These white chocolate cranberry granola bites are a tasty, protein and fiber-rich snack to keep on hand for hungry little hands (or big ones).
We go through a lot of snacks around here. And judging by the number of times they’ve told me “I’m hungry” this week (or, in Little Brother’s case, dragged me to the pantry with a pleading look on his face), I’m convinced my two little boys are going through growth spurts right now. Yesterday Little Man ate an entire burrito for his afternoon snack, and Little Brother had three helpings at dinner!
Earlier this week, Little Man requested our much-loved banana wheels for his afternoon snack, but we were out of bananas. He didn’t take the news well (he’s not always the most rational person after waking up from a nap).
To try to soften the blow (and prevent a breakdown), I suggested that we make granola bites, one of his other favorite snacks. To sweeten the deal, I said we could make a new kind of granola bites…ooooh. His eyes lit up, and I knew we were in business. Mom win.
That’s how these little beauties were born:
They’re based off of the healthy no-bake granola bites recipe I’ve shared before on the blog, but this time instead of regular chocolate chips, we added white chocolate chips and Craisins (the boy would live off of Craisins if I’d allow it).
They’re a nice balance of sweet and tangy, with a good crunch. Plus they’re still full of good-for-you ingredients like oatmeal and flaxseed, just like the originals. They were a hit, and I think they’ll make a nice variation to add into our snack rotation. Enjoy!
White Chocolate Cranberry Granola Bites
These white chocolate cranberry granola bites are a tasty, hearty snack to keep on hand for hungry little hands (or big ones).
Ingredients
- 2 cups quick oats
- 1 cup crispy rice cereal (like Rice Krispies)
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 3/4 cup ground flaxseed
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries (like Craisins)
- 2/3 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (optional, but recommended to help everything to stick together)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Order doesn’t really matter. Mix well until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Using a small cookie scoop, or rolling them by hand, form dough into one-inch balls. They don’t have to be perfect balls. Mine are usually more like semi circles (just because that’s the shape of the scoop).
- Try not to handle them too much once they’re shaped or they may crumble.
- Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, then serve. This step is super important! Once chilled, they hold together much better and are easier to handle and eat.
Notes
These granola bites will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to a week or for a few months in the freezer. I usually keep mine in the fridge and pull them out for snacks as needed.
Source: Inspired by No-bake Healthy Granola Bites from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe.
Like these white chocolate cranberry granola bites? Pin the recipe to save for later!
Want more healthy snack ideas for kids? Try these:
Yum! These look like a great portable healthy snack. WHICH I am in desperate need of now that my tween has decided she wasn’t busy enough with school and church and 6 dance classes a week and band, so she decided to add track to her life. My snack detail has just kicked into overdrive, you might say. Pinning! 🙂 Stopping by from The Alder Collective party!
It’s so hard to choose between activities, isn’t it? Even I still have a hard time cutting out things that would be fun, so I totally feel for your daughter. 🙂 Hopefully these granola bites will keep her going!
What a perfect little snack! I love how wholesome they are.
What a great snack! My kids would love these! I’m sharing them on my FB page tomorrow! 🙂
What a great little snack…kids or grownup would like this one! I think I’ll try this one and see what the fam thinks. Thanks for sharing at Welcome Home Wednesdays! See you tomorrow!
What are the nutritional facts for this recipe (i.e. calories, protein, etc)?
I’m honestly not sure of the specific nutritional facts…it’s not something I track carefully, but I think if you put the ingredients into a nutrition tracker website, it would be possible to figure it out.