4.38 21 Published Jul 17, 2017, Updated Aug 29, 2021 I have a TON of nutritious energy bite/ball recipes here on EBF, but I realized recently that my collection was seriously lacking in the chocolate department. There are a few with chocolate chips, but none will full-on chocolate flavor. Why? I have no clue! But it’s changing today so all my chocolate lovers can rejoice.
These German chocolate energy bites are loaded with all the flavor you’d expected from German chocolate cake — rich chocolate, buttery pecans and coconut — but in the form of a nutrient-dense snack.
Pecan Health Benefits
I know most of you are familiar with pecans and probably use them often in your kitchen, perhaps as a salad topper, in oatmeal or for special treats like pecan pie, but they’re quite a nutritional powerhouse and an awesome nut to have on hand for everyday cooking! Here’s why:
A handful of pecans – about 19 halves – is a good source of fiber, thiamin, and zinc, and an excellent source of copper and manganese – a mineral that’s essential for metabolism and bone health. In each 1-ounce serving you’ll get 12 grams of “good” monounsaturated fat, with zero cholesterol or sodium. Compared to other nuts, pecans are among the lowest in carbs (4 grams) and highest in dietary fiber (3 grams) per serving. The unique mix of unsaturated fats, plant sterols, fiber and flavonoids all add up to make pecans a superfood.
One more fun fact about pecans — they’re the only tree nut that’s indigenous to North America, and most are grown in 15 southern states. I honestly never really thought about where pecans were grown before, but now it makes so much sense as to why pecans are such a big part of Southern cuisine.
I’ve been eating these German chocolate energy bites almost daily as a pre-workout snack and I’m hooked on the flavor. I hope you love them as much as we do!
A Few Helpful Tips for Making These Bites
the original recipe calls for 1/4 cup of protein powder, but you can sub 1/4 cup more cacao powder if you don’t have chocolate protein powder on hand or prefer not to use it. toasting the shredded coconut is optional, but totally worth it if you want that roasted coconut flavor. the bites are absolutely delicious with mini chocolate chips tossed in. Once you have the dough processed, add about 3 Tablespoons and pulse a few more times to combine, then roll into balls. I like using the Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips.
More Energy Bites and Balls You Might Like
No Bake Protein Balls Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls Coconut Protein Balls Cranberry Energy Bites Cherry Energy Balls Blueberry Muffin Energy Balls Bird Food Energy Bites Peanut Butter & Jelly Protein Bites
If you make these German chocolate energy bites, please be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Your feedback is super helpful for the EBF team and other readers who are thinking about making the recipe. Thank you to the American Pecan Council for sponsoring this post. If you want to learn more about pecans or find additional recipes, check out the American Pecan Council website.
