My wildest dreams are coming true because, thanks to these Cookie Dough Protein Balls dessert is now a health food! These grain-free no bake protein balls are easy to make and an ideal energy boost.
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Clean-eating approved, low carb, and protein-packed, these healthy energy bites taste like chocolate chip cookie dough but are made entirely from wholesome, good-for-you ingredients.
For those looking for protein balls without oats, this recipe is the best option.
They’re based on my favorite peanut butter Protein Balls recipe, but are made with fiber and protein-rich coconut flour instead of oats.
They’re everything you could ask for in a healthy snack:
- Quick and Easy. We’re talking one bowl, no baking. Like my reader favorite Energy Balls recipe, you don’t need to use a food processor.
- Low in Sugar. Just 1 ½ tablespoons of honey is all you need to sweeten these protein balls, so they are good for you and will help you avoid energy crashes.
- High Protein. These pack 7+ grams of protein per ball, which is impressive for a from-scratch recipe. One or two of these keeps me full.
- TOTALLY DELISH. Did I mention that they taste like chocolate chip cookie dough?
5 Star Review
“Made this yesterday and it was absolutely delicious. I will definitely be making these again very soon.”
— Max —
How to Make High Protein Balls
Not all protein balls or energy balls are good for you. Many recipes are so sugar packed, they are better enjoyed for dessert.
Further, if energy balls are low in fiber or protein, they’ll often hide a large number of calories, without actually filling you up.
With all of my energy ball and energy bar recipes, I keep the added sugars to a minimum, use natural ingredients, and pack in as much protein and fiber as possible. These protein balls are no exception!
The Ingredients
- Vanilla Protein Powder. Protein powder is not just for serious weightlifters or that guy at the gym whose t-shirt is too tight. I regularly add protein powder to my smoothies and no bake recipes like this one to make them more satisfying and ensure my body has the fuel it needs. You do not need to worry that it will make you bulk up, trust me!
- Coconut Flour. This once-trendy ingredient is now mainstream. Coconut flour can be used instead of oats in protein balls. It’s incredibly high in fiber, protein, and gives a rich texture to baked goods—or, in the case of these protein balls, to no-bake goods. Use it to make any of these coconut flour recipes.
- Nut Butter. More protein, along with heart-healthy fats. Also, soooooo tasty. Feel free to swap peanut butter instead (what I use in my go-to Peanut Butter Protein Bars).
- Honey. Just 1 ½ tablespoons is all you need.
Tip!
Like oats, coconut flour is heat treated before it is packaged. It’s safe to eat raw oats in energy balls, as well as raw coconut flour (the heat treatment means it is not truly raw).
The Directions
- Stir all of the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Adjust the amount of almond milk/coconut flour until you have a consistency that’s easy to roll.
- Roll into 12 balls and refrigerate. Enjoy!
Storage Tips
- To Store. Refrigerate protein balls for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator (really, I feel these last practically indefinitely but we never have them around that long!). I love eating these right out of the refrigerator, but you can let them stand at room temperature first if you prefer.
- To Freeze. Place the energy balls in an airtight storage container or ziptop bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Meal Prep Tip
Make a double batch, store half in the refrigerator, then freeze the other half for healthy snacks on demand.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Mixing Bowls. A trusty set to keep in your kitchen.
- Liquid Ingredient Measuring Cups. I love that these are dishwasher and microwave safe.
- Measuring Spoons. These are a breeze to store. The two sides means you can wash them less when in the midst of making a recipe too.
When a recipe is as yummy and EASY as these cookie dough protein balls, healthy snacking is deliciously fun.
I’m completely addicted to these cookie dough protein balls, and I hope that you love them just as much.
Whether you are looking for an on-the-go snack, a post-workout reward, or a sweet after-dinner treat, these bites have you covered.
High Protein Balls Video
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Cookie Dough Protein Balls
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Ingredients
- ½ cup almond butter or peanut butter you can use natural nut butter, or the shelf-stable kind
- ½ cup vanilla whey protein powder about 2 scoops—use plant-based protein powder to make dairy free
- ⅓ cup coconut flour or oat flour* plus 1-2 tablespoons additional as needed
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2-4 tablespoons unsweetened vanilla almond milk or milk of choice or water
- 2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- To a large bowl, add the almond butter, protein powder, 1/3 cup coconut flour, honey, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons almond milk. Stir until the mixture forms a dough that is soft enough to roll into balls, but not overly sticky. Add additional coconut flour or almond milk as needed to get the right consistency. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Roll into 12 balls. Enjoy immediately or store in the refrigerator for later.
Video
Notes
- *Coconut flour is the most high protein and low carb option for these protein balls. It is also grain free. If you prefer not to purchase coconut flour, you can use oat flour. To make your own oat flour, pulse oats in a food processor until smooth, then measure and use in the recipe as directed. (I do not recommend wheat flour, as its taste will be off-putting and unlike coconut flour and oat flour which are heat treated as a part of processing, it is not safe to eat wheat flour without cooking it further first.)
Nutrition
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Energy-filled snacks are important to get through the day. Here are some of my favorite snacks that are high in protein:
Great recipe! Just wondering if you could use peanut butter instead of almond butter? Where I live the price of almond butter is double that of peanut butter!
Definitely Geoff!
I make these for an afternoon snack when I’m craving something sweet. Such a breeze to make! I store mine in the freezer and just take 1 or 2 out and eat cold.
Hi Katie! So glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for this kind review!
I wasn’t crazy about the taste of these immediately after putting them together. Decided to let them sit in the fridge overnight and give them another shot this morning, and I’m glad I did – the taste is much better! Maybe the flavors just need some time to blend? I followed the recipe exactly except that I used half almond butter, half peanut butter. Delicious!
Hi LKG, the slight change to the recipe (using two different butters) might have affected the immediate taste. So glad you were able to enjoy them!
Wondering if you could use almond flour instead of then coconut flour ?
Hi Andrea! I’m afraid coconut flour cannot be swapped, not just for taste, but also for texture and safety. Since these are no bake cookie dough balls, the flour will not be cooked to a safe temperature first. Coconut flour also absorbs moisture differently than other flours, so I wouldn’t recommend swapping it out. I hope this helps!
Very well done. Thank you for sharing. Question. What size scoop did you use in the video. I used a fruit scoop and nailed 14 balls. Although only 12 made it to the fridge. Lol.
Hi Tom! It was just a small sized scooper. I also do them with just a regular spoon. Glad you enjoyed them!
These look delish. I really appreciate they are low in sugar. I like to add ground flax for extra health benefits. Would you suggest increasing the milk to add more moisture? If so, how much? Thanks!
Hi Maggie! I’ve only tested this recipe as written. If you want to add experiment adding ground flax and extra milk, let me know how it goes!
Made these for the first time today and absolutely love them. Such an easy thing to keep in the fridge for quick snacks that actual have you feeling full. Have saved this one and I think it will get a lot of use! Would love to try some other flavour combos!
Hi Monica! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
These sound great! I’d like to take these backpacking with me – so stored unrefrigerated in a backpack for 3-4 days. OK??
Hi Barb! Unfortunately, I recommend keeping these refrigerated. If you’d like something that doesn’t need to be refrigerated, I’d suggest trying my Peanut Butter Protein Bars or Healthy Granola Bars.
These. Are. perfect.
I used pasture-raised dairy milk in place of the nut milk (so I keep them in the fridge) and I used some brown sugar truvia and a bit of olive oil in place of the sweetener.
These really do taste pretty darn close to cookie dough. Definitely the closest “healthy” version I have EVER tried. Even my picky autistic son inhaled on of these. (That’s what brought me here, healthier recipes for my little guy.)
But even my husband, my oldest son, and my brother all loved these. I gotta say, I like them too! With the alterations I made they are zero sugar and lower in carbs (if your diet would allow for it of course). You can really use these guilt free to satisfy a sweet tooth with only one or two balls.
Hi Amber! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I love this recipe, so good. I put it in my fitness app it read 2,000 cal per ball. It must be the app to alter it but it’s delicious.
Hi Renee! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Is 124 kcal each ball or the whole batch?
Ik 7g protein is each ball that’s why I’m asking Ty
Hi Yaqeen! Serving size is 1 ball. Calories per ball is 124. Hope you enjoy them!
How long can these be left out of the fridge if out & about? Can these be mailed as a gift without falling apart?
Hi Gayle! Unfortunately, I recommend keeping these refrigerated. If you’d like something that doesn’t need to be refrigerated, I’d suggest trying my Peanut Butter Protein Bars or Healthy Granola Bars.
These are terrific! I don’t typically use protein powders (not crazy about protein isolates), but I bought some just to make these. I’m so glad I doubled the recipe! I also doubled the chocolate chips because…..well, BECAUSE! These are great little pre- or post-exercise snacks. Sweet enough to satisfy, but not so sweet that you end up eating the entire recipe in one sitting. And they really DO give you a little protein boost that can perk up an afternoon slump. I used peanut butter and found the flavor and texture is best after refrigerating.
Hi Jane! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Good recipe for getting extra protein requirements in – tasty, but in no way does it taste like “chocolate chip cookie dough.” Perhaps, peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips. It’s heavier than CC dough and all I taste is the Peanut butter.
Thanks for the feedback Paige
These protein balls are one of the best I ever made! First time using well plated, and the recipes are amazing! They are so soft and flavorful!
So glad you enjoyed it, Kayla!
I made these with 1/2 almond butter and 1/2 PB, chocolate, protein powder, and left out the extra sweetener, adding a bit more almond milk than called for. They are just sweet enough and don’t need the extra sweetener as you get a little hint of extra sweetness with the dark chocolate chips. Thank you so much!
Delish! Thank you Tori!
Could I substitute water for the almond mild and NOT refrigerate? I hope to send these to my son in military.
Hi Karlene, I haven’t tried it myself so I am unsure. Also I don’t know how they would hold up with shipping. These balls might do better: https://www.wellplated.com/peanut-butter-protein-balls/ Let me know how it goes!