Vegan Protein balls

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!

💚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 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 

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

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.

✅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.

✨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!

❄️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