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Home » Recipes » Healthy Vegan Dessert Recipes

Published: Jul 28, 2024 by Jim Mee Sha · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Vegan Protein balls

Jump to Recipe

Fudgy, chewy, and perfectly sweetened, these vegan protein balls make a great snack or post-workout fuel. Loaded with protein and fiber, they are incredibly satisfying. This one-bowl recipe only requires 5 ingredients and 10 minutes to whip up!

A plate of protein balls on a plate lined with parchment paper with spoonful of peanut butter, oats, and chocolate chips beside.

I love having these vegan protein balls as a quick pre-workout snack! They provide me with a boost of energy and protein without being overly heavy. I especially enjoy pairing it with my soy milk latte for a caffeine boost.

If protein balls are not your thing, I recommend checking out my chocolate peanut butter protein bars or protein mug brownie instead!

Jump to:
  • 💚Why you will love this recipe 
  • 🥜What you will need 
  • 📃Ingredients notes and substitutions 
  • 🔪How to make 
  • ✅Helpful tips 
  • ✨Flavor variations and add-ins 
  • ❄️Storing suggestions 
  • ❔Commonly asked questions
  • 📖 Recipe

💚Why you will love this recipe 

  • A chewy and decadent treat that is great as a snack, dessert, or light breakfast
  • Easily customizable to suit your taste preference
  • Ready in 10 minutes, one bowl, and does not require a food processor or blender
  • Meal prep friendly and is freezable

🥜What you will need 

Ingredients needed like oats, protein butter, peanut butter, maple syrup, chocolate chips, and vanilla extract.

📃Ingredients notes and substitutions 

  • Oats - Both quick and rolled oats will work. The former will yield a smoother texture, while rolled oats yield chewier protein balls.
  • Protein powder—I am using Orgain's vanilla protein powder, but you can use any flavor or kind of protein powder you like.   
  • Peanut butter - Feel free to replace it with almond or cashew butter. To make this recipe nut-free, use sunflower seed butter or tahini.
  • Maple syrup - Can be substituted with agave or date syrup. To make this recipe low-sugar, use sugar-free maple syrup instead. if your protein powder is particularly sweet, reduce the amount of syrup used, and compensate by adding a splash of water or milk.
  • Chocolate chips - Make sure to use vegan chocolate chips, like the Enjoy Life dark chocolate morsels. 
  • Vanilla extract - An optional ingredient, gives protein balls a hint of vanilla flavor. 

🔪How to make 

Oats, protein powder, and chocolate chips in a bowl with 2 empty small dishes beside.

Combine oats, protein powder, and chocolate chips in a bowl. Stir until ingredients are well incorporated.

Protein ball dough in a bowl with a spoon beside.

Add the rest of the wet ingredients. Using a spatula or spoon, mix until a dough forms. Towards the end, you might have to mix the dough with your hands for easy mixing.

Shaped protein balls in a plate with 2 empty small plates beside.

Using a small cookie dough scoop or tablespoon, scoop out a portion of the mixture, and roll them into balls.

A plate of protein balls with a teaspoon, oats, and chocolate chips beside.

Enjoy immediately, or store vegan protein balls in the fridge until ready to serve.

✅Helpful tips 

  • Adjust texture of dough – If the dough is too dry to hold together, add a splash milk or water. Conversely, if the mixture is too sticky, add more oats or protein powder. 
  • Making energy bars: Transform this recipe into energy bars by pressing the dough firmly into an 8x8 baking pan lined with parchment paper. Allow it to chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours to firm up before slicing them into bars.
  • Customize this recipe – You can use different protein powder flavors to switch things up. Additionally, instead of chocolate chips, you can also swap it with other add-ins such as dried cranberries, raisins, crushed nuts, or shredded coconut.
  • Make it low sugar – Swap maple syrup with sugar-free syrup.

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✨Flavor variations and add-ins 

Below are a few flavor variations of protein balls to get you started. Of course, you can come up with other flavors or combos that suit your taste preference!

Almond joy - Replace peanut butter with almond butter. You can also add 1-2 tablespoons of desiccated coconut. Alternatively, use my homemade coconut almond butter.

Oatmeal raisin - Replace chocolate chips with equal parts of raisins and stir in ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

Chocolate - Use a chocolate-flavored protein powder. You can also mix in 1-2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, but you might need to add some milk if the mixture is too dry.

Carrot cake - Mix in ¼-⅓ of shredded carrot, ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and a small pinch of nutmeg. I recommend using a vanilla or carrot cake-flavored protein powder for this variation.

Birthday cake – Use a birthday cake or vanilla-flavored protein powder. Instead of chocolate chips, add a few tablespoons of rainbow sprinkles for a decadent treat!

A plate of protein balls with spoonful of peanut butter, oats, and chocolate chips in the background.

❄️Storing suggestions 

Fridge - Vegan protein balls can be refrigerated for up to a week in an airtight container. 

Freezer - They can be frozen for 3 months. To freeze, arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze until solid. Then, transfer to freezer-safe containers or freezer bags. 

Allow vegan protein balls to thaw and soften for a few minutes at room temperature before enjoying.

❔Commonly asked questions

Why are my protein balls falling apart?

If you have difficulty shaping your protein balls, it might be because you have too much dry ingredients in relative to wet ingredients. Try adding a splash of milk or water. Alternatively, you can increase the amount of wet ingredients added, such as peanut butter or maple syrup.

Are protein balls gluten-free?

These protein balls are naturally gluten-free. However, do ensure that the brand of oats used are certified gluten-free as cross contamination might occur when processing oats.

Taking a protein ball from a plate with oats, chocolate chips, and spoonful of peanut butter beside.

📖 Recipe

A plate of protein balls with oats and a spoonful of peanut butter beside.

Vegan Protein Balls

Meesha
Fudgy, chewy, and perfectly sweetened, these vegan protein balls make a great snack or post-workout fuel. Loaded with protein and fiber, they are incredibly satisfying. This one-bowl recipe only requires 5 ingredients and 10 minutes to whip up!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 0 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 18 balls
Calories 92 kcal

Equipment

  • cookie dough scoop

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup rolled oats or quick oats (90g)
  • ⅓ cup vanilla protein powder or other flavors (45g)
  • ¼ cup chocolate chips (50g)
  • ½ cup peanut butter or another nut butter (120g)
  • ¼ cup maple syrup or other liquid sweetner (60ml)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract optional
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions
 

  • Combine oats, protein powder, and chocolate chips in a bowl, and mix well.
    1 cup rolled oats, ⅓ cup vanilla protein powder, ¼ cup chocolate chips
  • Add peanut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Using a spatula or your hands, mix until a crumbly dough forms. If the dough is too dry to hold together, add a splash of milk or more peanut butter.
    ½ cup peanut butter, ¼ cup maple syrup, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Using a 2-tablespoon cookie dough scoop, scoop out a portion of the mixture, and roll them into balls.
  • Enjoy immediately, or allow vegan protein balls to firm up in the fridge for an hour before serving.

Notes

Helpful tips
  • Adjust texture of dough – If the dough is too dry to hold together, add a splash milk or water. Conversely, if the mixture is too sticky, add more oats or protein powder. 
  • Making energy bars - Transform this recipe into energy bars by pressing the dough firmly into an 8x8 lined baking pan. Allow to chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours, then slice it into bars.
  • Customize this recipe – You can use different protein powder flavors to switch things up. Additionally, instead of chocolate chips, you can also swap it with other add-ins such as dried cranberries, raisins, crushed nuts, or shredded coconut.
  • Make it low sugar – Swap maple syrup with sugar-free syrup.
 
Storing—Protein balls can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for 3 months. Before freezing, arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze until solid. You can then transfer them to freezer bags or containers.
Allow frozen protein balls to thaw for a few minutes until soft before enjoying. 

Save this recipe!

Email yourself a link to this page and come back later.

Also get a FREE high-protein vegan recipe eBook + weekly new recipes! Unsubscribe anytime.

Nutrition

Calories: 92kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 4gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 51mgPotassium: 74mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gCalcium: 14mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.

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5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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A headshot of Mee Sha leaning on a handrail.

Hi, nice to meet you! I am Mee Sha, a final-year dietetic student passionate about nutrition, cooking, and food. This blog was created to share my favorite plant-powered recipe!

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