20 Healthy Sweet Snacks Made Without Dates

a photo of the Maple Pecan Energy Balls
Photo:

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

Dates make a nutritious sweetener, but your favorite snacks don’t have to contain dates to be healthy. Whether you’re hankering for a chocolatey nut cluster or a fruity oat muffin, these date-less dishes can still help you incorporate a nourishing bite between meals. Stick our Lemon-Blueberry Bars in your lunch bag, or keep a container of our Sticky Bun-Inspired Energy Balls ready to keep hunger at bay.

01 of 20

Lemon-Blueberry Bars

Lemon-Blueberry Bars
Photographer / Brie Passano Styling / Annie Probst / Holly Raibikis

Sweet and tangy, these satisfying bars are great for dessert, a snack on the go, or as a treat tucked into a child's brown-bag lunch. Plus, they're packed with everyone's favorite antioxidant superfood: blueberries

02 of 20

Dark Chocolate Cashew Clusters

a recipe photo of the Dark Chocolate Cashew Clusters

Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Sue Mitchell, Prop stylist: Skylar Myers,

These 3-ingredient sweet treats are a breeze to make and, because dark chocolate clusters take just 15 minutes to prepare, they can be made on short notice to feed a crowd. While cashews contribute a sweet and mild flavor, don’t hesitate to swap them out for an alternative like almonds or peanuts, or try adding dried cranberries or cherries for a delightfully tangy twist.

03 of 20

Sticky Bun-Inspired Energy Balls

a photo of the Maple Pecan Energy Balls

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

This energy ball is packed with just the right amount of sugar and spice. To really emulate a sticky bun, we added a caramel pecan topping for a nice extra crunch. You can substitute any nut butter for the cashew butter if you prefer.

04 of 20

Low-Carb Blueberry Muffins

Low-Carb Blueberry Muffins

Just because you're watching carbs doesn't mean you can't have the classic breakfast pastry. In place of all-purpose flour, nutty almond and coconut flours make these muffins fluffy while slashing carbs. A bit of brown sugar blunts the tartness of fresh blueberries. Make these ahead for a grab-and-go breakfast for the week.

05 of 20

Peanut Butter Yogurt Cup with Magic Shell Topping

a recipe photo of the Peanut Butter Cup Yogurt Bowl

Jessica Ball

This easy, high-protein snack tastes just like a Reese’s peanut butter cup. You can conveniently make it in the yogurt container for quick cleanup. Alternatively, if you don’t have a single-serve container, scoop 1/2 cup yogurt from a larger container into a small bowl. Any nut or seed butter would work well in this four-ingredient recipe.

06 of 20

Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bars

a recipe photo of the Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bars

Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco

Enjoy these delightful carrot cake oatmeal bars, perfect for a snack or dessert alongside a steaming cup of coffee. Made with a blend of shredded carrots, oats and a hint of brown sugar, these easy bars capture the essence of carrot cake, while offering a boost of fiber and less sugar than cake. Portable and convenient, these bars can be enjoyed on the move. To make these bars gluten-free, opt for gluten-free oats.

07 of 20

Strawberry-Chocolate Greek Yogurt Bark

Strawberry-Chocolate Greek Yogurt Bark

Greek yogurt gets studded with fresh strawberries and chocolate chips and then frozen so you can break it into chunks just like chocolate bark (but healthier!). This colorful snack is perfect for kids and adults alike.

08 of 20

Peanut Butter Energy Balls

Peanut butter energy balls spread out on a blue tray

Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco

These healthy peanut butter and chocolate energy balls deliver a mixture of simple and complex carbohydrates to help fuel you up whenever you need a little boost.

09 of 20

High-Protein Lemon-Blueberry Muffins

cooked blueberry muffins on a serving board and a muffin tin in the background

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle, Food Stylist: Julia Levy

These lemon-blueberry muffins are so good, you'll think they came straight from a bakery. A sprinkle of sugar creates a nice crunch on the outside, while strained yogurt ensures the muffins stay moist on the inside. The yogurt also provides a boost of satisfying protein, making these muffins perfect for breakfast or snack time. If using frozen blueberries, there's no need to thaw them beforehand. They will add a purple hue to the batter, but it won't affect the delicious end result.

10 of 20

Chocolate Nut Bark

Chocolate Nut Bark

Use your favorite combination of nuts to make this quick and easy chocolate nut bark.

11 of 20

Banana-Blueberry Protein Muffins

a recipe photo of the Banana-Blueberry Muffins
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayliss

These super-moist and tender muffins get a protein boost with the addition of cottage cheese and peanut butter. The banana, which adds natural sweetness, doesn't overpower the flavor of the blueberries. Frozen blueberries work just as well as fresh. For a different twist, try raspberries or chopped apple.

12 of 20

Classic Banana Bread

Classic Banana Bread recipe
Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro, Laura Zapalowski

This versatile bread is the perfect on-the-go breakfast, gift for a host, or holiday gift. Top it with whatever you like, and even throw some additional ingredients like chocolate chips. It's the bread that everyone can get behind.  Banana bread should form a crack down the center as it bakes--a sign the baking soda is doing its job. Serve toasted with a smear of cream cheese, Greek yogurt or peanut butter and top with mixed nuts, if desired.

13 of 20

Flourless Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

Flourless Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

Pulsing rolled oats with eggs, banana, brown sugar and oil creates the moist dough of these chocolaty muffins without a bit of all-purpose flour. These are two-bite muffins with a dense and gooey texture. They're delicately sweet and rich, too, so baking them as mini muffins makes them a perfect snack or quick morning bite.

14 of 20

Crispy Peanut Butter Balls

Crispy Peanut Butter Balls on a white background

All you need are four simple ingredients to make healthier crispy peanut butter balls that kids and grownups will love. Make this easy recipe for a bite-size treat, on-the-go snack or easy homemade gift. You can swap the peanut butter for almond butter or even sunflower seed butter if you need a nut-free snack for school.

15 of 20

Banana Energy Bites

banana energy bites

Perfect for an on-the-go breakfast or snack, these energy bites will keep you fueled.

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Caramel Delight Energy Balls

Caramel Delight Energy Balls

Think of these easy no-bake cookies as a healthy makeover of one of our favorite Girl Scout Cookies--chewy caramel, dark chocolate and toasted coconut come together with fiber-boosting oats instead of sugar and flour. And the best part? They take only 15 minutes from start to finish.

17 of 20

Almond-Honey Power Bar

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Great for breakfast on the go! Golden roasted nuts, seeds and oats are enveloped by flavorful almond butter in these delectably chewy, no-fuss energy bars. Unrefined turbinado sugar adds a deep caramelly undertone. Feel free to use light brown sugar instead. Bars stored at room temperature will be softer than those that are refrigerated.

18 of 20

Raspberry-Jam Bites

a recipe photo of the Raspberry Chia Bites
Sara Baurley

It doesn't get easier, or more delicious, than this simple, three-ingredient snack. Chia seeds and raspberries add fiber to these healthy frozen bites. Chocolate provides a touch of sweetness to balance the tartness of the berries.

19 of 20

Blueberry-Pecan Energy Balls

Blueberry-Pecan Energy Balls

Dried blueberries and pecans team up with cacao nibs for a chocolaty treat any time of day. The cacao is a bit more bitter than chocolate, but the maple syrup helps tame it. Almond butter and chia seeds provide protein to make these bites substantial snacks to fuel your body.

20 of 20

Salted Peanut Butter Pretzel Energy Balls

Salted Peanut Butter Pretzel Energy Bites

Finding a snack that satisfies your craving for something sweet and salty while providing the best fuel for your body and brain isn't always easy. But luckily, these energy bites check every box! They're simple to make: double the batch and freeze some to have an energizing snack at the ready. Feel free to swap in other nuts and nut or seed butters.

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