These tasty protein balls can be made in just 10 minutes. They make a great grab and go snack or way to fuel your workout. Make them with oats, peanut butter, chocolate, hemp & chia seeds, and honey.
[This recipe was originally posted in February 2017. It has been updated with new photos, cooking instructions, expert tips, FAQ, related recipes, video and ways to repurpose/use up ingredients]
Table of contents
How will these energy balls make your life easier?
Protein balls with oats are a great way to use up leftover nuts and other pantry ingredients. They come together quickly and make for a delicious snack, breakfast, or even dessert.
If you like to make easy snacks for yourself, check out these snack ideas like PB Greek Yogurt Dip, Protein Packed Chocolate Pudding, summer Zucchini Bread, and homemade Almond Butter.
These protein balls without protein powder are great for travel too! So you can stay nourished and satisfied while traveling.
What makes these energy bites so good?
- Oats
- Peanut butter
- Nuts
- Hemp seeds
- Chia seeds
- Honey
- Salt
- Chocolate chips
- Dried cherries
How do I make these protein bites?
To make your energy balls, pour oats, peanut butter, honey, hemp hearts, chia seeds, dried cherries, chocolate chips, nuts, and salt to the bowl of a food processor or high powered blender. Food processor works better.
Mix protein balls ingredients on dip or nut butter setting. Stir with tamper tool or (stop and stir with) rubber spatula until ingredients are mixed together and to your desired consistency.
Spoon out about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball, continue until all dough has been rolled into balls.
Refrigerate your protein balls for up to 5 days, or freeze for a couple months.
Substitutions/Tips
- Use whatever type of nut butter you have on hand.
- You just need the oats, nut butter, honey, and salt in this recipe. Swap out or omit additional ingredients to use what you have. You may need to add more oats so it's not too sticky if you don't add additional ingredients.
- You may need to take half of the dough out and mix ½ at a time so it all gets chopped and mixed up. Stop and stir as often as needed.
- You can also freeze these protein balls for a couple months.
- Other great add-ins: dried fruit, chopped nuts or seeds.
FAQ
Instead of focusing in healthy vs not healthy, know that these and other protein balls make a great snack because they're packed with protein and fiber from the nuts, dates, and oats. They travel well, and taste great too!
If you're feeling like you need an energy kick you may be hungry or need more sleep. Eating anything will give you energy, but these energy bites, full of protein and fat, are easy, delicious, and satisfying=perfect snack.
How can I repurpose these no bake energy balls?
Add extra oats and milk to turn into overnight oats. Follow a recipe similar to this basic overnight oat recipe, or PB overnight oat recipe add the energy ball paste to it. Or add to PB chia pudding or berry chia pudding.
What can I make with the leftover ingredients?
- Dried Cherries: add them to a salad, the PB granola listed below, or eat them plain.
- Nuts: Chopped in this PB Granola, 3 Ingredient Almond Butter (or any kind of nut), Warm Kale Salad, Strawberry Salad.
- Hemp Seeds: Grapefruit Avocado Salad, Beet & Arugula Salad.
- Chia Seeds: PB Chia Pudding, Ham & Swiss Sliders, a Yogurt Bowl
- Oats: Overnight Oats, PB Overnight Oats.
- Chocolate Chips: Chocolate Dipped Oreos, Homemade Hot Cocoa (just swap the chocolate bar for chocolate chips), PB Chia Pudding, small batch double chocolate cookies, & in this DIY Waffle Bar.
Did you make these protein balls? Leave me a comment & rating to share how they turned out!
10 Minute Protein Balls
Equipment
- Food Processor OR High powered blender
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ⅔ cup peanut butter
- ⅓ cup raw nuts I used almonds
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup dried cherries or other dried fruit
Instructions
- Pour 1 c oats, ⅔ c peanut butter, ⅓ c honey, 1 tablespoon hemp hearts, 1 tablespoon chia seeds, ½ c dried cherries, ¼ c chocolate chips, ⅓ c chopped/slivered nuts, and ¼ teaspoon salt to the bowl of food processor or a high powered blender. (Food processor is faster and easier)
- Mix ingredients on dip or nut butter setting. Stir with tamper tool or (stop and stir with) rubber spatula until ingredients are mixed together and to your desired consistency.
- Spoon out about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball, continue until all dough has been rolled into balls.
- Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
- Use whatever type of nut butter you have on hand.
- You just need the oats, nut butter, honey, and salt in this recipe. Swap out or omit additional ingredients to use what you have. You may need to add more oats so it's not too sticky if you don't add additional ingredients.
- You may need to take half of the dough out and mix ½ at a time so it all gets chopped and mixed up. Stop and stir as often as needed.
- You can also freeze these protein energy balls for a couple months.
Connie says
Could you please send me the nutritional value of this AWESOME recipe?
Thanx,
Connie
Rebecca says
Hi Connie, I intentionally don't include nutrition information on my recipes as it can be triggering for people recovering from eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors. You can calculate the info using a calorie calculator online though. thanks for asking!
Mary C says
You can freeze them? Oh, no! That means I'll make lots of them. I'll freeze them to discourage myself from eating too many, but I'll eat them anyway, frozen or not!
Rebecca says
oh ya! haha! they're great fresh or frozen
Jenn says
These are the perfect pick-me-up in the afternoon. I take one or two to work with me and they help me get over my afternoon slump. They taste great, too!
Rebecca says
totally! thanks
Sophia says
Protein are such an easy great snack, thanks for this delicious recipe!
Rebecca says
thanks! they're so easy for sure
Anita says
This totally saves me a lot of money. I can use whatever ingredients I have and 10 minutes later, delicious energy bites!
Rebecca says
right?! using up what i've got on hand is my favorite part about these bites!
Kelly Anthony says
These energy bites will make the perfect after school snack for my girls. Full of everything that will keep them full until dinnertime.
Rebecca says
totally agree!
Kelly Jones says
Excellent way to add extra protein with that yogurt!
Rebecca says
yes! thanks Kelly!
Kelli McGrane says
I love energy bites, but never thought to add Greek yogurt! I bet the yogurt makes them super soft. Yum!
Rebecca says
it's so easy! and yeah makes them super soft!
Liz says
I'd have to give this a big thumbs up! I can't really do coconut but I love the idea of cocoa! I'll have to experiment with a non coconut flavor and whip these up!
Rebecca says
thanks Liz! me too, not a coconut fan-go for it!
Sonali- The Foodie Physician says
I can't think of a better way to spend 10 minutes!! What a perfect list of ingredients!
Rebecca says
thanks Sonali!