Apple Cinnamon Bites

Delicious apple cinnamon bites made with oats and dates - this is the perfect lunchbox snack for school or for on-the-go, just like these wholesome chocolate chip apple muffins!

My grandparents had an apple orchard when I was a child; we used to walk the rows of blooming apple trees and then go into the cooler to try all the different varieties of apples.

Now I love to pass down these fond memories by making simple apple treats for my kids, like these creamy apple popsicles, my chewy oatmeal apple cookies, and my easy moist apple snack cake!

Ingredients

• Apple: Any variety of apple works for this recipe. You will need one large apple or 2 small apples to make 1 cup of grated apple for these energy balls!
• Rolled oats: The base of these apple bites is rolled oats. We use a food processor to make them smaller so they mix well with all the flavors.
• Dates: I use Medjool dates as I find they are soft and have a beautiful flavor. They also add sweetness and stick these balls together.
• Cinnamon: Shown in the photo are cinnamon sticks to symbolize cinnamon (only because I think they are pretty); however, all you need is a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
• Ginger: If you are a ginger lover, I encourage you to add 1 teaspoon of grated ginger. If you are making these for kids, stick to ¼ teaspoon and see what they think - it really does make the flavors all come together!

See the recipe card below for complete quantities.

How to make apple balls

Step 1: Remove the pits from the dates and place the pitted dates in a glass measuring cup. Pour very hot water over the dates so they become soft. Let them sit for 5-10 minutes.

Step 2: Pulse the oats in a food processor. After about 1 minute, it will look like coarse sand. There may be some whole oats still, but that's okay.

Step 3: Use a box grater to shred the apple until you get 1 cup. It's usually about 2 small apples or 1 large apple.

Step 4: Add the drained dates, apple, cinnamon, ginger (fresh or powdered is fine), and salt to the food processor and blend until a dough starts to form, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Step 5: You will get a thick, soft dough that looks like this. You may need to use a spoon to scrape the sides of the food processor container and pulse a few more times to get the dates blended together.

Step 6: Use a tablespoon to roll the dough into about 15 apple cinnamon bites. Keep them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 14 days or in the freezer for 6 months.

Other Amazing Apple Snack Recipes

If you are looking for easy lunchbox healthy snacks that are also no-bake, next try these oatmeal bliss balls and these chewy granola bars with dates! I think these are the perfect nut-free treats for kids to share at school!

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