Protein Balls Recipe

4.99 from 80 votes

These protein balls keep your family energized throughout the day. They're naturally gluten free and made without protein powder.

Prep Time15

Cook Time0

Chilling time1

Course: No bake, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate chips, coconut, hemp seeds, honey, oat flour, oats, peanut butter, peanut butter energy bites, protein balls, protein balls without protein powder, vanilla extract

Servings: protein balls

Author: Nicole Hunn

Ingredients

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats (gluten free if necessary)
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 cup hulled raw hemp seeds (can substitute chia seeds, hulled sunflower seeds, flax seeds or pumpkin seeds)
½ cup oat flour (gluten free if necessary)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups smooth peanut butter
½ cup honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or your favorite flavoring we really like McCormick brand butter flavoring
4 ounces miniature chocolate chips

Customary - Metric

Instructions

Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. In a large bowl, place the oats, coconut flakes, hemp seeds, oat flour, and salt, and mix to combine well. Set the bowl aside.
To intensify the flavor of the whole oats, coconut, and seeds, place them all together on a lined baking sheet in a single layer and toast them in a 300°F oven (or toaster oven, in batches) for about 15 minutes, stirring once. Then, transfer them to a large bowl, add the salt, and proceed with the recipe as written.
Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla extract or other flavoring, and mix until well-combined. Allow the mixture to cool for at least 10 minute.
Once the mixture has cooled enough that it won't melt chocolate, add the miniature chocolate chips. Mix until the chips are evenly distributed throughout. If you add the chips when the mixture is hot, the chips will all melt.
Scoop the mixture by the heaping tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheet (a #50 ice cream scoop works perfectly). You should have about 36 portions.
Roll each portion tightly into a ball between your palms. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator to chill until firm. Serve chilled.
They will hold their shape at room temperature, but I prefer them chilled. Transfer the bites to a large container with a lid, and store in the refrigerator for anytime snacking.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is an estimate per ball, only from online calculators, provided as a courtesy, and should not be relied on under any circumstances.

Nutrition