Energy Balls Recipe {Master Mix!}

Energy balls are one of my absolute favorite healthy snacks! Filled with healthy fats, good carbs and protein for well-rounded (no pun intended) little energy bites.

Everyone needs a good energy balls recipe and I’ve created the perfect guide for you to make your own flavors…

I’m talking a MASTER MIX where you use the same main ingredients for one recipe, then change up the flavors by using your favorite mix-ins and/or nut butters.

No bake energy balls are great for meal prep, road trips, filling the freezer and helping out postpartum moms too.

The Master Mix Main Ingredients

For these oatmeal energy balls, the main ingredients needed are:

ROLLED OATS – Also known as “old fashioned rolled oats”. Make sure to use certified gluten-free rolled oats as needed.

NUT BUTTER OR SEED BUTTER – peanut butter, cashew butter, almond butter, tahini, sunflower seed butter, or really a mix of any of these will work. You just want to make sure you’re using a creamy variety, and one with minimally added ingredients. For example, if you’re buying store-bought, look for a nut butter with nuts listed as the first and main ingredient. Depending on the brand and nut butter, some may include added oils. I usually purchase no salt added as well.

CHIA SEEDS OR MILLED FLAXSEED – chia seeds and milled flaxseed are my go-to for no bake energy balls. The main recipe calls for two tablespoons (or chia seeds or ground flaxseed), so you could also do one tablespoon of each.

STICKY SWEETENER – honey, maple syrup or something with a similar consistency. Use maple syrup to keep these vegan as needed.

MIX-INS – You’ll want to use about 3/4 cup total for your mix-ins. You can divide this between two mix-ins, as I did with most of the flavors in this post.

A One Bowl Recipe

Energy balls can be made in one bowl and they’re so easy to make.

I typically like to first mix together the nut butter with the sweetener, then add in the rolled oats, chia seeds and whatever mix-ins are being used.

It’s easiest to stir if you have a large wooden spoon or a sturdy silicone spatula.

Storing

You can keep these energy balls in the fridge up to two weeks, or store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To freeze, place energy balls on parchment lined baking sheet and put the tray in the freezer for 30 minutes before adding to a storage bag.

If putting straight in the fridge, it’s best to store them in one layer but they’ll be fine if stacked in two layers.

FAQs

Can I change the ratio of ingredients? It is not recommended to change the ratio of ingredients here or the energy balls may be too wet or too dry and not hold together. For the mix-ins, you can use up to 3/4 cup. For example, if you’re using sprinkles or mini chocolate chips, I don’t recommend using more than 1/2 cup for those unless you want lots of sprinkles and chips in every bite.

Can I use quick oats? It’s best to stick with rolled oats for this recipe. If quick oats is all you have on hand, you could probably make it work but you may only need 3/4 cup.

Can I add protein powder? It depends on which type of protein powder. If you want to use about 1/4 cup of collagen peptides or whey protein, you shouldn’t need to add other ingredients. If you’re looking to use a plant protein powder, you will likely want to add a few splashes of water and maybe even a tablespoon of melted coconut oil to help absorb the protein powder so the mixture doesn’t get too dry. I wouldn’t add more than 1/3 cup plant protein.

Can I make this nut free? You can definitely make these energy balls nut free by using sunflower seed butter, pumpkin seed butter or tahini, but tahini is a very strong and distinct flavor so keep that in mind if you want to use that.