Energy Balls are sweet, no bake treats that take minutes to throw together, are filled with good-for-you ingredients, and make for quick, portable breakfasts and snacks. Today, I’m sharing that master recipe for energy balls, along with all sorts of tasty ways to use it to create different energy ball flavors.
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I have made dozens of batches of energy ball recipes over the years, and while I’m constantly looking for fun ways to vary them up, inevitably, they come back to one simple, foolproof formula.
This is the ONLY Energy Ball recipe you’ll ever need.
Plus I’ve created six easy no bake energy ball flavor ideas!
5 Star Review
“This is been my go to snack for over a year! Everyone loves them! Even the picky children in my life. My favorite lunch snack, the opportunities are endless, I just changed it up (nuts, chocolates or fruits) and its a whole new amazing dessert?
— Kelsey —
Types of Energy Balls
Energy balls go by a variety of different names; energy bites, protein balls, power balls, and vegan truffles are but a few.
As much as I love trying different energy ball recipes and techniques, today’s basic energy ball recipe is the little black dress of them all.
Primary Ingredients in No Bake Energy Balls
My tried-and-true energy ball recipe is comprised of four basic ingredients.
Oats
- While you can use other flours, oatmeal is the champion.
- Rolled oats are filling, inexpensive, versatile, and gives me the sensation that I’m eating oatmeal cookie dough instead of a healthy snack. YES.
Nut Butter
- Nut butter, like peanut butter or almond butter, helps bind the balls.
- It adds healthy fats, making the energy balls sustaining.
- Nut butter is delicious!
Sticky Liquid Sweetener
- Honey or pure maple syrup can be used to bind the energy balls.
- I use honey the most, but maple syrup is a really nice option if you’d like vegan energy balls or are making a recipe like these Pumpkin Energy Balls where the maple syrup’s flavor complements the other ingredients.
Mix-Ins!
- This is where the tasty experimentation begins.
- I like to do a combination of superfood additions, such as ground flaxseed and chia seeds (or whatever other superfood you bought a giant bag of at Costco on a whim and now need to use up), along with ingredients I love purely for their taste, like chocolate, chopped dried fruit, and did I mention chocolate?
- Vanilla extract is a must!
- If you aren’t a big chocolate fan,
we can’t be friendsfear not. I have non-chocolate options for you too!
How to Make No Bake Energy Balls
- You don’t need a food processor to make energy balls and no fancy equipment is needed.
- While there are many other methods to make energy balls that range from soaking and blending dried fruit in the food processor to using assorted grains and nut flours instead of oatmeal, today’s master oatmeal energy ball recipe is the one I return to again and again.
- This recipe is simple, I always have the ingredients I need to make it on hand, and I only need to wash one bowl at the end.
Just pile everything into a large mixing bowl and stir!
- Start with the oats.
- Following the oats, add the binding ingredients: nut butter and honey or maple syrup.
Now that you have your base, you are ready for the good stuff: mix-ins!
- While I’ve tried enough different mix-in combos to open an energy balls food truck, I most often find myself choosing chocolate chips and…whatever else I can find in my pantry.
Energy balls = legit excuse to eat chocolate at all times of day.
I like this math.
Energy Ball Variations
- Chocolate Chip. The classic! I like mini chocolate chips for energy balls.
- Oatmeal Raisin. Especially good with almond or cashew butter. Add a pinch of cinnamon too.
- White Chocolate Cranberry. Use almond or cashew butter, honey, dried cranberries, and white chocolate chips.
- Double Chocolate. Twice as nice! Add cocoa powder and mini chocolate chips.
- Almond Joy. Candy bar goes snack. Use unsweetened shredded coconut, almond butter, chocolate chips, and chopped almonds.
- Trail Mix. A little bit of everything. Use peanut butter, honey, chocolate chips, chopped peanuts, and raisins.
A Fast and Fabulous Snack
From back-to-school to the holidays to getting by day-to-day, life is BUSY.
This easy energy ball recipe is here for you.
They take just 10 minutes to prep, can last 2 weeks in the refrigerator or in the freezer forever (or until you remember they are in there and immediately eat them), and are endlessly adaptable, so you’ll never tire of them.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Store leftover energy balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- To Freeze. Energy balls can save in freezer for up to 3 months in freezer-safe airtight container. Ziplock bags work great for this.
More Stellar Healthy Energy Ball Recipes
Even beyond the variations included in this guide, I have these additional healthy energy ball recipes, such as energy balls with dates, added protein powder, and some extra fun flavors!
- Ginger Cookie Healthy Energy Bites
- Pumpkin Energy Balls
- Cookie Dough No Bake Protein Balls
- Fig Almond No Bake Energy Bites
- Pistachio Truffles
- Salted Caramel Truffles
Recommended Tools to Make OatmealEnergy Balls
- Stackable Mixing Bowls. I use these bowls for everything!
- Cookie Scoop. Handy tool not just for cookies.
Below I’ve detailed the energy ball step-by-steps, as well as highlighted a few of my favorite combos.
Once you’ve worked your way through those, be sure to check out the other energy ball recipes linked above.
Frequently Asked Questions
No bake energy balls are a perfect healthy snack, treat, and breakfast on the go. They are balanced with healthy fats, fiber, and protein. Energy balls for runners, kids, grandma, and anyone between!
Energy balls will last a few days at room temperature. To make them last longer, store in fridge.
The stickiness of the maple syrup or honey is not just for a touch of sweetness, but also essential to binding together the ingredients.
Energy Balls
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Ingredients
ENERGY BALL BASE:
- 1 ¼ cups old fashioned rolled oats you can also swap quick oats or a blend of half quick, half old fashioned
- 2 tablespoons “power mix-ins” chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, or additional rolled oats
- ½ cup nut butter of choice peanut butter is my go-to
- ⅓ cup sticky liquid sweetener of choice honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup mix-ins see below for flavor options
CLASSIC CHOCOLATE CHIP:
- Any nut butter honey, 1/2 cup chocolate chips
TRAIL MIX:
- Peanut butter honey, 3 tablespoons chocolate chips, 3 tablespoons chopped peanuts, 2 tablespoons raisins
WHITE CHOCOLATE CRANBERRY:
- Almond butter or cashew butter, honey, 1/4 cup dried cranberries, 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
ALMOND JOY:
- Replace 1/2 cup of the oatmeal with 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes almond butter, any sweetener, 1/4 cup chocolate chips, 1/4 cup chopped almonds
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE:
- Any nut butter any sweetener, 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, ADD 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIE:
- Almond butter or cashew butter, maple syrup, 1/2 cup raisins, ADD 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl: oats, power mix-ins, nut butter, sweetener, vanilla extract, salt, mix-ins, and any other spices you'd like to add. Stir to combine.
- If the mixture seems too wet, add a bit more oats. If it's too dry, add a bit more nut butter. It should resemble a somewhat sticky dough that holds together when lightly squeezed.
- Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set (this will make the balls easier to roll later on).
- Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and portion the dough into balls of desired size. (I use a cookie scoop to make mine approximately 1 inch in diameter).
- Enjoy right away or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze for up to 3 months.
Video
Notes
- Store leftover energy balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
- For nut allergies: In place of the almond or peanut butter, try sunflower seed butter.
Nutrition
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I have made 2 versions of this recipe, one with honey and the other with maple syrup. Both are delicious but, I prefer the honey version personal preference. I love the various ideas for making other energy balls. Great idea to have on hand when the mid afternoon hunger pang hits. Thank you!!
So happy to hear, thank you Carol!
I made these for the August Cooking Challenge. My kids loved them! We went with the classic chocolate chip. I had to throw in an extra spoonful of natural peanut butter to make them stick but that worked fine. We will make these again! Thanks for sharing.
So happy to hear, thank you Emiley!
Love these! So tasty and there are endless flavor combinations! My favorite so far is pistachio and white chocolate. Great snack for the whole family.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Adrienne! Thank you!
Always looking for no bake, gluten free, easy healthy snacks to make and share. Yum, yum, yum. Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Cheryl!
the energy balls were delicous! i’ll be making them weekly for sure!
Great to hear, tea shehu! Thank you!
Is it ok to melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter? Kids found the chocolate chips hard to bite through especially when cold
Hi Liz, I haven’t tried it but it seems like it could work. Let us know if you decide to give it a try!
Made the classic chocolate chip and they are delicious! Easy to make and the whole family enjoyed. Next time I have to make it a double batch.
Great to hear, thank you Lissi!
These energy balls are so simple,fast,and easy to make. My 5 y/o loves to help make them. We love to try different combinations when we make them.
Thank you Kristin!
Love how versatile and delicious these energy balls are! A great snack to have on hand.
Thank you Laura!
Super easy to make. I toasted the oats for 5 mins to remove the rawness and it also provides healthier shelf life. My variation had a combo of unsweetened shredded dry coconut flakes, chocolate chips and raisins. I had to adjust the quantity of almond butter. I always like cinnamon and power mix ins. Thanks well plated for the recipe and engaging us with the monthly challenge. See the pics of my variation of this recipe on instagram @mkuisines.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Manisha!
I made the almond joy version and the flavors are delicious! These are perfect for a snack or if I need a boost before exercise. I would just add that more nut butter might be needed to help them stick together.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Jenna!
This is a great recipe. I have made nearly all the variations and they are all delicious. I love energy balls and this basic recipe with variations makes life so easy. Thanks.
Thank you Christine!
I have 4 kids that all play competitive sports in high school and middle school. These are so good and have been my staple for their pre-game, mid game and after-game snack! They really do like them.
Thank you Mac!
I have made many energy ball recipes over the years, and these ones are so easy! I love that there is no food processor involved. I tried the double chocolate version and it was great for adults and kids!
Glad to hear you enjoyed them, Melissa! Thank you!
We absolutely loved it! Our go to! My teenage daughter has been making these for me to have in hand after I was discharged from hospital after having a stroke. We have shared the recipe with our friends and family, and they love it too!
So glad to hear! Thank you!
What is a good chocolate substitute?
Hi Clarke, there is no substitute, you can just omit. Enjoy!
These are awesome!
Would it be okay to use quick oats instead of rolled oats?
Hi Mariah! Glad you enjoyed them! Yes it is actually listed in the ingredients of the recipe, next to the rolled oats. It should be a 1:1 substitute. Enjoy!
I made so many variations to suit me but the main thing to make it quicker was to press the dough into an 8×8 pan and cut it into squares. Snap on the cover and keep them in the fridge. So much like cookie dough that it takes all of my will power to leave them alone!
Thanks Lou!
Absolutely LOVE these!!! The chocolate chip version will be my go to!!! I especially love the subtle hint of salt ant the end!! I’ve tried others that people have made, but these are BY FAR the best I’ve had!! Thank you SO much for the recipe.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Janice! Thank you!
I’ve made these for our family a few times (well, I made them for myself as a pregnancy/breastfeeding snack, but my husband found them and then my daughter saw me eat them… so now it’s for the family lol) and they’re amazing!! I love that I can use any mix-ins with the base recipe. I’ve used other people’s recipes but I keep coming back to this one. I’ve done cranberry walnut in addition to trying a few of the recommended flavor combos on here. Now some of my friends have tried it and asked me to make them more. They’re perfect as a quick, healthy, pick-me-up snack. I just wanted to mention that I was almost out of honey and maple syrup so I used a mix of honey and agave (cuz honey is thick and agave is runny) in one batch and a mix of maple syrup and date syrup (cuz maple syrup is runny and date syrup is thick) in another batch. My friends couldn’t get enough of it. They requested it to be exactly the same (too bad i didn’t write down what measurements I used lol). Anyways those combos worked great, in case anyone finds themselves in the same predicament but happen to have agave or date syrup on hand.
Thank you so much for the feedback on the agave or date syrup, Lauren! So helpful! So glad you are enjoying them!