No-bake Energy Balls are the ultimate no-bake snack I always have the ingredients for and great for meal prep or on-the-go fuel.
I always have these Energy Bites in my fridge.
I always have these Energy Bites in my fridge.They’re my go-to snack for busy days because they’re so easy to whip up; 5-minutes with ingredients I always have on hand! Plus no baking, no fuss, and only one bowl to wash. I like to start with the base recipe for these protein balls, and then mix in whatever I want—protein powder, chopped almonds, raisins, craisins, even butterscotch chips if I’m craving something sweet. You can use any nut butter you like, or even sunflower butter to make them allergy-friendly. My family loves them and I feel good knowing they’re getting a wholesome snack.
A note about the oats: We use a mix of rolled oats and steel cut oats in this recipe. The rolled oats give a soft, chewy texture, while the steel cut oats add a satisfying crunch and a boost of fiber and protein. No need to cook them first—they’ll soften as they chill with the rest of the ingredients.
Want more healthy snacks? Try my Protein Bars, Chocolate Overnight Oats, Applesauce, or Healthy Banana Muffins!
How to make Energy Balls:
Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix until well incorporated. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before forming into balls (if the mixture is too dry, you can add a little more nut butter or honey to help it bind).
Scoop: Use a cookie scoop to make 1 or 2 inch uniform balls then gently roll them with your hands. You can wet your hands with water or spray lightly with cooking spray to make the rolling easier. Enjoy, refrigerate or freeze.
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Recipe
Energy Balls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (100g)
- 1 cup steel cut oats (176g)
- 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut (60g)
- 1 cup crispy rice cereal (25g), like Rice Krispies or crushed rice chex
- 1 cup peanut butter (258g), or other nut butter)
- 1 cup ground flaxseed (120g)
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips (113g)
- 3/4 cup honey (255g)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (10mL)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 cup steel cut oats, ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut, 1 cup crispy rice cereal, 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup ground flaxseed, 2/3 cup chocolate chips, ¾ cup honey, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before forming into 1-2 inch balls. (If the mixture isn't holding together well enough you can add a little more nut butter or honey to help it bind). Keep refrigerated for an easy snack on the go.
- Feel free to include other “add-ins” like chopped almonds, raisins, etc.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, depending on freshness of your ingredients.
Notes
- Add dried fruit: dates, raisins, or anything you like.
- Higher protein: add 1 scoop of protein powder (any flavor) and about 1 Tablespoon more honey to ensure they aren't dry or crumbly.
- Add nuts: Add chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans.
- Without flaxseed: Replace flaxseed with an extra ½ cup oats or cereal.
- Nut Butter: Swap out the peanut butter for almond butter or any nut butter. You may also use sunflower butter for anyone with a nut allergy!
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe March 2017. Updated July 2020, January 2022, and July 2025.
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I want to make these today, they look amazing! Is the serving size 1 ball? I’m cutting calories and need to know how many calories are in each ball. It says 30 servings, but not how much that serving is. Thank you 🙂
yes
I have made this quite a few times since you first published it. In fact, there are some in my freezer right now. I recently had surgery on my esophagus, and I am really looking forward to being past the soft food stage so that I can eat these again. I use mini chocolate chips, as I am not overly fond of chocolate.
Hi. Would this recipe work using all rolled oats instead of steel cut?
Yes, sure.
What can I use in place of the honey? My housemate is allergic to honey…
I’m going to try agave when I make it, I’m not a huge honey fan.
Outstanding. I’ve made several energy balls from recipes I’ve found online. This one, by far, is the best.
The crunch from the rice crispies are a game changer!
I also added 1/4 cup of chia seeds.
We LOVE these energy bites. I now make them for anyone who just had a baby because postpartum hunger is intense! I have started printing off the recipe for each mom because every time I made them for someone they wanted the recipe. Just made a big batch for the freezer today!
I make these often but not this recipe. I actually tried this recipe for the first time and GAME CHANGER according to my husband! He says that I cannot make any other recipe but this one. I will say that I didn’t have any steel cut oats and I was so hungry for them that night that I couldn’t wait until I did so I improvised with Fiber One All Bran Cereal and it worked, they were fabulous. I even wondered if a scoop of instant coffee would bring these to a whole other level of greatness to change the flavor up??
Great to hear that you tried our energy ball recipe and it was a hit, especially with your husband! We’re always happy to hear about delicious improvisations like the one you did with the Fiber One All Bran Cereal. That’s the beauty of cooking, you can always make it your own. As for adding instant coffee, that’s a great idea! It’s always fun to experiment with different flavors and ingredients. We can’t wait to try it ourselves and see how it turns out. Thank you for sharing your experience with our recipe, and we’re so glad it worked out for you! 🤗👨🍳
I see these referred to as “energy” bars but I don’t see any caffeine or similar ingredient that give energy (other than protein, sugar, etc). I’m looking for a grab-n-go breakfast snack that DOES have an energy component for my early-morning college student who doesn’t drink coffee (and I’d rather he not reach for energy drinks). Is there an ingredient I can add that will give an added energy boost?
Hi Rebecca, You could add a scoop of caffeine powder to the mixture!
We LOVE these! I don’t anyways have cereal on hand, so we swap with crushed graham crackers. The kids gobble them up!
This recipe is so handy for quick snacks and packed lunches. All my kids really like these, and they are so easy to pop it straight from the freezer into a lunchbox as a favorite protein source and treat. I have made this recipe several times and they have always come together really well. I’ve had issues with recipes like it being too crumbly, but not this recipe. It’s a keeper!