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This Protein Baked Oats recipe post is sponsored by Four Sigmatic, although the content represents our unbiased opinion and experience using the product.
Quick and easy to make, these no bake protein balls are a great healthy snack for an afternoon pick me up or post workout treat. Choose from four yummy flavors to match your mood! These no-bake energy bites are gluten-free and vegan friendly.
Ingredients & substitutions
- Protein powder: The majority of the protein in these bites will come from using protein powder. Four Sigmatic is a plant-based one that has a great texture to add to any baked and no-bake bites like this. It’s not gritty, grainy, or sandy. Instead it’s a smooth protein blend without gums or fillers! Note if your protein powder has salt, and if not, add it to help bring out the flavor of the add-ins.
- Oat flour: To make oat flour, simply grind rolled oats in a blender. Learn more about how to make oat flour with this easy tutorial. You can substitute with almond flour.
- Almond flour: For variety of texture and flavor, use a mix of almond and oat flour. You can however only use one or the other. They are great gluten-free alternatives to all-purpose flour and work well in no-bake recipes.
- Honey: Honey helps to sweeten the mixture and bind it well. You can also use maple syrup, agave syrup or date syrup, but the sticky consistency of honey binds the best.
- Water: To bind the ingredients together, you can also swap some or all of the water for a plant based milk like oat or almond milk.
- Add-ins: There are so many delicious flavors you can make for these protein balls. Try warm spices, chocolate chips, yogurt chips, dried fruit, chopped nuts, seeds, lemon or orange zest or shredded coconut.
How to make protein balls
- Place the dry ingredients into a bowl and stir to combine.
- Add in the wet ingredients on top.
- Place your add ins into the bowl.
- Stir to combine until the mixture forms a pasty consistency that holds well together like cookie dough.
Roll the mixture into balls and allow to chill for 20 minutes in the fridge before enjoying.
Recipe variations & add-ins
- Cake batter: Sprinkles and vanilla extract.
- Chocolate chip: Chocolate chips and vanilla extract.
- Cinnamon raisin: Raisins and cinnamon
- Lemon coconut: Shredded coconut and lemon zest.
Tips for making protein bites
- Toast the almond flour and oat flour before mixing. It’s best to toast at 350°F for 5-7 minutes because consuming uncooked grains (even oat flour) can be hard on the GI tract sometimes.
- Switch some of the water with almond milk. This will make them more flavorful and sweet. You can also switch a tablespoon of the water with lemon juice for the lemon/coconut one.
- Mix the protein ball mixture well. There should be no dry ingredients left in the bowl. It helps to combine them in stages if you want, so starting with the dry, then the wet and then folding in the add-ins. You should have a consistency similar to raw cookie dough.
- Oil your hands and spoon before making the mixture into balls. The mixture can be a little sticky, so the oil will make the process much easier!
Frequently asked questions
These protein balls will keep well between one to two weeks. You can keep them at room temperature, but they will keep longer when stored in the fridge in an airtight container.
Yes! These healthy snacks freeze really well and will keep for up to 3 months. Freeze them solid on a baking sheet before placing in a freezer bag or freezer safe container. Allow the balls to thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before enjoying.
These protein balls are a great before or after a workout and can help to replenish your body and give you energy. They are a great healthy way to get over that post lunch slump too! Made with natural ingredients, they are a tasty snack you can feel good about.
If you find yourself feeling low on energy, these protein bites can really give you the boost you might be looking for! And you can’t beat the fact that they’re made in one bowl with no baking necessary.
More no-bake snacks:
- No Bake Cookie Dough Bars
- No Bake Energy Bites
- No-Bake Pumpkin Balls
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
- No Bake Samoa Bars
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Protein Balls recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
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Protein Balls
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- ¼ cup sprinkles
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Chip
- ⅓ mini chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Lemon Coconut
- ¼ cup shredded coconut
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients together a flour into a bowl. Mix to distribute everything.
- Fold the add-ins you’re using and stir until everything is combined.
- Oil your hands and any utensils. Scoop heaping tablespoon size amounts of the dough and roll between your palms to form a ball. Alternatively, you can use an oiled one tablespoon cookie scoop or melon baller to form them. Makes about 24.
- Once formed, chill in the fridge for 20 minutes or until firm.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
we made the chocolate chip ones but the chocolate chip melted and the dough became chocolate brown so we rolled them in chocolate chips and I guess didn’t look the best but still good.
Hmm, I am not sure why the chocolate melted and turned the dough brown. This recipe doesn’t require heating, did you heat the dough?
How many balls in each serving? It would be helpful to have the serving size to better understand the calories in each recipe.
It makes about 24 balls, so each serving is about 2 balls.
Not a great receipe…too much water. Paste was really paste. something needs to be added to bind together.
I’m sorry to hear that. If they are too wet, I would add more almond flour.
We made the chocolate chip ones, they are good, a little sweet, though if I make again I will use less vanilla (McCormick Gourmet Organic Pure Vanilla Extract). It made 18 balls, with kid help, they are all pretty close to the same size considering a 7yr old was involved. For protein powder I used what I had (Vegan Proteins & Greens Vanilla), for oat flour I used the Ninja to pulverize some Quaker oats (we buy bulk from Sam’s), extra blanched almond flour and some California wildflower honey. If you have not used almond flour before it does make the dish have a nutty taste (I like is but I husband does not, more for me and the kids!)
Thank you! There are so many ways to customize this, so I’m glad you found how you want to enjoy these moving forward! Yay!!
How many balls does one batch make?
Roughly 12, but it can be more or less depending on the size of them!
I just made them using chia seeds and dates..they came out so amazing…thank you for all the amazing recipes, you’re the besttt❤
I love that! Thank you!!
I don’t have protein powder what should I use instead
I haven’t tried this recipe without protein powder, but you could possibly add more blanched almond flour or maybe even oat flour?