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!
Basic Protein Ball Recipe
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:
- Oats
- Protein Powder
- Liquid Sweetener
- Nut Butter
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.
Top 5 Protein Ball Recipes
The basic process for making the protein balls is as follows:
- Place oats, nut butter, liquid sweetener, protein powder, and optional mix-ins in a large bowl (or food processor) and stir to combine.
- If not using a food processor, getting the mixture to come together into a cohesive mixture will take some "elbow grease." It may seem too thick at first, but eventually, it will come together as you keep mixing. Don't be afraid to knead the protein ball "dough" near the end, as that seems to help.
- Once combined, use a small cookie scoop to scoop and form the dough into balls.
- Store in a covered container in the fridge or freezer.
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.
Chocolate Protein Ball Recipe
- 4 tablespoons (64 grams) nut butter
- 2 tablespoons liquid sweetener (honey, agave, Walden Farms, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 2 scoops SteelFit® Steel Whey™ Chocolate Milkshake protein powder
- 2 tablespoons cacao or cocoa powder
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Ball Recipe
- 4 tablespoons (64 grams) peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons liquid sweetener (honey, agave, Walden Farms, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1 scoop SteelFit® Steel Whey™ Chocolate Milkshake protein powder
- 1 scoop SteelFit® Steel Whey™ Peanut Butter Milkshake protein powder
- 1 tablespoon cacao or cocoa powder
Peanut Butter Protein Ball Recipe
- 1 cup peanut butter (256 grams), warmed
- 1/4 cup liquid sweetener (honey, maple syrup, or Walden Farms)
- 5 tbsp water
- 1/4 cup flaxseed, ground
- 1 cup quick or rolled oats
- 2 scoops SteelFit® Steel Whey™ Peanut Butter Protein Powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Low-Carb Vanilla Protein Ball Recipe
- 1/2 cup (128 grams) nut butter
- 2 scoops (70 grams) SteelFit® Steel Whey™ Vanilla Milkshake protein powder
- 1/3 cup coconut flour* — plus 1-2 tablespoons additional as needed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons liquid sweetener
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2-4 tablespoons milk of choice
- 2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips
Strawberry Protein Ball Recipe
- 3/4 cup freeze-dried strawberries
- 1/2 cup oats
- 1 cup raw unsalted nuts, cashews, walnuts, almonds, macadamia
- 4 Tbsp liquid sweetener
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 scoop SteelFit® Steel Whey™ Strawberry Milkshake protein powder
An alternate recipe to try could be:
- 4 tablespoons nut butter
- 2 tablespoons liquid sweetener
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 2 scoops (70 grams) SteelFit® Steel Whey™ Strawberry Milkshake protein powder
- 2-4 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberries
Protein Ball Recipe Troubleshooting Tips
Be Flexible with the Recipes
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:
- Chocolate Strawberry
- Chocolate Hazelnut
- Peanut Butter Honey
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- Mint Chocolate Chip
- White Chocolate Raspberry
- And many more!
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.
When Do I Eat Protein Balls?
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 Do Protein Balls Last?
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:
- Stored in an air-tight container at room temperature, protein balls will last for about a week.
- Stored in the refrigerator in a Ziploc bag or air-tight container, protein balls will last for ~2 weeks.
Can I Freeze Protein Balls?
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.
