Peanut Butter Protein Balls

Trust me when I say that these healthy protein balls taste anything but healthy! In fact, they are kind of like eating peanut butter flavored chocolate chip cookie dough. You're welcome. 😉

I created these no bake protein balls out of a desire to have a healthy snack on hand (that actually has protein in it) and they turned out to be that and so much more!

They are a super easy on-the-go breakfast treat, snack or even a healthy dessert--yes, they definitely are dessert worthy. But if you love peanut butter as much as I do and are craving actual cookies, you can also check out these 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies.

Jump to:

• 🌿 Ingredients
• 📝 Instructions
• 📋 Substitutions
• 🔪 Equipment
• 🍱 Storage
• 🎉 Top tip
• 🍳 Recipe

🌿 Ingredients

I made it a point to use only healthy ingredients in this recipe, with the only sweetener being pure maple syrup and some added sweetness from the chocolate chips and protein powder.

• almond flour
• unsweetened shredded coconut
• vanilla protein powder (I used Vega Protein Made Simple Vanilla)
• sea salt
• ground cinnamon
• creamy no-stir peanut butter
• coconut oil
• maple syrup
• mini chocolate chips

See recipe card below for exact quantities.

Pro tip: Keep in mind that not all protein powders are created equal and some are sweetened with alternative sweeteners such as stevia which may or may not go well with this recipe. I like the Vega Protein Made Simple line because there are no added gums, stevia or artificial ingredients.

📝 Instructions

The prep for this recipe is super easy. Simply place all of the ingredients in a medium-large mixing bowl and use a silicone spatula to mix everything really well until incorporated. The "dough" should resemble slightly textured raw cookie dough.

Next, place the dough in the fridge for about 15 minutes so that it can firm slightly and the dry ingredients can meld with the wet. Important: don't skip this step! It'll make the consistency just right for forming your protein balls.

Now that the dough has chilled a little, you can form the protein balls! Line a flat surface with parchment or use a non-stick baking sheet to place your formed balls on while you work. Use your hands to roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place the on the parchment paper or baking sheet.

And finally, carefully place the balls in a lined container and chill in the fridge for at least one hour. I like to use a separate sheet of parchment paper for each layer in the storage container so that the balls don't stick together.

📋 Substitutions

These protein balls are vegan, gluten free and grain free to accommodate many dietary needs, but feel free to make any of the substitutions below!

• Protein powder - if you don't have a vegan requirement, feel free to use whey protein instead which also works great (if it's unsweetened, you may also want to add a little extra maple syrup and a dash of vanilla extract to the recipe)
• No stir peanut butter - you can also use natural peanut butter for this recipe, but just make sure to fully mix and incorporate any separated oil before using
• Maple syrup - you can substitute honey if no vegan requirement, or agave syrup
• Chocolate chips - feel free to use mini peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips instead (or none at all!)

🔪 Equipment

Only a few items are required to make this recipe:

• Large mixing bowl
• Silicone spatula
• Storage container
• Parchment paper (optional but recommended for easy prep, cleanup and storage)

🍱 Storage

Peanut butter protein balls should be stored in the fridge and will stay good for at least a week.

🎉 Top tip

Don't forget to cool the dough for 15 minutes before forming your protein balls, and make sure to chill the final balls for at least an hour in the fridge. It's worth the wait. 🙂

Enjoy!

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🍳 Recipe