Gluten Free Protein Balls | No Bake Peanut Butter Vitality Bites

Prep Time : 15 minutes minutes

Prepare dinner Time : 0 minutes minutes

Hold your loved ones energized all through the day with these gluten free peanut butter vitality bites. Tasty and wholesome, these protein bites make an important snack.

Bounce to Recipe

These no-bake gluten free protein balls are scrumptious, satisfying, and simple to make. Home made, protein balls prices about 20¢ every to make—and may cost a little you about $1.79 every to purchase (no joke).

If your loved ones is at all times hungry, like mine appears to be, these bites are the proper snack to have round. They’re even nice for breakfast on the go.

What makes these protein balls particular

I had been making these peanut butter protein balls for months and months (and taking them in all places with me) earlier than I even considered sharing the recipe with anybody. They’re so useless easy that when folks requested for the recipe, I simply recited it from reminiscence as finest I may.

I largely make them utilizing hemp seeds, that are so protein-packed it is ridiculous. Once I began making them, nobody may fairly be anticipated to seek out hemp seeds, so I figured the recipe wasn’t price sharing.

However then, as usually occurs, I spied with my little eye a package deal of hulled hemp seeds at my native Dealer Joe’s. And identical to that, it was time to share!

What’s particular about these gluten free protein balls?

I am not exaggerating once I let you know that I make these protein balls each month of the yr. The big glass jar you see within the picture above (and within the video) is one I preserve stocked with these vitality snacks (okay, typically cookies) as usually as attainable. And my entire household actually misses them when the final one within the jar is eaten!

There aren’t many elements in them, and though they comprise sugar (honey is sugar, in any case), the oats, coconut, and seeds are pure well being meals. Only one chew comprises 6 grams of protein, and satisfying sufficient to get me by way of the afternoon stoop.

Even when my children have been nonetheless hitting progress spurts that emptied the cabinets recurrently, three protein balls have been normally sufficient to tide them over. And so they beat a handful of Oreos any day!

As a substitute for the bite-sized vitality snack state of affairs, I even have the proper recipe for do-it-yourself protein bars. They’re made with oats and protein powder, and there are many completely different taste variations. Someway, they’ve the feel of a brownie.

Gluten free protein ball elements listing

• Quaint rolled oats – If you cannot have oats, strive selecting a substitute for oats.
• Coconut flakes – a scrumptious, nutritious binder stuffed with wholesome fat
• Hemp seeds – I like these, however you can too strive chia, hulled sunflower, pumpkin, or flax seeds
• Oat flour – I simply grind oats myself to make this flour
• Salt – a should for balancing all of the completely different flavors
• Peanut butter – easy, no-mix peanut butter works finest; pure peanut butter is normally too runny
• Honey – or maple syrup – helps to bind the recipe elements whereas including a contact of sweetness
• Vanilla extract – only a bit provides such massive taste
• Mini chocolate chips – add extra sweetness with out taking these overboard

These gluten free protein balls will be no-bake (in order for you it to be)

This actually is a no-bake recipe whenever you make it as written. However I can not inform a lie: I virtually at all times toast the oats, coconut, and seeds in a 300°F oven for about quarter-hour firstly.

You could not wish to placed on the oven for one thing that needs to be no-bake. However I’ve my oven on each single day of the yr (occupational hazard) anyway, summer season included.

Toasting the oats, coconut, and seeds actually does intensify and deepen the flavors. But when the oven merely is not an possibility, you would additionally strive toasting them on the stovetop in a cast-iron skillet simply till they scent aromatic.

These no bake peanut butter vitality bites are scrumptious, satisfying, and really easy to make. And so they’re naturally gluten free, too!

The way to make these peanut butter protein balls

Whether or not you select to toast the cumbersome elements (oats, coconut, seeds) or not, all this recipe requires is that you just place these elements, together with some salt and oat flour (simply oats floor in a meals processor or blender—I by no means purchase oat flour!) in a big bowl. Then, add the peanut butter and honey and blend.

The combination will probably be fairly thick. Simply preserve mixing and urgent down the combination with the again of a spoon to moisten the cumbersome elements with the peanut butter and honey. You need all the pieces to be thick and never gentle in order that the vitality bites maintain collectively effectively and preserve their form after you portion and roll them tightly.

Then, enable all the pieces to chill right down to room temperature (particularly should you’ve toasted the oats, and so forth. first) earlier than including the few miniature chocolate chips. In any other case, the chips will soften proper into the bites when blended and will not maintain their form.

I like utilizing miniature chocolate chips since only a few ounces of them go a protracted, good distance. Each single chew can have loads of chips, however not too many who we took one thing wholesome and made it into sweet.

Lastly, portion the combination with an ice cream scoop or your fingers and roll every portion tightly into balls between your palms. Place them within the fridge to sit back, then pile them right into a container with a lid. They’re prepared everytime you or your always-hungry household is!

Have the children assist make these gf bites

Critically, your children will love this vitality ball recipe as a lot as you do. They will like it much more should you allow them to make it easier to make these tasty treats.

These gluten free bites make good college snacks, and your children will probably be delighted once they discover them in lunch packing containers — they’re going to inform their associates all about how they helped!

Listed below are some suggestions for making this gluten free protein balls recipe with children:

• Be careful for warm elements – I like to toast my oats, shredded coconut, and seeds once I make these gf energy balls, however you’ll be able to skip this step to make this a really no-bake oatmeal vitality balls recipe. Must you determine to undergo with the toasting, simply make certain your elements have fully cooled earlier than letting the little ones deal with them.
• Wash fingers earlier than mixing and rolling – I do not see the necessity to use a meals processor to make these gluten free peanut butter balls — mixing by hand is slightly fast and simple. As kiddos might by accident lose their grip on the blending spoon (or purposely accomplish that to get a style of that yummy batter), be sure that they wash their fingers completely earlier than beginning.
• Don’t fret about making a large number – It is a truth of life that when you may have children within the kitchen, there’s going to be the potential for a large number. As you’ll be able to simply comprise this mess to a desk or counter, do not let this hassle you. This batter is completely secure for licking off fingers, and the elements will clear up simply with a moist sponge. After all, should you actually haven’t got the time for a large number, you can too plop the blended elements right into a pan, firmly flatten, after which refrigerate. After an hour, pull out the pan and use a knife to chop up some do-it-yourself vitality bars.

Extra suggestions for making gluten free protein balls

Use a cookie scoop for good parts

Eyeing up the protein bites dough and pinching off items is a wonderfully legit solution to divvy up the batter. However in order for you extra constant sizing throughout your gluten free vitality balls, use an ice cream or cookie scoop.

Refrigerate the dough earlier than rolling

I discover that it is a lot simpler to roll an vitality ball when the dough is chilly. In the event you discover that your combine is just too gentle to deal with, simply stick the blending bowl or portioned batter into the fridge for about half-hour. When it comes out, will probably be agency sufficient for simple dealing with.

The way to retailer your gluten free protein balls

Once I make these gluten free peanut butter protein balls, I normally double or triple the recipe to have a giant batch readily available. They will final roughly per week should you retailer them in an hermetic container in your kitchen counter.

If your loved ones does not inhale these yummy protein bites the way in which mine does, you’ll be able to prolong their life by storing them within the fridge as a substitute. You may preserve them in an hermetic container for about two weeks earlier than they begin to dry out.

In the event you’re a sluggish eater, engaged on portion management, or simply need easy accessibility to those peanut butter balls always, stick them within the freezer.

After I end getting ready them, I place the pan of vitality bites immediately into the freezer for about an hour so that they get very agency. I then switch the balls to a freezer-safe zip-top bag. Your gluten free peanut butter balls with oatmeal will final about three months within the freezer.

Gluten free peanut butter balls substitution & variation ideas

Peanut butter-free, gluten free bites

If you cannot have peanut butter, virtually another nut butter will do. Almond butter is the proper substitute, and cashew butter will make a extra neutral-flavored vitality chew.

The drippy, pure variety is absolutely too gentle and will not maintain the bites collectively very effectively. Go for the “no-stir” variety, by which the oil does not separate at room temperature.

Vegan, gluten free balls

If you wish to make these vegan or simply don’t love honey, you should utilize a mix of half maple syrup, half unsulphured molasses (like Grandma’s model). Maple syrup alone is just too skinny and never sticky sufficient to exchange honey.

Grain free, gluten free energy balls

In the event you do not wish to eat oats or you’ll be able to’t have them, strive changing the old style rolled oats with overwhelmed rice and the oat flour with quinoa flakes. We talk about this additional in our publish about find out how to substitute for oats in baking.

As a substitute of changing the oats on this recipe for protein balls, you may make a grain-free model. They’re stuffed with protein, too, simply with out the grains.

Instead of oats and oat flour, use twice as many coconut flakes, and a mix of varied uncooked nuts. I like to recommend utilizing no less than 1/2 cup cashews in that blend, since they are a gentle, delicate nut that helps bind collectively the opposite elements in an analogous solution to how the oat flour does within the oat-containing recipe under.

To make grain free protein balls, you will want a meals processor or the elements will probably be too giant to carry collectively as balls:

• 2 cups (240 g) assorted uncooked nuts (I like to recommend 1 cup (120 g) uncooked cashews + 1/2 cup (60 g) uncooked pecans + 1/2 cup (60 g) uncooked almonds; use no less than 1/2 cup cashews)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 cups (160 g) unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1 1/2 cups (384 g) easy, no-stir peanut butter (can substitute almond butter one other favourite no-stir nut butter)
• 1/2 cup (168 g) honey (Lyle’s Golden Syrup is an efficient substitute)
• 1 cup (160 g) hulled uncooked seeds (I like to recommend a mix of hemp, chia, and/or flax seeds)
• 4 ounces miniature chocolate chips

Within the bowl of a meals processor fitted with the metal blade, place the uncooked nuts, salt, and about 2 cups (half) of the coconut flakes. Pulse the combination till the combination resembles coarse crumbs (3 or 4 instances).

In a big, microwave-safe bowl, place the peanut butter and honey. Microwave the peanut butter and honey combination on 60% energy for 30 seconds to loosen the combination and make it simpler to mix with the dry elements, after which combine to mix.

To the peanut butter and honey combination, add the nut and coconut combination, the seeds and the remaining coconut, and blend till well-combined.

Permit the combination to chill for no less than 10 minutes, after which add the miniature chocolate chips. Combine till the chips are evenly distributed all through. In the event you add the chips when the combination is scorching, the chips will all soften.

Scoop the combination by the heaping tablespoon onto the ready baking sheet (a #50 ice cream scoop works completely). It is best to have about 40 parts. Roll every portion tightly right into a ball between your palms.

Place the baking sheet within the fridge to sit back till agency. Serve chilled. They’ll maintain their form at room temperature, however I want them chilled.

Seed choices

I purchase shelled hemp seeds at my native Dealer Joe’s market. In the event you do not reside close to a Dealer Joe’s or simply do not store there and you’ll’t discover hemp seeds, strive chia seeds, hulled sunflower seeds, flax seeds, or pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin seeds are a lot bigger, so that they’d have to be chopped earlier than including them to the combination. Flax seeds do are inclined to have a really sturdy taste, so make certain your loved ones is on board earlier than utilizing them on this recipe. There are many different prospects.

Extra mix-ins and scrumptious variations

• cocoa powder – sprinkle in some cocoa powder to make chocolate peanut butter balls
• cranberries – chop up dried cranberries for a tangy twist; dried cherries may also add a pleasant tartness
• dates – chopped dates are a great possibility in order for you a richer style, however be happy to additionally experiment with different dried fruit
• protein powder – add somewhat little bit of your favourite protein powder for an added enhance; chocolate protein powder is nice, however so is whey protein isolate; simply do not add greater than about 1/2 scoop or your bites will probably be too dry to carry collectively
• raisins – benefit from the basic style of oatmeal raisin whenever you add chopped raisins to your combine

FAQs

The way to make peanut butter protein balls (gluten free and no bake)

Thanks for stopping by!

Hello, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that actually work and style nearly as good as you bear in mind. No extra making separate meals when somebody is GF, or shopping for packaged meals that aren’t ok to justify the worth. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” simply isn’t ok!

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