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These simple and healthy no bake oatmeal protein balls are perfect for an easy snack on-the-go! With rolled oats, protein powder, peanut butter and a touch of honey, these no-bake protein balls recipe will keep you satisfied for hours!
I cannot accept the idea that someone could NOT like energy bites. Unless they’re one of those annoying people who “doesn’t like healthy food” (we should have a chat), the only reason I can think of for why someone might not love protein balls is because they have yet to find their flavor combo.
This is the reason why I am always trying to come up with new, creative flavors. From almond joy, to gingerbread and of course those blueberry muffin energy balls, I am absolutely convinced that there is a flavor and taste out there for everyone.
The other week my friend Cat was over and the topic of energy balls came up. Obviously. Because when am I not chatting about energy balls? Like C (my C, not Cat) Cat is not a big chocolate fan. It took some digging but it turns out that oatmeal raisin is her jam. So I set out to convince another being of the world that energy balls are gods gift to the healthy snacking earth.
I’ve since made this recipe twice. Once with Oatmeal Raisin, and once with Oatmeal Chocolate Chip and both are BOMB.
I don’t discriminate between raisin lovers and chocolate lovers.
But I do discriminate between those who love protein balls recipes and those who claim to not like them. I prefer to pretend the latter just don’t exist! Life just makes more sense that way…
What You Need to Make Protein Balls
This protein balls recipe is fairly simple and uses a lot of ingredients you likely have around your house:
- Rolled Oats – feel free to use certified gluten-free oats if necessary
- Protein Powder – I personally find whey works best but you can use plant-based protein powders if you prefer. Vanilla protein powder is ideal but you could also sub with a different flavor.
- Cinnamon – not essential but I prefer adding it!
- Chia Seeds – do not SKIP! The only alternative would be ground flax seed. This is essential to get the protein balls to stay together and are also a great source of fiber
- Peanut Butter – or other nut butter such as almond butter. Ideally natural and without added sugar and oil.
- Raw Honey – adds sweetness and helps this protein balls recipe stick together
- Vanilla Extract – for flavor
- Add- ins – mini chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries etc…
- Liquid – will depend on your protein powder how much liquid you add but you can use any variation of non-dairy milk or water. Keep adding until you get the desired texture.
What I love about these no bake protein balls is that NO FOOD PROCESSOR is required! These literally could not be easier to make!
How to Make No Bake Protein Balls
STEP 1: MIX ALL INGREDIENTS IN ONE BOWL
Add oats, protein powder, cinnamon and chia seeds to a large mixing bowl and stir. Add in peanut butter, honey and vanilla extract. Stir to combine. Add in raisins (or preferred add-in). Mixture should be slightly sticky but still crumbly.
STEP 2: ROLL INTO BALLS
Slowly add in liquid 1 tablespoon at a time and using hands (get dirty!) combine until it comes together in a sticky ball that holds together. If mixture is too dry, add in more liquid but not so much that it won’t hold shape. Roll into balls using hands. Roughly a tablespoon each.
STEP 3: SET IN FRIDGE
Place in a container to set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Store in fridge until ready to eat.
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED:
How Long do No Bake Protein Balls Last?
These peanut butter protein balls will last in the fridge for up to two weeks. Alternatively you can store them in the freezer for up to 3 months and pull as many as you want out roughly 30 minutes before eating.
How Much Protein is in these Energy Balls?
This will depend entirely on which protein powder you are using. To calculate the correct amount, determine how much protein in 2 scoops (or 1/2 cup) and divide it by the number of protein balls you made. Note: There is also some protein in the other ingredients so your amount may actually be slightly higher.
Likewise – I do not calculate nutrition facts on my recipes. You’re welcome to enter the ingredients into an online calculator if you’re looking for this information.
Can I Make these Vegan?
Yes! To make these protein balls vegan you can replace your whey protein powder with plant-based protein and the honey with brown rice syrup. DO NOT use maple syrup. It is not sticky enough to help the protein balls keep their shape.
Are These No Bake Protein Balls Portable?
Yes but I’d recommend eating them within a few hours of removing from the fridge. I’d recommend storing them in a hard glass container so that they don’t get squished in a ziploc of bag.
Can I Make These Energy Balls Nut Free?
Yes you most definitely can. Just replace the peanut butter with a seed butter like sunflower seed butter or pumpkin seed butter.
Help! My Energy Bites Are Too Dry!
You’ll just need to add a little bit more liquid 1 tablespoon at a time. Every protein powder is slightly different so some are more absorbent than others. Just slowly add your liquid until a sticky but not too wet mixture comes together.
MORE PROTEIN BALL RECIPES
Looking for more protein energy balls recipes? Here are a few of my favorites!
- Chocolate peanut butter pretzel energy balls
- Pumpkin spice oatmeal energy balls
- Tahini and chocolate oatmeal energy balls
- Apple chai energy balls
- Matcha Chocolate Protein Balls
No-Bake Oatmeal Protein Energy Balls
This simple and healthy no-bake oatmeal protein energy balls recipe is perfect for easy snacking on-the-go! With rolled oats, protein powder, peanut butter and a touch of honey, these energy balls will keep you satisfied for hours!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 20–24 balls (depends on size) 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Raw
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup vanilla whey protein powder (about 2 scoops)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter (or any nut butter)*
- 3 tbsp raw honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup raisins, chocolate chips, craisins or preferred add-in
- 2–4 tbsp liquid (almond milk, milk, water etc…)
Instructions
- Add oats, protein powder, cinnamon and chia seeds to a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Add in peanut butter, honey and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
- Add in raisins (or preferred add-in). Mixture should be slightly sticky but still crumbly.
- Slowly add in liquid 1 tablespoon at a time and using hands (get dirty!) combine until it comes together in a sticky ball that holds together. If mixture is too dry, add in more liquid but not so much that it won’t hold shape.
- Roll into balls using hands.
- Place in a container to set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Store in fridge until ready to eat.
*Make sure it is drippy. If not you may need to add in extra liquid at the end.
Recipe looks good, but it’s absoltely useless for any fitness enthusasts because it doesn’t have any nutritonal information to go with it.
This IS the BEST recipe for protein balls out there, and I’ve tried many! Kudos to you for nailing it for all of us to enjoy! And THANK YOU for sharing! I make these on a weekly basis, take two to the gym with me so when I’m done my workout I can have a quick little nibble and not eat the whole house before dinner! Perfect for hikes as well! Also can kick a sweet tooth urge in the hiney real quick! I’ve made them with all kinds of nuts as well, and when the dough seems too dry I add a little coconut oil! Works like a charm! Now that Christmas is around the corner, I wonder what festive flavores I can come up with for fun! Maybe a treat like candy cane!! ?
These are lovely ! I used hemp protein powder in place of vanilla p.p. as that was all I had and turned out really nice !
I made these the other night and they’re AMAZING! The only change I made was to add Chocolate Protein Powder vs Vanilla and mini semi-sweet chocolate chips vs chunks. My daughter is not a huge fan of Oatmeal flakes (texture thing) so I will make a flour out of the quick oats next time. She also suggested cutting back the chocolate chips in order to add some walnut pieces. This will definitely be a staple in my fridge from now on! They’ll be great as a quick grab when you need a little energy or a healthy treat to satisfy a sweet tooth. You can certainly get creative with this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
I love to cook. I’m always looking for new recipes for my menu, which makes me always interested in my work. Today’s my lucky day, no-bake oatmeal protein energy balls recipe is great, just follow the instructions and everything is easy, I like that. Thanks for your sharing
I have been making these for a while and they are fantastic! Is there a way to use powdered peanut butter instead of regular peanut butter? Trying to save a few calories
Thanks for the idea! I would like to try this
Great to know this, this protein ball is simple to do but still have a lot benefits. Many thanks.
It looks good and crunchy, sounds these interesting ball are great I will make some and bring to work for snack. Thanks.
I just made these….again! I made a similar recipe about 2 years ago and they really helped curb my sweet tooth cravings. Casually eating one of these before I was able to cut ties with sweets all together and I stayed away from sweets for almost a year! I lost a to. Of weight by doing it too and it all started with these protein balls. I have since then fallen back into a sweets routine so I decided tonight it will stop again! This time for good! I keep mine in the freezer to last longer too!