So there I was—standing in my kitchen in fuzzy socks, Vegan snickerdoodle energy balls….staring at my pantry like it had personally offended me—trying to find something, anything, that didn’t involve sugar crashes or adult responsibilities.
And boom. Out of absolutely nowhere (read: desperation), I whipped up these vegan snickerdoodle energy balls.
Now I know what you’re thinking—energy balls? Really? Aren’t those the sad snack that looks like bird food but somehow costs $7 at the fancy health food store?
Yeah, usually. But not these.
The Accidental Cookie Dough Moment
Let me back up for a second.
This started because I was craving cookies (hard), but also didn’t want to use the oven. Or follow directions, measure things with actual precision.
Oats. Nut butter. Maple syrup. Cinnamon. Vanilla. Salt. A little almond flour to keep it all classy. And that one date I found squished in the back of the fridge.
And what happened next was straight-up magic.
What You’ll Need (and Probably Already Have)
Here’s the best part: this is a pantry clean-out kind of recipe. Like, dump-it-and-mix-it vibes.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup rolled oats (old-fashioned or quick—your call)
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup natural almond butter or cashew butter (or peanut butter if you want a snickerdoodle rebel moment)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup (or honey, but then it’s not vegan. You’ve been warned.)
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon (more if you want to feel spicy)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
For rolling:
- A mix of cinnamon + coconut sugar (or regular sugar, I won’t tattle)
How to Make
1. Toss everything in a bowl.
No, seriously. Just throw it in. Use a spoon if you’re feeling polite. Use your hands if you’ve lost all social norms (hi, same).
2. Taste test.
This is the most important part. Grab a pinch and taste it. Too dry? Add more nut butter. Too sticky? Add a little oat flour. More cinnamon. Fix it like you’d fix a bad group chat vibe.
3. Roll into balls.
Tablespoon-size is good. Bigger if you don’t want to pretend you have portion control. Mine always end up different sizes because I have the measuring consistency of a raccoon.
4. Roll them in the cinnamon sugar mix.
Trust me. It gives that signature snickerdoodle sparkle. Like they got dressed up for brunch.
5. Chill ‘em.
Fridge for 20 minutes minimum. But honestly? I’ve eaten them right away, still warm from the rolling process, while watching re-runs of The Office and trying to forget about work emails.
Times You Will Absolutely Need These vegan snickerdoodle energy balls
- At 3PM, when you’re staring blankly into the void of your inbox.
- During arguments, with your sibling, your ex, your wifi—whatever. They soften you.
- Post-breakup, when you want comfort but also don’t want to cry over a pint of ice cream again.
- On hikes, if you’re into that kind of thing. (I’m not. But hypothetically.)
Add-Ins That Slap (or at least mildly improve your life)
Feel free to mess with the recipe. The energy ball gods won’t smite you.
- Mini chocolate chips – I mean. Yeah.
- Chopped pecans or walnuts – Crunch town. Population: your snack.
- Pumpkin spice – Snickerdoodle meets basic fall girl.
- Chia or flax seeds – Health vibes, extra fiber, feel virtuous.
- Protein powder – Vanilla blends work best here. No weird chalky stuff, please.
