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.
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
Ingredients
ENERGY BALL BASE:
- 1 1/4 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
- 1/2 cup nut butter of choice peanut butter is my go-to
- 1/3 cup sticky liquid sweetener of choice honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 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!
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
Join today and start saving your favorite recipes
Create an account to easily save your favorite recipes and access FREE meal plans.
Sign Me Up
I have made these energy balls with normal breakfast oats and they come out perfectly. My local shop only had loose bio oats so I used those. I put in nut butter, maple syrup and honey but the mix won’t bind. I think the oats, which are whole pieces, no powdery bits, are too dry. Now I have a very expensive mix in the fridge, but how can I make it bind without adding more sweet ingredients? Could I add some water?
I’m sorry you’re having trouble with the mix, Marian. You could try adding some blended oats to create an oat flour, which should help bind the ingredients together better. I hope this helps!
My sister-in-law recommended this recipe and I have been making it regularly for a long time with quick oats, regular smooth peanut butter (e.g., JIF, not runny peanut butter), honey, chia seeds, and mini chocolate chips. We *absolutely* love these and find it hard to not go through them too quickly! They are so great to add into my husband’s packed lunch or as a small sweet addition to my toddlers’s lunch. I do have a question though – curious if you could form the balls and then freeze them? I would love to make a bunch of batches ahead of time as we are having a baby soon and it would be great to have a stock to pull from in our deep freezer!
Hi Abigail! Yes you can! I have the information listed in the blog post and recipe card about how to store them. So glad you enjoyed them!
I noticed for each of your 6 types, your add ins include more nut butter and more honey/syrup, but I don’t see and amount. Do we need to add more butter and honey in addition to the base recipe, and if so, how much?
Thanks! Carla
Hi Carla! It actually doesn’t say to include more of nut butters or sweeteners it’s just telling you which to use based off the base recipe. For example for the white chocolate cranberry: the base recipe says 1/2 cup peanut butter but for this one you are using 1/2 cup almond butter or cashew butter instead. Also the sweetener for this one is honey so you are using 1/3 cup honey. Then you are including the add ins of cranberries and white chocolate chips. Does that make sense?
I was looking at the recipe and I thought the same. I thought it was something extra to add.
Can you not use any sweetener? Will it still be good/hold together with almond butter if I don’t add sweetener? Honey and maple syrup are pretty expensive to use that quantity regularly, and we are also trying to cut back on sugar in our house. Thoughts?
Hi Megan, I’ve only tested this recipe as written but I do know you’ll need a liquid sweetener for them. I do have other energy ball recipes that call for less honey/maple syrup that you might like: https://www.wellplated.com/?s=energy+balls
DELICIOUS. My kids loved these and we parents did as well!
Hi Sheena! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind 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
Hi Kelsey! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This looks like a great recipe, and I’m intrigued to try it for my grandkids. I’m a little confused about the options for the different flavors, such as this one for the Trail Mix version :
(Peanut butter honey, 3 tablespoons chocolate chips, 3 tablespoons chopped peanuts, 2 tablespoons raisins)
What is peanut butter honey? And it doesn’t say how much peanut butter. Each of the flavors start out with this type of wording, and it’s not clear what you mean. Also, the video tutorial you mention is not on the page.
Thanks, and glad I found your sight! Lot’s of great, healthy recipes!! :) Linda
Hi Linda! For the trail mix version you will use the energy ball base which calls for 1/2 cup of nut butter (in this case it’s peanut butter) plus your add-ins which start with the honey, 3 tablespoons chocolate chips, 3 tablespoons chopped peanuts, 2 tablespoons raisins. Hope this helps!
This is our go to recipe for cookies. I love to bake them. I love love love this recipe.
Hi Stephanie, you definitely have me curious about how they bake up, I’ve never done that before.
This is dumb so please forgive me – I’m an energy ball newb. Do you cook the oats at all first? Or just use them raw from the container?
Hi Steph! You use them raw from the container. Hope you enjoy them!
Best snack ever!!!
Hi Selah! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Do you have to refrigerate? I find the end result to be as stiff as a brick and very hard to eat. Will they keep unrefrigerated in a well sealed container? If yes, for how long?
Hi Janet, you could leave them out for up to a few days, I just always store them in the refrigerator.
Tastes like childhood! I happen to have had the ingredients on hand after trying these at a party last week. My friend shared the recipe and I’m now excited to try each variation of this technique. Easy and messy but quick! Try the Almond Joy one!!
Hi Shannon! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Is it safe to ear uncooked oats? I wonder if I can add chocolate rice krispies instead of chocolate chips🥰
Hi Sherri, I’d check with your doctor or nutritionist if you have specific questions or concerns about any recipe. I’d hate to give you advice that isn’t correct and want to be safe! Also I haven’t tested this with chocolate rice krispies so I can’t say for sure if it would work.
Make these all the time. Delicious!
Hi Stath! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Great recipe and it’s been fun to try different combinations including those listed as well as being adventurous and trying our own. I have a question, the ingredients are shelf stable so I’m trying to understand why they are only good for 1 week in the refrigerator? We store ours in the fridge so they maintain their shape but seems they should be fine for much longer than 1 week. Our favorite is the Almond Joy and none of the Ingredients are stored in the refrigerator. Thank you for sharing your recipe, it’s a keeper!
I apologize, I just submitted a question about refrigeration and misstated that your blog indicated they were good in the refrigerator for 1 week. It states 2 weeks but I still have the same question as to why the energy balls should only be stored in the fridge for 2 weeks when all the ingredients are shelf stable (don’t require refrigeration). Thank you, we live this recipe!!!!
Hi Jenner! It’s how we prefer them and it helps keep them together! Enjoy!
These are very good.
Hi Rayveer! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!