No Bake Protein Balls (4 Ingredients, 8g Protein)

These No-Bake Protein Balls are easy-to-make high-protein snacks packed with 8 grams of protein, and made with only 4 ingredients. They are healthier, cheaper than store-bought protein bars and smaller to keep your calories under control.

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Most store-bought protein bars or protein balls contain many additives and have a list of ingredients long like a novel and that are not gut-friendly or good for health overall. This recipe is simple and natural, made from 4 ingredients you probably already have.

Each of these protein balls contains only 140 calories and it’s very filling you don’t need to eat more to feel great. This recipe is made with protein powder, but I pick a variety that contains very few wholesome ingredients.

Ingredients and Substitutions

You only need 4 base ingredients for the recipes, but I recommend adding one (or more) add-ins.

• Peanut Butter – Acts as the binding agent and provides a rich source of protein and healthy fats. Drippy, natural peanut butter works best. Can be substituted with almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or cashew butter for variety.
• Vegan Vanilla Pea Protein Powder – Boosts protein content and helps with texture. Any clean, additive-free protein powder works, though vanilla enhances sweetness.
• Maple Syrup – Provides sweetness and helps the dough stick together. Alternatives include agave syrup or sugar-free syrups, but these may require adjusting other ingredients for consistency.
• Puffed Quinoa – Adds a light, crunchy texture and extra protein. Swap with rolled oats, puffed soy crisp, or even rice crisps for different textures.
• Dairy-Free Dark Chocolate Chips – Chocolate chips brings sweetness and crunch to the recipe. Replace them with chopped nuts, like pecans, walnuts, or peanuts, dried fruits, like cranberries or raisins, or seeds, like hemp, sunflower, or chia for added nutrition.

How to Make No Bake Protein Balls

This recipe is really easy to whip up. Here are pictures of the key steps.

Pour all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

Combine the batter with a silicone spatula.

Roll 15 balls of the same size with your hand. I like to oil them to make it easy.

Place them in a container that you can keep in the fridge.

Carine’s Tips

I have a few more tips for you:

1. Use Room-Temperature Ingredients – Ensure that the peanut butter and maple syrup are at room temperature to mix easily and avoid a crumbly dough.
2. Adjust Consistency Carefully – If the dough is too dry, add almond milk 1 teaspoon at a time. For overly wet dough, sprinkle in more protein powder.
3. Experiment with Flavors – Add a pinch of cinnamon, cocoa powder, or a splash of vanilla extract for extra flavor.
4. Pack for Texture – Mix in add-ins like chopped almonds, coconut flakes, or chia seeds for varied textures and nutrition.
5. Make Uniform Balls – Use a cookie scoop to ensure evenly sized protein balls, which makes them easier to roll and ensures consistent nutrition per serving.
6. Chill Before Rolling – If the dough is sticky, refrigerate it for 10–15 minutes before forming balls. This makes rolling smoother and less messy.
7. Storage Hack – For easy access, separate layers of protein balls in a container with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
8. Customize the Size – Roll smaller or larger balls to adjust portion sizes, perfect for snacks or post-workout energy boosts.

More Protein Balls

Low Calories Protein Balls

Strawberry Protein Balls

Chocolate Coconut Protein Balls

Banana Protein Balls

No-Bake Protein Balls

These No-Bake Protein Balls are easy-to-make high-protein snacks packed with 8 grams of protein, and made with only 4 ingredients. They are healthier, cheaper than store-bought protein bars and smaller to keep your calories under control.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Total Time: 10 minutes mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: 16 balls

Calories: 141.5 kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

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Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• ▢ 1 cup Peanut Butter (Unsalted) - note 1
• ▢ ¾ cup Vegan Vanilla Pea Protein Powder - note 2
• ▢ ¼ cup Maple Syrup - note 3
• ▢ ½ cup Puffed Quinoa - note 4

Optional

• ▢ ¼ cup Dairy-Free Dark Chocolate Chips - note 5

Instructions

• In a mixing bowl, stir peanut butter, maple rice syrup, protein powder, puffed quinoa (or rolled oats), and chocolate chips if used.
• Stir until it comes together into a dough. If too dry or crumbly, fix it by adding up to 1 tablespoon of almond milk. The dough should have enough liquid to stick together when squeezed in your hand.
• Divide the dough into 16 balls, and roll each in your hand to form a smooth protein ball.
• Place the protein balls into a airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Notes

Note 1: Make sure you use a fresh jar of natural peanut butter. It needs to be drippy and oily to make the protein ball dough form easily without adding any extra liquids. Other options are almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or cashew butter.

Note 2: You can use any protein powder you love. I recommend using a clean protein powder. Mine has 3 ingredients, no additive like gums or artificial sweetener.

Note 3: Any liquid sweetener works, like agave syrup or sugar free syrup but this last option will change the texture of the dough. In fact, some sugar-free syrup are either high in water or high in fiber, making the dough from too wet to too dry, meaning you will have to adjust the amount of protein powder to come to a nice texture that roll into balls.

Note 4: Use any cereals you love like rolled oats. I love puffed quinoa or puffed soy crisp, because they are higher in protein.

Note 5: Create a range of protein ball flavors and replace the chocolate chips with chopped almonds, dried raisins or cranberries, pumpkin seeds, or hemp seeds for a big boost of protein.

Storage: You can store the balls in the fridge for up to 1 week in a sealed container. You can also freeze them in an airtight container for up to 1 month and thaw them in the fridge the day before.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1protein ball | Calories: 141.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.5g | Protein: 8.1g | Fat: 8.6g | Saturated Fat: 1.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.1g | Sodium: 139.8mg | Potassium: 102.3mg | Fiber: 1.2g | Sugar: 4.9g | Calcium: 13.4mg | Iron: 1.1mg | Magnesium: 28.3mg | Phosphorus: 71.5mg | Zinc: 0.4mg