No-Bake Oatmeal Cookie Bites

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We love making and sharing holiday cookies with the kids, but for the sake of balance (and avoiding too much of a good thing), we try to incorporate a few lower sugar options into the mix. These No-Bake Fruity Cookie Bites are both fun and nutritious, and they are made with just 5 ingredients including dried fruit and granola. You can make a batch of these healthy cookie bites in just 10 minutes and feel great about serving up an extra serving of produce! Plus: They are perfect for younger toddlers who might not be ready for straight up sugar cookies quite yet.

These healthy toddler cookie bites are super straight forward as far as the ingredients go and they don’t require baking. The kids can help make them and, since they are egg-free, it’s okay if they eat the batter! You can customize the flavors to suit your toddlers, using whichever type of dried fruit they like best including apricots, cherries, cranberries, raisins, or prunes. And if you choose a nut- and/or gluten-free granola, you can adjust them for food allergies. (We often start with our Nut-Free Granola Sprinkles or the Purely Elizabeth brand.)

The first time I first made these, I couldn’t believe how much they tasted like a recipe that grandmother used to make. But since the added sweetener is minimal, they are much less sweet. Even so, they do taste like a treat and the subtle crunch from the granola gives them a nice texture. We like them as a weeknight treat or as a healthy component to larger cookie trays—I like having something that my 1 year old can eat since I’m not quite ready to introduce her to straight up Christmas cookies. (I’m going to keep her in her bubble of not knowing what those other cookies taste like for as long as I can!)

Nutrition

These healthy toddler cookie bites have some complex carbohydrates from the granola and vitamins from the fruit. They also contain fats which are vital for a toddler’s development and fiber to help keep things moving (which is always helpful!). They have a soft texture that’s ideal for toddlers.

We also love that they sort of look like snowballs—and you can transform them into little snowmen if you add tiny pretzel arms! Simply stick the balls together with a dot of honey and store in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up so they stay in place.

Ingredients

1 cup granola
1 1/2 cups dried fruit like apricots (snipped), dried cherries, or raisins
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

Place the granola into a blender or food processor. Blend until well chopped. Add the dried fruit, oil, and sweetener, and blend, stopping frequently to scrape down the sides of the bowl, or if you have a Vitamix, use the stick to help things move around. Blend until starting to clump together and are finely chopped.Place the coconut into a bowl and portion out 1-tablespoon balls. Roll in your hand, then roll in the coconut. Place on a plate and repeat to finish the batch. Chill in the fridge to firm up, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Details

Prep time: 10 hour Cook time: Total time: 10 mins Yield: about 18