Get in a boost of caffeine with these Dirty Chai Energy Balls. Rolled oats and your favorite nut butter are the primary ingredients, so no food processor needed! Gluten free and vegan friendly.
Yes, we are going there… chai + espresso= DIRTY CHAI.
And we are making this traditional coffee drink in ENERGY BALL FORM. Because energy balls are one of the best and easiest snacks out there.
So if you love coffee, chai spices and are ready for a delicious snack, let’s put it all together.
An Easy Oat Energy Balls Recipe
No bake energy balls are a great healthy snack for work, picnics, hikes, pre-workout snacks, you name it! This one is easy to make and requires less than 10 ingredients!
Ingredients List
- rolled oats – I prefer using rolled oats for energy ball recipes. If using quick oats, you might need to compensate with some coconut oil or extra nut butter.
- nut butter – chai spiced, for extra credit.
- sticky sweetener – honey, brown rice syrup or similar consistency.
- espresso powder – or instant coffee.
- chai spices – use my homemade DIY spice blend!
- chia seeds – for healthy fats, fiber and it helps keep the energy balls together a bit better.
- cacao nibs or mini chocolate chips – because who doesn’t love a little chocolate in energy bites.
- vanilla extract – for a little flavor.
Tools
- Large bowl
- sturdy spatula or large spoon
- measuring cups and spoons
- parchment paper
- baking sheet
How to Make Chai Energy Balls
First mix together dry ingredients – oats, chai spices, chia seeds, espresso and cacao nibs or chocolate chips if using.
Add in honey and nut butter, using a large spoon or sturdy silicone spatula to combine.
Pop the mixture in the fridge for about 20 minutes for easier ball rolling.
Use a rounded tablespoon or small cookie scoop for size consistency and easier rolling, and place each ball on parchment lined baking sheet.
Tips for Storing
Evenly space out the energy balls on the baking sheet and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes before adding to a storage container or bag. This way the balls are really cold and won’t stick together once you store in the fridge.
Energy balls in the fridge will last a couple of weeks.
You can also keep these chai energy balls in the freezer, up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw in fridge before enjoying.
Recipe Notes
ESPRESSO – I’ve made these a couple times now and played around with the amount of espresso powder used. The first time I did 2 TBS, which I thought was a little heavy. But if you LOVE espresso or black coffee, you may want that much. The second time around I did about 1 TBS plus 1 teaspoon and thought that was a good amount. If using instant coffee, you might want a little more.
OR guess what? If you don’t like coffee but really love chai, just leave out the espresso.
CHAI FLAVOR – Same goes for the chai-haters. If you’re not a fan of cardamom and all that jazz, you can leave out a majority of the spices but I would recommend leaving some cinnamon to balance out the bold espresso taste.
PROTEIN BOOST – I opted not to add protein powder to these chai energy balls. If you think you want to add a scoop or two, you will likely need to compensate by adding a couple tablespoons (or possibly more) of liquid, especially if using plant based protein powder. Just keep in mind that you want a consistency of being able to roll and hold the bites together without them being crumbly.
More Healthy Energy Ball Recipes
- Blueberry Coconut Oat Energy Balls
- Peanut Butter & Jelly Oat Energy Balls
- Chocolate Espresso Tahini Energy Balls
- Cherry Chocolate Chip Energy Balls
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and review below! It helps others learn about the recipe and I appreciate your feedback!
How to Make…
Dirty Chai Energy Balls
Get in a boost of caffeine with these Dirty Chai Energy Balls. Rolled oats and your favorite nut butter are the primary ingredients, so no food processor needed! Gluten-free and vegan-friendly.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 18–20 1x
- Scale:
Ingredients
Energy Balls
- 1 1/4 cups gluten-free rolled oats
- 1 TBS espresso powder (use 1/2 TBS for less flavor, or up to 1.5 TBS for stronger taste)
- 1 TBS chia seeds
- 1/2 cup creamy natural nut or seed butter (I used homemade)
- 1/3 cup honey or brown rice syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 TBS cacao nibs (or mini chocolate chips)
homemade chai spice blend
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cardamom
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp all spice
- 1/8 ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine oats, chai spice blend, espresso powder, chia seeds and cacao nibs/ mini chocolate chips..
- Add in nut butter, honey or brown rice syrup, and vanilla extract. Use sturdy spatula or spoon to combine.
- Once ingredients have come together, place bowl in freezer for about 10 minutes (or fridge for 20 minutes). The cold mixture will make forming the energy balls a lot easier.
- Using a tablespoon, scoop mixture into rounded balls and roll between palms to shape. You should get roughly 18-20 balls. Enjoy with your morning chai or coffee!
Recipes Notes:
Store balls in container in fridge for about 2-3 weeks. Balls also keep well in freezer in airtight container for about 3-4 months. Nutrition approx, based on 18 servings using cacao nibs.
Nutrition Information:
- Serving Size: 1 ball
- Calories: 86
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 31
- Fat: 5
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 9
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 0
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Ashley @ The Small Town Foodie says
These look heavenly. I seriously need to try them ASAP. My boyfriend leaves for work at 5am, so I keep getting myself up at that time and doing my workout in the morning! I totally agree.. it makes such a difference in how I feel the rest of the day.
Jenn - a traveling Wife says
Yes, please! Chai lattes are my absolute favorite. I used to make my own homemade chai spice and add it to my vanilla protein powder. I haven’t done that in a while and now I’m wondering why?! 🙂
Ashley says
Oh I think I need to make a container of homemade chai spices too because I’ve been using it in everything! And I keep having to get out al of my spices and keep putting them back :-p
Macy @ Paleo Crumbs says
These look delicious! and that mug is supper cute!
Macy @ Paleo Crumbs says
* super not supper! haha
Ana says
I did this recipe and was amazing! energy balls are my fav thing ever.
★★★★★
Ashley says
Aw thank you so much for letting me know Ana!! So glad you enjoyed them <3
Pal says
You definitely need to like a pretty spicy chai… I may leave out the cloves and allspice next round. I’m glad I used some dark chocolate chips to balance out the flavor! Should I try peanut butter next time instead of almond butter…. would that be weird?! LOVE YOU.
★★★★
Ashley says
Hahaha yes they are kind of spicy… oops! I’ll have to add that to the notes 😉
PB would probably just as amazing…. LY thanks for the feedback! <3
Whittney says
Could I use fresh fine ground coffee?
Ashley says
Hmmm you know I have never tried that. I suppose you could? It might be a touch more bitter though since you’d be eating the actual ground bean. Where espresso powder is actually concentrated coffee crystals that would dissolve in liquid. I’m not sure if that helps you make sure your decision or not. Let me know! 🙂
Elyssa says
so excited to make these! it says nutritional info is listed but I don’t see it. mind passing it on?
Ashley says
Hi Elyssa! Sorry about the mix up there – I am now using a new recipe card and that data didn’t transfer over. Approximately the info is as follows: 1 muffin Calories: 170. Fat: 9. Carbohydrates: 16. Sugar: 8. Fiber: 2. Protein: 7
Let me know if you make them! 🙂
Elyssa says
I made them and love them! They are perfect for morning gym sessions! thanks so much!
Ashley says
Awesome! I love them as a workout snack as well. Thank you for your comment and letting me know, Elyssa!
Carmen says
Delicious, thanks so much! I added 1 tablespoon of soy protein powder and I didn’t find it too dry at all – in fact I skipped the refrigeration step.
Ashley says
Awesome! Thanks so much for your comment and feedback!
Sara Swan says
This recipe is amazing! I absolutely love it. I doubled up on it and it worked out great. I also cut the cardamom in half in the chai spice mix because I find cardamom quite strong. My husband ate 5 right away and really liked them. I have a feeling I’ll be making them monthly.
★★★★★
Ashley says
Yay! So glad to hear it 😀 Thanks for sharing, Sara!
Melissa says
They are delish!
★★★★★