Protein Balls without Protein Powder (12g!)

4.93 from 14 votes

Protein Balls without Protein Powder (12g!)

These protein balls without protein powder are the perfect snack to fight off hanger! They're made with 8 simple ingredients, ready in 10 minutes, and do not require any special equipment; all you need is a bowl and a spoon! Keep them on hand for a quick protein burst and sweet treat wrapped into one happy little ball.

Total Time10

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate, chocolate chips, energy bite, high protein, no bake, oats, protein, protein powder

Servings:

Calories: 386kcal

Author: Mika Kinney

Ingredients

1 cup quick oats or rolled oats
½ cup almond flour oat or coconut will work too
¾ cup creamy cashew butter
½ cup hemp seeds or flaxseeds
2 tablespoon coconut oil
1.5 tablespoon pure maple syrup or honey or agave
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup mini chocolate chips or full size chopped small

Optional chocolate Drizzle

¼ cup chocolate chips
1 tablespoon coconut oil

Instructions

Add the cashew butter and coconut oil to a large microwave-safe large bowl. Heat for 30 seconds to soften them. Mix well to combine.
Add everything else except the chocolate chips. Stir to combine. Then stir in the chocolate chips.
Place the bowl in the freezer to let the dough cool and set up.
While that’s cooling, you can make the optional chocolate drizzle. To do this, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a bowl in the microwave in 30-second increments until melted. Stir in between.
After the dough has hardened enough to handle (it should not be sticky when touched and should feel more like play-dough), scoop out dough to make 1” diameter balls one at a time. Place the balls on a flat surface and drizzle the chocolate over them. Store it in the freezer or fridge.
This recipe will make about 16 1-2” diameter protein balls. The serving is 2 balls per serving.
To store: Once in ball form, I recommend placing them in one layer in an airtight container. If you have more than enough for one even layer, simply separate layers using parchment paper or foil. In a normal Pyrex 8x11 container, I am usually able to store two even layers of protein balls.
These can be kept in the fridge or the freezer. In the fridge they will keep for 2 weeks and in the freezer they will keep for 3 months. They can be eaten directly from the fridge or freezer!
Want more? If you loved this recipe and are looking for more high-protein recipes, we think you'd love our protein newsletter. You can subscribe below!

Video

Notes

Expert Tips

You can TOTALLY eat this right away but if you need these to be hand-held size and want to avoid these issues, just turn them into bars. Pour the dough into a 9x9 pan and use a spatula wetted with water to press it down evenly. Drizzle with melted chocolate as desired, leave it in the freezer for at least 15 minutes to firm up, then slice into even bars and you’re done.
I recommend wetting your hands frequently to keep the dough from sticking when forming balls. It’s also SO helpful to use a small cookie scoop to keep the size consistent and minimize stickiness.
If planning on long-term storage, you can transfer the balls to a plastic bag once fully frozen. This will help prevent freezer burn and keep them from sticking to each other if done after they’ve frozen. Sometimes I will make a double batch and scoop the extra directly onto a baking sheet to freeze, then transfer to a freezer safe bag.
To make these nut free, use granola butter or sunflower seed butter (for the cashew butter), oat flour (for the almond flour), and shortening or cocoa butter (for the coconut oil). Please note that sunflower butter has a super strong flavor and I personally do not like it in this recipe. Granola butter is a better, more neutral nut free option.

Common Questions

What do I do if the dough is too sticky to make balls?

If the dough is too sticky, you can either let them cool longer to the cashew butter and coconut oil firm up or make bars. If you are short on time, then I recommend making them as bars right away, then they can just rest in the fridge or freezer until you need them. If they are too sticky even after being in the freezer, you will need to add more almond flour (1 tablespoon at a time) to dry out the dough.

What do I do if the protein balls won’t stick together?

If the energy balls aren’t sticking together after chilling, add more cashew butter, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Do I need to thaw these from the freezer?

Nope! These ca be eaten directly from the freezer or you can let them come to room temperature. Either is totally acceptable.

See post for additional substitution options and recipe notes.

Nutrition