No Bake Energy Balls
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Published Aug 30, 2020, Updated Jun 12, 2023
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These peanut butter no bake energy balls require only one bowl, eight ingredients and about 10 minutes of prep time. You’ll love having them as a portable snack option!
I’ve been a fan of energy balls for years and they still top the list of meal prep recipes for me. I usually make some sort of energy ball every week and these peanut butter no bake balls are a household favorite.
The flavor of the balls is awesome, especially if you’re a peanut butter lover like me. The texture is great too! It’s like homemade granola formed into a ball. The balls hold together well so you can easily toss a few in your bag for school/work or as a travel snack during road trips.
Mama and Kid-Friendly
I will say that as a nursing mama, I LOVE having these energy balls on hand for snacking. These don’t have brewer’s yeast like my lactation balls, but they still have oats and flaxseed… two foods that are great for boosting milk supply.
And for mamas with older kiddos, these balls are super kid-friendly! They will goggle them right up, trust me! Plus, they can totally help you with the process of making these too.
No Processor or Protein Powder Needed
The best part about this recipe? All you need is one bowl and there’s no need for a food processor. And these balls have a decent amount of protein (3 grams) without having to add protein powder. I know a lot of people ask about making my protein balls without protein powder, especially if they’re making them for kiddos, and this is the recipe I direct them to!
Ingredients Needed
The cool part about this recipe is that it only requires 8 simple ingredients, most of which you probably already have sitting in your pantry.
- old fashioned rolled oats – my fave brand is Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free old fashioned rolled oats.
- natural peanut butter – I love the flavor that peanut butter adds to these balls but feel free to use your favorite nut butter.
- honey – honey is the glue that binds these no bake energy balls together.
- unsweetened shredded coconut – be sure to get unsweetened shredded coconut, not the sweetened coconut.
- chocolate chips – I like using dark chocolate chips from Enjoy Life or Lily’s. Both of these options are dairy-free.
- ground flaxseed – I add flax in to boost the nutrition, but this is an optional ingredient. Add it if you have it in your pantry and skip it if you don’t!
- vanilla – this adds a hint of vanilla flavor.
- sea salt – a little sea salt enhances the flavors in these energy balls.
No Food Processor Needed!
Most energy balls need a food processor to mix up… not these! The idea for these energy balls came to me because I wanted to share a simple recipe that you could make if you don’t have a food processor. It just requires one bowl and about 10 minutes of prep time.
To make these energy balls simply place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and stir well to combine. Place the dough in the fridge for about 30 minutes to chill. Once the dough has chilled, bring the dough out of the fridge and roll into balls. It’s that easy!
Added bonus, this recipe is super kid-friendly. Kids can help by mixing all the ingredients together in a big bowl and assist with the rolling as well. They’ll love snacking on the balls once they’re made too!
Substitutions and Notes
This recipe is really forgiving and works well with a lot of different substitutions. Here are some common subs I get asked about often:
- I haven’t tried it, but I’m pretty sure quick oats would work as a sub for rolled oats.
- Peanut butter can be swapped for another nut butter like almond or cashew butter. Sunflower seed butter also works. Just be sure your nut butter is fresh (kind of drippy) and not super thick/dry. Thick or dry nut butters will make the energy balls dry and they won’t hold together very well.
- Honey can be swapped for maple syrup, coconut nectar or agave nectar to make these vegan.
- You can sub 2-3 Tablespoons more rolled oats for the shredded coconut.
- You can sub chia seeds for the flaxseed or omit the flaxseed all together.
- Chocolate chips can be left out or subbed for another add-in like raisins, dried cranberries or blueberries.
How to Store Energy Balls
You can store your energy balls in an airtight container. I like using glass storage containers or Stasher bags for storing energy balls. Store them in refrigerator or freezer. They’ll last up to 1-2 weeks in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer. That said, they never last more than a week at our house!
More Energy Ball Recipes
- Granola Bites
- Cranberry Energy Bites
- Pumpkin Pie Energy Balls
- Cherry Energy Balls
- Coconut Protein Balls
- Cinnamon Raisin Cookie Protein Balls
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls
- Tahini Chocolate Chip Protein Balls
- Hazelnut Chocolate Balls
And be sure to check out all of the healthy snack recipes here on EBF.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
No Bake Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup natural peanut butter
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
- 2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir together well to combine.
- Place bowl of “dough” in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour so it can set up.
- Bring dough out of the fridge and roll into balls about 1 Tablespoon in size.
- Store in a covered container in the fridge or freezer.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’ve made this recipe multiple times! It’s so customizable – I’ve substituted different nut butters, and have used different mix-ins such as dried cranberries! SO YUMMY!
Love these! I like to make a double batch and have them for breakfast or as an easy snack. Unfortunately they don’t last long in my house between my husband and I!
So happy to hear these energy balls have been a hit, Lacey! Thanks so much for the review 🙂
These energy snacks are great especially for someone who is trying to curb their sweet tooth! My energy balls came out a little dry, but actually got better after a day stored in the fridge. Between my boyfriend and I the energy balls only lasted 5 days in our house! So they were a major success. I only took off one star because they were a little dry, but the flavor was like eating a Reese’s and I was so happy!!
So glad you enjoyed these energy balls, Amanda! Sorry they were a bit dry, you could always add a bit more honey or a splash of almond milk if this happens again. Thanks so much for the review!
My daughter’s favorite snack! She asks for these alllll the time! Thank you for an amazing recipe that makes my 6 year old smile! 💕
Aw yay! This makes me so happy to hear, Cheryl! So glad your daughter is loving these. Thanks so much for the review :).
I am going to make these today but we are on a low-sugar diet. Any suggestions on how to lower the sugar in these? I assume the sugar is mostly due to the honey and chocolate chips (which are a must!)
You can reduce the amount of honey you use and I like to use Lily’s dark chocolate chips which are sugar-free 🙂
I challenge anyone to have these in your freezer (my favorite) or fridge for longer than a day. They are the perfect snack with a coffee or afternoon pick me up. Thanks for sharing.
Woo! Glad you’re loving these energy balls, Melissa! Thanks so much for the review!
These were so delicious!! Thank you for a great recipe! Love it for breakfast or a quick snack.
Woo!! So glad these energy balls were a hit! Thanks for the review, Monica 🙂
I challenge anyone to have these in their fridge/freezer for more than a day. These are the perfect treat – go great with coffee for breakfast or an afternoon pick me up. No alterations made perfect recipe thanks!
I have made this recipe over and over again and it never disappoints. I have altered the honey level, the nut butter,omitted the coconut and it turns out every time. Perfect for the before dinner hangries!
Yay!! This makes me so happy to hear! So glad these energy balls have been such a hit, Gwyn! Thanks so much for the review. I really appreciate it!
I’ve never had an energy ball I crave before! This is it! So delicious and easy!
So pumped you loved these, Lexi! Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
Love having these on hand in the fridge! Not too sweet, which I love.
So glad you’ve been loving them! Thanks for the review, Isadora!