peanut butter protein balls
These peanut butter protein balls are chewy, a little crunchy from rice cereal, and genuinely taste like something you'd want to eat — not something you're eating because you have to 🤩. Each ball has ~5 grams of protein and takes about 5 minutes to make. Yes, this recipe uses protein powder — and that's exactly what makes it work!
Servings: 20
Calories: 154kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup peanut butter see notes on thickness
- ½ cup honey
- 2 servings vanilla whey protein powder see notes
- 1 cup oat flour see notes for making your own
- 1 cup rice cereal
- 2 tablespoon dark chocolate chips mini preferred
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- pinch of salt about ½ tsp
Instructions
- Add the 1 cup peanut butter, ½ cup honey, 2 servings vanilla whey protein powder, 1 cup oat flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and pinch of salt to a large bowl. Mix with a hand mixer until fully combined and no dry pockets remain.Lightly mix in the 1 cup rice cereal and 2 tablespoon dark chocolate chips. Mixing too aggressively will crush the cereal.We use Clean Simple Eats Vanilla which is 2 scoops for 2 servings but your powder may be different.
- Check the dough - it should hold together when pressed. If too dry, add honey or runny peanut butter a teaspoon at a time. If too wet, add oat flour or protein powder a tablespoon at a time or refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Scoop into 20 equal portions using a cookie scoop and roll into balls with slightly damp hands. Really it's optional to roll into balls if you're using a cookie scoop for them already.
- Eat immediately or refrigerate or freeze in an airtight container.
Video
Notes
Peanut butter: Thick-style PB (we used Costco Kirkland all natural peanut butter) gives the most consistent dough. Runny PB — start with ¾ cup and adjust. Almond, cashew, and oat butter all work 1:1.
Rice cereal swaps: Shredded coconut, chopped nuts, or raisins all work 1:1 by volume for a different texture.
Make your own oat flour by blending rolled oats into a fine consistency. Sometimes I prefer this and then also mix in some full rolled oats for more texture.
Protein powder: This is the flavor of the recipe — use one you like. Clean Simple Eats Vanilla or FlavCity Plant Based Vanilla are our go-tos. Whey and plant-based both work; plant-based tends to make a slightly drier dough. If using plant based, I recommend sticking with 2 scoops still not 2 servings (usually 4 scoops = 2 servings for plant based)
Storage: Fridge for up to 1 week in an airtight container. Freezer for up to 3 months — eat straight from frozen or let sit 5 minutes.
Want these without protein powder? Try our protein balls without protein powder — same 5-minute concept, whole food protein sources only.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ball | Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 0.4mg | Sodium: 75mg | Fiber: 1.3g | Sugar: 8g