No-bake chocolate peanut butter protein balls combine just 4 ingredients into a healthy and easy protein-packed snack. Perfect for snacking, dessert, or even breakfast! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.
Protein balls! Chocolate peanut butter protein balls to be exact. Because who doesn’t like the combo of chocolate and peanut butter?!
I’ve mentioned it on Instagram a few times, but life has been super busy lately. So much travel! Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good thing, but I feel like I am either playing catch up from time away or get ahead for when I will be gone. Enter all the easy meals and snacks please.
I don’t know about you, but energy balls are just the best to have on hand when life is crazy. Easy to throw together, keep for a long time (especially in the freezer), and are just so dang good.
Most energy ball recipes call for a food processor, but I went the easy route and just used my stand mixer since it’s always on the counter. You can totally mix by hand though!
They combine peanut butter and chocolate and taste like a decadent treat while also being good for you! My dad tried them while we was visiting and approved and he’s a huge sweet lover.
Little did he know they were made of peanut butter, rolled oats, protein powder, and maple syrup. And each one packs 5.5 grams of protein!
How to Make Protein Balls
The beauty of protein balls is they are so customizable! You can make countless flavors or add whatever mix-ins you like depending on what you have on hand. Here are the basics of what you need:
- dried fruit – not necessary, but does help bind all the ingredients together. Some of my favorites are dates, raisins, and dried blueberries. Using dried fruit will require a food processor so you can break it down and it becomes sticky. Not all energy balls need dried fruit though (these ones don’t!) – if you have something else sticky (like nut butter or jam)
- nuts or nut butter – nut butter (peanut, almond, coconut, cashew, pecan…) also help bind energy balls together, especially if not using dried fruit. Whole nuts can be broken down in your food processor and help balance out sticky dried fruit.
- liquid sweetener – I love maple syrup or honey if you need to add some sweetness, and it also helps hold them together.
- spices – an easy way to add some flavor! Some of my favorites are cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and cardamom.
- protein powder – you can either add in your favorite protein powder for an extra protein boost or let them naturally be protein packed depending on the other ingredients you use (nuts, seeds…).
- add-ins – rolled oats, protein powder (mentioned above), pumpkin puree, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, cacao powder, cacao nib, hemp seeds, and chia seeds are all great additions!
No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls
These no bake energy balls are super easy to make – only 4 ingredients and everything is mixed together in one bowl! No food processor needed either! They work great for snacking, breakfast, or dessert! Here is what you need:
- natural peanut butter – I love crunchy!
- rolled oats
- protein powder – I used Ka’Chava Chocolate << you can use that link for 15% off!
- maple syrup
- salt – optional for topping
First, add all your ingredients to the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attached. Next, turn on mixer and mix until combined and a batter forms, about 1 minute. Then form them into energy balls! I use a tablespoon as a scoop to make them uniform in size.
Sprinkle with some flaky salt if you are feeling fancy (sweet and salty is so good!) and that’s it. It’s really that simple! I like to store them in the fridge, but they can be keep out on the counter for a week, or you can even put them in the freezer!
If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can mix it by hand. It takes a little more elbow grease, but works the same (I’ve done both). You can also try a food processor, but it might blend the oats instead of keeping them whole.
Substitutions for Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls
These energy balls are pretty straight to the point with only 4 ingredients, but here are a few things that might work when substituting:
- nut butter – if you don’t like peanut butter, any nut butter will work! You can also use sunflower seed butter if you can’t have nuts.
- sweetener – feel free to use honey instead of maple syrup!
- protein powder – I used a plant based protein powder, but think most kinds will work. You might just have to adjust the ratio depending on the texture of your protein (mine is thicker, almost like a flour). I like using chocolate since chocolate and peanut butter together is the best, but you could also use vanilla to switch it up!
- additions – feel free to add things to the mix! Shredded coconut, cacao nibs, and cinnamon would all be delicious.
Are Energy Balls Good for You?
Energy balls are usually made with healthy ingredients and full of protein, carbs, healthy fats, and fiber, making them a great choice for a healthy snack. If you make them at home, you know exactly what is going into them and can enjoy them when you are on-the-go or just need something to hold you over until your next meal.
Energy balls are usually pretty calorie dense (anywhere from 100-200 calories per ball) for such a small snack, so just be mindful as to how many you eat.
More Healthy Protein Snacks
Homemade Perfect Bars Recipe (peanut butter chocolate chip!)
Apple Cinnamon Protein Cookies
Sweet Potato Blueberry Protein Muffins
No Bake Walnut Protein Brownies
More Energy Ball Recipes
Protein Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Energy Balls
Protein Chocolate Peppermint Energy Balls
Peanut Butter & Jelly Energy Balls
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls (Vegan)
ingredients
- 1 cup natural peanut butter (256 grams) (you can use smooth or chunky)
- 2 scoops, packed Ka'Chava Chocolate Protein Powder (1/2 cup, packed/64 grams)
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- for topping: flakey sea salt
instructions
- Add peantu butter, protein powder, rolled oats, and maple syrup to a bowl of a stand mixer and use the paddle attachment to mix until a dough forms, about 30 seconds to one minute. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can just mash by hand with a fork.
- Using a tablepsoon as a scoop, roll into equal sized balls (I got 17 balls). If using, sprinkle with sea salt.
- If needed, place in fridge to firm them up a little. Store in the fridge or freezer and enjoy!
nutrition
This post contains affiliate links and I may make little bit of money if you click on and purchase the products that are linked. It doesn’t cost you any extra money. The compensation helps with expenses to keep ETG up and running. I appreciate your support!
Sarah says
Just curious… how can the oats in this recipe be eaten if they weren’t cooked first? Would love to try it!
Kelly says
Hey Sarah! They sure can – you don’t need too cook the oats to eat them. They add a little texture to the recipe, help hold them together, and you mostly taste the chocolate and PB. Let me know if you try them!
Sarah says
Will try this week — thanks! 🙂
Cami says
I loved these so much! I forgot the salt but they were great with a bit of cinnamon. I added Lily’s sugar free milk chocolate chips and next time coconut is hitting the mix. I snuck them into the movies for a sweet treat and they hit the spot.
Kelly says
Oh I love those additions! They really are customizable too! Thank you for trying them Cami!