Chocolate Pecan Pie Energy Bites

Easy, raw, bite-sized, naturally sweetened collagen bites full of chocolate and pecan pie flavors without all the hard work and sugar! Raw, gluten free, dairy free, vegan and paleo.

I’ve probably mentioned this in past years, but I’m not a huge fan of pie. Depending on what kind you make, it can be a pain in the ass – you make the crust, then maybe have to cook a filling, pour it just so, bake it without it overflowing, making sure that the crust edges don’t burn but are still cooked through… meh. I’d rather not.

I know there are people who would totally argue my point and say that making a layer cake is just as much a pain in the ass with the leveling, making sure the texture is right, making the frosting and icing the cake with it. And you would be correct, it can also be time consuming and meticulous – but for some reason I enjoy that kind more. Maybe it’s just because cake = frosting. Yeah… that’s probably why.

My fiancé loves pie (this strawberry rhubarb pie is a favorite for his birthday), so I try to remember that pie is beloved by basically everyone else in the universe so I need to get over myself and just make one from time to time.

OR… I can still manage to avoid it by making pie into little energy bites that requires far less work, no crust, and isn’t something for which I need to justify the calories. Enter the Pecan Pie Energy Bites. More specifically, Chocolate Pecan Pie Energy Bites.

I’ve had a recipe idea in my head for a raw chocolate pecan pie for the last couple years and I just haven’t gotten it exactly the way I want it yet. So in lieu of that, I still wanted to make something with pecans and chocolate for this holiday season. And since I’m doing everything in my power not to eat every single thing in sight so that my poor wedding dress doesn’t burst at the seams come February, I figure this is a good compromise to still get some nutty dessert flavors with the added bonus of them actually being pretty good for you.

Here’s what we’re looking at, ingredient-wise:

• Medjool dates: This is where the sweetness comes from – no added sugar!
• Cashew butter or almond butter: Cashew is my personal favorite for these, but almond works just fine, too.
• Pecans: Because they wouldn’t be pecan pie bites without… pecans.
• Collagen peptides: I use Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides, and it helps promote healthy skin, hair and nails, as well as joint health.
• Chia seeds: Helps to control hunger, and packs a punch of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, antioxidants and calcium.
• Vanilla extract, salt and cinnamon: Just gives it a little somethin’ somethin’ and adds flavor.

And for the chocolate version, we’re also adding:

• Raw cacao powder: Unlike traditional cocoa powder (which is not paleo friendly), raw cacao powder is unprocessed and retains nutrients like magnesium, calcium, iron, fiber and protein.
• Mini chocolate chips: Because chocolate. (I use Enjoy Life mini chips)

I brought these into my office, and people were loving them. One person threatened to steal the whole container, another called them “absolutely delightful”. Granted, he was partially predisposed to liking them because it was his birthday and I was basically letting him eat pie for breakfast.

I got requests to make more of them, but little did they know I had a secret second container of them waiting in the wings. I’m a real evil genius.

These are soft, so it’s not like biting into a truffle or something with a hard shell on the outside. It’s more or less the texture of cookie dough, and similar to the apple pie bites I made last year. I know some people see chia seeds and immediately become concerned with having chia seeds stuck in their teeth, but there’s a pretty small amount in these and I’m yet to have any stuck in my teeth – and trust me, I’ve eaten a lot of these in one sitting. But if you’re really that worried about it, you can leave the chia seeds out – you’ll just be missing out on their nutritional value, but it won’t affect the flavor.

I’ll let you know when I finally perfect that raw chocolate pecan pie recipe, but until then let’s indulge ourselves in these little guys and feel good about all the calories we’re saving for Christmas Cookies in a couple months <3

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