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GET IT NOWI’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.
- 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.
- Freeze. Put dough in the freezer until it’s firmer and less sticky.
- 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.
- Coat. Roll the formed balls into chopped peanuts to coat. Place the homemade protein balls on a baking sheet after rolling each one.
- 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:
Recommended Tools
- Food Processor – You’ll need one to get the best consistency for this protein ball recipe!
- Small Cookie Scoop – This one partitions out the PB ball mixture perfectly.
Peanut Butter Protein Balls
By
You'll love this no bake peanut butter protein balls recipe! They are crunchy on the outside, fudgy inside, and need just 5 ingredients.
Instructions
[ See step photos ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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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.
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Freeze the dough for about 20 minutes to make the mixture firmer and less sticky.
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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).
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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!
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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Peanut Butter Protein Balls
72 Comments
Gina
1Love these as an easy snack when I’m on the go. The collagen is a great addition for some staying power!
ELK
0When I hear “fudgy on the inside,” I’m thinking chocolate. Did an ingredient get left off the recipe? If not, maybe you could revise the recipe to include a fudgy center. Now that sounds really delicious!!
Thanks for all your hard work!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi there, This recipe is not chocolate. Fudgy is more of a texture than a flavor, although it’s certainly most common with chocolate, there are other types of fudge as well. You might like my buckeye recipe that includes both peanut butter and chocolate, or my chocolate fat bombs or sugar free truffles for actual chocolate flavor.
Suzie
0Hi Maya! Do you think Smuckers natural creamy peanut butter would work? We try to avoid palm oil. 🙃
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Suzie, Sorry, I don’t think it would as is because it’s too runny compared to the kind I used. You might be able to make it work with extra collagen and Besti to compensate.
Donna
0These were delicious and I made them tonight and I tried one right away but I put them in the fridge so I am sure they will be good tomorrow.
Wholesome Yum D
0Donna, love that you couldn’t wait to try one fresh! They’ll be just as tasty after chilling.
Laura
0Made these for a meeting at church and they were a big hit.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0That’s great to hear, Laura! Thank you.
Wendy
0Maya,
Do you think that if I use PB2, it would be thick enough? Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Wendy, Yes, I think so as long as you mix it to be a thick consistency similar to regular thick, creamy peanut butter.
Wanda Bobo
0First time I’ve made these Peanut Butter Protein Balls. They are delicious. I had some mixed nuts that I diced up to roll them in. Had a little mixture left of them so used dark chocolate chips and rolled the dough around them. Taste of both nuts and chocolate chips were Great.
Renee Pritchett
0Can I substitute egg white protein powder for the collagen protein powder?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Renee, Yes, you can do that.
Betty
0These peanut butter balls are QUITE NICE. Thaw enough from frozen in just a few minutes. Love how fast & easy they are to make. On repeat definitely.
Rebecca Nilan
0Have made these several times and everyone loves them. Delicious!
Addison
0These peanut butter balls are the best little snack! I love having them for breakfast or dessert.
Lindsey
0These little p.b. protein bites were fantastic! I made them as a post-AM workout snack but I had to keep myself from going back for more in the afternoon!
Kelli
0Oh my goodness, you must try this Peanut Butter Protein Balls recipe from Wholesome Yum! Let me tell you, these little bites of heaven are my new go-to snack. And the best part? They’re a no-bake recipe! Crunchy on the outside, fudgy on the inside, and made with just 5 simple ingredients – It’s hard to believe that something so easy to make could be so delicious and satisfying. I’ve been taking them to work as a mid-morning snack and they keep me going until lunchtime. Plus, they’re packed with protein, which is a bonus for anyone trying to fuel their body with healthy nutrients. Trust me, you need to make these Peanut Butter Protein Balls ASAP! Your taste buds will thank you.
Claire
0I made these as a snack for my teenagers to grab when they are running late for the bus and haven’t had breakfast. I made a mistake and told them about them! They are all gone and we haven’t got to Monday morning yet! I am not surprised though as they really were delicious, and easy to make!! I’ve told them they can make the next batch. Great recipe, thank you.
Sylvia
0Hi. I made this tonight. I mixed the first 4 ingredients, but noticed it was too powdery, not enough wet to roll. I melted 4 tbsp of unsalted butter and worked it into the mixture. Then I was able to roll them easily into balls. I did not roll the balls in peanuts, as I wanted as few carbs as possible. I tasted the mixture before freezing and it tasted ok, thank you.
Jenny
0Love them!! Delicious and easy to make. The only hard part will not be eating several at a time!
Carol Cotterall Groat
0Lakanto monk fruit company got back to me in regards to my question about using the classic version instead of the powdered and I just had to mix it for quite long in my food processor and they are delicious! Hopefully this will help someone else!
Carol
0After I mixed the ingredients together and they weren’t smooth to roll into balls I reread the recipe and realized I used regular monk fruit sweetener, not the powdered version. How do I fix it?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Carol, You may be able to add a little more peanut butter and protein powder to make them a little more sturdy.
Janet
0What alternative could I use instead of the collagen powder. For health reasons, my doctor does not want me to use much collagen.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Janet, You could use a different type of protein powder.
Renay
0I was amazed at the ease to prepare this. This is awesome! I also like the fact that it is relatively inexpensive. More recipes like this, please!