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We all love a good protein shake, but now and then, having shakes day after day can become a bit boring.
Fortunately, protein powder isn’t solely relegated to being mixed up into 6-8 ounces of liquid and drank.
It can be mixed into oatmeal, used as part of the batter for protein pancakes (or waffles), and added to your favorite fruit smoothie.
Protein powder can also be used as an ingredient in baked goods like protein cookies, protein bars, and protein bread.
Sometimes you don't want to deal with the added prep time and dish duty required to whip up these baked goods.
That’s where these no-bake healthy protein balls come in handy.
Protein balls are a delicious snack that feels indulgent but is still very healthy.
We’ve got all the info you need to whip up your very own batch of healthy protein balls ahead.
Let’s get started!
Making your very own batch of healthy protein balls couldn’t be easier.
You really only need four ingredients, and more likely than not, you already have the ingredients lying around your pantry.
The ingredients needed to make your own protein balls are:
That’s it!
And (even better), there’s no need to cook or bake protein balls either.
Mix the ingredients, and then portion the balls out however big or small you would like them to be.
Personally, we find it easier (and less messy) to use a small cookie scoop to portion out the balls.
Besides making less mess on your hands, the cookie scoop also allows you to form more uniformly shaped protein balls.
As we said above, this is just a base (or skeleton) recipe.
As such, you’re free (and encouraged!) to jazz things up with different mix-ins (chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, freeze-dried strawberries, etc.).
Up next, we’ve given you five of our favorite healthy protein ball recipes.
Try these first, and after you get the hang of making these protein balls, feel free to start tweaking the recipes to your own personal flavor preferences.
The basic process for making the protein balls is as follows:
Note: it helps to heat the nut butter and/or liquid sweetener for 30-60 seconds in the microwave on medium power to “loosen” it up and make it easier to mix.
Now that you understand the basic method let's get to the recipes.
An alternate recipe to try could be:
Not two protein powders are the same.
Some protein powders will soak up more liquid than others, and some nut butter is drier than others. In either scenario, you'll need to add a bit more liquid to the mixture to get it to come together.
If this happens to you, and your protein ball mixture seems a little dry or crumbly, add a little water or milk to the protein ball mixture.
We cannot stress enough that you go a little at a time with the additional liquid. Generally speaking, you want to add liquid ½-1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture is just moist enough to form into balls.
Adding too much liquid will turn the mixture into a goopy paste, which means you'll need to add more dry ingredients to achieve the desired texture and consistency needed to form protein balls.
Once you have all your ingredients for the protein balls, you literally mix them all in a bowl and then scoop them into little balls and place them on a lined baking sheet. I like to use a small cookie scoop to make things easier.
Additionally, remember that the above recipes are merely a framework or “skeleton” for how to make your own batch of healthy protein balls.
Don’t be afraid to experiment and come up with your own combinations of flavors.
Other popular flavor combinations include:
As we've stated several times in this article, your imagination is the limit. Once you've figured out the "basics," feel free to get creative and play with the recipe to make something truly delicious.
Protein balls can be eaten any time of day when you're looking for a tasty, healthy, high-protein snack.
Personally, we like to whip up a batch of these over the weekend and use them as a grab-n-go snack throughout the week.
They’re also perfect for a pre- or post-workout snack!
How long protein balls last depends on the ingredients used and the conditions in which they are stored.
Any protein balls made using ingredients that should be refrigerated (such as cow's milk) should be kept in the refrigerator.
But, if your protein balls are dairy-free, then here is an estimate for how long they will stay good:
Absolutely, yes!
You can store these healthy protein balls in the freezer!
One of our favorite meal prep (snack prep) strategies is to make a double or triple batch of protein balls and store half of them in the freezer.
Protein balls will keep well in the freezer for several months, but if it’s been over 6 months, you may want to consider using them or tossing them.
