These easy Peanut Butter Energy Balls are the best healthy no bake snack ever. Made with oatmeal, these peanut butter energy bites are packed with nutrients and taste. They're refined sugar-free, gluten-free, eggless and vegan.
No bake peanut butter oatmeal balls: a healthy snack to satisfy your sweet tooth. Ready in minutes, have fun experimenting with mix-ins!
Waking up at 5 am, I have breakfast quite early in the day. My protein oatmeal is always there, waiting for me right after coming home from the gym. As soon as I finish my bowl of #Proats, I get down to work.
I somehow manage to stay focused for a couple of hours, but at around 10 I start feeling hungry. Snack time! As work easily piles up, I need something quick and easy, but also healthy and satisfying. That's where these no baked peanut butter balls come into play. They are so delicious and give me energy until lunchtime. Together with my banana bars, I usually make a batch on Sunday to have snacks for the week. My recipe is so easy that I had to share it here on the blog. Try it and you'll be making peanut oat bites on repeat!
The ingredients for peanut butter energy bites
This peanut butter oatmeal balls recipe is so simple that it only requires 5 ingredients. No egg, no dairy and no refined sugar at all. If you are eager to know more or have any doubt, stick around. A complete list of all ingredients, their substitutes, and plenty of details is waiting for you down here.
- Rolled oats. As main ingredient you'll need old-fashioned rolled oats, gluten-free if it is necessary. You can replace with oat flour, a mix of oats and protein powder, or quick-cooking oats (not recommended).
- Peanut butter. This recipe requires creamy peanut butter, without added sugar, oil, or salt.
- Maple syrup. The maple syrup will sweeten your peanut butter energy balls healthy, without the need for refined sugars. Great alternatives are honey, date syrup, agave syrup, and sugar-free maple syrup.
- Sea salt. Make sure you add a pinch of salt to enhance flavors and balance sweetness. Omit if your peanut butter is already salted.
- Chocolate chips. The addition of chocolate chips will make your energy oat bites taste incredible, like cookie dough. I used sugar-free dark chocolate chips, but you can replace with semi-sweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips.
Can you add protein powder to oatmeal balls?
Yes, these oatmeal peanut butter balls can quickly become a protein-packed snack to enjoy before or after working out . They are so delicious and will help you hit your macros for the day.
To make peanut butter protein balls, you'll need to replace 50 grams (or half a cup) of the oats with a protein powder of your choice. I recommend vanilla whey protein powder, but you're free to use vegan protein powder, casein, or protein blends. Flavored or unflavored. Just keep in mind that, based on the choice, you may need to adjust the dough with more nut butter (vegan protein and casein) or more rolled oats (whey protein powder).
Protein Energy Balls
This simple protein bites recipe has only 4 ingredients and comes together in just 5 minutes. Vegan, gluten-free and guilt-free!
Recipe variations
Made with oatmeal peanut butter balls are a simple recipe that leaves plenty of room for customizations. From crunchy nuts to cookie dough bars, here are some tasty ways to prepare no bake energy bites. Choose your favorite, or mix and match.
- Add some mix-ins. Experiment with chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, pecans, peanuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, ground flaxseeds. Or add dried fruit such as raisins and cranberries.
- Use oat flour. If you prefer a smooth cookie-like texture, replace old fashioned oats with oat flour.
- Change nut butter. Try making oat balls with another nut butter, such as almond butter, cashew butter or sunflower seed butter.
- Make them high protein. Replace part of the oats with your favorite protein powder and make the most delicious protein balls at home.
- Make them low carb. Substitute rolled oats with almond flour, sweeten with sugar-free syrup and stir in dark chocolate chips for low carb keto peanut butter balls.
- Go gluten-free. Use certified gluten-free rolled oats, and check that all other ingredients are safe to eat.
- Go nut-free. If you are allergic or intolerant to nuts, prepare this recipe with sunflower seed butter or tahini.
- Shape them into bars. Give a new face to peanut butter and oatmeal balls by shaping your dough into bars. Transfer the mixture to a parchment paper covered pan, smooth it out, and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
How to make peanut butter energy balls?
Prepare oatmeal dough. Add to a large mixing bowl rolled oats, peanut butter, maple syrup, salt and chocolate chips. With a fork or spatula, stir well until the cookie dough gets soft. Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Shape oat balls. With the help of your hands or a cookie scoop, shape peanut butter oatmeal balls. Place them in an airtight food container or in a sealable bowl and store in the fridge for a maximum of five days.
Storing peanut butter oat balls
After making, transfer no bake peanut butter balls to a food container or sealable bowl and refrigerate. In the fridge, they will last for up to four days. For a longer storage, place in zipper bags and freeze for up to three months. When you are ready to eat, remove from the freezer and allow them to thaw in the refrigerator.
When to eat peanut butter energy balls?
As you may have noticed, I absolutely love peanut butter oat balls. Besides being healthy and delicious, they are also incredibly versatile. They come in very handy for snacks, desserts and even breakfasts. Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy homemade energy bites.
- As a healthy snack on the go, for school or for work.
- As a pre workout snack, on their own or with an apple or banana.
- After workouts, with Greek yogurt or protein shakes for more protein.
- After lunch or dinner, as an indulgent guilt-free dessert.
- On the top of yogurt bowls, smoothies, and oatmeal.
- Whenever you are in the mood for a delicious peanut buttery treat!
Recipe tips
My first recommendation is making peanut butter balls with rolled oats, rather than quick-cooking instant oats. In comparison to quick oats which easily get soft, rolled oats give your bites better texture.
A second suggestion is to adjust the sweetness to your own preferences. Since these are peanut butter no bake balls, you can safety taste the dough while mixing. Try it and add more maple syrup in case the sweetness level is still not on point.
Don't forget to let the mixture chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, before shaping into balls. Trust me, the resting time is more than worth it. This step ensures that your peanut butter oat balls will stick together and have a better texture.
Last but not least, give vent to your creativity and experiment with recipe variations or additional mix-ins. Chopped walnuts and protein powder are my favorite, the ones I always add to homemade energy bites with oats.
More quick and easy healthy snacks
- No bake protein balls
- Banana oat bars
- Chocolate protein bites
- Protein flapjacks
- Chocolate chip granola bars
- 2 ingredient banana oatmeal cookies
Peanut Butter Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 150 grams (1 ½ cups) rolled oats
- 120 grams (½ cup) peanut butter creamy
- 3 to 5 tbsp maple syrup replace with honey, to taste
- a pinch of sea salt
- 4 tbsp chocolate chips optional
High Protein Peanut Butter Balls
- 50 grams (½ cup) protein powder as oat replacement, see notes*
Instructions
- Add to a large mixing bowl rolled oats, peanut butter, maple syrup, salt and chocolate chips. With a fork or spatula, stir well until the cookie dough gets soft.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- With the help of your hands or a cookie scoop, shape peanut butter oatmeal balls. Place your energy bites in an airtight food container or in a sealable bowl and store in the fridge for a maximum of four days.
Notes
- To make high protein peanut butter balls, replace 50 grams (½ cup) of the oats with protein powder. Just keep in mind that, based on the protein powder choice, you may need to adjust your dough with more nut butter (vegan protein and casein) or more rolled oats (whey protein powder).
Nutrition
Nutritional values are based on third-party calculations and should be considered approximations. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. We do not overtake any responsibility.
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Mary
I would like to make these protein balls but wondered if they could be frozen.
Matteo
Hey dear Mary,
thanks a lot for your comment. Yes, you can definitely freeze homemade peanut butter energy balls. Make sure you read through the blog post up here to learn all the best tips on how to freeze energy balls 😉
Have a great day,
Matteo
Jessica
I have made these about 4 times since finding the recipe earlier this year. They are sooooo good! The perfect snack to bring on a hike. I add collagen and reduce the oats but don't add any chocolate chips and they are still very balanced and delicious.
Matteo
Hey dear Jessica,
I am incredibly grateful for you taking the time to leave your feedback. So so happy that you also liked these energy balls with peanut butter, and that you find them as a great on-the-go snack to power up your hikes 😉
Have a fantastic day and week to come,
Matteo
Zinnia Hoying
Love them! Even my picky family enjoys them!
Matteo
Hey dear Zinnia,
thanks a LOT for your nice feedback. I'm so glad to hear that also your family loved these healthy oatmeal balls with peanut butter!
All the best,
Matteo
Liza Ho de Lee
Excellent and yummy!!!
Matteo
Oh yes, and so easy to make!! Thanks a lot for your comment?