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High protein, low carb coconut protein balls made with coconut butter and hemp seeds! You’ll love the coconut flavor and the energy boost these protein balls provide. Low carb, vegan and gluten-free.
One of my overarching health goals is to make sure I’m getting enough protein. Most of the time, it’s pretty easy for me to get a good amount of protein at breakfast, lunch and dinner, but snacks are another story.
It can be a challenge to find protein-packed snacks that I actually want to eat! Greek yogurt bowls with fruit and granola have been my go-to for a while, but recently I was inspired to use protein powder, hemp seeds and coconut butter to make a low-sugar coconut protein ball for snacking.
If you’re unfamiliar with coconut butter, it’s the most amazing thing ever – it’s a spread just like almond or peanut butter but made from coconut! You can find it at most grocery stores or simply follow my simple coconut butter recipe (linked above)! I’ve made protein balls with nut butter a bazillion times and finally decided it’s time to make one with coconut butter.
Start by making sure your coconut butter is softened by putting the jar in a mug of hot water. Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and pulse a few times to incorporate. Stir the dough with a mixing spoon and then use your hands to roll 1 Tablespoon of the mixture into balls. Repeat until you’ve made about 8 balls. If the dough is too crumbly and not sticking together, add a few more drops of water.
pro tip! If your coconut butter is hard, place the jar in a bowl of hot water to let it soften. Alternatively, you can scoop out the amount of coconut butter you need and place it in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30 second increments until softened, stirring often! Just keep an eye on it because the coconut butter can burn in the microwave!
You can enjoy the protein balls right away or store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. For longer storage, store in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
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I love coconut so had to put these together. I doubled the recipe and added a bit more water than stated. I made my own coconut butter which took about 10minutes in my magimix – luckily I had some coconut flakes stocked. I also used linseed instead of hemp. Maybe a bit premature to rate but did the taste test and very nice. And a change from the choc/coconut balls.
Ahh this sounds amazing, Emma! Thank you so much for sharing your review & star rating, I really appreciate it!
I made this recipe and it yields 4 balls (not 8 as the recipe indicates). Also, coconut butter is extremely difficult to find in stores (I went to three grocery stores including Whole Foods and none of them had it). I finally found it online but that is a pain to have to buy it online. I know the Recipe says you can make your own coconut butter, but who has the time? Finally, the final product was just too sweet for me.
I am sorry to hear this recipe did not turn out as you had hoped, Jill. Did you make sure to measure out the balls the correct size? If everything else was correct, it should have made 8. Thanks for sharing, again, I apologize these did not work out for you.
This is so delicious!! I substituted collagen for the protein powder and added some vanilla. I tried macadamias and cashews for the hemp seeds, but it was very wet, so I rolled them generously in coconut flakes.
Woo! Thank you for sharing what swaps you made and how they turned out, Hannah. I appreciate it! 🙂
Do you have a protein powder you recommend?
Hey Allison! I’ve been loving Nuzest + Sun Warrior protein powders. 🙂 If you want to try Nuzest I have a code “eatingbirdfood” for 15% off. 🙂
Would these last just as long (1-2 weeks) in an air tight container if they aren’t in the fridge?X
If you store them at room temp, they will last 3-4 days. I would store them in the fridge if you want to keep them any longer than that! Hope this helps.