No-Bake Protein Balls Recipe – Love and Lemons

This no-bake protein balls recipe is one of my favorite healthy snacks! It’s easy to make with simple ingredients like peanut butter, oats, and flax.

When I need an afternoon energy boost, these protein balls are the perfect bite-size snack! Made with peanut butter, honey, and mini chocolate chips, they’re lightly sweet, nutty, and delicious. They’re super satisfying too—oats and ground flaxseed add plenty of fiber, and a couple scoops of protein powder give them a nice protein bump.

They’re similar to the energy balls I’ve shared in the past, but with one key difference: you don’t need a food processor to make them. You can just stir together the ingredients in a bowl before shaping the mixture into balls. So easy!

I always get requests for healthy snack recipes during back-to-school season. If you’re looking for ideas, definitely try these no-bake protein balls. They’re super simple and SO much better than any store-bought bar. I think you’ll love them!

Protein Energy Bites Ingredients

You need 7 basic ingredients to make this protein balls recipe:

• Whole rolled oats – I love their chewy texture in these energy bites. Make sure to use certified gluten-free oats if you need this recipe to be gluten-free.
• Creamy peanut butter – It adds rich, nutty flavor and helps the oats stick together. I always use natural peanut butter when I make this recipe, but if you keep conventional peanut butter on hand, I think it would work here too.
• Ground flaxseed – It helps bind the balls together and adds fiber and healthy fats.
• Honey – For sweetness. Its sticky texture also helps hold the balls together.
• Protein powder – Feel free to use any protein powder you like. I recommend vanilla protein powder or an unflavored one. My go-to is Whole Foods’ Unflavored Pea Protein Powder.
• Vanilla extract – For warm depth of flavor. It makes these energy bites taste like cookie dough!
• Mini chocolate chips – I love sneaking a little chocolate into any healthy snack. 🙂

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Protein Balls

These no-bake protein balls are super simple to make!

Start by combining the ingredients. Place the oats, peanut butter, flaxseed, honey, protein powder, vanilla, and chocolate chips in a large bowl and stir to combine.

• Heads up: The mixture will be very thick. If it’s too thick or dry to mix, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, as needed to help it come together.

Next, form the mixture into balls. I like to portion out the dough with a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, then use my hands to roll the scoops into balls.

Finally, chill the energy bites. Place them in a single layer on a large plate or baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator until firm, 1 to 2 hours.

Once the peanut butter energy balls are firm, they’re ready to eat!

More Healthy Snacks to Try

If you love this peanut butter protein balls recipe, try one of these easy healthy snacks next:

No-Bake Protein Balls

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Chilling Time: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Serves 20

These protein balls are one of my favorite healthy snacks! They’re delicious, made with peanut butter and chocolate chips, and easy to make in one bowl. No food processor required!

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

• In a large bowl, mix together the oats, peanut butter, flax, honey, protein powder, vanilla, and chocolate chips. The mixture will be thick.

• Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the mixture, then use your hands to roll it into balls. 

• Chill in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours, or until firm.

• The protein balls keep well in the fridge for up to a week. They also freeze well.