Peanut Butter Protein Balls

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I’m a big fan of sneaking protein into sweet treats, from protein mug cakes to protein donuts and even protein pancakes, and this peanut butter protein balls recipe is on regular rotation at my house. It makes a filling, sweet snack with all the right textures — smooth and crunchy in every bite!

These no bake protein balls are made with just a few basic ingredients and are the ultimate treat for peanut butter lovers. It’s like a cross between peanut butter cookies and peanut butter fudge, in portable ball form. Make a batch to have on hand for healthy snacking when a craving strikes!

Why You’ll Love This Protein Balls Recipe

• Sweet peanut butter flavor
• Soft inside (similar to peanut butter fudge!) with crunchy outside
• Just 5 ingredients
• Easy no bake recipe
• Naturally keto, gluten-free, sugar-free, and packed with healthy fats
• Awesome as a post-workout snack, dessert, and even as fat bombs

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for protein peanut butter balls, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

• Peanut Butter – It’s important to use a thick peanut butter like this one — NOT a runny one! Also, use a salted peanut butter, or add 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon salt if yours is unsalted.
• Collagen Protein Powder – Look for a high quality collagen that is unflavored, like this one. Other unsweetened protein powders are also fine to use. You could also use a plant-based protein powder if you prefer a vegan option.
• Sweetener – I use Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend, which works best in this recipe because it gives the balls sweet flavor without any aftertaste and dissolves well without making them gritty. Other powdered sweeteners can work — see my sugar substitute guide for different types. Keep in mind that you may need to reduce the sweetener if you don’t use Besti, because it dissolves into the peanut butter more than other sweeteners would. Powdered sugar works as well, but is not a healthy option that I’d recommend. Avoid liquid sweeteners, like honey or maple syrup, as they would make the mixture too runny.
• Vanilla – Use a high quality vanilla extract to bring out the sweetness in these no bake peanut butter protein balls.
• Peanuts – We’re rolling these protein bites in chopped peanuts to make them easier to handle and to add crunch. Give them a good chop in the food processor or with a sharp knife. You can also try other nuts and seeds like chia seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, or cashews.

How To Make Peanut Butter Protein Balls

This section shows how to make protein balls with peanut butter, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

1. Mix the dough. Combine peanut butter, collagen powder, Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend, and vanilla in a powerful blender or food processor. Process until uniform, scraping down the sides as necessary.

TIP: If the mixture is too runny, you can add more sweetener and protein powder in equal amounts.

The consistency of the mixture will vary depending on how thick your peanut butter is. You want the mixture to be dense, but not so dry that it can’t be pressed together.

2. Freeze. Put dough in the freezer until it’s firmer and less sticky.
3. Roll. Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out balls of dough and then roll in your hands.

TIP: Use cold hands to make the rolling process easier.

You can do this by washing your hands with cold water.

4. Coat. Roll the formed balls into chopped peanuts to coat. Place the homemade protein balls on a baking sheet after rolling each one.
5. Enjoy or chill. You can enjoy this peanut butter treat right away, but for a firmer texture, refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Recipe Variations

The base recipe for peanut buttter protein balls needs just 5 ingredients, but you can easily customize them with different add-ins:

• Chocolate Chip – My favorite to use are these sugar-free dark chocolate chips. You can roll them on the outside instead of chopped peanuts, or stir them into the peanut butter mixture.
• Peanut-Free – If you have a peanut allergy or don’t like them, you can swap the peanut butter with almond butter or sunflower seed butter and the peanuts for almonds (or any other low carb nuts). Most nut butters are more runny, so you’ll need to add more sweetener and protein powder to make the mixture firm enough.
• Chocolate – Replace 1-2 tablespoons of the collagen powder with cocoa powder.
• Coconut – Roll these homemade balls in unsweetened coconut flakes instead of (or in addition to) the chopped peanuts.
• Cinnamon – Add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to the peanut butter mixture as a starting point and adjust to taste.
• Dried Fruit – You can fold in dried cranberries or raisins, just keep in mind that these will increase the sugar content.

Storage Instructions

• Store: Keep the balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
• Freeze: You can freeze no bake protein balls for 3-4 months. Arrange them on a parchment paper lined sheet pan in a single layer and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. They will be firmer out of the freezer, if you prefer that texture.

More Protein Recipes

If you like these protein peanut butter snacks, you might also like some of these other protein recipes:

Protein Muffins

Protein Ice Cream

Protein Waffles

Bliss Balls

Recipe Card

4.92 from 34 votes

Peanut Butter Protein Balls

By Maya Krampf

You'll love this no bake peanut butter protein balls recipe! They are crunchy on the outside, fudgy inside, and need just 5 ingredients.

Prep: 15 minutes

Freezing Time: 20 minutes

Total: 35 minutes

Servings: 24 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

[ See substitutions ]

U.S. – Metric

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

• 1 cup Peanut butter (salted, sugar-free, thick & creamy, not runny) ▢
• 3/4 cup Collagen protein powder ▢
• 3/4 cup Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend ▢
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract ▢
• 1/2 cup Peanuts (chopped) ▢

Instructions

[ See step photos ]

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

1. Combine the peanut butter, protein powder, sweetener, and vanilla in a powerful blender or food processor. Process until uniform, scraping down the sides as necessary. The mixture should be very dense, but able to be pressed together. If it's too thin, you can add more protein powder and/or sweetener to taste.

2. Freeze the dough for about 20 minutes to make the mixture firmer and less sticky.

3. Use a small cookie scoop (or a spoon) to grab balls of dough. Roll into balls, preferably using cold hands (wash them with cold water first).

4. Roll protein balls in chopped peanuts to coat the outside. You can enjoy them right away, or refrigerate for 20 minutes to make them firmer. Keep refrigerated.

Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 peanut butter ball

📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Ebook Bundle!

Nutrition Facts

Amounts per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 96

Fat 6.8g

Protein 6.3g

Total Carbs 2.5g

Net Carbs 1.5g

Fiber 1g

Sugar 0.4g

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.

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