No Bake Pumpkin Balls That Are Totally Guilt Free!

Yesterday I whipped up a batch of these no-bake pumpkin balls and I have been eating them morning, noon, and night ever since. Yes, even for breakfast. Do you know why? Because if you are looking for healthy pumpkin recipes, look no further than these bite-sized morsels! And you know what’s even better? They are incredibly easy to make!

Yes, healthy pumpkin desserts DO taste good!

For these delicious pumpkin treats, just mix a few ingredients, roll them into balls, and cover them with cinnamon and sugar and you are done! Easy and delicious with absolutely zero guilt when I inhale a few at 6 AM! After you finish eating them all, whip up a batch of pumpkin donuts, too. You can not have enough pumpkin, right?

Can you substitute fresh pumpkin for canned?

I usually stock up on canned pumpkin after the holidays and it lasts all year.  However, making pumpkin puree from scratch is very easy.  You can definitely substitute the canned pumpkin in these healthy energy balls for actual fresh pumpkin.  To substitute, use the same volume of fresh pumpkin puree as you would canned pumpkin. 

Is canned pumpkin as good as fresh?  They are both packed with nutrients, although, fresh pumpkin is probably going to be a little bit healthier for you given it’s minimal processing.  However, given the time involved in making fresh pumpkin puree, it isn’t something I do very often!

 

Making Pumpkin Balls

Okay, so how do you make these pumpkin balls with so little effort? I started with whole oats and put them through my Cuisinart Food Processor. I don’t know how people live without one of these things, honestly. However, if you don’t want to start with whole oats and grind them yourself, consider picking up some oat flour.

I recently joined Thrive Market which delivers healthy and organic food right to your door. Membership is incredibly inexpensive and you get wholesale prices for a ton of awesome products.

Check them out and order oat flour online and save yourself some time and money. Oat flour is probably finer than what I ground in my food processor but these no-bake pumpkin balls still came out delicious!

More Healthy Dessert Recipes:

• Chocolate Dipped Apricots Recipe
• Healthy Homemade Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe
• Healthy Fruit Salad Recipe with Easy Yogurt Glaze

Best sweeteners for energy balls

There are a few variations you can use for this no-bake recipe. I chose to use maple syrup for my liquid sweetener since I have a ton after our recent trip up to Vermont. You could use honey, brown rice syrup, agave nectar, or whatever other sticky liquid sweeteners you have on hand.

What is an energy ball?

Energy balls like this no-bake pumpkin ball are a delicious combination of healthy energy and a sweet treat.  Energy balls have a combination of protein (from the nut butter), good carbs, and healthy fats, and are high in fiber.

They are also portable, so they are the perfect healthy on-the-go snack before or after your workout! These energy bites should be refrigerated since the nut butter gets really soft at room temperature.  

Are energy balls bad for you?

The purpose of an energy ball (or energy bites as they are sometimes called) is to deliver a quite shot of fat, calories, protein, and energy in a small amount of volume.  They are usually loaded with fiber and portable so they are great for a post-workout snack. 

They aren’t designed for you to eat 12 of them while you binge-watch your favorite movie series.  Eat them as intended and they are very good for you. 

Best nut butter for energy balls

The nut butter I chose was almond butter but peanut butter or cashew butter would also work. If your final dough comes out too sticky, add a bit more coconut flour. If it is too dry, add more sticky sweetener.

You basically want a dough that holds together well when you roll it but that isn’t ‘wet’. Other than mixing and rolling, that is about it! Just whip up a batch and enjoy!

If you enjoy no-bake recipes, check out my review of the No Cook, No Bake cookbook for more inspiration. Or, try my Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats.  Or, if you are looking for healthy pumpkin recipes, try my pumpkin spice oatmeal recipe. 

No Bake Pumpkin Balls

Yield: 14

No Bake Pumpkin Balls That Are Totally Guilt Free!

Print

Looking for healthy pumpkin recipes? These no bake pumpkin balls are easy to make and delicious. One of my favorite no bake recipes for fall!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten free rolled oats, ground to a fine powder (or 1 3/4 cups oat flour)
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 2 T brown sugar
• 1 T pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• cinnamon and sugar for rolling

Instructions

1. Combine the coconut flour, oat flour (or ground oats), brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice in a mixing bowl.
2. In a small sauce pan over medium heat, combine the almond butter and the maple syrup. Heat until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
3. Add the almond butter mixture to the dry ingredients along with the pumpkin. Sitr until combined.
4. Roll into 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls and place on cookie sheet
5. Combine additional cinnamon and sugar in a bowl and roll each ball in the mixture.
6. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

14

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 311Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 9mgCarbohydrates: 58gFiber: 7gSugar: 34gProtein: 6g

Nutrition information not always accurate

Love this no bake pumpkin recipe?

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Want more pumpkin recipes?

 Try this Pumpkin Pudding Recipe!