Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls are so easy to make! With no baking and just a few simple ingredients that you might already have around the house, these nutritious and energy-boosting treats are the perfect breakfast on the go or a fantastic pick-me-up snack in the afternoon!
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👩🏻🍳 Why You'll Love This Recipe
I'm always looking for new snack ideas, especially snacks that I can feel good about serving my family. These energy ball recipe packed with fiber but still tastes like dessert!
Best of all, these ingredients are a perfect combination for a protein boost that will get you moving in the morning or give you that final push you need after lunch. This energy ball recipe is an instant favorite in my house (I mean, who can say no to peanut butter and chocolate together?) and I love that it's so simple to make and yields great results every time.
If you've got leftover oats, make these yummy Oatmeal Banana Cookies!
Homemade snacks really are the best because you have full control over what is in them. Try these Homemade Chewy Granola Bars for a delicious treat that's so much better for you than the store-bought kind!
🥘 Ingredients Needed
- quick oats - it's important to use quick oats as they've been further processed than regular oats and won't be as tough without cooking.
- flax seeds - provide a good amount of fiber and omega-3 fatty acids to make this energy ball recipe healthy and filling.
- peanut butter - creamy is best for this recipe, but feel free to try out chunky if you want some extra crunch to your peanut butter energy balls.
- honey - adds some natural sweetness.
- vanilla extract - for an extra boost of flavor.
- chocolate chips - I used semi-sweet, but if you want an even healthier version of this recipe go for dark chocolate chunks or chips.
🔪 Instructions
- Add oats, flax seeds, peanut butter, honey, vanilla extract, and chocolate chips to a large bowl.
- Stir until combined.
- Scoop the mixture in 1-inch rounds onto a baking sheet or tray lined with parchment paper.
- Place the energy balls in the fridge and chill for 1-2 hours. Transfer to a container or plastic bag and store in the fridge.
👪 FAQs
In moderation, absolutely! They have lots protein, healthy fats, and fiber, and they have a great amount of carbs to keep you energized. They're perfect for a quick breakfast or for before or after a workout!
Raw oats are safe to eat; it's the texture that's usually the issue. That's why these oatmeal balls take time to sit so the oats can soften and become more chewy than tough.
Carob chips are a fantastic substitute for chocolate chips, and they have a flavor that's even less bitter and more naturally sweet. Cacao nibs, which are made from crushed cocoa beans, are also high in antioxidants and would make a great addition or substitution to this energy ball recipe.
💭 Other Helpful Tips
- Refrigerate the mixture before scooping to make the formation of the energy balls easier on you.
- A cookie scoop is the perfect tool for these oatmeal balls, but if you don't have one just aim for each ball to be about 1 ½ tablespoons.
- These peanut butter oatmeal balls can be stored in the fridge for a week to 10 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make a double batch and freeze half to have around whenever you want them!
This energy ball recipe is perfect to bring along to sports games, practices and rehearsals, or a great snack to pack for the kids in their lunches to give them a high-protein boost of energy to help them soar through their day!
📖 Variations
- Use chunky peanut butter instead of creamy for an added crunch.
- Agave nectar can be used instead of honey.
- You can use carob chips or cacao nibs instead of chocolate chips.
- Dust these energy balls with some cocoa powder before refrigerating for an extra kick of chocolate flavor.
- Some other great mix-ins for this energy ball recipe are coconut flakes (toast them for best results), chia seeds, dried cranberries or raisins, chopped nuts (almonds, peanuts, walnuts, or hazelnuts would all be yummy), and protein powder.
- Sprinkle with a bit of flaky salt to tie all of those salty sweet flavors together!
🥐 Breakfast Dishes
While these peanut butter oatmeal balls make for a quick and easy breakfast on their own, pairing them with another hearty breakfast dish is the perfect way to get your day off to a good start. This Baked Egg Frittata with Ham is also full of protein and is filling but not heavy. Or pair your energy balls with a nice Kiwi Banana Matcha Smoothie for a super portable breakfast. And if you really find yourself in a bind when breakfast time rolls around, try making these Easy Strawberry Overnight Oats to make mornings a breeze!
🍿 More Snack Recipes
- Sweet Nutty Crunch - salty peanuts with a crunchy, sweet exterior that are a hit at parties, perfect in snack mix, and delicious to eat all on their own!
- Guilt-Free Jalapeno Artichoke Dip - a fantastic dip that can be made healthy with the right combination of low-fat ingredients to lighten it up.
- Pretzel Bites with Olives and Parmesan - homemade pretzel bites with the olives and cheese baked right in.
- Turmeric Hummus - a great homemade hummus dip with the advantage of a cancer-fighting ingredients!
Love energy bites but looking for something a little different? Try these delicious vegan Apricot Balls with no added sugar!
No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls
Love this recipe? Awesome! Please give it a 5 star ⭐ rating below! And if you make this, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram. You can find me at DizzyBusyandHungry or #dizzybusyandhungry!
📋 Recipe Card
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls
Equipment
- Cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups quick oats
- 2 tablespoons flax seeds
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl.1 ½ cups quick oats, 2 tablespoons flax seeds, ½ cup creamy peanut butter, ¼ cup honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Mix until well combined.
- Line a baking sheet or tray with parchment paper. With a cookie scoop, gather some mixture and form into about 1 inch balls.
- Place the balls on the baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours. Then place the energy balls into a container or sturdy plastic bag and store in the refrigerator.
Notes
- To make it easier to form the peanut butter oat mixture into balls, you may want to refrigerate it for 30-60 minutes prior to scooping it out.
- If you don't have a cookie scoop, gather about 1 ½ tablespoons of peanut butter oat mixture to form each energy ball.
- These peanut butter energy balls can be stored in the refrigerator for 7-10 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
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Happy cooking!
Megan says
Love these I said no sweets for 40 days these satisfy my craving
Kristin King says
That's great to hear, Megan! So glad you like them!
Healing Tomato says
These are the perfect snack! What a great recipe.
Ihor says
true
Beth says
These sound amazing and the perfect snack I've been looking for! Such an easy and no bake recipe. I love no bake recipes and these aren't going to last here, so excited to make a couple batches for the family to snack on every now and then!
veenaazmanov says
Healthy and yummy snack or tiffin box option. Love the combination of ingredients that go with it.
Petro says
I was looking for an easy and quick snack to make for my little one and these sound perfect! Thanks for the idea!
Kushigalu says
Love these nutritious no bake Energy Balls. My boys will love this. I will try this soon
Jenny says
I was craving chocolate chip cookies but I made these instead, and I'm so glad I did! So much easier and healthier and they satisfied my craving for a treat.