These no-bake chocolate peanut butter protein balls are easy to make, full of healthy, feel-good ingredients, and are the perfect bite-sized treat for a snack, breakfast, or post-workout pick-me-up!
This recipe is perfect for meal prep! Make these on a Sunday night and you'll be set for the week come Monday morning. These chocolate-covered energy bites are naturally vegan, gluten-free, healthy, protein-packed, and seriously delicious!
Ingredients
- Old Fashioned Oats: as our base! I would recommend using either old-fashioned oats or rolled oats. I would avoid steel-cut or quick oats entirely here.
- Creamy Peanut Butter: for some protein and as our main binder!
- Chocolate Protein Powder: I strictly use Orgain's plant-based protein powder, it's the best! For this recipe, I used creamy chocolate fudge. Feel free to use code PARLSEY30 for 30% off your order!
- Flax Seed Meal: to add a boost of fiber and nutrients.
- Maple Syrup: to add a natural sweetness to these energy bites! No dates needed!
- Dark Chocolate Chips: yum, so are these really double chocolate?!
- Vanilla: you know how I feel about vanilla and garlic, moving on.
- Cinnamon: for added flavor and its anti-inflammatory properties!
Instructions
Aside from being delicious and providing a boost of energy, they're super quick and easy to make.
- Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix well until combined.
- Place the bowl in the fridge and chill for at least 10 minutes.
- Using a tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop the mixture and roll it into a ball, placing it onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat until the entire mixture is used. This should yield ~14-16 protein balls.
- Optional, but highly recommended: melt dark chocolate with coconut oil in the microwave for a 1 minute and a half, stirring every 30 seconds until fully melted. Dunk each protein ball in the melted chocolate, coating completely. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and chill in the fridge or freezer until the chocolate has set. Top with sea salt flakes and enjoy!!
Recipe Variations
This recipe is seriously perfect as is but here are a few swaps that will work perfectly!
- Use a different nut or seed butter! You don't have to use peanut butter, any nut or seed butter will work. Some are a bit runnier or thicker than peanut butter, so make sure you're adjusting the amount of peanut butter or oats as needed.
- Replace flax seed meal with hemp seeds.
- Use agave instead of maple syrup. This will still give you that natural sweetness and moisture needed for this recipe.
Quick Tips
- Adjust the amount of peanut butter or oats, as needed. Depending on the thickness or runniness of your peanut butter, you might need more or less oats or peanut butter to get the ingredients to combine and stick together well.
FAQ
These chocolate peanut butter protein balls will last up to 2 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze them for up to 1-2 months!
You definitely just need more moisture! Add more of either peanut butter or maple syrup 1 tablespoon at a time, mix, and then chilling in between in order to know if the consistency is better. This could've happened from a difference in thickness in our peanut butters 🙂
Honestly...you can eat protein balls whenever. Sometimes I'll have one in the morning if I'm hungry after breakfast or one as an afternoon pick me up!
If you're gym go-er or super serious about when you eat certain types of nutrients, you can have these before your workout for maximum and sustained energy or after your workout to replenish and repair your body!
If you make these energy balls, be sure to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram. If you have any questions or feedback at all, send me an e-mail or leave a comment below! I hope you love this dish as much as we do!
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons vegan chocolate protein powder
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix well until combined.1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, ½ cup creamy peanut butter, 2 tablespoons vegan chocolate protein powder, 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal, ¼ cup maple syrup, ½ cup dark chocolate chips, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop the mixture and roll it into a ball, placing it onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat until the entire mixture is used. This should yield ~14-16 protein balls.
- Place the baking sheet in the fridge and chill for at least 10 minutes, or until set.
- Optional, but highly recommended: melt dark chocolate with coconut oil in the microwave for 1 minute and a half, stirring every 30 seconds until fully melted. Dunk each protein ball in the melted chocolate, coating completely. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and chill in the fridge or freezer until the chocolate has set. Top with sea salt flakes and enjoy!!
Lauren says
These are soo good. They look like a friggin dessert and honestly taste like one but they're the perfect breakfast bites
Mariann says
Love these protein balls so much, will definitely make again and have before or after workouts. I personally like 2 for breakfast.
Pinch of Parsley says
so glad you love them! They're quite addicting.