If you are craving your pumpkin spice latte over ice because, despite the onslaught of all things pumpkin on Pinterest, it’s still 85 degrees where you are, I have the perfect fix for you today: No Bake Pumpkin Energy Balls.
Pumpkin energy balls are the Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler you wanted to eat for breakfast last Friday while your family wasn’t watching, transformed into a healthy bite you can happily gobble anytime of day.
These pumpkin energy balls taste like morsels of pumpkin pie, take less than 15 minutes to prep, and are so wholesome, even the training staff at my gym (the latest recipients of my healthy treats) approved!
About These Pumpkin Energy Balls
Today’s recipe magic happens entirely in the food processor. Dates are the main source of sweetness, and they also help to “glue” the pumpkin energy balls together. Since pumpkin isn’t very sweet on its own, I added a touch of maple syrup, too; its cozy flavor always reminds me of fall. Oatmeal and chia seeds make an appearance, and if you have a bag of flaxseeds you’ve been trying to figure out how to use, feel free to add them too. (These Energy Balls or these Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Balls are another great way to use up those extra chia seeds and flaxseeds.)
For a touch of richness and more fall-ness, I added toasted pecans, which provide protein and healthy fats, and seem to be the ingredient that really makes these energy bites taste like pumpkin pie. A generous pinch (or four) of pumpkin spices like cinnamon and ginger give the pumpkin energy balls warmth and that classic pumpkin taste I suspect had you craving them in the first place.
This pumpkin energy balls recipe calls for 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree, so it’s a great way to polish off any leftover canned pumpkin you have on hand from any of these recipes. You can double the batch to use up a bit more if you like, then stash the extras in the freezer, where they will last several months.
More Energy Ball Recipes
- Ginger Cookie Healthy Energy Balls
- No Bake Cookie Dough Protein Balls
- Fig Almond No Bake Energy Bites
- Golden Raisin No Bake Energy Bites
Tools Used to Make This Recipe
Leave the oven off, your taste buds on, and let this healthy Pumpkin Energy Ball recipe keep you happy all fall!
No Bake Pumpkin Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted Mejool dates about 8 ounces or 10-12 large dates
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled or quick oats gluten free if needed
- 1/4 cup toasted pecan halves
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup plus additional 1-3 teaspoons as desired
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds or ground flaxseed meal
- 2 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or swap: 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon maple flavor or maple extract optional but delicious—I also love it in these pumpkin scones
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- If the dates are dry or hard, let soak in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry. Transfer the dates to a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse until the dates are in small pieces and form a sticky ball.
- Add the oats, pecans, pumpkin, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, chia seeds, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, maple extract (if using), and salt. Pulse to combine. The oats and nuts should be in small pieces of roughly the same size, but not completely smooth. Taste and add 1-3 teaspoons additional maple syrup if you desire a sweeter mixture.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl, then cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. With a spoon or cookie scoop, scoop the mixture then roll it into balls. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 2 months. If the balls are frozen, there is no need to let thaw—just eat immediately, or let them sit a few minutes to warm up if desired.
Notes
- These Pumpkin Energy Balls can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 2 months. You can eat the balls immediately from the freezer, or let them warm up a bit if you prefer.
Nutrition
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I love having energy balls on hand! These look PERFECT for this time of year when it really is too hot for all the fall things (tried to make soup earlier this week and was sweating the entire time I was eating it!!) Love the combo of pumpkin and pecan :)
I have a recipe just like this one on my blog and it’s one of those that I actually make over and over again- your version looks incredible and I love all the awesome and varied protein sources you put in these bites!
I love having snacks like this on hand for when hunger hits! I need to try these soon!
I love how these satisify the fall/pumpkin craving while still being perfect for the last of our hot summer days!
These are on the menu for the weekend. You recipes are all favorites in our house and because we love all things pumpkin, these are sure to be a hit! Thanks for rocking the health eats world!
These sound amazing. I will not wait for leftover purée. I think these deserve a freshly opened can!
These energy balls look just perfect! Love the color the pumpkin puree gives them!
Thank you so much Julia! I love the fall color of pumpkin too :)
Pecans and pumpkin, my favorite flavors of fall! These look like perfection, Erin!
Erin: They came out great, and so easy! FYI: I used 10 dates/1 cup, and that was 5.5 oz and used ground flax. Next time I think I’ll experiment and use less ground cloves. Used 1TBL grade B maple. Thanks for the fabulous recipe.
YAY Helen!! I am so excited to hear it. Thanks for sharing your kind review and your recipe tweaks too.
These pumpkin energy bites look absolutely irresistible! Love that you used toasted pecans – my favorite thing ever :)
I absolutely adore them too Rachel. Thank you!
Ok, so I would love these right now. My first task tomorrow morning is to go buy the ingredients and make these for snack time. My taste testers will be happy. They thank you in advance :)
My baking/cooking time is limited, so I’m in the habit of doubling all recipes and freezing any leftovers. Doubling this one proved difficult for my mid-sized food processor (the batter is quite sticky). Next time I won’t double or will pull out our industrial-sized food processor that is in storage. I am one of those people who love all things pumpkin, all year, so bring on the pumpkin recipes, Erin!
Thanks for the heads up about doubling Lisa! I think a larger food processor should do the trick. I love all things pumpkin too, and I have a few more in store, so I’m glad to know that you are ready :-)
These are very delicious! Even right out of the freezer :) I had trouble getting everything to mix together well in the food processor due to the dates being so sticky so everything ended up being in finer pieces, but they still tasted amazing! I added more pumpkin puree than the recipe called for.
Elise, I LOVE them right out of the freezer. I’m so glad you loved how they tasted too!
Elise, I LOVE them right out of the freezer. I’m so glad you loved how they tasted too!
Can you use regular dates in place of the medjool?
Hi Meaghan! I’ve never tried making energy balls with other dates besides Mejool, so I’m not sure how they would turn out. You can definitely feel free to experiment though, and if you do try the swap, I’d love to hear how it goes!
I made half the recipe and used packaged “chopped dates.” I completely missed the step about soaking the dates first, I just mixed everything in my food processor. I had no problem with the mixture being too sticky, it processed uniformly and I drizzled in 2 tablespoons of water to bring it all together after processing the ingredients. I used toasted walnuts rather than pecans due to an allergy, and added both chia seeds and flax seed meal. I also formed the dough into a brick before chilling and used a dough scraper to cut squares before rolling the balls, instead of a scoop. They are delicious!
Angie, I am so happy that this recipe worked out for you!!! Thanks so much for sharing this lovely review.
Erin, I feel like such a fangirl but I have to rave about this recipe too! I have an insatiable sweet tooth, and one of my New Years resolutions was to find healthy ways to enjoy sweets and cut down on the added sugar in my diet, and this totally fit the bill! They taste just like pumpkin pie! I personally can eat them as a dessert and feel totally satisfied, even more so since I’m eating so many nutritious things at once. Can’t thank you enough!
Thank you so much, Annie! I’m so happy you were able to find a recipe that fits in perfectly with your resolutions! I really appreciate your kind words! :)
This looks good!
I don’t have a food processor. Can I use my Nutri blender that I use for my smoothies? Thanks
Eileen, I’ve never tried, but I think for most blenders, it would get pretty sticky and the ingredients wouldn’t blend well. It’s helpful to have the wider base of a food processor. You could maybe try experimenting with half the amount of the recipe, but since I’ve never tried, I’m afraid I can’t speak from experience.
These look so delicious! I crave pumpkin in the fall, but it is difficult to find anywhere but in dessert. I can’t wait to try these! Thanks!
I hope you enjoy the recipe, Vanessa!
I can’t wait to try this! I bet the dates go really well with the pumpkin. Thanks for sharing!
I hope you love the recipe, Suzanne!
These sound amazing. I will not wait for leftover purée. I think these deserve a freshly opened can!
So glad to hear it Gili! I hope you enjoy the recipe if you try it!
Thank you for the No Bake Pumpkin Energy Balls! I did it a little different because I’m allergic to becans but tasty when I was finished eating the energy balls. Thank you and many blessings to your family and you.
I’m glad you enjoyed them, Raquel! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this review.
These look delicious – cannot wait to try this recipe (my husband LOVES pumpkin pie!). Quick question: has anyone tired adding flavorless (collagen) protein to this recipe? We are trying to up our healthy protein intake overall, and if this little dessert had more in it, that would be a win-win. Happy fall!
Hi Kristy! Thank you for your kind review! I have not tried this recipe with collagen, but you could experiment by adding it. I hope you love the recipe!
Hi! I loved these. I would like to include this recipe in the October Newsletter for my gym. I am part of the gym at the Jewish Community Center, Northern VA. Would you give me permission? Of course we would give credit to you in the article. Thanks!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed these, Aliza! I’d love to be included, thank you! Please feel free to use one photo, with a direct link to the recipe. I ask that you include a direct recipe link (required), and a link to www.wellplated.com too. An easy way to do this is to put credit below the photo that says “by Erin Clarke of Well Plated”. I also ask that no part of the recipe ingredients or directions be reprinted. Thanks again!
If you’re unable to eat dates what else could be used for a substitution? Thanks.
Hi Joyce! The dates add sweetness and help hold the balls together, so I’ve never tried the recipe without them. You could try another dried, sticky fruit, but it would be a complete experiment. If you decide to play around with a swap, I’d love to hear how it goes!
I’m planning to try and make this sometime this week and I’m going to soak raisins in hot water for a few minutes, drain and then pulse them. I think I’ll pulse a cup worth prior to adding anything else in and reserve some of the raisin mix, but start with maybe half a cup (raisins do not equal the same amount of space a date would) Who knows if it will work, but thought I’d share if you wanted to try it.
Hope you enjoy them!
I was looking to make energy/protein balls with pumpkin and decided on this particular recipe because I loved all the ingredients and liked that it did NOT have chocolate chips/morsels in it. I think that would take away from the wonderful flavor.
Super easy to make..and ready in 30 mins. My partner and our 4 year old loved them. Its reminiscent of pumpkin pie. I will definitely be making these again!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them, CJ! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
These are fantastic. I changed it up and used walnuts and pecans; but they turned out to be amazing. They’re like bite sized pumpkin pies.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them, Neal! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
These are so delicious and easy! Every one that has tried the ones I made LOVEEEE THEM!
Hi Charlotte! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I love these! They were so easy and delicious. Everyone I gave them to LOVED them!
Hi Charlotte! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Do you have any advice for making these without a food processor? I have a blender, but it doesn’t always do well with making fine purees (pesto was a disaster…). Thanks!
Hi Laurel! I’ve never tried, but I think for most blenders, it would get pretty sticky and the ingredients wouldn’t blend well. It’s helpful to have the wider base of a food processor. You could maybe try experimenting with half the amount of the recipe, but since I’ve never tried, I’m afraid I can’t speak from experience.