Peanut Butter Protein Balls (Healthy & No Bake!)

JUMP TO RECIPE

These no-bake protein balls satisfy any hunger pangs and peanut butter cravings! Packed with sweet nutty flavor, their soft texture resembles cookie dough, and their bite-size shape provides a quick energy boost. This super easy recipe is great for snacks — or any time of day!

During my childhood summers, my brother and I stayed with a sitter most mornings each week while both of our parents worked. We read books, played board games, and ventured outside into the backyard to soar as high as our legs could pump us on our sturdy wooden swing set.

While Dad put in full days, Mom returned home in the early afternoons. As she changed out of her nice dress clothes, my brother and I often slipped into bathing suits. Mom enjoyed swimming laps at one of the local pools, and we loved canonballing in, splashing around, and strapping on goggles to dive for rings and other toys resting on the pool’s floor. It was a win-win for everyone!

Before heading out the door, Mom usually encouraged us to eat a snack. In our excitement — and desire to maximize our pool time! — we generally skipped the crackers, pretzels, or apple slices… Those took too long to finish, at least in our (youngster) eyes!

Instead, we opened the silverware drawer, twisted off the lid to the peanut butter jar, and each dug out a spoonful. It may have been enough to glue an elephant’s mouth shut, but we still finished off those “peanut butter spoons” in mere seconds… Which gave us that much more time at the pool!

And these healthy peanut butter protein balls remind me of those! Their sweet peanutty flavor transports me right back to those fun summer afternoons.

Yet unlike our “peanut butter spoons,” these snack bites are entirely portable, and they have a lot more protein too. They’re great fuel for any kind of afternoon activities — for kids and adults alike!

QUICK OVERVIEW – HEALTHY NO-BAKE PEANUT BUTTER PROTEIN BALLS

Difficulty: Very easy.

Taste: Nutty and familiar, with a strong pop of salt and hint of sweetness.

Texture: Soft and moist, a bit like cookie dough.

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HEALTHY NO-BAKE PEANUT BUTTER PROTEIN BALLS

Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make these healthy no-bake peanut butter protein balls! The ingredients list is rather short, and you probably have at least half of them in your kitchen already.

Creamy peanut butter. No surprises here! In order to make peanut butter protein balls, you need… Peanut butter. The type of peanut butter you use matters a lot though! For the best texture, use natural-style creamy peanut butter. I typically turn to my super easy homemade peanut butter. (You only need 5 minutes to make it!)

Hint: If you prefer store-bought, double check the jar’s label. The natural, drippy-style kind made solely with peanuts and salt yields the best results! (A little bit of oil is okay too.)

I do not recommend substituting crunchy peanut butter. Peanut butter contributes to the liquid volume of these protein balls, and those “crunchy” peanut bits take up space in the measuring spoon… Which means you end up with less of the creamy portion — thus throwing off the ratio of wet and dry ingredients — and your mixture might be too dry to hold together. So save your crunchy peanut butter for another day, and grab a jar of creamy instead!

Powdered peanut butter. That’s right… There’s a second type of peanut butter in these healthy protein balls! In addition to creamy peanut butter, you’ll also add powdered peanut butter.

Powdered peanut butter is made from peanuts that have been skinned, crushed, and partially defatted. This means it’s lower fat, lower calorie, and higher protein compared to regular peanut butter — or even finely ground peanuts. It still has a strong nutty taste, so it’s a great way to boost the peanut flavor and add protein to these energy bites!

Hint: Powdered peanut butter kind of looks like tan cornstarch or really light brown cocoa powder! It has that same ultra-fine, almost dusty consistency.

If you can find powdered peanut butter that contains nothing except peanuts (or peanuts and salt), such as PB2 Pure, that’s my top recommendation! I know it’s not always easy to locate, so more widely available products like PB2 Original or PBfit Original are decent second choices.

Protein powder. To boost the protein content of these energy bites even more, you’ll also add soy protein powder. It’s one of my all-time favorite protein powders! Soy protein powder is virtually flavorless with no other ingredients (unlike many other plant-based and whey-based options that often include sweeteners, gums, or flavorings) and it works really well in energy balls, smoothies, and even edible protein cookie dough. (← Yup, I have recipes for all of those!)

This is the exact soy protein powder that I use, and I generally buy it online. (← That’s often the best price I’ve found for it!) It also goes by the name “soy protein isolate,” so you may see that on the label instead.

REALLY IMPORTANT NOTE: Many protein powder brands and products behave differently, both in baking and no-bake recipes (like these peanut butter protein balls!). Substituting another one can produce drastically different results, especially because of the amount and way each unique one absorbs liquids. I haven’t tried any other protein powders to make this recipe, so I can’t guarantee whether yours will work… Unless it’s whey-based.

Do not substitute whey-based protein powder! I guarantee it won’t work in this recipe. It’s not nearly as absorbent as plant-based protein powders, so your mixture will be a wet, liquidy, gloopy mess and impossible to roll into balls. Set aside your whey-based protein powder for another recipe!

For more information, see my Protein Powder FAQ Page. I share lots more advice and cover plenty of tips there!

Sweetener. I turned to liquid stevia to sweeten these peanut butter protein balls. Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that contains nothing overly refined or artificial (aka it’s clean eating friendly!), and it’s also highly concentrated. You only need ½ teaspoon to sweeten this entire batch!

Because it’s a zero-calorie sweetener, liquid stevia also helps keep these healthy peanut butter protein balls low carb and low calorie. Unlike honey, stevia is plant-based, so it makes these protein balls vegan too!

Tip: Just like with protein powders, many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, so they’re not necessarily 1-for-1 substitutes for each other. For the best results, I highly recommend using the same one that I do! I typically buy it online here (that’s the best price I’ve found!), and you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine too. I promise it’s not a “one-time use” ingredient!

Salt. This might be the most underrated ingredient in this entire recipe! With my first batch, I skipped the salt to minimize ingredients and streamline the process. Since my creamy peanut butter already contained salt, I figured that would be good enough. Yet when I sampled the first protein ball, it tasted… Bland. Blah. And kind of flat. I knew it had two types of peanut butter — not just one! — but even so, it didn’t taste nearly as strong or nutty as those “peanut butter spoons” from my childhood.

Thinking about how a generous sprinkling of salt makes veggies, soups, and even soft-baked pretzels and caramel taste a million times better, I immediately whipped up a second batch of protein balls. I kept the amounts and ingredients exactly the same, but I also added a hefty pinch of salt.

Holy moly… A complete 180°! The peanut flavor tasted so prominent and bright, the exact opposite of my previous batch, and that second round of protein balls disappeared in the blink of an eye. They were so flavorful and irresistible — all thanks to that pop of salt!

So the moral of this (salty) story? Don’t be lazy, pour it in, and don’t be afraid to add a bit more than you think either. Your taste buds will thank you!

Water. Many other recipes opt for honey or dates to “glue” everything together, but you’ll use water for these healthy peanut butter protein balls instead. That helps keep them low carb and low calorie, and it lets the peanut flavor shine more too. (It’s also much easier — no special trips to the grocery store required for this ingredient! 😉 )

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY NO-BAKE PEANUT BUTTER PROTEIN BALLS

Let’s briefly cover how to make the best no-bake peanut butter protein balls! I promise this recipe is super easy. I just have some tips to ensure yours turn out perfectly!

Measure correctly. If you’ve browsed through my other recipes before, then you probably predicted that I’d mention this… It’s one of the most important parts! Make sure you measure all of the ingredients correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) This is particularly true for the powdered peanut butter and protein powder! Too much of either one will dry out the mixture and make it too crumbly to roll into balls. Yet if you measure these the proper way, your peanut butter protein balls will be beautifully soft and perfectly shapeable!

One-bowl method. To make this recipe simple and straightforward, I opted for the “one-bowl” method. You’ll mix together the wet ingredients until they’re hom*ogenous, pour in the dry ones, and stir until they’re incorporated. Easy peasy — and fewer dishes to wash too!

One key thing to note… It’s going to take a bit of effort and patience to mix together those wet ingredients! The creamy peanut butter takes some time to break apart and “dissolve” (well, technically dissociate, if you’re nerdy and an ex-scientist like me!), so keep going until no lumps remain.

For this reason, I highly recommend a fork — not a spatula or spoon! The sharp tines of the fork help break apart the peanut butter, and the empty space between those tines also helps the ingredients mix together more efficiently.

Roll. Again, super simple! Grab a small amount of the mixture from the bowl, pop it into your hand, and roll it into a ball between your palms. I aim for bite-sized spheres about 1” in diameter. You’re welcome to make yours larger or smaller, if you prefer! The mixture may stick to your hands a bit, so wipe them clean with a damp paper towel as needed.

That’s right — even though my blog is called “Amy’s Healthy Baking,” there’s no oven involved in this recipe. These peanut butter protein balls are no-bake! So all that’s left to do now is… Eat!

FAQS ABOUT HEALTHY NO-BAKE PEANUT BUTTER PROTEIN BALLS

Are these no-bake peanut butter protein balls gluten-free, vegan, sugar-free, low calorie, low carb, or clean eating?
Yes — to everything! These protein balls are naturally gluten-free, vegan (aka dairy-free and egg-free!), sugar-free, low calorie, low carb, and clean eating friendly. Plant-based and low fat too! They’re also made with no oats, no dates, no honey, and no whey.

Peanut Butter Protein Balls

Yields: 28 protein balls

These no-bake protein balls satisfy any hunger pangs and peanut butter cravings! Packed with nutty flavor, their soft texture resembles cookie dough, and their bite-size shape provides a quick energy boost. They’re great for snacks — or any time of day! These protein balls will keep for at least four days (if not closer to a week!) if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

2 tbsp (32g) homemade creamy peanut butter (see Notes!)
½ cup + 1 ½ tbsp (143mL) water
½ – ¾ tsp salt (see Notes!)
½ tsp liquid stevia (see Notes!)
½ cup (52g) powdered peanut butter (measured like this – and see Notes!)
½ cup (38g) soy protein powder (measured like this – and see Notes!)

Instructions

In a medium bowl, stir together the creamy peanut butter, water, salt, and stevia until the peanut butter has fully “dissolved” and no large lumps remain. Evenly sprinkle the powdered peanut butter and soy protein powder on top. Stir until fully incorporated. Shape the mixture into 28 spheres (approximately 1" in diameter), and place in an airtight container. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Notes

IMPORTANT PROTEIN POWDER NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: This recipe was specifically designed for soy protein powder (also called soy protein isolate). I buy it here. Many protein powders behave differently, especially when it comes to absorbing moisture. If you substitute a different plant-based protein powder, you may need to add more protein powder if the mixture is too wet -OR- more water if the mixture is too dry.

Do NOT substitute whey-based protein powder. The mixture will be too sticky to roll into balls and won’t set properly.

For more tips, questions, and answers (including substitutes!), see my .

IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s extremely important to measure the powdered peanut butter and protein powder correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much of either one will make the mixture dry and crumbly, and you won’t be able to roll it into balls. If this happens to you, add more water (¼ to ½ teaspoon at a time) until you’re able to shape the mixture into spheres.

IMPORTANT SALT NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: This might be the most underrated ingredient in this recipe! Without salt, the protein balls taste somewhat bland. With the salt, the peanut flavor is much brighter and more prominent. It makes a huge difference! In general, ½ teaspoon is a good starting place. I like a really big pop of salt, so I typically use ¾ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon. (See the “Salt” header in the “Ingredients to Make Healthy No-Bake Peanut Butter Protein Balls” section in my blog post above for more info!)

HOMEMADE CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER + ALTERNATIVES: This is my homemade creamy peanut butter recipe. You just need 5 minutes to make it! If using store-bought creamy peanut butter, make sure it’s the natural drippy-style kind that only contains peanuts and salt. (A little oil is okay too.) Do not substitute crunchy peanut butter. (See the “Creamy peanut butter” header in the “Ingredients to Make Healthy No-Bake Peanut Butter Protein Balls” section in my blog post above for more info!)

STEVIA NOTES + ALTERNATIVES: Many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, so they’re not necessarily 1-for-1 substitutes for each other. For the best results, use the same liquid stevia that I do. I buy it online here (← that’s the best price I’ve found), and you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine too!

If you’re strongly against using stevia, you can substitute ¼ cup (60mL) of pure maple syrup, agave, or honey in place of the liquid stevia AND reduce the water by ¼ cup (to ¼ cup + 1 ½ tablespoons instead) to compensate for the added liquid volume. Alternatively, substitute ¼ cup (48g) of coconut sugar, light brown sugar, or granulated sugar in place of the liquid stevia AND reduce the water by 2 tablespoons (to 6 tablespoons + 1 ½ tablespoons instead) to compensate for the added volume. Finally, for a different no-calorie sweetener option, substitute ¼ cup of granulated sucralose in place of the liquid stevia (and keep the water volume the same).

POWDERED PEANUT BUTTER NOTE: Powdered peanut butter is made from partially defatted peanuts. This means it’s lower fat, lower calorie, and higher protein compared to regular peanut butter or finely ground peanuts. (It kind of looks like tan cornstarch and has a similar ultra-fine, almost dusty texture.)

If you can find powdered peanut butter that contains nothing except peanuts (or peanuts and salt), that’s my top recommendation (such as PBfit Pure Peanut, PB2 Pure Peanut Butter Powder, or Crazy Richard’s 100% All Natural Peanut Powder).

I know it’s not always easy to locate, so more widely available products like PB2 Original or PBfit Original are decent second choices.

I don’t recommend making your own peanut flour or substituting almond flour. They don’t have the same powdery texture, so the mixture won’t have the same consistency.

SHAPING NOTE: The mixture can occasionally stick to your palms while rolling it into balls. If this happens to you, occasionally wipe them clean with a damp paper towel.

GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: No modifications needed!

VEGAN OPTION: No modifications needed!

HOW TO STORE: Store the protein balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should keep for at least five days, if not longer!

{gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, clean eating, low carb, low fat, sugar-free}

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points

You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡Brownie Energy Bites
♡Oatmeal Raisin Energy Bites
♡Snickerdoodle Energy Bites
♡Peanut Butter Protein Bars
♡Cookie Dough Protein Bars
♡Edible Peanut Butter Protein Cookie Dough
♡Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
♡…and the rest of Amy’s healthy snack recipes!

Peanut Butter Protein Balls (Healthy & No Bake!) | Amy's Healthy Baking (2024)