These peanut butter protein balls are one of my absolute favorites! They are tried and tested with so many people and everyone who tries them loves them! You’ll love these healthy, chewy, low-sugar protein balls for an after-school snack, pre or post-workout, dessert, or travel snack! Your sweet cravings will be satisfied with these delicious no-bake peanut butter balls!
I’m not kidding when I say this is probably the best recipe on the entire blog. I absolutely love these! I’m sitting here wondering why I don’t have any already made and sitting in my fridge right now, because dang they are so good!
These peanut butter balls are a perfect dessert if you want something sweet but don’t want something too indulgent. They taste just like peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! Because of their high protein content, you’ll feel satisfied after just one (or maybe two)! Or, treat your kids to a yummy, sweet, but filling after-school snack! They’re crazy easy to make, so get your kids involved in making them. Have fun with it and if you really want to, get in there with your hands and mix it all up!
You’ll need the following ingredients for this recipe:
Ingredients:
-Peanut Butter (I like creamy the best, but crunchy also works)
-honey
-rolled oats
-vanilla
-coconut flour
-chocolate chips (I use Lily’s stevia-sweetened brand because they’re sugar-free)
How to Make Peanut Butter Protein Balls
Umm….can it get any easier?
- Mix everything together.
- Roll into balls and refrigerate.
Whew! That was almost too much for me to handle! Seriously, these are about as easy to make as it gets!
Peanut Butter…Is It Healthy?
Let’s talk peanut butter. Back when I was a kid, all the way into high school, Jif peanut butter was where it was at. I used to carefully dip corn Chex into the peanut butter one by one. It was one of my favorite after-school snacks! When I got to college, my roommates and I would make muddy buddy’s all the time. Needless to say, the sugar-filled peanut butter I was eating was not healthy. A lot of brands include hydrogenated oil in their butter. They add this to keep the oil and peanuts from separating. However, hydrogenated oils or partially-hydrogenated oils contain trans fats that are purely man-made and have been linked to disease.
So if you want to eat peanut butter that’s healthy, look for all-natural peanut butter. However, even if it says all-natural you still want to look at the ingredient list. Lots of “all-natural” peanut butter still contain “organic cane sugar” or “evaporated cane juice”. In other words: sugar.
You want peanut butter that is simply peanuts (and maybe salt).
Where to get unsweetened peanut butter? My absolute favorite is Smucker’s All Natural Peanut Butter. You can get big 16 oz jars at Walmart. Another good brand includes Adam’s peanut butter from Costco. Or, make it from scratch by blending peanuts in a food processor.
As inconvenient as it is, the best peanut butter is the kind that you have to stir after opening because the oil has separated.
Nutritional Value of Peanut Butter
Peanut butter (without added ingredients) can be a healthy source of protein and fats. In just 2 tablespoons you get a whopping 9 grams of protein and 18 grams of fat!
Peanut butter is also a good source of Vitamin E, copper, Niacin, Manganese, and Magnesium.
It’s also high in omega-6 fatty acids. While we need some omega-6 fatty acids, most of us get too much of it. Too much omega-6 can lead to increased blood pressure, inflammation, and possible heart problems. We want more omega-3 fatty acids which help lower inflammation and reduce the risk of diseases like cancer and diabetes.
Peanuts are also high in phosphorus, which can limit the absorption of zinc and iron.
I’m not saying you need to cut out peanut butter. But, it may be wise to give some other nut butter a try too like almond, macadamia, or walnut. These other nut butter have both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, giving it a better balance, whereas peanut butter only has omega-6.
My conclusion? I think all-natural peanut butter is fine to eat in moderation. It’s probably not something I would include every day or at every meal. However, it does have some nutritional benefits!
Now that I’ve probably scared you away from peanut butter…here’s a delicious peanut butter protein ball recipe!
No Bake Peanut Butter Protein Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup peanut butter all-natural
- ½ cup honey
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ tsp vanilla
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Cream the peanut butter and honey together until well combined.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
- Roll into balls and store in the refrigerator.
