Protein Balls – A Beautiful Mess

These protein balls make the perfect snack! It’s easy to make, no-bake, and has just a few ingredients that can be easily customized. It tastes like cookie dough! Having a container like this at home can be a quick and healthy choice when you need a quick snack.

I got into making protein balls, or energy bites, last summer while I was home on maternity leave with my son. While breastfeeding, I often looked for snacks that I could eat with one hand. lol. The simple recipe was so helpful!

relevant: Next, try our high-protein pizza dough, whole-grain protein pancakes, and high-protein vegetarian ground beef.

ingredient

• oats
• peanut butter
• honey
• walnut
• protein powder
• mini chocolate chips

If allergies require it, you can easily replace peanut butter with a nut butter such as almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or cashew butter. And walnuts can be replaced with other nuts, such as almonds or pecans. Also, if you are a breastfeeding mom, you may want to consider adding a tablespoon of brewer’s yeast to this recipe.

map

First, grind 2/3 of the oats in a food processor. This will make the protein balls more cohesive, but this step is optional.

Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix well. Using clean hands, divide the mixture into 12 balls and press. Use a cookie scoop to make protein balls of equal size.

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can freeze these energy balls or store them in the refrigerator, but this is not necessary. But if you don’t plan on eating it within a week, the shelf life will be extended.

Tips and Substitutes

• For added flavor, toast the walnuts before adding them to the mix.
• For even more flavor, add coconut flakes, cinnamon, or replace the honey with maple syrup.
• I like to use vanilla protein powder, but you can use other flavors like chocolate if you like.
• I use whey protein powder (Gold Standard from Optimum Nutrition), but you can of course use other types if you prefer. This may affect overall protein content.
• I like to use mini chocolate chips in this recipe, but you can use regular sized or chopped chocolate instead.

healthier snacks