Nut-free puppy chow, energy bites and granola are three of the easiest snacks to make this summer, and the best part is your kids can make them almost entirely on their own. “I’m hungry, do we have any snacks” doesn’t have to mean more work for you. Put them to work in the kitchen instead and let’s get snacking!
Why You’ll Love These Recipes
These three snacks check every box for busy summer days, and best of all, they keep you free from becoming the designated snack-maker all day long. Here’s what makes them worth adding to your regular snack rotation:
- Perfect for kids. Each recipe is easy enough for young bakers to complete the steps themselves or with minimal supervision.
- Easy to make. The puppy chow comes together in minutes with no oven needed, the energy bites require zero baking and the granola only needs a quick stir every so often while it bakes.
- Allergy-friendly. Already peanut, tree-nut and egg-free, each of these recipes can also be made dairy-free or gluten-free, too.
- Stores well. One batch of each can keep the “what’s there to snack on” requests at bay for days.
Ingredients You’ll Need (and Why)
Many of these ingredients overlap across recipes, so one shopping trip covers all three. In fact, you probably have most of them on hand already. Just be sure to check the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements.
Nut-Free Puppy Chow
- Butter: unsalted butter helps blend the sunflower seed butter and chocolate chips into a smooth coating.
- Sunflower Seed Butter: sunflower seed butter, like SunButter, is a great nut-free replacement for peanut butter. It provides creaminess and is the binder that helps everything stick together.
- Chocolate Chips: semi-sweet chocolate chips add a chocolatey sweetness to the coating.
- Vanilla: adds warmth and rounds out the flavor.
- Cereal: any Chex cereal (corn, rice or wheat) works as the base that holds the coating. Similar generic brands can be used.
- Powdered Sugar: powdered sugar adds sweetness and keeps coated pieces from sticking together.
Nut-Free Energy Bites
- Sunflower Seed Butter: sunflower seed butter acts as the binder that holds everything together.
- Oatmeal: old-fashioned oats adds texture and helps firm up the mixture. Quick oats can also be used.
- Maple Syrup: maple syrup helps bind the mixture while adding a mild flavor and natural sweetness.
- Chocolate Chips: mini chocolate chips add sweetness and distribute more evenly than regular-sized chips.
- Vanilla: vanilla extract adds warmth and rounds out the flavor.
Nut-Free Granola
- Oatmeal: oats are a great source of fiber and add texture to the granola. Old-fashioned oats are best, but quick oats can be used.
- Cereal: a sturdy cereal, like Cheerios, adds extra crunch. Similar generic brands can be used.
- Butter: unsalted butter acts as a binder, helping everything stick together as it bakes.
- Brown Sugar: brown sugar adds a touch of sweetness and helps the granola turn golden.
- Maple Syrup/Honey: both maple syrup and honey act as binders, adding flavor and natural sweetness.
- Salt: salt balances the sweetness.
- Vanilla: vanilla extract adds warmth and rounds out the flavor.
- Dried Fruit: dried fruit, such as raisins or craisins, add natural sweetness and texture.
Helpful Baking Tools
A few of these baking tools overlap across recipes, so you likely already have most of what you need.
Nut-Free Puppy Chow
- Mixing Bowl: a microwave-safe mixing bowl allows you to melt and mix ingredients in one bowl.
- Measuring Cups & Spoons: you’ll need measuring cups for dry ingredients, measuring cups for liquids and measuring spoons.
- Freezer Bag: use a gallon-sized freezer bags are ideal for coating the cereal.
- Spatula: use a silicone spatula for stirring ingredients.
Nut-Free Energy Bites
- Mixing Bowl: use a mixing bowl for combining ingredients.
- Measuring Cups & Spoons: both measuring cups for dry ingredients and measuring cups for liquids ingredients are needed. Or, use a kitchen scale to weigh ingredients.
- Spatula: a silicone spatula is used for stirring ingredients.
- Cookie Scoop: ensure even portioning by using a cookie scoop when shaping the bites.
Nut-Free Granola
- Mixing Bowl: use a large mixing bowl for combining the oats and cereal.
- Measuring Cups & Spoons: measuring cups for dry ingredients, measuring cups for liquids and measuring spoons are needed.
- Cookie Sheet: line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat for baking the granola.
- Spatula: a silicone spatula is ideal for stirring ingredients.
- Oven Mitt: safely remove the granola from the oven using an oven mitt.
Snack Recipe Tips
Getting kids into the kitchen is half the fun, and these tips make the process even smoother. Here are a few recipe tips to keep in mind before you get started:
Nut-Free Puppy Chow
- Cutting the recipe in half. If young bakers are making this on their own, cutting the recipe in half makes it easier to manage.
- Use one bowl. Save on dishes by melting ingredients and coating the cereal all in one microwaveable bowl.
- Contain the mess. Shaking powdered sugar on the coated cereal in a gallon-sized freezer bag keeps the sugar from flying everywhere.
Nut-Free Energy Bites
- For a sticky mixture, add oats. When the mixture feels sticky, work in a small amount of oats, one tablespoon at a time, until the mixture feels firm enough to shape.
- For a dry or crumbly mixture, add syrup. If the mixture feels dry or crumbly, stir in more maple syrup, about one teaspoon at a time, mixing well before adding more.
- Chill before shaping. A brief chill in the refrigerator allows the oats to absorb moisture and firm up the mixture, making scooping or shaping easier.
Nut-Free Granola
- Lightly spray measuring cups. Spraying measuring cups with cooking spray helps sticky ingredients slide out easily and reduces waste.
- Stir often. Stirring the granola every 5 to 10 minutes helps promote even baking and golden results without burning.
- Let granola cool down. Letting the granola cool down for about 30 minutes to 1 hour before breaking up helps to create chunky pieces.
How to Make These Snacks
The nut-free puppy chow and nut-free energy bites are both no-bake recipes, so no oven is involved, making them perfect for young bakers to tackle. The nut-free granola, however, requires an oven since it bakes. As always, check each individual recipe card for detailed instructions and exact ingredient measurements.
Nut-Free Puppy Chow
1. In a large bowl, melt butter, sunflower seed butter and chocolate chips.
2. Stir in vanilla. Add cereal and stir until cereal is coated.
3. Transfer to a large freezer bag. Add powdered sugar, close the bag and shake until coated.
Nut-Free Energy Bites
1. Add all ingredients to the bowl, then stir to combine.
2. Chill for 10 minutes or until firm enough to scoop.
3. Scoop into even portions.
Nut-Free Granola
1. Melt the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey and salt. Add vanilla; stir.
2. In a bowl, mix oats and cereal. Add melted ingredients and stir until coated.
3. Add dried fruit before or after the granola bakes.
4. Spread on the cookie sheet to bake, stirring every 5-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
Variations and Allergy-Friendly Substitutions
One of the best things about each of these recipes is how easy it is to customize them. Whether you need to accommodate dietary preferences or simply want to mix things up, here are some ideas to try. Just note these recipes have not been tested with these variations/substitutions, so if you try any of these, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below.
- Nut-Free Puppy Chow: try white chocolate chips for a different flavor twist. Or try adding a chocolate drizzle on top.
- Nut-Free Energy Bites: add a boost of protein by adding a nut-free protein powder. Or try adding some spice, like cinnamon or ginger.
- Nut-Free Granola: feel free to use any cereal and dried fruit you have on hand, try adding chocolate chips for a chocolatey twist.
Allergy-Friendly Substitutions
Easily adapt these recipes to meet your dietary needs by selecting ingredients that match your preferences. And, always read labels carefully since ingredients and manufacturing practices can change. For best results, make one substitution at a time.
- Dairy-Free: replace any milk-based ingredients with dairy-free ones, such as plant-based butter sticks or dairy-free chocolate chips.
- Gluten-Free: use gluten-free cereal and oats for a one-to-one swap in any of the recipes.
Storing Leftover Snacks
Each of these nut-free snacks are best eaten within one to two weeks, however, you can easily store any leftovers you may have. Here’s how to store each one:
- At Room Temperature. Store puppy chow and granola in either an airtight container or freezer bag and store on the countertop for up to two weeks.
- In the Fridge. Store energy bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. All three recipes are designed to be nut-free from the start, using sunflower seed butter in place of peanut butter and skipping nut-based mix-ins entirely.
For the most part, yes. The energy bites require no oven at all, and the puppy chow may only need an adult to help melt ingredients. The granola, however, is the only one that may require adult supervision since it needs to bake in the oven.
Yes. And, all three of these recipes scale up easily if a bigger batch is needed.
Any similar square or rectangular cereal will work as a substitute.
More Nut-Free Kid Recipes
If you are looking for more easy, kid-friendly recipes, I’m sure this Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough would be a hit. Or, if you prefer your chocolate chip cookies baked, then these Kid-Friendly, Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies are worth a try, as no mixer is needed. If you try any of these recipes, be sure to leave a rating and let me know how it turned out.
Nut-Free Puppy Chow
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup sun butter
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 4-1/2 cups corn, rice or wheat chex cereal
- 1 cup powdered sugar (add more if needed)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, melt butter, sun butter and chocolate chips. Stir in vanilla until smooth.
- Pour cereal into bowl and carefully stir until cereal is coated.
- Transfer to a large gallon freezer bag. Add powder sugar. Close bag and shake until coated.
Nut-Free No-Bake Energy Bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup (116g) old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup (128g) sunflower seed butter
- 1/3 cup (105g) maple syrup
- 1/3 cup (60g) mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Measure out and add all ingredients into a medium-sized bowl.
- Stir until all ingredients are evenly combined and no dry oats remain. The mixture should feel thick and slightly sticky. If too dry, add 1 teaspoon of maple syrup at a time. If the mixture is too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of oats at a time.
- Refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the oats to absorb moisture and the mixture to firm up slightly.
- Once firm, use a small cookie scoop to portion into even amounts. If desired, gently roll each portion between your hands to form a smooth ball. Place each portioned bite onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
- Refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until firm.
- Transfer into an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to one week. To prevent sticking, separate layers with parchment paper.
Notes
Nut-Free Granola
Ingredients
- 2 cups oatmeal
- 1 cup cereal (ex: Cheerios, Golden Grahams, Chex cereals)
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup dried fruit (raisins/craisins)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix oatmeal and cereal in a large bowl.
- Heat the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey and salt in a small saucepan until melted.
- Remove from heat and add vanilla. Stir.
- Add to oatmeal/cereal mixture and stir until coated.
- Add dried fruit now or after granola is done baking.
- Spread mixture evenly on cookie sheet and place in oven.
- Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden. Be sure to stir the granola in 5 minute increments so it bakes evenly and doesn’t burn.
- Remove and cool. If you didn’t add dried fruit earlier, add now and stir.
- Keep granola in an airtight container.
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These look delicious! I’ll have to try them with my kids!
Hope the kids like them!