Protein Balls Energy Bites

It’s so mouth-watering, filling and easy to make: Homemade no-bake protein balls cost about 20¢ each to make; Buy them at the store, the cost could be around $1.79 each-no joke.

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When I come home from school and my family runs around like they’re starving, as mine often seems to do, this is the perfect snack to have around. They’re also great for breakfast on the go.

What’s special about these protein balls

I made these peanut butter protein balls for months and months-and brought them everywhere with me-before ever considering sharing the recipe with anyone. They’re so dead simple that when people asked for the recipe, I just rattled it off as best I could from memory.

Usually, I prepare them with hemp seeds which are crazy high in protein. When I first tried making them, there was absolutely no chance anyone would reasonably expect to be able to source hemp seeds so I thought the recipe was not worth sharing.

Protein balls ingredients list

• Old-fashioned rolled oats: If you can’t have oats, consider choosing an alternative that works as an oat substitute.
• Coconut flakes: a delicious, nutritious binder full of healthy fats.
• Hemp seeds: I enjoy these, but you can use all of the following: chia, hulled sunflower, pumpkin, or flax seeds.
• Oat flour: I prepare such flour by just grinding oats.
• Salt: gotta have it to balance all the other flavors.
• Peanut butter: use smooth variety without the need to mix with other ingredients; natural variety is often too thin.
• Honey: or honey: something that helps to hold the recipe together and adds a little sweetness.
• Vanilla extract: a tiny bit makes such a difference.
• Mini chocolate chips: enhance the sweetness, but don’t overdo it.

These protein balls are (mainly) no-bake

That really is the case when such recipe is followed exactly. But I cannot tell a lie: most of the time, I start with toasting the oats, coconut and seeds for around 15 minutes around 300.

Sure, you don’t have to fire up your oven for no-bake. But I turn my oven on every single day of the year anyway, summer included  (it’s part of my job).

Toasting those oats, coconut, and seeds really does help deepen the flavors, but if you can’t use the oven at all, You could try toasting them in a cast-iron skillet on the stovetop until they become fragrant.

These no-bake peanut butter energy bites are tasty and filling, and best of all, they are super simple to make. And they’re naturally gluten free too!

How to make perfect peanut butter protein balls

Whether you do or not toast the lumpy ingredients (oats, coconut, seeds), all this recipe asks for is that you put those ingredients, along with some salt and oat flour (just oats ground in a food processor or blender—I never buy oat flour!) into a big bowl.

It will be very sticky. But don’t stop for once. Keep on mixing and pushing the mixture down with the back of the spoon to include the thick ingredients with the honey and peanut butter. The thicker the better in beating energy bites that are too soft will not retain their shape after wrapping and rolling.

Let everything cool to room temperature (especially if you toasted the oats, etc. first) then add in a handful of small chocolate chips. If you add them in with warm, mixed-in stuff, they’ll just melt right into the bites.

I love using the mini chocolate chips, mainly because a little will go such a long way-there will be just enough chips in every bite, but not so many that this healthy treat is as close to candy as it could be.

Finish by scooping into an ice cream scoop or your hands, then form them into small balls. Chill them up in the fridge and store those in a lidded container. And voila! They’re ready when you or your hungry family want a snack!

Tips for making protein balls

1. Use a Cookie Scoop for Even Portions

Use a spring-loaded cookie scoop for perfect portions. Eyeballing the dough and pinching off pieces works fine but for more consistent sizes, use a cookie or ice cream scoop.

2.Chill your dough before rolling

It is really easy to roll out the energy balls when the dough is chilled. In case you feel your mixture will be too soft to work with then just put the bowl or portioned dough in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes; then it will firm up, and it will be easier to roll.

3. How to store your protein balls

I do a big batch usually doubling or tripling the recipe. They will last about a week in an airtight container on the counter.

If your family doesn’t eat them all quickly, store them in the fridge, they will last up to two weeks. To keep them longer freeze them.

I freeze the energy balls for an hour on a pan. Eventually, I pack them in a freezer bag, since they last up to three months there.

Peanut butter protein balls Substitution & Variation Suggestions

Peanut free, Gluten free bites

If you can’t have peanut butter, nearly any other nut butter will work. Almond butter is a great substitute and cashew butter has a more neutral flavor. Avoid the drippy, natural kind as it’s just too soft to hold the bites together. Choose the “no-stir” type where the oil doesn’t separate.

Vegan protein balls

To make these vegan or if you don’t like honey, try using half maple syrup and half unsulphured molasses (like Grandma’s brand). Maple syrup is too drippy and doesn’t have the tackiness in place of honey.

Seed options

I get shelled hemp seeds from Trader Joe’s, but if you don’t have one nearby or can’t find hemp seeds, you can use chia seeds, hulled sunflower seeds, flax seeds, or pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin seeds are a lot larger, so those would be chopped up before being added to the mix. The flax seeds have a very strong flavor, so if your family doesn’t like that or you are just experimenting with flavors there are plenty of other options.

More mix-ins and delish variations

• cocoa powder: add some cocoa powder to make chocolate peanut butter balls.
• cranberries: chop up those dried cranberries for a tangy twist; dried cherries will also add nice tartness.
• Dates: chopped dates are a good option if you want a richer taste but feel free to also experiment with other dried fruit.
• Protein powder: Add in a little bit of your favorite protein powder for an added kick: chocolate protein powder is great, but so is whey protein isolate; just don’t add more than about 1/2 scoop or your bites will be too dry to hold together.
• Raisins: Enjoy the classic taste of oatmeal raisin when you chop them up and add them into your mix.

FAQs

Are raw oats safe to eat?

There’s nothing at all unsafe about eating raw oats, but if you like the taste better toasted, follow the instructions in the recipe for lightly toasting them in the oven. The peanut butter, almond butter, or any nut butter you like, along with the honey, will provide the moisture needed.

Can I turn these bites into protein bars?

However, they won’t hold together that well as bars, so I would advise using our recipe for homemade protein bars instead.

How many calories do these energy bites have?

Because this recipe so easily accommodates all of these modifications, I’m having a hard time posting nutrition/serving size information. I have included approximate nutrition information in the recipe card below, but if you are not using precisely the same ingredients that I do, your results will be different.

Simply input the ingredients you used into an online calorie counter. Once you have a count for your recipe all together, just divide that by how many balls you made. This’ll give you a calorie count per ball. Remember that online nutrition calculators aren’t always perfectly accurate.

Why is my dough too dry to hold together as protein balls?

If your unformed batter is dry and crumbly, it’s likely you need a little moisture to help bind; perhaps just a little more nut butter is all you need. Take periodic tastes of the batter as you go; when it’s time to add more sweetness, add honey, but be sparingly adding moisture as it will leave your bites too soft to hold their shape.

How many calories do these protein balls contain?

Due to the nutritious, high-quality ingredients you choose, these gluten-free bites make great healthy snacks.Of course, if you’re concerned about a specific health issue you can always make substitutions to get what you need. For instance, peanut butter contains saturated fats twice that of almond butter