No Bake Cinnamon Raisin Bread Balls (vegan, gluten-free)

Imagine if you took a soft piece of cinnamon raisin bread and massaged it into a dough ball. That's what we have here - chewy balls that are sweet and oaty, and studded with raisins. With hints of maple, cinnamon and vanilla, they're melt-in-your-mouth magic.  

Have you ever done that - taken a piece of crustless bread and worked it into a ball of dough? If you haven't, you need to. It's almost like eating uncooked bread dough. Chewy and awesome. And that's exactly what these balls are - chewy and awesome, with speckles of oats and raisins.  

My inspo for these balls was (yet again) the kids on the track team. They needed fuel for a looooong meet, and I wanted to pump them up with something nutritious and satisfying at the same time. I also wanted to make sure the snack was suitable for before AND after racing. 

The kids LOVED them. Devoured every last one. So here's my point: These would make a great treat for your family - ANY time of day. That includes breakfast, school lunch, work lunch, afternoon snack, and healthy dessert. Keep these stashed in your fridge and you'll be covered all day long! 

No Bake Cinnamon Raisin Bread Balls 

3/4 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup oat flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup raisins

Combine the coconut oil and maple syrup in a large saucepan and set the pan over low heat. Cook until the coconut oil is melted and the mixture is smooth, stirring frequently. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Whisk in the oat flour, cinnamon and salt. Fold in the oats and raisins. 
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and chill until firm enough to shape into balls, about 1 hour.
Use about 1/2 tablespoon of the batter for each ball and shape the batter into about 45-50 balls. Transfer the balls to a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet. Chill until firm (this only takes 5 to 10 minutes). 
Store leftovers in an airtight container, in the refrigerator.
Makes about 45-50 balls