Chocolate Espresso Protein Bites

Two scoops of chocolate protein, real espresso powder, and cocoa make these taste like a mocha you can chew. One bite has roughly the caffeine of a half shot of espresso, which makes two of them a legitimate pre-workout.

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 scoops (about 60g) chocolate protein powder
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Stir the almond butter and honey until smooth.
2. Add oats, protein powder, cocoa, and espresso powder; mix into a stiff dough.
3. Add a tablespoon of strong coffee or milk if the dough won't come together.
4. Fold in the chocolate chips and roll into 15 balls.
5. Chill at least 20 minutes; the espresso flavor deepens overnight.

Tips

• Instant espresso powder dissolves into the dough; ground coffee stays gritty, so don't substitute it.
• Dust the finished bites in cocoa powder for a truffle look.
• Skip the espresso for an evening-safe chocolate version.

FAQ

How much caffeine is in each bite?

With a tablespoon of instant espresso across 15 bites, each has roughly 55 to 65mg, close to a small cup of coffee per two bites.

Can kids eat these?

Make the caffeine-free version by omitting the espresso powder; everything else is kid-friendly.