Description
No-bake, sticky, and satisfying energy clusters made with rolled oats, nut butter, and honey. Perfect for busy parents needing a quick, nutritious after-school snack that avoids sugar crashes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (180g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup (120g) natural nut butter (peanut, almond, or sunflower)
- ⅓ cup (100ml) honey
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) coconut oil, melted
- 1 cup (100g) chopped nuts (almonds, cashews, peanuts)
- ¼ cup (30g) seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, chia, or flax)
- 1 cup (100g) dried fruit (cranberries, apricots, raisins)
- ½ cup (85g) dark chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prep dry ingredients: Chop nuts and dried fruit into small pieces. Measure oats, seeds, and mix-ins into a large mixing bowl.
- Warm wet ingredients: In a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, combine nut butter, honey, and melted coconut oil. Warm gently until smooth and runny (about 2 minutes). Let cool slightly.
- Combine wet and dry: Pour the warm nut butter mixture over the dry ingredients. Add vanilla extract and salt. Stir vigorously until a sticky, cohesive mass forms. Adjust consistency with more honey/nut butter if too dry, or more oats if too wet.
- Add mix-ins: Fold in chocolate chips gently to avoid crushing the oats.
- Shape clusters: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop or hand-roll the mixture into balls or clusters. Place on the sheet with space between them.
- Chill: Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 1 hour) to set the coconut oil and nut butter before serving.
Notes
Use natural, runny nut butter for best binding. If using processed nut butter, warm it thoroughly. Quick oats can be used but will result in a softer texture. Clusters can be frozen for up to 3 months. If clusters are too dry, add more honey; if too wet, add more oats.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cluster
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 7
- Sodium: 50
- Fat: 7
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 4
Keywords: energy clusters, no-bake snacks, after school snack, healthy trail mix, nut butter balls, gluten-free snack, vegan snack option