Peanut Butter Protein Balls Make Snack Time Fun and Functional!
Put the “fun” in functional snacks by rolling up a batch of these easy Peanut Butter Protein Balls that have a cheeky Monster Cookie spin. Not only are they a colorful and delicious snack that kids and adults will readily eat, but they’re full of good-for-you, real-food ingredients. Ingredients such as wholesome high-fiber oats, whey protein powder plus other superstar nutrition powerhouses, including peanut butter, flaxseed, and chia seeds.
Ingredients For Monster Cookie Peanut Butter Balls
Our monster cookie peanut butter protein balls are a quick “stir and roll” recipe that comes together easily with these real food ingredients.
Old-fashioned rolled oats – for the right texture we recommend starting with old-fashioned oats, though you can use quick-cooking oats (if that’s what you have on hand) and skip the food processor stepVanilla protein powder – Whey protein is our go-to for these protein balls because it’s a high-quality protein from milk that adds nutrition to each energy ball and it also blends in easily and smoothly without leaving a chalky texture. Plant-based protein will also work. These plant-based protein powders get our dietitian stamp of approval
Natural creamy peanut butter – you can use any seed or nut butter of choice. When making protein balls with peanut butter, we like to use a PB that has a nice drizzly and runny consistency such as Trader Joe’s, Target’s Good & Gather peanut butter, Whole Foods 365 peanut butter, or Old Home Peanut Butter, a refrigerated peanut butter found in the MidwestGround flaxseed – you can purchase ground flaxseed or grind your own using a spice grinderChia seeds – these nutritious seeds add a fun crunch to every biteHoney – or you can use maple syrupVanilla extractCandy-coated chocolate pieces – we like the Trader Joe’s Candy Coated Chocolate Drops or UNREAL brands, which contain no artificial colorsMini chocolate chips
The Best Whey Protein Powders
Simple Directions for how to Make This Protein Ball Recipe
In less than 25 minutes, you can have a batch of cute and delicious peanut butter protein balls. Keep them at the ready for healthy snacks and on-the-go nutrition. Here’s how to make them quick:
In a food processor or blender, pulse the dry ingredients (the oats, ground flaxseed, chia seeds and salt). Transfer the oat mixture to a bowl and stir in the protein powder. Add the wet ingredients (the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla). Next, stir in the candy-coated chocolate pieces and chocolate chips. Roll the no-bake dough into 20 balls. Store balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
For the complete directions, ingredient amounts, and nutrition analysis that lists calories, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, sugar, sodium per serving, scroll down to the recipe card below.
Quick-blend the oats: Place the oats, ground flaxseed, chia, and salt in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Give them a quick whirl to help break up some of the oat pieces, while some will remain more intact. You’re not looking for a powder, but rather a crumbly texture. Alternatively, you could use quick-cooking oats and skip this step. Wet your hands: Keep a bowl of water nearby and occasionally dampen your hands. This will make it far easier to roll the protein balls. And it will prevent the ingredients from sticking to your hands as you work.
How to Boost the Protein of Energy Bites and Balls
These easy monster cookie peanut butter protein balls use whey protein to help increase the nutritional value. We selected whey protein because it easily blends into the texture of these protein balls without leaving a chalky taste. In fact, whey protein is a flavorless addition you won’t notice, except if you choose one with an added flavor, like vanilla. By stirring in ¼ cup of whey protein, you boost each ball to 5 grams of high-quality protein.
Substitutions For This Recipe
Make it Dairy-Free
To make these Monster Cookie Protein Balls dairy-free, simply use your favorite plant-based protein in place of the whey protein powder called for in the recipe.
How Much Protein Do You Need?
People often ask us how much protein they should be getting. The answer varies, depending on your body size, fitness level, and goals. We suggest checking out this article from Healthline to learn more about protein and how to find a range that supports your goals whether they be weight loss, improving athletic performance, building muscle, pregnancy, or healthy aging. The Best Plant-Based Protein Powders
Pin Now To Make Later!
Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Rachel of Half Acre House For ultimate success, we highly recommend reading the tips in the full blog post above. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words. Link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!
