True story: at first glance, my mom thought these were green matzo balls (with lots of parsley). HA! I already made a mint chocolate version that is also drop dead gorgeous. You can play around with the nut butters, swap flax for cocoa, add different extracts…the options are endless! We sell tons of no-bake bites at Alchemy, and matcha is one of the best selling flavors. This is not the recipe we use at Alchemy (top secret!), but I must say they do taste very similar.
What is matcha?
Matcha is powdered green tea leaves, so instead of getting the nutrients from the water the tea steeped in, you’e drinking the leaves of the actual plant for maximum antioxidants! We could all use an immunity boost right about now! It has a very delicate, almost floral flavor. These babies are made with whole food ingredients and and are sweetened with just a touch of pure maple syrup. With less than 3g of sugar per bite, we aren’t causing any blood sugar crashes today. These matcha bites are also loaded with brain-boosting fats thanks to the almond flour and flax. Yippee!
Ingredient tips and substitutions
Want to know the secret to making bites that are simply exquisite in the aforementioned departments? It’s the combo of almond plus oat flour, which you know I love to use in desserts, like my Double Chocolate Banana Bread. They taste a bit sweeter naturally and have this inherent cookie-like flavor.
Almond flour: This is what makes the bites have such a great texture. It’s essential! Look for super fine blanched kind, not almond meal (which has the skins). I get Kirkland brand at Costco. Don’t swap out the flours as you won’t get the same results! Oat flour: Another favorite gluten free flour of mine, I love the cookie flavor it adds. Be sure to use certified gluten-free if you have a gluten intolerance. You can also make your own by grinding old-fashioned oats in the Nutribullet or food processor. Cashew butter: This lends the most cookie-like, neutral flavor, but you can also use almond butter with similar results. Vanilla plant protein: For a protein boost and some sweetness! Aim for one made with rice and pea protein like this, this, or this. I have not tried these with whey so I’m not sure about the results. Ground flax: I added this pretty much for nutrition sake. You could sub more almond flour if you don’t have flax! Maple syrup: These bites are lightly sweetened with my favorite natural liquid sweetener. You could also use honey or agave. Matcha: I use culinary matcha, which is a bit more affordable. It should be nice and green! You can go up to 4 tsp here. You can also omit it and add ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips for chocolate chip cookie dough bites.
Storage tips
I like these best straight from the refrigerator. They’ll last up to a couple weeks! You can also freeze them to prolong shelf life even further.
More no bake snacks
Gingerbread Energy Bites Mint Chocolate Energy Bites Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars Mexican Hot Chocolate Truffles
Print **If you don’t have ground flax or protein powder, you can substitute more almond flour. Since vanilla protein powder is sweet, you may need to increase the maple syrup to taste. If you omit protein, add ½ tsp vanilla extract. If you don’t have matcha, you can omit it and add mini chocolate chips for cookie dough bites!
