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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
Make This Recipe?
Make sure to follow on Pinterest @bludlum and on Instagram @beccaludlum
If it serves 20 does that mean there will be 40 balls as each will have 2? Apologies but I’m having one of those days
Yes, Teresa, you’ve got it! If you choose to make bigger balls (I often do), then you’ll get 20 total and each serving will be one ball :)
Do you have a protein powder you recommend? Do you ever use Shakeology?
Thank you!
I like Shakeology but it’s so $$. I prefer Vega Sport. You can see off the products I like here–they’re free from artificial sweeteners, which is important to me: https://www.amazon.com/shop/beccaludlum?listId=2MK8BN09GSYAE
These are so yummy! I love them every day, but especially while I was pregnent and breast feeding!!! Such a great taste!
these are the best! I 1/2’d the recipe but will definitely be making them again and again and again…..
For 21 day fix would there not be any teaspoons counted for a serving. In the recipe you say a serving is one yellow. Then in the comments you say a serving is one yellow and one blue…
These are considered a yellow treat swap. I added that comment before treat swaps were a thing. I’ve removed that comment so there is no more confusion :)
Delicious!
These are amazing! Thank you for the recipe Becca.
I am not on WW so could you please provide the nutritional value other than WW? They are delicious but I want to know their nutritional value. Thanks
Pam, the nutritional info is at the bottom of the printable recipe :)
Can you confirm if the nutritional information is for 1 ball or 2?
Hi there! The nutritional information is for 20 servings. If you make 40 balls, then 2 balls would be 1 serving. Sometimes I make them a bit bigger and get only 20 balls total, in which case the serving would be for just 1. Hope that helps!
I am making these right now with my son! Instead of coconut, I put almonds and craisins (What I had on hand) We tried the mixture before we put it in the fridge and it was delicious! Cant wait to eat them camping this weekend!
How long do these stay good for in an air tight container?