These Trail Mix Bites are Paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, with Keto, nut-free, and vegan options! Such an easy snack or meal add-on. These bites take only 10 minutes to prep and 15 minutes to freeze – so easy!
I love that this recipe is flexible to whatever nuts and seeds you have on hand. Often I make them as a way to use up odds and ends of leftover nuts, dried fruit, and seeds in my pantry. Just try to vary your textures – chewy dried fruit, flaky coconut, crunchy nuts or seeds.
The Power of Healthy Fats
I’m a huge advocate of the power of healthy fat. After avoiding it for a solid decade+ (thank you “low fat” 90’s!), I have come to embrace it fully and have never been healthier. Fat is unique in it’s ability to satiate, great for mental health, helps stabilize blood sugar which = better/more stable moods, and minimized cravings. I make sure I have “plated fat” on at every meal (i.e. not just the fat I cook with, but fat ON my plate in the form of avocado, olives, nuts & seeds, nut butter, coconut milk or meat, and oil-based dressings). It’s a game changer, and I’ve had more than one client tell me it was THE thing that made the difference.
Want to learn more about healthy fats? I loved learning about the science of food in the book It Starts with Food. Enough science to help me understand without totally losing me. Definitely a read I would recommend!
Wondering how to get more healthy fats in? These bites are a great add on to any meal lacking in fat or for a satiating snack. The healthy fats in them help keep my teenage boys fueled and filled.
Other healthy fats for us look like:
- Avocados or guacamole
- Nuts, nut butter, or seeds
- Olives
- Coconut milk, flakes, or chunks
- Oil based sauces like my Homemade Mayo, Ranch, or Date Mustard
Keep in mind, these do need to stay cold. You can keep and eat them right out of the fridge. Or, if you want them on the go, keep them in the freezer and keep them in a lunch box with an ice pack.
Ingredients for Trail Mix Bites:
- Nut or sun butter – We usually use almond butter, as I like its neutral flavor and it’s affordable. I’d recommend a more neutral flavor like almond, cashew, or sun butter (for nut-free).
- Melted coconut oil – Melt first and then measure it melted.
- Honey – The thickness of honey works really well with these. You can use maple syrup for a vegan swap, they will just take longer to freeze and need to live in the freezer.
- Vanilla – Imitation vanilla extract is fine. We can’t always afford pure vanilla extract, though that is ideal for it’s simple ingredients.
- Nuts + seeds + coconut flakes + dried fruit – Use what you have on hand or need to use up! I share below my favorite combination. Try to vary the textures – crunchy nuts or seeds, chewy dried fruit, crispy flaked coconut.
Want a video on how to make these? You can find that on Instagram here. Look how easy they are!
Trail Mix Bites
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup almond butter see notes for substitutions
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup honey see note for substitution
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cup nuts, seeds, coconut flakes, and dried fruit *see note below for my favorite combo!
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine well with a whisk the almond butter, coconut oil, honey, and vanilla
- In a separate small bowl, combine desired nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. Measure out 1 1/2 cup of this.
- Spray a muffin tin with cooking oil (I prefer the silicone muffin tins). Divide the 1 1/2 cup nut combo evenly among the 12 muffin cups of the muffin tin.
- Evenly pour the liquid almond butter mixture over the nuts/seeds/fruit that are in each muffin cup. The liquid will come to just about the top of the nuts/seeds/fruit.
- Freeze, laying flat, in the freezer till solid, usually about 20-30 minutes. Once frozen, pop out of muffin tin and store in a sealed container or ziplock bag.
- Keep stored in freezer. Good for 3+ months, if kept in freezer.
Notes
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SUBSTITUTIONS:
- TREE-NUT FREE: Use sunbutter instead of almond butter, and stick to seeds, coconut flakes, and dried fruit for the nut/seed/fruit combo
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- COCONUT OIL: Sorry team, due to the unique properties of coconut oil, you cannot sub out other oils in this recipe
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- KETO: Use Lakanto Maple Flavored syrup instead of the honey, or liquid stevia drops, sweetening to taste. Leave out dried fruit, using only nuts/seeds/coconut flakes for the nut/seed/fruit combo. These will just take longer to freeze and need to live in the freezer (as the syrup is thinner than honey).
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- VEGAN: You can use an equal amount maple syrup for a vegan swap, they will just take longer to freeze and need to live in the freezer (as maple syrup is thinner).
You are a genius! I made these for my granddaughters but couldn’t stay out of the pre-freezer mix myself! 😅 These are DELISH, so easy and a great way to use up dibbles of dried fruit and nuts (plus I added a few mini chocolate chips) in the pantry!
I’m so happy you loved them too! Such an easy one that’s super flexible. Thank you!
I added the last bits of sunflower kernels and pepitas leftover from another recipe, along with my homemade nut mix. So good!
Just made these as something different than energy bites I always make for my teenage swimmer. These are soooo good! They will be a staple in my freezer!
These are addicting! I keep going back to the freezer for more!
Would these work for Whole30 if you skipped the honey/sweetener?
Thanks
Huh, good question. Yes, technically they would be compatible. I have never tried them without the sweetener, so I am not sure how tasty they would be. Let me know if you try them what you think!
Made these exactly as written and did combo that was suggested and these were so good! Definitely a repeat recipe for sure!
I love that you enjoyed these and want to make them on the repeat. Thank you!
These are delicious! I’m so excited my 3 year old will eat them now. Makes a perfect snack of fat, protein and fiber 🤩
That makes my mama heart happy your little one enjoyed these! Such an easy nutrient-dense snack. Thank you! 💛
Can’t wait to try these. All of my favorites!
These are amazing! New favorite around here. I love all the textures. Thanks!
Hooray! I love that these are a new favorite. Thank you!
Just like the trail mix balls – These are so good. My 7 year old is able to make them and LOVES them. The whole family eats them as a treat and a snack and we are now making them weekly.
These are a lifeline for me with chronic illness. Thank you! My favorite combo is pecans and dried cranberries, and I use maple syrup (can’t tolerate honey) and reduce to 2 T. Works great!
So happy these are a helpful easy to grab option. I love how flexible it is and hearing how you made it your own, thank you!
These are so fantastic to keep in the freezer! I use pecan butter and mixed in coconut, craisins and almond. Love that I could change it up every time!
Agreed, they are so flexible and I love having them in the freezer for a quick nutrient-dense snack or meal add-on. Thank you!
These are so good and super easy!!
I used peanut butter and did a mix of raisin, coconut flakes, raw pecans and cashews. They make the perfect snack!!
Yes, such an easy nutrient-dense snack! So happy you enjoyed, thank you!
I just made a batch of this with cashews, dried cranberries and coconut. 2 out of 3 kids liked them so I’ll call it a win!
I love a good easy kid win! Thank you!
Wow, these are delicious and so quick and easy to make. They solve my problem for after school snack for my kids and after dinner treat for my husband!
Yes! I’m so happy they were a family win. Thank you!
Looks delicious!!! Can’t wait to try it!!
They are so easy and delicious! Thank you!
These are incredible! Health foods often lack in the flavour department. Not these! The texture is creamy and the flavour is decadent. Great afternoon snack!
Aw, thank you – I’m so happy these fit the bill for both healthy and delicious! Agreed, the healthy fats in this are an awesome snack to help satiate that hunger or as an add on to a meal.
Hoping to try this soon! Would peanut butter work instead of almond butter? Would that change the flavor profile too drastically? And what would be a good sub for pumpkin seeds (not a big fan around here)?
Hi! Happy you want to dive into these. I haven’t tried it with peanut butter. Peanut butter does have a strong flavor, so it would change the flavor profile, but if you enjoy peanut butter they could work though you might want to adjust the components (like I’m not sure if raisins + peanut butter would be the best combo?). And the components are totally flexible – use any combination of seeds, nuts, coconut, dried fruit that works for you!