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These 21 Day Fix Protein Balls are the perfect healthy snack! They’re a filling peanut butter oatmeal recipe that is super easy to customize with your favorite add-ins – chocolate chips, raisins, cranberries, flax seed, and more.
If these look like a delicious snack to you, you’ll also love our Peanut Butter Granola Bars, Banana Oatmeal Bites, or this Black Bean Brownie Recipe.
Why I Love These Protein Balls
I love these balls because they’re just the right amount of sweet with no added sugar or artificial sweeteners. We always have these on hand for snacking, dessert, or when we go on road trips!
Enjoy!
– Becca
Ingredients in this Healthy Snack
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Peanut Butter: We use natural peanut butter made with only peanuts and salt. Natural peanut butter tends to be thinner and easier to mix.
- Honey: I love to use honey as a natural sweetener. Though it is primarily composed of sugar, honey also provides small amounts of several vitamins and minerals, and is rich in health-promoting plant compounds.
- Protein powder: I like to use vanilla protein powder or unflavored, but if you’re looking to make these chocolate protein balls you can add chocolate protein powder. You could also use vanilla shakeology if you have that on hand. This is an easy way to give yourself more protein!
How to make these Energy Balls
Step 1: In a large bowl, mix together the oats, chocolate chips, and coconut.
Step 2: Add the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla.
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Step 3: Mix well until evenly combined. I prefer using a hand or stand mixer with this recipe because it seems to make the balls easier to roll out and stick together.
Step 4: Chill mixture in the refrigerator for an hour, then roll out balls about an inch in diameter. The chilling helps you roll the mixture. You can also roll them right away if the mixture cooperates.
For tips about how to fix a mixture that is too dry or too sticky, see our recipe tips below!
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Recipe Tips
- You might have to play with the recipe a bit depending on your ingredients, but know that it’ll be worth it in the end! Different brands of peanut butter change the way these come together, and I’ve found that using mini chocolate chips instead of full size chocolate chips really helps them stick together better.
- If your protein balls are sticky – If you’re struggling to roll these peanut butter oatmeal balls because they’re too sticky, add a bit of extra oats to dry them out. You’ll want to mix the recipe again after adding the oats so that they become fully incorporated and soak up that extra peanut butter and honey.
- If your protein balls are too dry – They need some more peanut butter or honey! This recipe can vary quite a bit depending on the type of peanut butter you use. I prefer Costco’s Kirkland Organic peanut butter for this recipe because it’s very thin and mixes really well. Using a thicker peanut butter, like JIF, could cause the peanut butter oatmeal balls to dry out a bit. It’s very easy to ‘fix’ the balls at this point by adding a few tablespoons more peanut butter or honey, or oats like stated above.
- Store these in an air tight container inside the fridge. They should keep well in the refrigerator for a few weeks, though I have never managed to keep them for that long.
- These are so easy to customize. You can swap out the peanut butter for almond or cashew butter, or play with the other add-ins. Some of our favorite optional add-ins are: MCT powder, flaxseed, chia seeds, raisins, chopped nuts, or dried fruit.
Peanut Butter Protein Balls FAQs
Protein balls can be good for weight loss if you are mindful of portion control and use whole ingredients like we have in this recipe. The ingredients in these balls are rich in protein, healthy fats and carbohydrates – all macronutrients that can help curb hunger and keep you feeling full for longer.
Yes, protein balls are a great and convenient breakfast option. Because they are high in protein, fiber and healthy fats, they are a great source of energy to get your day started.
You can freeze these protein balls. I love making extra batches before vacation and freezing them so I can bring a few containers along with us. I’ve frozen them for up to six months, and they taste as delicious as the day I made them. We have also frozen them to ship them in the mail, and they arrive perfectly.
Healthy Eating Plans
21 Day Fix Containers
For the 21 Day Fix, I treat these like a healthy dessert. 2 balls = 1 yellow treat swap. If you’re comfortable pushing the top of the calorie range for treat swaps, you could have three.
Weight Watchers Points
Check out our WW Protein Balls recipe for the recipe and point plan information.
If you tried this recipe for 21 Day Fix Protein Balls any other recipe on my site please leave a rating and let me know how it went in the comments!
21 Day Fix Protein Balls
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Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- hand mixer
Ingredients
- 2 cups oats I use quick cook
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder or unsweetened
- ⅔ cup unsweetened shredded coconut unsweetened
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ⅓ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. 2 cups oats, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/3 cup honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Using a stand mixer for this recipe is the best way to get the ingredients to stick together nicely and make the protein balls easy to roll. If you don’t have a stand mixer, a hand mixer or spoon will do!
- Chill mixture in the refrigerator for an hour, then roll out balls about an inch in diameter. The chilling helps you roll the mixture.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Make sure to follow on Pinterest @bludlum and on Instagram @beccaludlum
These look delicious! Love that they are no-bake too! (Stopping by from the Artsy Corner Blog Hop.)
Hello Becca, I am going to make this hopefully for the weekend. I need a TASTY healthy (notice the priority for me) pick-me up and yours will do the trick. I featured you on my fb page and your awesome recipe. Thanks for linking up at Wonderful Wed. Blog Hop. Carrie, A Mother’s Shadow
How absolutely DELICIOUS! Pinned it. :)
Thanks for sharing your posts on Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop…that’s how we find all the good stuff like this recipe!
These look and sound delicious. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe. Also, the carrot ones that a commenter linked to look good too.
Doesn’t it, Julie? I’ve been wanting to make those!
These sound like something my family would love. Thank you for sharing at Share It One More Time. Cathy
I have another recipe sort of like this that I love – I haven’t made it in a while though. I am going to try this one very soon. I like having these as a small snack between breakfast and lunch. Thanks for sharing.
I have a cookie monster in my family (husband), and I think these will be the answer to that problem.
He is always looking for something to go with his coffee. Thank-you
Yum! Oh, I must try this but without the peanut butter since I’m allergic. I might try coconut butter instead. This is similar to a granola version I make but not to have to hassle with the oven that’s a win-win!
I’ve been making versions of this recipe for years, we love them! I keep a tub in the freezer and pop a few into the school lunches–they are soft enough to eat by lunchtime. Add a few TBS of cocoa powder to make them chocolate-y. Substitute almond or sunbutter, add chia seeds, protein powder, ground flax seeds… The possibilities are endless! I’ve got a carrot cake bite recipe too if you love those flavors…
OMG, Ive been looking for days for something to take the place of my cookie craving that would also give energy!!
I love the endless possiblities! Im curious about the mentioned Carrot Cake Bites???
http://www.sheknows.com/living/articles/997237/no-bake-carrot-cake-energy-bites
If you like the flavors of carrot cake, you will love these. Search “homemade Lara bars” on Pinterest and you will find tons of recipes to try. My obsession has intensified over the last few months as I’ve mostly cut refined sugars and a lot of grains from my diet. These energy bites are full of healthy fats, protein and natural sugars–they keep me satisfied between meals and fill the cravings for something sweet perfectly. If you have a food processor there are even more possibilities using dates & nuts. YUM.
Here’s my current fave… So yummy!
http://www.thevintagemixer.com/2013/04/homemade-lara-bars-coconut-cream-pie/
And if you like chocolate, try this one for Dark Chocolate “Donut Holes”:
1-1 1/2 cups raw almonds or roasted hazelnuts
5 T cocoa powder
1 cup pitted dates
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 t salt
Handful of shredded coconut for rolling.
Toss everything into the food processor and pulse until you get a dough-like consistency. Scoop out and roll into 1 inch balls, roll in coconut. Let chill in fridge an hour or so before eating.
My kids eat these like candy!
Do you know the containers would be? These sound !!
Ooohhhh Leah… I think we need that recipe.