Protein Balls with Oats

These little protein balls with oats is the perfect healthy snack to throw together when you have a sweet tooth and need a quick fix.

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I have been making these since the beginning of time, and I love grabbing these lil babies when I’m running around like a mad woman and realize how hungry I am.

Hmm, who are we kidding here? I’m always hungry. Hence, why I create healthy recipes so I don’t feel guilty eating all the time.  

My kiddos love when I make these, these aren’t just a healthy, delicious quick snack for myself, I love making these no bake energy bites for my kids and much more appealing from the mom perspective than all that prepackaged junk.

I do however, have to hide some in my secret stash because they get absolutely demolished by my family. No judgements please, I know we have all had a secret stash at some point ;-).

These are made pretty consistently in my home and a huge fav, so I’d say I have these down pretty tight. 

Each protein ball has over 6 grams of protein, and the perfect amount to hold you over until your next meal, or a lil somethin’ somethin’ to take care of that sweet tooth.

These are a lifesaver during my pregnancies, or I’d be eating chocolate by the mouthfuls. Well these peanut butter energy balls is the perfect recipe to satisfy those sweet cravings.

Next time you want to whip together a super easy and healthy snack and keep your kids busy at the same time, grab these 6 basic ingredients that you probably already have on hand, and a kid or two and you’ll be ready to enjoy some yummy snacks in no time with this great recipe. 

Why you’ll love these protein balls with oats recipe:

• Macro friendly and great post-workout snack.
• Simple healthy ingredients, cost friendly, and takes less than 10 minutes to make
• Kid approved, and no baking or food processor required! 
• Perfect combo of chocolate and peanut butter to satisfy that candy bar craving you’ve been having, MMMMMhmmm. 

Simple Ingredients you’ll need for these no bake protein balls:

• Your favorite protein powder, I use vanilla protein powder. 
• Honey –  the glue that holds ’em together
• Peanut Butter
• Salt
• Oats
• Mini chocolate chips, use milk or dark chocolate

Recipe Tips and Notes for tasty protein balls with oats: 

Is protein powder necessary?

No, you do not have to use protein powder for these homemade protein balls!

But you will have to replace it with something else so the batter isn’t too sticky. I recommend using more oats, or you can blend oats in a food processor to make oat flour and use that instead! 

Can I use something other than peanut butter?

Absolutely!!!!! When I make this recipe, I will typically go for an all natural peanut butter with no sugar added, or an almond butter. 

Here are some other butters to try:

• Almond Butter
• Cashew Butter
• Sun Butter, like a sunflower butter

Other variations to try to bring that little sweetness we all love:

• Add in some chia seeds, flax seeds or hemp seeds
• Chopped nuts like pecans or almonds
• Nutella
• Mini M&M’s
• Dried fruit such as cranberries

Honey:

We all know that honey tends to be higher in sugar. I always recommend going with a brand with no added sugar.

Another alternative is to use half honey, and half pure maple syrup in this recipe. (You can go with full flavor pure maple syrup, low sugar, etc).

This alternative also tastes just as delicious, but will have a slightly different taste. 

How to make this simple recipe for protein balls with oats: 

These are SO easy to make and the perfect snack, TRUST ME. 

Step 1:

Gather all ingredients into a large mixing bowl. 

Step 2:

Stir everything together with a rubber spatula in the large bowl. The batter is extremely thick and sticky, so it will take a few minutes. 

Side Note and unpopular opinion – I will sometimes use my hands to mix since it’s so sticky to be sure everything is mixed well together. Then I have an excuse to taste test. 

Step 3: 

Grab some parchment paper or wax paper and line a baking sheet with it. 

Step 4:

Roll the the mixture into balls (about 1 inch balls) and place on the baking sheet. If you have a cookie scoop, this works great. My kids LOVE rolling up their little baby protein balls. 

Step 5:

Once you used all the mixture and rolled into balls onto the baking sheet, place in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Then, ENJOY!!!

 

How to store your no bake protein balls with oats:

You can keep these in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks as a delicious snack to quickly grab. 

Freezing Method:

You can freeze your no bake energy balls as well!! I love this option.

I usually just leave them on the tray and place in the freezer until they are frozen. Once frozen you can store in a freezer-safe container or bag.

These will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

When your ready to eat, remove from the freezer and let it sit out for a few minutes. It will soften pretty quickly and then your ready to enjoy your protein balls!! 

You can find this recipe and others by Yummymacrolife.com already preloaded on My Fitness Pal.

Simply search Yummymacrolife – Protein Balls with Oats