Cookie Dough Protein Balls are easy to make, only require a few simple ingredients and they're freezer friendly. These protein cookie dough balls are packed with natural protein.
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I love cookie dough, and these easy protein cookie dough balls are the best. You only need 6-8 ingredients (depending on which variation you choose) and about 10-15 minutes to whip them up. Cookie Dough Protein Balls are made on repeat at my house, and we always freeze some to have on hand. If you love cookie dough as much as I do but want a more traditional recipe check out my vegan edible cookie dough I know you'll love that also.
Why you will love this recipe
- Quick and Easy: These Cookie Dough Protein Balls are so easy to make. Just a few simple ingredients added to a blender to make a protein flour, stir it up with some nut butter and maple syrup and you have the best protein cookie dough balls ever.
- Naturally Sweetened: I used pure maple syrup to keep these Cookie Dough Protein Balls free from refined sugars.
- Protein: I love sprouted pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds to give a huge natural added protein boost without powders.
You'll also love these vegan energy balls:
- Almond Butter Protein Balls
- Healthy Cookie Dough
- Vegan Edible Cookie Dough
- Chocolate and Peanut Butter Protein Balls
- Peanut Butter Energy Balls
- Cookie Dough Yogurt
Ingredients
Be sure to take a look at the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities to make these Cookie Dough Protein Balls.
- Rolled Oats: I used rolled oats processed into flour for these Cookie Dough Protein Balls. You can also use store bought oat flour.
- Pumpkin Seeds: I like to use sprouted pumpkin seeds but regular ones work fine as well. These get put in the blender with the oats and hemp seeds to process into a smooth flour. They add a natural protein and a boost of minerals.
- Hemp Seeds: These add minerals, protein and they also get blended up with the oats and pumpkin seeds.
- Nut Butter: Any nut or seed butter will work fine, I like cashew butter for a more traditional cookie dough flavor or peanut butter.
- Vanilla Extract: Don't leave this out, it adds a nice cookie dough flavor to these Cookie Dough Protein Balls. You can also use vanilla paste or powder, just use only half the amount because they are both more potent than extract.
- Sea Salt: This is optional but highly recommended.
- Vegan Chocolate Chips: I love Enjoy Life for regular chips, Hu Chocolate for refined sugar free (coconut sugar) or Just Date chocolate chips that are date sweetened. Any variety of chocolate chips you like best will work fine.
Variations
- Nut Butter: I used almond butter to make these Cookie Dough 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 for these protein cookie dough bites.
- Add Ins: Coconut, dried fruit, chopped nuts would all be great additional options to add in.
- Protein: If using protein powder use 1 cup oat flour and ¼ cup protein powder.
How to make Cookie Dough Protein Balls:
Step 1: Place the oats, hemp seeds and pumpkin seeds in the blender and blend until smooth. (If using protein powder remember to only use 1 cup oats)
Step 2: Add flour mixture to a bowl with the maple syrup, vanilla and nut butter (add the ¼ cup protein powder here as well if you cut back on the oats to add the powder). Add the pinch of sea salt in here too. Add in the chocolate chips. Stir it up really well.
Step 3: Using a cookie scoop, scoop out 1-1.5 ounce balls and roll them in your hands to make them smooth. Repeat until it's all used up. Store in a sealed container in the fridge up to 1 week or see notes on freezing them.
Expert Tips
- Protein Powder: If you use protein powder in this cookie dough protein ball recipe, I recommend using a plain or vanilla flavor.
- Snack Prep/Freeze: These are great to make extra and freeze them to always have some protein cookie dough 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.
- Rolling: Slightly wet your hands to avoid the dough from sticking while rolling the balls.
Recipe FAQs
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.
Yes, protein balls are a great way to tide you over when you're hungry between meals. They are much better than reaching for candy or sweets. They usually have a good amount of fiber, healthy fats and protein.
Yes, edible cookie dough is safe to eat. If it's not labeled edible I do not recommend it though, raw eggs and raw flour is not safe.
No, edible cookie dough is usually void of essential things a cookie needs for baking such as learners baking powder or soda, eggs or egg replacers like yogurt.
More Recipes
Cookie Dough Protein Balls
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups rolled oats (processed into flour, optional can sub ¼ cup with protein powder)
- ⅓ cup sprouted pumpkin seeds
- 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ⅔ cup nut butter (peanut butter, cashew butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch sea salt (plus optional flakey sea salt to top)
- ⅓ cup vegan chocolate chips (Enjoy Life, Hu Chocolate, Just Date brands)
Instructions
- Place the oats in a blender and blend into a flour. (If choosing to add protein powder add only 1 cup oats).
- Add the oat flour (and protein powder if you choose to) to a bowl. Add the rest of all the ingredients except the chocolate chips. Mix well.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon sized balls and roll. Repeat until the dough is all used up. Slightly dampen hands to avoid the dough from sticking.
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