The Best Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls Recipe! These No Bake Energy Bites are the perfect quick, healthy snack that everyone will enjoy!
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These tasty and wholesome peanut butter energy balls are the best snack to prep and have on hand!
Throw them in your lunch or have them as part of an on-the-go breakfast or snack for a healthy addition that tastes like a no-bake cookie but contains collagen protein, fiber, and omega-3s!
For more on the go protein snacks, try these No Bake Protein Balls or Peanut Butter Protein Bars.
Why These Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls are the perfect fuel!
We love having these peanut butter energy balls on hand! Here is why they are so awesome:
- Grab & Go Snack – These energy bites are the perfect snack on the go! Pack them in your lunch or grab one on the way out of the house for the perfect satisfying pre-workout treat.
- Protein, Fat & Fiber – Protein, healthy fats, and fiber are the trifecta for satiating snacks, and this recipe has it all.
- Anti-Inflammatory Omega-3s – One energy bite contains over 1/3 of your needs for omega-3s which help fight inflammation and support a healthy brain!
What you’ll need for this No Bake Energy Bites Recipe
For these Energy Balls you’ll need:
- creamy natural peanut butter
- maple syrup
- coconut oil
- vanilla extract
- collagen protein powder
- ground flaxseed
- old fashioned oats
- chia seeds
- sea salt
- mini chocolate chips
You can find substitutions for all of these ingredients below in the green shaded box.
How to make Energy Balls
- Whisk peanut butter, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add the collagen protein powder, ground flaxseed, and sea salt and whisk until there are no lumps or streaks. Stir in the oats and chia seeds.
- Fold in the mini chocolate chips. Mix until everything is evenly distributed and coated with the peanut butter mixture. Place in the fridge for about 15 minutes before rolling.
- Once the dough is chilled enough to work with, scoop the dough out using a cookie scoop. Roll between your hands to form a smooth ball. Set on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and repeat for the rest of the dough.
- Enjoy right away or place the entire sheet pan in the fridge to allow the balls to firm up for 15-20 minutes before placing them in a large resealable bag.
SUBSTITUTIONS FOR ENERGY BITES
Creamy Peanut Butter – When choosing peanut butter for this recipe you want to select a brand that contains only peanuts (and possibly salt). Using sweetened peanut butter is going to make this recipe overly sweet. Almond butter (that contains only almonds) can be used for those with a peanut allergy. Cashew butter may also work. I don’t recommend using seed butter as these tend to be too runny.
Maple Syrup – Use pure maple syrup and not imitation maple syrup. Honey makes a good alternative to maple syrup in this recipe.
Coconut Oil – This ingredient should not be substituted for another type of oil. Coconut oil works to bind the other ingredients together and helps the energy bites become firm once refrigerated. If you have to omit the coconut oil you will need to adjust the other ingredients to ensure there are enough wet ingredients to properly bind the oats together.
Collagen Protein Powder – This recipe is a great way to use unflavored collagen protein powder because it is virtually undetectable making it an easy and tasty way to get collagen protein in your diet. I like this brand.
To make Vegan: If you need a vegan alternative to collagen, you can use unflavored or vanilla vegan protein powder. Using protein powder instead of collagen will change the recipe slightly and you will be able to taste the protein powder in the energy balls. If substituting this ingredient, measure by weight instead of volume for the most consistent results (protein powders can vary significantly). Also, keep in mind that if the protein powder is sweetened it might make the protein bites overly sweet depending on the flavor/sweeteners used. I tested this recipe using 45 grams of Four Sigmatic Plant-Based Protein in Sweet Vanilla and it worked great but I did prefer the unflavored collagen protein. Use dairy free chips.
Ground Flaxseed – Use ground, not whole flaxseed! This ingredient adds omega-3s to the recipe and helps to bind. You may be able to substitute it with another 20 grams (about ¼ cup) of collagen powder; however, I did not test this substitution.
Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats – If you need to follow a gluten-free diet, be sure to select certified gluten-free oats. I did not test any alternatives to old-fashioned rolled oats.
Chia Seeds – If you don’t have chia seeds on hand this ingredient can be omitted without changing the recipe too much.
Mini Chocolate Chips – Regular chocolate chips can be used they just don’t disperse or roll quite as well as the little ones! Feel free to use milk, dark or semi-sweet!
No Bake Energy Balls FAQs
The sugars in these energy balls make them a great pre-workout snack that will give you an energy boost for your workout. Eat about 30 minutes before exercising.
Everyone’s caloric needs are different. Speak with your doctor or a dietician to determine your individual needs and how many energy balls can be a part of your balanced diet.
Yes! It’s safe to eat raw oats in energy balls.
Not all energy balls are healthy! Most are really high in sugar and fat. These energy bites have 8 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, and only 6 grams of unrefined sugar!
Pro Tip:
- Be sure to mix the dough well after the mini chocolate chips are added. If too many chocolate chips are clumped together the balls will have a harder time forming.
- When rolling the balls, squish the dough between your hands a few times before you start to roll it to help distribute the ingredients even more and help everything stick together.
- Allowing the dough to chill for 10-15 minutes in the fridge can help to achieve perfectly round balls.
- If you prefer to store this recipe on the counter, allow the energy bites to set in the fridge overnight, and then you should be able to keep them at room temp (as long as your house is not too warm). Whether stored in the fridge or at room temperature, keep the energy bites sealed in an airtight container or resealable bag to prevent them from drying out.
Storing Peanut Butter Energy Balls
Storing: These peanut butter energy balls should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container or resealable bag. They will maintain quality in the fridge for up to 3 weeks if they are properly sealed. Once the protein bites have properly set in the fridge overnight, they can be stored at room temperature if this is preferred, but will only last for a few days at room temp before getting moldy.
Freezing: We haven’t tried freezing this recipe, but I think it would work well!
Other healthy snack recipes:
Looking for other easy snack recipes? Give these a try!
Peanut Butter Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy natural peanut butter unsweetened (280 g)
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted (55 g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup collagen protein powder unflavored (45 g)
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed 20 g
- 1 ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats 150 g
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds 20 g
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt or to taste
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips 85 g
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine peanut butter, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk together until smooth.
- Add the collagen protein powder, ground flaxseed, and sea salt to the wet ingredients and whisk until there are no lumps or streaks. Once the collagen is worked into the mixture well, add the oats and chia seeds and stir together using a rubber spatula.
- Fold in the mini chocolate chips. Mix the dough until the chocolate chips and oats are very evenly distributed and everything is coated with the peanut butter mixture.
- If the dough is very soft, place the bowl in the fridge and allow it to chill for about 15 minutes before rolling.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or wax paper.
- Once the dough is chilled enough to work with, scoop the dough out using a spoon or a 1-ounce cookie scoop. Roll the dough between your hands to form a smooth ball. Set on the parchment paper lined baking sheet and repeat for the rest of the dough.
- Enjoy these peanut butter energy bites right away or place the entire sheet pan in the fridge to allow the bites to firm up for 15-20 minutes before placing them in a large resealable bag. These bites will begin to soften if stored at room temperature for a prolonged period of time, so store extras in the fridge until fully set.
Christine says
These are absolutely delicious and so easy to make.
Molly Zarookian says
Recipe is perfect!
Kendra says
A big hit with the whole family!