I love homemade protein balls, don’t you? They’re my favorite healthy snacks, and they’re great for breakfast too. Enter your email & we’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from us every week! By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Hurry the Food Up. In fact, these peanut butter energy balls are made with really simple ingredients and are ready in only 20 minutes, meaning I can make them the night before so they’re ready to grab as I run out of the door in the morning. There’s something about no bake protein balls that make them feel like a sweet treat, I think it’s the little bit of maple syrup. However, they’re a great option for time-pressed people and they’re packed with protein so they’ll help you stay full until lunchtime. I have been trying to get this recipe out for you guys for a while now, but there were a few delays in testing – every time I made a batch to try one of my kids had taken it, so I guess they passed the test! Let’s take a look at what healthy ingredients make up these peanut butter protein balls.
Ingredients
Here are the main ingredients in this recipe: Protein powder First up, I chose vanilla protein powder as it has a sweet taste but isn’t so flavorful that you can’t taste anything else. That being said, you could easily add your own favorite protein powder, as long as it isn’t spinach or something. This ingredient helps us to give you a whopping 7 grams of protein in just one ball! Now I know I said my kids had sneaked almost every ball I made in testing, and some people may question if protein powder is suitable for children. Personally, I believe if they have a healthy balanced diet it isn’t necessary for children to gain their protein from supplements. However in this situation, I don’t believe it will hurt as a one-off. That being said, I would always encourage you to do your own reseach and make your own decisions. Below are a couple of links I found useful in making mine. If you want to learn more here is an article from Healthline on protein powder for kids, and WebMD asks the question, is protein powder safe for children? And if you would just like to prep something tasty for children without looking much at the nutri numbers, I can recommend this Lemon Icebox Cake. It’s no- bake either! Oats I love good old-fashioned oats for breakfast no matter what form they come in, but sometimes I don’t have the time to make porridge or baked oats. So adding whole grain into a recipe like this is a great way to do it, protein balls with oats almost taste cakey! Cacao powder Cacao powder, or cocoa powder it’s all the same, but the important thing here is to use a sugarless kind as the bitterness will cut through the sweetness from the protein powder nicely. Think peanut butter cup vibes! I have recommended 2 tablespoons but you can just use one if you prefer. Greek yogurt Another protein powerhouse in this recipe comes from greek yogurt. Again, I chose this variety to keep the sweetness down but it is also high in protein which is kind of key in protein ball recipes. Peanut butter This recipe is not for people with nut allergies that’s for sure! Try and use the crunchy kind if you like it – it adds the best texture and crunch! I think this ingredient is one of the best things in this recipe. I prefer natural peanut butter just because it doesn’t have as much added sugar. I love anything with peanut butter in and it’s also giving us a final boost of protein to our healthy protein balls recipe. Maple syrup f you have a bit of a sweet tooth these little no-bake energy bites are perfect. The sweetness from the protein powder and maple syrup really hits the spot. Pure maple syrup would be my choice as it doesn’t have any artificial ingredients. Of course, too much sugar of any form isn’t great, so we’ll stick to 1.5 tbsps in the recipe.
How many calories are in peanut butter protein balls?
Due to the healthy fats from the peanut butter, there are 89 calories in each ball. That may seem a lot but one serving is one ball so you need a substantial amount of calories or you’d need to eat more than one. The protein is what helps and there are a fantastic 7 grams of protein in each bite! The rest of the nutritional facts look like this:
Health benefits
You may think of protein balls and think – those are only for gym bunnies. But actually, as my kids proved, protein balls can be for anyone. And they’re actually a really great way to up your daily protein intake. Protein is great at keeping us feeling full, it reduces cravings, helps stabilise blood sugar levels, and increases satiety levels. So making sure you have protein in every meal or snack is really important as many of us sadly don’t get enough protein each day. It’s also a great tool if you’re trying to lose weight, and it can also help you build muscle more easily. The great thing about being vegetarian or vegan is there are lots of plant-based protein options out there. If you’re looking for more high-protein meal ideas why not download this Free 7-Day High Protein Meal Plan? Want more regular inspiration? There’s a Weekly High-Protein Plan too!
How to make peanut butter protein bites?
Here are the answer to your top questions:
Recipe variations
This is a simple peanut butter protein ball recipe, but you could also make some alterations where you need to.
Different protein powder: If you don’t have vanilla, you could always use chocolate protein powder to add an even more chocolatey hit.
Different nut butter: If you don’t like creamy peanut butter, why not try cashew butter or seed butter like almond butter?
Different sweetener: If you can’t get hold of, or don’t like, maple syrup you could always try a touch of honey instead if you prefer.
More recipes like this
If you loved this recipe, let me know in the comments, and check out these recipes as well:
27 Protein Ball Recipes To Boost Your Energy 18 Homemade Protein Bites 21 Protein Powder Recipes To Try No-Bake Protein Bars
I’ve tried lots of different protein ball recipes over the years but this one has to be one of my favorite recipes for these go-to snacks! With over 25 g protein I know that I’m going to be fuelled for whatever I have planned for the day, whether it’s work or a workout.
