A great pick me up for when you’re feeling peckish during the day, as well as being super tasty and filling, we can’t get enough of these tasty little morsels.
The only thing is that there are so many different recipes on the internet, it can be difficult to choose the perfect one. That’s where we come in.
If you want the very best, not to mention easiest recipe for making peanut butter protein balls, then we’ve got you covered (see also “The Easiest And Healthiest Protein Pudding“).
To find out more, simply keep reading below, as we take a closer look.
What Are Protein Balls?
Before we jump straight in with our super tasty recipes, first, let’s take a look at what protein balls are for those who don’t already know.
Protein balls have increased in popularity during recent years, and it’s not hard to see why.
Many people opt to snack on them before or after a visit to the gym, or simply to provide them with the energy they need to get through a day at the office.
They’re full of healthy carbs, fat, fiber, and of course, protein. All of these things can help to give us the energy boost that we need, as well as support lean muscle mass.
In addition, they’ve also been found to be effective tools for managing weight.
Far more filling and nutritious than snacking on some chips on your lunch break, these little morsels taste just like heaven.
Peanut Butter Protein Ball Ingredients
Now that we’ve covered what energy balls are, we can move on to talk about some of the key ingredients that you’ll be using.
There are several different primary ingredients, as well as some mix-ins that you can use too.
Depending on your personal preferences, you can pick and choose the additional ingredients that you’d like to use. It can be fun experimenting with these, and you can just go wild.
½ Cup Nut Butter
Let’s start off with our key ingredient, the ever delicious and versatile nut butter. When it comes to choosing the best nut butter, the choice is truly up to you.
We prefer to use peanut butter, simply because it tends to be denser than other nut butters in terms of texture.
You can also choose to use almond butter too, however, if you’d prefer.
1 ¼ Cup Oats
It can become expensive purchasing alternative flours, but for this recipe, there’s no need to. All you need to make your delicious peanut butter protein balls is some simple rolled oats.
These are incredibly inexpensive to buy, and can help you to achieve the perfect no bake recipe.
When choosing the correct oats for your recipe, you can pretty much opt for whichever ones you like. We would, however, recommend using some large flaked oats.
These help to give the protein balls a super dense and filling texture.
If you’re gluten intolerant, don’t worry, there are plenty of oats on the market to suit your diet. Simply make sure to shop for ones that explicitly state that they’re gluten free, and haven’t been contaminated.
¼ Cup Protein Powder
To give your recipe a little more protein to keep you going throughout the day, simply add in some protein powder to the mix. We’d recommend always choosing a neutral flavored one, such as vanilla, so that it doesn’t overpower the recipe.
⅓ Cup Maple Syrup
When it comes to making your tasty peanut butter protein balls, you’ll need to make sure that you’ve got some sweetness in the mix.
We’d recommend using plain old maple syrup. Most of you reading this will already have the ingredient in your pantry.
It’s also completely natural, and helps to make these little morsels as healthy as possible.
If however, you don’t have maple syrup, you can exchange it for any other kind of sweetener, as long as it’s a sticky consistency.
This will help to bind the ingredients together.
Additional Ingredients
Now we can move on to the fun stuff – choosing your added ingredients.
We haven’t included a specific quantity for each of these ingredients, as we’d prefer for you to add in as much or as little as you like from each.
Have fun choosing one to put in your protein ball mix, or use a few different combinations for fun.
Raisins – Adding in some raisins can help to give your protein balls some extra sweetness, whilst still keeping things nutritious and healthy.
Cocoa Powder – Choose dark, unsweetened cocoa powder to make your protein balls super chocolatey. Make sure to use sparingly, as this ingredient can be incredibly strong.
Chocolate Chips – If you want to add more texture to your protein balls, add some deliciously sweet and dense chocolate chips to the mixture.
Vanilla Extract – Vanilla extract helps to give your protein balls more flavor. We’d recommend always choosing one that’s organic, so that it’s as pure and rich as possible.
Steps To Make Peanut Butter Protein Balls
Now that we’ve covered some of the key ingredients that you’ll need to make your protein balls, we can move on to discuss the steps that you’ll need to make these little morsels of heaven.
They’re super easy and uncomplicated to make, so you’ll be able to whip these up in a flash.
Tools That You’ll Need
Mixing Bowl
Cookie Scooper
Method
Step 1
In order to begin making your delicious protein balls, gather together your mixing bowl, and an utensil to mix the ingredients together.
After you’ve gathered all your items, you can go ahead and begin combining the ingredients. This includes your sweeter, the peanut butter, the oats, and the protein powder.
You should also include any additional ingredients that you might like to put in.
Step 2
Mix the ingredients thoroughly together until they begin to combine. If you notice that the mixture is a little bit sticky and wet, then it’s best to add in some more rolled oats. These will help to make the mixture denser.
If the mixture is too dense, on the other hand, add in some more of your nut butter, as well as a little bit more maple syrup. Getting the texture just right is the key to perfect protein balls.
When you pick up the dough, it should feel sticky, but when you grasp it, it shouldn’t stick to your hands completely.
Step 3
After you’re done with your mixing, and you’re happy that all of the different ingredients are combined, you can go ahead and place the dough in a container, and store safely in your refrigerator.
They don’t need to be refrigerated for too long, 25 minutes will do nicely. The reason why you’re required to refrigerate them is so that they become denser, and easier to shape.
Step 4
Go ahead and grab your cookie scooper, and create individually portioned protein balls. If you don’t have a cookie scooper, this doesn’t matter.
Just make sure that when you’re shaping them that they’re as equal as possible.
Some Tips For Making The Very Best Protein Balls
In order to make the very best protein balls imaginable, there are a few steps that you can follow. To find out more, simply keep reading below.
Use a cookie scoop – It can be difficult to measure out the dough equally, creating perfect sized portions, so using a cookie scooper can be incredibly helpful in this situation.
Go easy on the fillings – When it comes to your additional ingredients, such as raisins or chocolate chips, make sure that you don’t overdo it. If you use too many, it will become incredibly difficult to portion out the balls, and achieve the right consistency.
Opt for peanut butter – If you can, we’d recommend using peanut butter as opposed to different varieties. Nut butters such as almonds can be a little bit runny, which can make it difficult to achieve the right consistency.
Add some salt – If your peanut butter doesn’t come with salt added to the mix, we’d recommend adding a little pinch in to make it even more delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
Now that we’ve taken a look at the step by step process for making peanut butter protein balls, we can move on to discuss some frequently asked questions.
These range from storing your energy balls, to making them with a food processor.
To find out more, simply keep reading below.
How Do I Store My Protein Balls?
After you’ve made your protein balls, one of the main questions you’ll probably want to ask is how you should store them.
The great thing about protein balls is that if they’re stored properly, they can last you ages.
After you’ve made your protein balls, and you’re satisfied with their shape, you can go ahead and place them in an airtight container. After you’ve done this, you should place them safely in the refrigerator, where they’ll last for up to two weeks.
It is not advisable to store them on your countertop, as they’ll likely become soft and gooey, and won’t have the correct texture.
Can I Freeze My Protein Balls?
The next question you’re probably wondering is whether or not you can freeze your protein balls. The simple is yes, you can absolutely freeze your protein balls.
In order to freeze them properly, make sure that they’re in a freezer bag or container. It doesn’t matter which, just as long as it’s completely airtight. They can be kept in the freezer for a relatively long time, three months in fact.
Make sure that you write the date on them before placing them in the freezer, so that you know when they need to be consumed.
Simply take them out when you want to eat them, and leave them to thaw on your countertop.
Are Protein Balls Healthy?
Yes, protein balls can be incredibly healthy options to snack on throughout the day. As long as you’re not packing them with sugar, and lots of chocolate, they’re a great source of protein to keep you going.
They’re also high in fiber, which means that you’ll have lots of energy, as well as helping to aid your digestive system.
What If My Protein Balls Don’t Stick?
Some people, when they make protein balls for the first time, might find that they have some trouble making them stick together. Don’t worry, this is a very common issue.
If you’ve found yourself experiencing this issue, you can easily rectify it by adding some more peanut butter to the mix. In addition, you can also add in some sweetener, or even some milk if it’s super sticky.
In addition, if they’re still sticky after you take them out of the refrigerator, chances are that you haven’t left them in for long enough.
Although it can be tempting to consume them right away, they’re best when they’ve had an adequate amount of time to set properly.
How Do I Make Protein Balls Using A Food Processor?
If you want to make your mixture smoother, with no loose oats in the mixture, you can opt to use a food processor instead.
All you have to do is simply add in all of the ingredients to your food processor, then pulse them on a low setting until they’ve achieved a dough-like consistency.
After you’ve pulsed in all of the main ingredients, you can go ahead and add in the additional ingredients, such as chocolate chips, then continue to pulse for a few seconds more.
Scoop them out of the processor, and form your ball shapes.
Can I Opt Not To Use Sweetner?
If you’re wondering whether it’s necessary to use liquid sweetener for your protein balls, the answer is, yes.
It is absolutely recommended that you use some kind of sweetener for your protein balls, not because of the taste, but because it will help you to achieve the desired texture.
Without a liquid sweetener, your protein balls could prove to be too dense, and not gooey like you want them to be.
If you don’t want any extra calories in your protein balls from the male syrup, don’t worry because there are lots of zero calorie sweeteners out there to choose from.
For example, liquid stevia is an incredibly popular option, as it contains no calories, and can help you to cut down on your carb intake.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, protein balls are an incredibly easy thing to make, not to mention delicious. They’re great for replacing unhealthy snacks, such as chocolate bars or chips.
Because they contain so much protein, they’re also great for consuming before hitting the gym, or to simply keep you going throughout the day.
Make sure to leave them set in the refrigerator properly before consuming.
Hi, my name is Justin Roberts and I like to live by one major rule in life – health is wealth. And where does all health stem from? The food choices we make.
I grew up in a not-so-wealthy household that often struggled to get food on the table.
The food we did eat was cheap, holding no nutritional value at all. I’m talking frozen foods, carbs, fats, and very little fresh produce.
I am fortunate enough to have made a life for myself where the money for food is no longer an issue, and I have spent the majority of it looking into healthy foods and different diets to try.
The most notable is keto and paleo. I am also interested in only using whole foods wherever possible – call it trauma!
As a professional chef, I now create recipes surrounding these diets every day. My family are my tasters, and I strive to make my recipes as budget-friendly as possible.
I hope that you’ll find some inspiration for healthier meals from my website. I want to create a catalog of recipes that you can come back to time and time again. Enjoy!
