How to Make Peanut Butter Protein Balls
This recipe is incredibly easy and takes only 10 minutes to prepare. All you need to do is stir the ingredients together in a bowl until you have a sticky dough, then roll that into balls.
Since there are no dates in this recipe, you won’t have a food processor to clean up afterwards. If you prefer date-sweetened energy bites, be sure to try one of my fruit-sweetened energy balls:
Date Energy Balls Carrot Cake Energy Balls Lactation Energy Bites Nut-Free Energy Bites
How to Get Protein Without Using Protein Powder
I haven’t found a protein powder that I love (so many of them are sweetened with a zero-calorie sweetener or have a chalky texture), so these peanut butter balls get their protein from simple whole food sources. Here’s how they stack up:
Peanut Butter: 7 grams of protein per 2 tablespoons Ground Flax Seeds: 2 grams of protein per 2 tablespoons Hemp Hearts: 10 grams of protein per 3 tablespoons Rolled Oats: 5 grams of protein per 1/2 cup (dry)
As written, this recipe packs 4 grams of plant-based protein per ball, so you can decide how many of them to eat based on your needs.
Do Protein Balls Need to Be Refrigerated?
Storing these peanut butter protein balls in the fridge will extend their shelf life, but it’s not 100% necessary with this recipe. As long as you keep moisture out of the equation (for example, don’t add water or any sort of fresh fruit to help them mix together) these energy balls are made with shelf-stable ingredients that should last for several days on your counter.
However, I’ve noticed that these protein balls dry out after roughly 3 days on the counter, so if you want them to last longer I’d store them in the fridge, in an airtight container.
How Long do Protein Balls Last in the Fridge?
My family eats all of these balls in about a week, so I haven’t tested the shelf life of these past that, but I image they would last at least 2 weeks in the fridge. Be sure to store them in an airtight container!
Can I Freeze Protein Balls?
Since there’s no added moisture to this recipe, these protein balls freeze well. You can store them in your freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container, and then thaw them in the fridge overnight so that they are easy to bite into.
This recipe makes only 12 balls, so be sure to double or triple the recipe based on your needs. I always like to make a smaller batch if I’m trying a recipe for the first time, so you may want to try these and see if you like them before committing to a large batch!
How to make Peanut Butter Protein Balls (1-Minute Video):
Recipe Notes:
If you use old-fashioned rolled oats, these balls will have a hearty, slightly chewy texture. If you want something a little softer and more uniform, try using quick-cooking oats instead. (My kids prefer it with the quick cooking oats so there isn’t as much texture.) *Choose organic oats if possible due to their possible glyphosate exposure. This recipe works with any other nut or seed butter you like. Try homemade almond butter or sunflower seed butter!
If you try something different with this recipe, please leave a comment below letting us know how it worked out. We can all benefit from YOUR experience! – Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite healthy snack to keep on hand?
