As part of my weekly meal prep, I love making these No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls as one of my favourite healthy, grab-and-go snacks to stash in the fridge. Made with just 5 simple ingredients, they're super tasty, easily customizable, and a great energy boost. And the best part? All you need is a mixing bowl.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
When I first learned about these energy balls, I knew I had to give them a try because of just how ridiculously easy they are to make with no baking required. Whenever I take a stroll through the snack aisles of grocery stores, I often see shelves full of processed foods with refined sugars and artificial additives. The ones that are promoted as "healthier" are often either expensive to buy or don't taste that great. So when I tried these homemade energy balls for the first time, I was blown away. Why?
- Ridiculously tasty - these taste SO incredibly good - trust me, you'll be pleasantly surprised how addictive they are.
- Sweet-tooth cravings - these balls are nutty and sweet, satisfying those cravings in a healthier way than grabbing a brownie, cake, or chocolate bar.
- No baking required - no equipment required other than a mixing bowl! Anyone can make this - even if you have zero kitchen skills.
- Meal prep - the perfect snack to meal prep ahead of time. I prep a batch of these to keep in the fridge for the week ahead.
- Healthy and wholesome ingredients - made with whole foods and nutritious ingredients, this saves me from snacking on unhealthy processed foods.
- Kid-friendly - not only will your kids love these (and keep them away from the typical processed junk food snacks), but it's so easy and fun that they're going to want to help you make them as well.
- Common household ingredients - most of the ingredients in this recipe are things you probably already have at home in your kitchen or pantry, making it super accessible for anyone to make.
- Easy to customize - one of the best things about energy balls is how easy they are to customize with your favourite ingredients to create fun and unique flavour combos.
Ingredients
See recipe card below for exact quantities.
- Oats - I prefer using old-fashioned rolled oats for a chewier texture, but quick oats work just fine as well for a softer texture. Steel cut oats won't work for this no-bake recipe.
- Natural peanut butter - you'll want to use nut butter that's creamy, drippy and runny because of how easy it is to mix and stir in with the other ingredients. Other types of nut butter will work (almond, cashew, etc) as will seed butters for those with nut allergies (such as sunflower seed butter).
- Honey - any sticky sweetener will work as well (such as maple syrup) to add sweetness and help the ingredients bind together.
- Ground flaxseed - to add a boost of nutrition and healthy fats, along with adding dryness to the mixture. You can also use hemp seeds or chia seeds for a more gritty texture.
- Vanilla extract - for a boost of vanilla flavour - a little goes a long way!
- Pinch of salt - to help bring out the flavours and make them pop.
Add-Ins and Toppings
There are so many ingredients that you can use as add-ins and toppings.
- Coconut flakes - you can either mix these right in to the batter, or dump them onto a plate to roll and coat the balls in.
- Chocolate chips - one of my favourite sweet mix-ins - mini-sized chips work best here.
- Dried fruits - I love using raisins, dried cranberries, or dried blueberries to add some delicious sweetness.
- Nuts and seeds - gives each bite a little crunchy texture while adding some nutritious healthy fats and other nutrients. I like crushed almonds, hemp hearts, and chia seeds - but use your favourite kinds!
- Spices - cinnamon and nutmeg are wonderful add-ins for a warm and cozy vibe.
- Cocoa powder - for a rich, chocolatey taste.
Instructions
STEP 1: Add ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Start by mixing all of the dry ingredients separately first, and then mix in the wet ingredients.
STEP 2: Give it all a good, thorough mix until everything is well combined.
STEP 3: Check to see if the mixture is easily mouldable into a ball. If it's too loose and wet, add a small amount of dry ingredients (such as oats or seeds). If it's too dry and crumbly, add a splash of water or honey. Mix again until you get the right consistency.
STEP 4: Roll the mixture into roughly 1-inch balls - you should end up with about 16 balls, depending on the size you make. You can scoop the batter using a cookie scoop to speed things up, and then mould the balls by rolling them in your hands.
STEP 5: Line the balls onto a plate or baking tray lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for about 1 hour to let them firm up.
STEP 6: When they're ready, take them out and enjoy!
Storage
You can store these in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just make sure to use a sealable container or freezer bag for optimal freshness and to prevent freezer burn. These Rubbermaid containers are my go-to containers for meal prep - they're freezer safe and have a sturdy sealable lid.
Toasty's Tips
- Mix in your favourite ingredients to create your own unique flavours - whether it's ground cinnamon, crushed nuts and seeds, or chocolate chips.
- Coat the balls by rolling them in cocoa powder or coconut flakes for a yummy exterior!
- When rolling the mixture into balls, keep a small bowl of water nearby to dip your hands into. Wetting your hands before rolling helps prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands. Or, use food-safe gloves!
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the balls out onto a baking tray - this will speed up the process and make sure you end up with similarly sized balls.
- If you wish to make larger quantities, simply scale up the ingredients (i.e. doubling or tripling them) to enjoy with friends and family.
- Ideal for snacking, and also for breakfast (with some yogurt and sliced fruit)!
FAQ
What do I do if the mixture is too wet and loose, or dry and crumbly to mould into balls?
When moulding the mixture into balls, it should stick together without falling apart. If it's too dry and crumbly, try adding some liquid such as water or honey and mixing again, one tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency that makes it easy to mould. If it's too wet and loose, try adding some more dry ingredients such as oats, nuts, or seeds.
Can I add protein powder to these energy balls?
Absolutely! I love adding in protein powder for a boost of protein - I prefer using unsweetened and unflavoured protein so that I can customize the flavour myself, but you can use whatever you like. Just keep in mind that whenever you add any sort of dry ingredients like protein powder, you'll need to offset it by adding some wet ingredients too, depending on how much you use. So if you find the mixture too dry and crumbly to mould, try adding either water or honey, one tablespoon at a time until you reach the right texture.
I'm allergic to nuts. Do I have to use nut butter?
There are some fantastic nut-free alternatives that you can use as substitutes for nut butter. Seed butters are probably the most popular - sunflower butter, pumpkin seed butter, and tahini are just a few examples! They all offer a similar nutty flavour and creamy texture to nut butter, and work great in this recipe.
Other Energy Ball Flavours to Try
📖 Recipe
No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
Suggested Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ½ cup natural peanut butter
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- salt - pinch
Instructions
- Add ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Start by mixing all of the dry ingredients separately first, and then mix in the wet ingredients.
- Give it all a good, thorough mix until everything is well combined.
- Check to see if the mixture is easily mouldable into a ball. If it's too loose and wet, add a small amount of dry ingredients (such as oats or seeds). If it's too dry and crumbly, add a splash of water or honey. Mix again until you get the right consistency.
- Roll the mixture into roughly 1-inch balls - you should end up with about 16 balls, depending on the size you make. You can scoop the batter using a cookie scooper to speed things up, and then mould the balls by rolling them in your hands.
- Line the balls onto a plate or baking tray lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for about 1 hour to let them firm up.
- When they're ready, take them out and enjoy!
Notes
- Video: Watch the step-by-step video tutorial here.
- Storage: You can store these in the fridge for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Make sure to use a sealable container for freshness.
- Mix in your favourite ingredients to create your own unique flavours - whether it's ground cinnamon, crushed nuts and seeds, or chocolate chips.
- Coat the balls by rolling them in cocoa powder or coconut flakes for a yummy exterior!
- When rolling the mixture into balls, keep a small bowl of water nearby to dip your hands into. Wetting your hands before rolling helps prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands. Or, use food-safe gloves!
- Use a cookie scooper to portion the balls out onto a baking tray - this will speed up the process and make sure you end up with similarly sized balls.
- If you wish to make larger quantities, simply scale up the ingredients (i.e. doubling or tripling them) to enjoy with friends and family.
- Ideal for snacking, and also for breakfast (with some yogurt and sliced fruit)!
STEP-BY-STEP VIDEO
You can find step-by-step video tutorials for all of my recipes on my YouTube Channel. There you'll find many more tips and tricks to help you along!
Nutrition
Note: Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Savannah says
These are absolutely delicious!! I used half ground flax seed, half hemp hearts, totaling 1/4 cup as recommended. Also added 1.5 teaspoon cinnamon because I'm on a cinnamon kick. I did need to add one extra teaspoon of honey, probably because of the cinnamon. These are super, super good!! I do have a question though. Do they have to be refrigerated? I really like the room temperature texture. Thank you.
Toasty says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you loved them (and I love that cinnamon kick idea)! 😊
To answer your question: while I do recommend refrigerating these for optimal shelf life, they don’t have to be refrigerated if you’re eating them within a couple of days. But refrigeration does help them stay fresh longer and hold their shape better, especially in warmer temps or if you’ve added ingredients like natural peanut butter or flax.
If you prefer the softer texture at room temp, you can totally store a few in a sealed container on the counter for a couple of days and keep the rest in the fridge or freezer for later. That way you get the best of both worlds!
Savannah says
I didn't think of that!! Thank you!!
Toasty says
You're very welcome! Enjoy! 🙂