everything is shelf stable. Mix a batch at the picnic table and you have snacks for the trail, the car or the hammock.
The dough is thick and sticky, with chewy cherries and a little chocolate. They hold their shape well in a daypack. Make them at the campsite, or mix them at home and carry them in.
No-Cook Peanut Butter Oat Energy Bites with Dried Cherries
- Prep
- 25 min
- Serves
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- No heat
- Pack weight
- 2 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler optional
- No stove
- Low water
- One-pan cleanup
- Shelf-stable
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
Gear you'll need
- large mixing bowl
- sturdy spoon
- measuring cups and spoons
- cutting board and knife
- lidded container
- jug of clean water for hand washing
Steps
-
Wash up first
Wash your hands with soap and clean water. Rinse the bowl, spoon and cutting board too, since nothing here gets cooked.
-
Mix the dry
In a large bowl, stir together the oats, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, cinnamon and salt.
-
Add the sticky
Add the peanut butter and maple syrup. Stir and press with the back of the spoon until no dry oats are left. It will be stiff, so take your time.
-
Fold in extras
Chop the dried cherries on the cutting board. Fold them into the dough along with the chocolate chips.
-
Check the texture
Squeeze a small handful. It should hold together without crumbling. If it falls apart, stir in water 1 Tbsp at a time.
-
Let it rest
Cover the bowl and set it in the shade for 10 minutes. The oats will soak up moisture and the dough will firm up.
-
Roll the bites
Dampen your hands and roll the dough into tablespoon-sized balls. You should get about 24.
-
Store and serve
Eat right away or pack into a lidded container. In warm weather, keep the container in the shade or the cooler so the chocolate doesn't melt.
Trail Notes
Mix and roll these at home up to 3 days before your trip. Pack them in a sealed container and layer parchment between them so they don't stick.
Scrape the bowl clean and pack out any crumbs and wrappers. Strain dishwater and scatter it well away from camp, water sources and trails. Crumbs left behind draw animals.
Use almond or sunflower seed butter for peanut butter, and raisins or chopped dried apricots for cherries. For a nut-free batch, use sunflower seed butter and check the chocolate label.
These keep for about 3 days without a cooler if you hold them below 85°F in a sealed container. In hotter weather, skip the chocolate chips or swap them for cacao nibs.
Campers ask
Do no-bake energy bites need to be refrigerated while camping?
Not in cool weather. They are made from shelf-stable ingredients and keep about 3 days in a sealed container. In heat above 85°F, keep them in a cooler or in the shade.
How do I keep energy bites from falling apart?
Let the dough rest for 10 minutes so the oats absorb moisture, then roll with damp hands. If it's still crumbly, add water 1 Tbsp at a time.
Can I make energy bites without a kitchen?
Yes. All you need is a bowl, a spoon and a flat surface for chopping. There is no heating, so it works with no stove or fire.
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