This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.
With old-fashioned oats, peanut butter, flaxseed, honey and peanut butter chips, these peanut butter energy balls are easy to make and are a great healthy snack.
Energy balls/bites are all the rage these days and for good reason - from chocolate peanut butter balls to carrot cake balls, you can create so many tasty flavors that are actually good for you!
What makes these so great is they are loaded with fiber, healthy fats and protein that will give you energy throughout the day - hence the name!
Why This Recipe Works
- Simple - with just 6 ingredients, these are super easy to prepare.
- Make-ahead - these are the perfect snack to make ahead. Just keep in the fridge for a week.
- Healthy - you get the nutrients from the oats as well as the peanut butter and flaxseeds.
Jump to:
Ingredient Notes
- Old-fashioned oats - the base for the peanut butter bites.
- Peanut butter - gives added protein and binds the energy bites together.
- Ground flaxseed - loaded with nutrients and healthy fats.
- Peanut butter chips - the more peanut flavor the better.
- Honey - adds sweetness and helps bind everything together.
- Vanilla extract - enhances the flavor.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can mix up the ingredients if you prefer. Some variations include:
- They are called peanut butter energy balls for a reason, but you can use almond butter or cashew butter. Even sunflower seed butter if you are allergic to nuts.
- While I like ground flaxseed for the added nutrients, chia seeds work great too.
- Peanut butter chips are used for additional peanut flavor, but chocolate chips or white chocolate chips are good substitutes.
- You can use maple syrup instead of honey for the sweetness.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and mix together with a wooden spoon. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to harden.
Use an ice cream scoop to scoop out 10 balls and place on a baking sheet for 30 minutes to harden.
FAQs
Energy balls are one of the best ways to start the day or have as a snack. There are a ton of benefits, including:
• High in fiber, which keeps you full long
• Rich in antioxidants, which can help lower blood pressure
• High in protein
• Has healthy carbs which helps boost energy
• Lower cholesterol
• Help lose weight
Add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until they form without falling apart. You can also use honey but it will just be sweeter.
Yes. Press the mixture firmly into a parchment-lined 8x8 baking pan. Chill for 30 minutes and then slice into bars.
You can keep in an airtight container at room temperature for a week, but I prefer to keep them in the fridge so they keep their form.
You can also freeze for up to 3 months.
Equipment
The equipment you use is important to how the energy balls turn out. What is needed is the following:
- Large bowl - need a bowl to be able to mix together the ingredients.
- Wooden spoon - used to mix everything together.
- Cookie scoop - helps get an even amount of mixture to form into balls.
- Baking sheet - used to put the energy balls on so they harden.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use old-fashioned oats as they are heartier than quick cooking oats.
- If you don’t want to use or have honey, replace it with maple syrup.
- If mixture is dry, stir in water 1 tbsp at a time until you can easily form balls without them falling apart.
- Place the energy balls in the fridge for at least 15 minutes so they can set up and stay firm.
Other Snack/Breakfast Recipes
If you’ve tried these peanut butter energy balls or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Peanut Butter Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup ground flaxseed
- ½ cup peanut butter chips
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Cover and place fridge for 15-30 minutes.
- Roll into 10 bites and store in fridge for up to a week.
Notes
- Use old-fashioned oats as they are heartier than quick cooking oats.
- If you don’t want to use or have honey, replace it with maple syrup.
- If mixture is dry, stir in water 1 tbsp at a time until you can easily form balls without them falling apart.
- Place the energy balls in the fridge for at least 15 minutes so they can set up and stay firm.
Chris says
Seems simple enough!