6 No-Bake Energy Ball Recipes

Name: 6 No-Bake Energy Balls Recipes
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats; ¼ cup nut butter or seed butter (peanut butter, sunflower seed butter etc.); ¼ cup raisins; 3 pitted dates; ¼ tsp cinnamon; 1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup (optional); ½ Tbsp chia seeds; ½ Tbsp water; ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats; ¼ cup nut butter or seed butter (peanut butter, sunflower seed butter etc.); ¼ cup mini chocolate chips; 3 pitted dates; 1 Tbsp cocoa powder; 1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup; ½ Tbsp water; ½ Tbsp chia seeds; ¼ tsp cinnamon; ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats; ¼ cup grated carrots; ¼ cup nut butter or seed butter (peanut butter, sunflower seed butter etc.); ¼ cup pumpkin seeds; ¼ cup shredded coconut (plus extra for rolling); 3 pitted dates; 1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup (optional); ½ Tbsp chia seeds; ½ Tbsp water; ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats; ¼ cup nut butter or seed butter (peanut butter, sunflower seed butter etc.); 3 pitted dates; 1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup (optional)

Looking for an easy healthy snack idea? Then you'll love these six no-bake energy balls recipes!

Each flavor uses a base recipe of rolled oats, nut butter, dates, maple syrup and chia seeds. Other ingredients are added to each base to create distinct flavors.

Whether you want to create one flavor or all six, this blog post will show you just how easy it is to make delicious energy balls at home.

Various energy balls on white plate with small bowls of ingredients beside including ground flax, white chocolate chips, cinnamon, dried cranberries.

Easy Healthy Snack

Need an easy healthy snack idea? These energy balls are the perfect grab-and-go recipe to fuel your day.

These make a great grab-and-go breakfast or snack option, and they're something the whole family will love.
With simple ingredients, these make a great budget-friendly recipe.
The fiber and protein in them help you to feel satisfied longer.
These are made with one base recipe of rolled oats, nut butter, chia seeds, cinnamon and sweetener. Dates and maple syrup (or honey) add sweetness and help to make the energy balls stick together.
Rolled oats are a healthy ingredient that can be used in a variety of ways including or popular six healthy overnight oats recipes.
What I personally love about energy balls is that they help to avoid a poorer snack choice. When you prepare them in advance, you have a snack that's ready to go.
These are easy to grab as you head out the door. They're great as an afternoon pick-me-up, or to add to kids' bento box lunches.

Free Cookbook

Make sure you grab the free energy balls recipe cookbook. Inside you'll get the six delicious flavors you see here plus all the best tips and tricks for making this easy snack!

**Get the FREE Energy Balls Recipes Guide: All six healthy energy balls in one easy-to-print format - sign up here to get it

Ingredients on marble counter: bowl of rolled oats, maple syrup, bowl of chia seeds, pitted tates container, jar of nut butter.

Recipe Ingredients

OATS: Whole rolled oats will give you the best results. I love these sprouted rolled oats. They're gluten-free, non-GMO and made with whole grains.
NUT BUTTER OR SEED BUTTER: This acts as a glue to keep the balls together. You can use peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, tahini or Sunbutter (it's a sunflower seed butter and is nut-free. I used Sunbutter.
DATES: Dates are sticky and sweet. They help to glue everything together, but also give sweetness to the energy balls.
SWEETENER: You can use maple syrup, honey, or liquid monk fruit sweetener to sweeten the energy balls.
CHIA SEEDS: Adding chia seeds provides even more nutrition benefits, but this ingredient can be skipped if you don't want them.
WATER: A little bit of water helps to blend all the ingredients together in a food processor.
CINNAMON: For more flavor.

Here's The Energy Balls Base Recipe = ½ cup Rolled Oats + ¼ cup Nut Butter + 3 Pitted Dates + 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup (optional) + ½ Tbsp Chia Seeds + ½ Tbsp Water + ¼ tsp Cinnamon

**Get My FREE Energy Balls Recipes Guide: All six healthy energy balls in one easy-to-print format - sign up here to get it

Various ingredients on white counter: container of raw pumpkin seeds, bowl of sunflower seeds, bowls of chocolate chips, cocoa powder, flaxseed, dried cranberries, shredded coconut, chia seeds, white chocolate chips, and raisins.

Flavor Additions

After adding the base ingredients together, you can mix and match ingredients below for even more flavor.

PUMPKIN SEEDS: I used pumpkin seeds in the carrot cake energy balls recipe. Raw unsalted pumpkin seeds taste great in energy balls.
SUNFLOWER SEEDS: You can also use sunflower seeds. Typically, they're cheaper than pumpkin seeds. Look for unshelled raw unsalted sunflower seeds.
HEMP SEEDS: Another great superfood to add to energy balls.
CHOPPED NUTS: Add any of your favorite nuts for extra crunch, including almonds, walnuts, peanuts, etc.
COCOA POWDER: Look for an unsweetened cacao powder that is naturally full of antioxidants and magnesium.
CHOCOLATE CHIPS: For a healthier option, try 60% dark chocolate chips that are sweetened without sugar.
RAISINS: An easy ingredient to add to energy balls. Look for unsweetened raisins.
DRIED CRANBERRIES: These taste delicious when added with another ingredient like shredded coconut. They would also taste great with citrus zest.
FLAXSEED: A great source of added fiber.
CHIA SEEDS: Feel free to add more chia seeds to your energy balls. From my experience, black chia seeds tend to be cheaper than white chia seeds, so I stick with those.
SHREDDED COCONUT: A good source of fiber. Adds great texture when combined with other toppings like fresh fruit or chocolate chips.

six energy ball flavors assembled in four neat rows.

Recipe Cost = $3

Each batch of flavored energy balls cost me about $3-$4 for seven energy bites. That's a pretty good deal for a healthy snack that usually costs $12 for a pack of 4 when you buy them at the store! (prices will vary slightly depending on where you live).

Kitchen Equipment I Used

FOOD PROCESSOR: A food processor is used to blend all the ingredients together to create the perfect energy balls consistency.
COOKIE SCOOP: A cookie scoop is the best and easiest way to roll even energy balls.
GRATER: A cheese grater or zester is used to create zest from citrus fruits and carrots.
SILICONE SPATULA: My go-to for baking. A silicone spatula is handy to scrape down the sides of the bowl so you get every last bit of that batter to make your energy balls.

three images: ingredients in food processor, batter in cookie scoop, and energy balls on white plate.

How To Make Energy Balls

Add ingredients to the food processor according to full recipe instructions below.
Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until dates have been chopped small.
Use a cookie scoop to grab the batter. Squeeze out and roll between your hands into a ball. Serve and enjoy!

Leftover energy balls can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze these for up to 3 months. Just add them to a large freezer bag and seal them tightly.

Variations

Energy Balls Without Peanut Butter: These energy balls can be made with seed butter including tahini (made with sesame seeds) and Sunbutter (made with sunflower seeds and is 100% nut-free).

Energy Balls Without Dates - Dates help to sweeten and make everything stick together so they can be rolled into balls. You can also try raisins or dried cranberries in substitution. For energy balls without dried fruit, see my pumpkin oat energy balls recipe as an example (they're made without any dates).

six energy ball flavors in organized rows together.

Recipe FAQs

Can You Eat Raw Oats In Energy Balls?

Yes, oats can be eaten raw, but it's recommended that they're soaked beforehand. Adding them to the other energy ball ingredients does just that. You can also eat raw oats (that are soaked) in my six overnight oats recipes.

When Should You Eat Protein Balls?

You can eat protein balls (aka. energy balls or energy bites) as a quick snack - they're great as an afternoon pick-me-up. You can have them as an after-meal "dessert" - I like to add them to my daughter's lunchbox for her school treats. You can also have one or two right before a workout.

Can Energy Balls Be Frozen?

Yes! This is my personal favorite way to store them. I like to make a big batch, add them all to a freezer bag, and store them in the freezer for later. This frees up fridge space and family members can grab one or two for a quick snack - they thaw pretty quickly... after about 10 minutes or so.

Can You Use Instant Pack Oats?

Yes, you can, but I prefer to use rolled oats. Here's why… instant pack oats are quite different from the whole grain rolled oat version and will provide a different "mushier" consistency. They're usually not the only thing included in the pack either - many have added salt, sugar and preservatives. For more energy whole rolled oats are a better option.

six energy ball flavors on large white plate: peanut butter chocolate chip, carrot cake, double chocolate, oatmeal raisin, and cranberry coconut.

More Snack Recipes

Six Easy Overnight Oats Recipes: This ultimate overnight oats guide will walk you through everything you need to know in order to make the best overnight oats!
Baked Oatmeal Cups (6 Flavors): These are grab-and-go muffins that are easy and delicious.

Did you love this energy balls recipe? Be sure to leave a rating below!