Easy No Bake Protein Balls
450
Published May 04, 2021, Updated Jan 25, 2024
This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
The easiest no bake protein balls on the internet with four different flavors – chocolate peanut butter, tahini chocolate chip, cinnamon raisin and almond joy. Take 10 minutes to whip up a batch of these protein balls and snack healthy all week long!
Who knew one snack could have so many names?! Protein balls, energy bites, just “balls”. . . I’m sure there are even more out there. No matter what you call them, one thing is for sure: they are one of the best snacks to have on hand for easy, healthy snacking!
I know some people love their store-bought protein bars (and I have a few favs too) but I honestly really like making homemade protein balls because I can control what ingredients go into the mix AND they’re way cheaper. Plus, coming up with the different flavor combinations is so fun!
No Food Processor Needed
One thing I’ve noticed is that a lot of protein ball recipes call for medjool dates and a food processor. I have a TON of recipes that fit this bill – like my Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Protein Balls, Homemade Larabars, Pumpkin Pie Larabar Balls, Blueberry Muffin Larabar Balls, etc.
That said, I know not everyone has a food processor so I’m excited to share four different protein ball recipes that you can make without a food processor and without dates!
The cool part about this recipe is that you can use the same basic formula to create FOUR different recipes — just by switching up a couple different ingredients you have a brand new flavor!
Protein Ball + Energy Bite Ingredients:
- Old-fashioned rolled oats – I always use rolled oats for protein balls because during processing they get steamed and flattened/rolled. This makes the texture way better for no bake recipes!
- Nut butter – My one tip for nut butter is to make sure it’s drippy! It can be hard to mix when you have a more “solid” or “dry” nut butter, so I recommend finding a runny nut butter. You can use any nut butter you want for the base . . . even a seed butter like sunflower butter or tahini if you’re allergic to nuts.
- Honey – I add a hint of sweetener to my base because, in my opinion, it is the key to balanced flavor! Feel free to use maple syrup if you want these balls to be vegan.
- Protein powder – For these protein balls, I’m using a plant-based, organic protein powder. This obviously majorly increases the protein content, which I’m a huge fan of, but it also brings in some fun flavors like vanilla or chocolate and a little sweetness to the mix. Nuzest is one of my favorite brands. It’s plant-based and has a minimal, clean ingredient list. You can use my code eatingbirdfood for 15% off your order.
That’s it! That’s your base recipe. I like to add in fun mix-ins to make the flavors really unique, and I’ve included four simple recipes below. Try these first and when you feel comfortable mixing on your own, go for it and get creative!
Protein Balls are Too Dry or Crumbly?
Some protein powders will soak up more liquid than others and some nut butters are drier than others. This is totally normal and it might cause your your protein ball mixture to seem a little dry or crumbly. If this happens, just add a little water or almond milk to the protein ball mixture, 1 teaspoon at a time until the mixture is moist enough to form into balls. Just be careful not to add too much liquid.
I love to make a batch of these on the weekend so that I have grab-n-go snacks throughout the week. They’re also perfect for a pre or post-workout snack (or even dessert). I usually eat two a time!
Want More Protein Balls & Energy Bites?
- Energy Balls
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls
- Cinnamon Raisin Cookie Protein Balls
- Almond Joy Protein Balls
- Vegan Protein Balls
- Tahini Chocolate Chip Protein Balls
- Coconut Protein Balls
- Chocolate Hazelnut Energy Bites
- Thin Mint Protein Balls
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
No Bake Protein Balls
Ingredients
Chocolate Peanut Butter
- 1 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup natural peanut butter
- ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
- 2 scoops, about 50-60 grams chocolate protein powder
- 2 Tablespoons chocolate chips
Almond Joy
- 1 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup natural almond butter
- ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
- 2 scoops, about 50-60 grams chocolate protein powder
- 1-2 Tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
Cinnamon Raisin Cookie
- 1 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup cashew butter
- ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
- 2 scoops, about 50-60 grams vanilla protein powder
- 2 Tablespoons raisins
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Tahini Chocolate Chip
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup tahini
- ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
- 2 scoops, about 50-60 grams vanilla protein powder
- 2 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips
Instructions
Chocolate Peanut Butter
- Place oats, peanut butter, honey, protein powder and chocolate chips in a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Getting the mixture to combine takes a little arm muscle and it may seem too thick at first, but it will come together as you keep mixing. I used my hands to knead the dough near the end and that seems to help.
- Once combined, use a small cookie scoop to scoop and form the dough into balls.
- Store in a covered container in the fridge or freezer.
Almond Joy
- Place oats, almond butter, honey, protein powder and shredded coconut in a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Getting the mixture to combine takes a little arm muscle and it may seem too thick at first, but it will come together as you keep mixing. I used my hands to knead the dough near the end and that seems to help.
- Once combined, use a small cookie scoop to scoop and form the dough into balls.
- Store in a covered container in the fridge or freezer.
Cinnamon Raisin Cookie
- Place oats, cashew butter, honey, protein powder, raisins and cinnamon in a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Getting the mixture to combine takes a little arm muscle and it may seem a little crumbly at first, but it will come together as you keep mixing. I used my hands to knead the dough near the end and that seems to help.
- Once combined, use a small cookie scoop to scoop and form the dough into balls.
- Store in a covered container in the fridge or freezer.
Tahini Chocolate Chip
- Place oats, tahini, honey, protein powder and chocolate chips in a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Getting the mixture to combine takes a little arm muscle and it may seem too thick at first, but it will come together as you keep mixing. I used my hands to knead the dough near the end and that seems to help.
- Once combined, use a small cookie scoop to scoop and form the dough into balls.
- Store in a covered container in the fridge or freezer.
Video
Notes
- If the protein ball mixture seems a little too dry or crumbly, add water or almond milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the mixture forms together.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
For this receipe, is it 24 total balls for all four of these recipes combined or is it 24 balls for each recipe?
24 balls for each recipe!
I have never made protein balls as have no food processor, then on a google search came across your amazing page here! I never realised how easy they were to make! I tried out the Almond Joy balls, but as they were for a toddler, missed out the protein powder.I made them Cahsew Balls as that’s the nut butter I had at home. I also added sultanas and chopped dates. They are honestly amazing, and look forward to testing out the others too!
Hi Rene! Welcome to Eating Bird Food! I’m so excited that you found this recipe and enjoyed it (I hope your toddler did too!). The changes you made sound delicious! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment (and a star rating), letting me know how the Almond Joy balls turned out. Your feedback is super helpful! Definitely let me know how the other variations turn out once you make them. 🙂
Made your oatmeal chocolate chip balls (subbed in natural peanut butter since that’s what I had on hand). Found the balls a wee bit dry, so I’d probably recommend adding in an extra tbsp of melted coconut oil at the end if it’s still too try, OR starting with 40g of protein powder next time to be on the safe side. Don’t get me wrong – I’m still eating them. Just had some for my late snack at the office 😉
Hi Kate! Thank you for letting me know. Every protein powder is so different and absorbs differently so I’m sure that’s what caused them to be a little dry. Did you see the note in the recipe about adding a little almond milk if the mixture seemed dry? I’ve found that it really helps!
These sound delicious! Can you make these without the added honey and still get the same consistency? Thanks!
You could try, but honey adds moisture and helps them stick so you’d need some additional moisture… maybe almond milk! Let me know if you experiment.
Thank you for this! I used Justin’s brand chocolate almond and hazelnut nut butter softened with some THC-infused coconut oil, rolled oats, protein powder, honey and then split the batch. In half the batch, I added shredded coconut and in half I added dried cherries. Rolled them up and froze them. Delicious!
I made the peanut butter cup ones with almond butter and they came out great. Perfect snack size. If I have a nut butter that isn’t runny, will heating the butter work for this recipe?
Woo! I’m so glad that you liked the pb cup protein balls. They’re my favorite! If you’re nut butter isn’t runny I recommend adding a little melted coconut oil to help thin it out. Just be sure not to add too much. You could try heating it, but I’m not sure how well that will work. Let me know if you try either method.
Thank you for making recipes without dates! I’m mildly allergic to them and its not fun to eat a snack when it makes your throat itchy for hours! I’m making the tahini balls right now!
These turned out wonderful – we made the coconut ones and the cinnamon raisin and loved them both!
Hi! I love these and so does my family! I made the chocolate chip ones. One little thing I added was pure vanilla from Mexico. I added about a teaspoon, give or take. This vanilla is so good you will want to drink it, so I added a tad more. 😂 I have almond butter and coconut and will try the almond joy recipe next. I am very curious about trying cinnamon in these also. Has anyone added walnuts? I might try that too. It all sounds so delicious! Thank you for sharing.
How do you store them and how long do they last? should I freeze if I want to make a lot and have for awhile? Can they be stored in a cupboard if wrapped or should it be a fridge?
Hi! That should be kept in the fridge or freezer. They will last in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and 3 months in the freezer.