Almond Butter Protein Balls

Name: Almond Butter Protein Balls
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: ¾ cup creamy almond butter; ¼ cup pure maple syrup; 1 cup oat flour ((add 1 tablespoon more if too wet and more is needed)); 1 pinch sea salt; ½ cup vegan chocolate chips

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These Almond Butter Protein Balls take about 10 minutes and are packed with delicious almond butter, oats and chocolate chips.

Flourless almond butter cookie bites side image scooped out like cookie dough balls.

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Why you will love this recipe
Ingredients
Variations
How to make Almond Butter Protein Balls
Expert Tips
Recipe FAQs
More Vegan No Bake Recipes
Almond Butter Protein Balls

I absolutely love protein balls or energy balls, they are the best snack and way better than reaching for junk food snacks. These Almond Butter Protein Balls are soft, chewy and moist, yeah not dry and crumbly like some of the protein balls out there, these are the best. I personally am not a fan of protein powders, when "energy balls" first started going viral years ago "protein" simply meant oats and nut butters, now it means powders. Whichever side you are on I got you covered, this recipe provides a classic nut butter and oat option, a protein powder option and my favorite, an option to up the protein without powders. Read the recipe notes for more details on this. I know you'll love this recipe for Almond Butter Protein Balls.

Why you will love this recipe

Quick: These Almond Butter Protein Balls could not be any easier, they literally take about 10 minutes to whip up.
Prep: These protein almond butter balls are perfect for snack prepping. I love to actually make a double batch and keep them stored in the freezer. When I freeze them I make them a little smaller so I don't have to thaw them out, I can just pop one in my mouth and let it thaw out as I eat it, it's a real treat!
Great Snack: These protein balls with almond butter are such a great snack, they are filling and just one or two of these Almond Butter Protein Balls will give you energy to keep going until your next meal. These are also a great option for kids to keep them off the junk food, they taste amazing like a treat.

If you love no bake desserts try my other vegan no bake recipes like these:

Ingredients

Be sure to take a look at the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities to make these Almond Butter Protein Balls.

Almond Butter: The flavor, protein and binder. Make sure to use natural runny almond butter.
Maple Syrup: The natural sweetener in these Almond Butter Protein Balls.
Oat Flour: Helps to bind everything together with the almond butter. Also adds nutrients and fiber.
Protein Powder: This is optional, see recipes notes on how to add or take this out. If you do use protein powder I recommend a vanilla flavor.
Vegan Chocolate Chips: I like Enjoy Life brand, Just Date or Hu Chocolate.
Sea Salt

Variations

Nut Butter: I used almond butter to make these Almond Butter Protein Balls but feel free to use any nut or seed butter you like best.
Flour: I like oat flour best but you can sub almond flour or coconut flour if you desire but you may need to increase the maple syrup and almond butter because those flours absorb more moisture.
Shape: I use a 1 ounce cookie scoop to make balls but feel free to do bars or cookie shapes instead.
Add Ins: Coconut, dried fruit, chopped nuts would all be great additional options to add in.
Protein: If using protein powder use ⅔ cup oat flour and ⅓ cup protein powder. If you want more protein without powders add 1 tablespoon hemp seeds and 2 tablespoon spoon pumpkin seeds to blender with oats for more protein and minerals.

How to make Almond Butter Protein Balls

Step 1: Make the oat flour in a blender or food processor, unless you are using store bought flour. (If you want to add the hemp seeds and pumpkin seeds add them here too).

Glass bowl with wet ingredients to make almond butter protein balls.

Step 2: In a bowl add your almond butter, maple syrup, oat flour, salt and stir really well until combined.

Protein almond butter balls ingredients in glass bowl.

Step 3: Fold in the vegan chocolate chips. Scoop into balls or shape into cookies what ever shape you desire. Enjoy right away or store in the fridge for up to 1 week or freezer up to 2 months.

Protein balls with almond butter overhead picture all lined up in rows.

Expert Tips

Protein Powder: If you use protein powder in these protein almond butter balls I recommend using a plain or vanilla flavor.
Snack Prep/Freeze: These are great to make extra and freeze them to always have some almond butter energy balls on hand. Like I mentioned above, I like to freeze them in smaller bite sized balls so I don't have to thaw them out I can just pop one in my mouth and go!
Storage: I like to store them in a sealed container in the fridge for about 1 week. Or freeze them like I mentioned above.

Recipe FAQs

Can you freeze protein balls or energy balls:

Yes, absolutely you can freeze them and take them out and place them in the fridge the night before you want to eat them. Or like I mentioned already, I like to make them smaller bite sized so I don't have to thaw them out, I can just pop one in my mouth and go.

Are bliss balls the same as protein balls?

Bliss balls, energy balls, protein balls, power balls are pretty much all the same. Of course the amount of protein in them will vary based on ingredients used but they are generally all made with natural sweeteners and are usually quite healthy.

What is the point of protein balls?

It's an easy on the go snack to grab quickly and always have meal prepped so you don't need to reach for junk, chips or candy bars.

What are energy balls made out of?

Usually they are made with dates or nut butter to bind them together, then people usually add "texture" with oats, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, dried fruit, shredded coconut and more.

Why are bliss balls healthy?

They are usually pretty healthy because they are made from real whole ingredients especially when you make them at home and control the ingredients that go into them.

More Vegan No Bake Recipes

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Almond Butter Protein Balls

These Almond Butter Protein Balls take about 10 minutes and are packed with delicious almond butter, oats and chocolate chips.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 10

Total Time: 10

Servings:

Calories: 234kcal

Author: Michele

Ingredients

▢ ¾ cup creamy almond butter
▢ ¼ cup pure maple syrup
▢ 1 cup oat flour (add 1 tablespoon more if too wet and more is needed)
▢ 1 pinch sea salt
▢ ½ cup vegan chocolate chips

Instructions

First start by blending oats if you are making your own oat flour, if using store bought skip this and move to next step.
In a bowl add your almond butter, maple syrup, oat flour, salt and stir really well until combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips.
Scoop into balls ( I used a 1 ounce cookie scoop) or shape into cookies what ever shape you desire.
Eat right away or place in fridge/freezer to set.
Makes 9 small bite sized cookie bites. Store in the fridge up to 1 week or freezer for up to 2 months.

Notes

Nut Butter: I used almond butter but feel free to use any nut/seed butter you like. If you use something that's more runny you might need to adjust by adding a little more oat flour but you'll be able to make that judgement call yourself, just know it should look like cookie dough basically.

Oat Flour: For the oat flour, you can use store bought oat flour which is milled a bit more fine so you may need a little bit extra. I took ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons regular old fashioned rolled oats and put them in the food processor and blended them until they turned into a fine flour consistency.

If you are concerned with the oat flour being raw you can bake it at 350° F for 10 minutes… this is usually only done with white flour but it’s up to your personal preference.

Protein: If using protein powder use ⅔ cup oat flour and ⅓ cup protein powder. If you want more protein without powders add 1 tablespoon hemp seeds and 2 tablespoon spoon pumpkin seeds to blender with oats for more protein and minerals.