While these Oatmeal and Peanut Butter Balls are a delicious and healthy snack we must have put on at least a couple of pounds perfecting this recipe. But we did it! We have found the perfect ratio of nut butter, oats, maple syrup and chocolate chips so that they taste amazing and stay together.
Mindy’s Recipe Snapshot
Method: This is a no-bake recipe.
Key Ingredients: Nut butter, oats, maple syrup and chocolate chips.
Ease: This one is so quick and easy!
Top Tip: Scoop all the dough out and then form them into balls, working quickly.
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These no bake protein balls are perfect for a post-workout snack or if you need a little quick snack in the afternoon to satisfy your sweet tooth. That’s me for sure!
I originally started making these because I wanted something with healthy ingredients for an afternoon snack at work. About 3 o’clock my stomach starts to nag me for a little some something. Sure, I could hit the vending machine but peanut m & ms are my best option. Then I thought of these homemade protein balls. They sound perfect because the could give me that little sweetness I need, plus the little energy boost I need to get through until dinner.
So I got on the internet and found a recipe that I wanted to try. Problem was they were hard to work with and then when I ate them at work they pretty much exploded when I took the first bite. It just wasn’t good. I can’t have my desk full of crumbs. Plus, I didn’t get to eat what landed on my desk or the floor 😏.
So, I made it my mission to perfect this energy ball recipe so I could eat them at work, without one of those bibs with the pouch on it to catch all the crumbs.
Ingredients
See recipe card for exact amounts.
Ingredient Notes
Just 4 basic ingredients are all you need!
- Nut Butter: We make these with creamy peanut butter, crunchy peanut butter, almond butter and cashew butter. We have used regular peanut butter but have not used natural peanut butter. I think it would work just fine.
- Oats: I have found that quick oats work better than rolled oats (also known as old fashioned oats). The smaller size of the oats helps them stay together better.
- Pure Maple Syrup: This is the “glue” that holds everything together.
- Mini Chocolate Chips: We like semi-sweet mini chips for this, they are the perfect size.
Why you will love these no bake energy balls
- They have a fairly long shelf life so you can make them in advance. We make enough to take to work for a couple of weeks.
- It’s a simple recipe that takes no time to make.
- They are the perfect healthy snack for the kids to grab and eat on the go.
- All you need are 4 simple ingredients you may already have in your cabinet.
- We have taken the guesswork out of it so you can make perfect protein bites every time.
- Nut butters contain healthy fats and oats are chock full of essential nutrients. Check out this article for the 7 Scientific Health Benefits of Oatmeal. (After you make these, of course 😉.)
How to make 4 ingredient protein balls
- Add all of the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
- Scoop the mixture into balls and place on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet so they are easy to transfer to the refrigerator.
- Form into balls and refrigerate until cold. Once cold transfer to an airtight container or portion them out in small containers or zip top bags for a grab-and-go snack.
*Recipe note – use one 12 ounce jar of almond butter or cashew butter instead of 1 1/2 cups of peanut butter.
Tips
- We use a medium cookie scoop and rub it on the side of the bowl to level it off.
- While the protein ball mixture is a little sticky we don’t put anything on our hands, we just use clean dry hands. It doesn’t stick much at all.
- Scoop all the dough out and then form them into balls, working quickly. Forming the balls is more pressing them together and shaping them than actually rolling the mixture.
- We tried a wooden spoon, a metal spoon and spatula and find the spatula works best for mixing these ingredients together.
- Lee always mixes these for me and he has discovered that holding the spatula sideways and sort of cutting the ingredients together, much like you would if you are making biscuits, works best.
- I find these are better refrigerated and not room temperature. I also think them being cold helps them stay together better when you are trying to eat them.
Substitutions
- Any nut butter will work. You may need to add more or less if it’s wetter or drier than the Jif Creamy Peanut Butter I usually use.
- You can use an equal amount of honey instead of maple syrup.
- Another type of mix-in can be substituted for the mini chocolate chips. I would make sure it’s about the same size as mini chips.
Storage
After the power balls have chilled transfer them to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
These 4-ingredient protein balls have about 128 calories so you should only eat 2 of these as part of a healthy amount of calories and fat. Keep in mind that you need to consider all the foods consumed in a day and keep it within the acceptable range for your height and weight.
Yes, in moderation. Oats are good for you and nut butters contain healthy fats. There is a relatively small amount of maple syrup and chocolate chips so if you only eat a couple of these at a time then you should be okay. Two of these make the perfect snack.
If you only eat a couple then sure, you can eat them every day. As long as you are mindful of how many you are consuming you should be okay. According to Men’s Health regarding peanut butter “you should aim to eat around an ounce (with a maximum of two ounces) per day; one ounce is two tablespoons of peanut butter”. This recipe has a total of 20 tablespoons of peanut butter and less than that if using almond butter or cashew butter so if you divide that by 32 balls then you are under the recommended daily limit suggested.
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4 Ingredient Oatmeal and Peanut Butter Balls
Ingredients
For peanut butter balls
- 3 cups quick oats
- 1 1/2 cups peanut butter or one 12 ounce jar of almond butter or cashew butter
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
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Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir until well combined.3 cups quick oats, 1 1/2 cups peanut butter, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- Scoop the mixture into balls and place on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet so they are easy to transfer to the refrigerator.
- Form into balls and refrigerate until cold, then store in an airtight container.
The nutrition facts… is that per ball?
Yes, if you end up with 32 balls. It is also approximate because you may not be using the same brand of products we use.
This works great with homemade peanut butter too!!!
I have never made homemade peanut butter, now I want to make it to use in this recipe. Thanks!