Peanut Butter Energy Balls are deliciously fudgy bites packed full of peanut butter flavor. They’re easy to throw together with only a few ingredients.
These make great take and go snacks, a quick breakfast bite, or a scrumptiously healthy treat! Be sure to check out No Bake Peanut Butter Granola Bar, 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothies for a few some more peanut buttery goodness.
Yummy – AND Healthy!
These Peanut Butter Balls are packed with fiber, protein, and healthy fats, which makes them an incredible snack! Beat afternoon hunger with these chewy morsels.
Are they healthy? These are considered healthy because they have multiple sources of protein as well as a good source of fiber with the oats. They’re also pretty filling so they can limit your intake of other sugary treats.
- Keto: Oats are not keto friendly so these balls are not considered keto. You could omit them but that would significantly alter the texture of them.
- Energy: They aren’t necessarily packed full of caffeine, but the protein can give you a different type of energy that is more long lasting.
- Protein powder: Use either a vanilla or chocolate protein powder. Also protein powder has the tendency to soak up some of the moisture in these balls. So you may need to add some extra liquid to be able to roll the balls effectively(so that they stick together).
The Ingredients
Peanut butter:
- Natural peanut butter is a great option for this, because there are other things to thicken the dough so you don’t need all the preservatives from typical peanut butter.
- Crunchy peanut butter is a good option for more texture.
- Creamy peanut butter is also a good option for these protein balls as it keeps them together.
- Other nut butters? You can use either other nut butters such as almond and cashew butter, or you can use sunflower seed butter if you want to be completely nut free. Again switching up the type of nut butter might mess with the texture of the protein balls, so beware and be ready to add more oats if it’s too thin of a texture and nothing is sticking together.
Oats:
- You should use old fashioned or rolled oats because they will give the best texture. Quick oats or steel cut oats are not good options.
How to Make Peanut Butter Energy Balls
COMBINE. In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, oats, flax seed, honey (or agave), vanilla, salt, and mini chocolate chips. Using a spatula, mix the ingredients until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
CHILL & ROLL. Refrigerate for 25 minutes. Using a standard size cookie scoop, portion the mixture into even balls. Roll with your hands to smooth, sticking a few extra mini chocolate chips on as you go.
Enjoy immediately or place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Holding them together:
- You need to keep them in the fridge until they are solid and set. You can also just store the protein balls in the fridge to make sure they stay together, and they do taste better cold.
- If your protein balls are falling apart, add a bit more honey or peanut butter to help them stick together better.
Variations + Storing Tips
Additions / Variations
- Sweet things to add
- Chocolate: use either cocoa powder or chocolate protein powder to give them a chocolate peanut butter taste
- Cinnamon and raisins
- Almond joy balls: chocolate protein powder and shredded coconut
- Dried fruit: craisins or raisins
- Coconut: use sweetened shredded coconut flakes
- Healthy additions
- Use dates
- Chia seeds: chia seeds are full of important nutrients and antioxidants
- Ground flaxseed
- Rice krispies: for more of a texture change you can add rice krispies to give it a solid crunch texture
Storing / freezing? Store them in the fridge for about a week, in an airtight tupperware container, or in the freezer for about 2 months in an airtight container.
- Make ahead? You can make these ahead of time and keep them refrigerated until you’re ready to eat them. Sometimes they taste better after they’ve been sitting for a while, the flavors get to meld better.
For more recipes, check out:
- Chocolate chip cookie dough energy bites
- Monster cookie dough energy bites
- No bake peanut butter chocolate chip granola bars
- Chunky homemade granola
Peanut Butter Energy Balls Recipe
Ingredients
- 2/3 c creamy peanut butter
- 1 c old fashioned oats
- 1/4 c flax seed meal - or a chia flax combo
- 1 1/2 tbsp honey - or agave
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 1/4 c mini chocolate chips - plus extra for rolling
Instructions
- In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, oats, flax seed, honey (or agave), vanilla, salt, and mini chocolate chips. Using a spatula, mix the ingredients until combined
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 25 minutes.
- Using a standard size cookie scoop, portion the mixture into even balls. Roll with your hands to smooth, sticking a few extra mini chocolate chips on as you go
- Enjoy immediately or place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days
How much protein do you add?
Hi MaryEllen, there is no additional protein to add, there is lots of protein from the peanut butter, oats and flax seeds.
I always love this recipe and so many variations of goodness! Could you help me understand the serving size and nutrition content? It says 8. Are those small bites? I made large ones.
Thanks!
Hi Lauren, we made 8 energy balls, all about the same size.
Delicious and easy recipe! A coffee shop nearby had these and I wanted to make some at home! I did the chia/flax mixture and I love the crunch it has!
These are such a fun healthy treat. My kiddos even liked them
These energy balls are fantastic and so yummy! My hubby and I love that they are both yummy and healthy! Definitely making these tasty things again!