These vegan chocolate peanut butter protein balls taste like a decadent chocolate dessert but are made with just a few wholesome ingredients.

Chocolate energy balls drizzled with peanut butter in a bowl, one with a bite taken out of it to show inside.

Recipe Features

  • no-bake – easy to make in minutes in a food processor
  • vegan, gluten-free and oil-free – works for those with dietary restrictions

What You’ll Need

  • dates – any variety works as long as they’re soft and moist, if not, you’ll need to soak them before proceeding with the recipe
  • banana – use a medium-sized ripe banana, a few brown spots is perfect!
  • cocoa powder – regular cocoa powder works great or you can use raw cacao powder for extra nutrition
  • peanut butter – use natural peanut butter, can be subbed with almond butter or for nut-free, sunflower seed butter…tahini would work too!
  • vegan protein powder – a pea protein-based powder, such as Vega or NuZest, works best here, chocolate or vanilla flavour both work great

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1. Add the dates and banana to a food processor and blend into a paste.

Dates and banana in a food processor.
A date and banana mixture blended up in a food processor.

Step 2. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until it forms one big ball. This should take about 20 seconds.

Protein powder, cocoa powder and peanut butter in a food processor.
Chocolate dough in a food processor.

Step 3. Roll into balls and enjoy!

Rolling chocolate dough into balls.
A plate of chocolate energy balls, one with a bit taken out of it to show the inside.

Notes and Tips

  • If your dates are on the dry side, soak them in hot water in a bowl for 15 minutes then drain well before using in the recipe.
  • These can be made nut-free by using sunflower seed butter or tahini.
  • For best results, use a kitchen scale for measuring ingredients.
  • For more peanut butter flavour and extra protein, use 1/4 cup each powdered peanut butter and cocoa powder instead of 1/2 cup cocoa powder.
  • For an extra treat, add up to 1/2 cup of chocolate chips after step 2 and pulse a few times to combine.

How to Store

  • Fridge: Store for up to 1 week in a sealed container.
  • Freezer: Store for up to 3 months in a sealed container.
  • Room temperature: They’ll get a bit soft at room temperature but if you need to have them out of the fridge for the day, totally fine. Keep them cool if possible.
5 chocolate energy balls drizzled with peanut butter on a small plate.

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A chocolate protein a ball with a bite taken out of it.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls

  • Author: Deryn Macey
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 10 mins
  • Yield: 20 balls 1x
  • Category: Snack
  • Method: Food Processor
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

Blend up these chocolate peanut butter protein balls in minutes for a yummy snack that tastes like dessert!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (280 g) very tightly packed, soft pitted dates
  • 1 cup (210 g) ripe, lightly spotted banana (about 2 small or 1 large)
  • 1/2 cup (50 g) cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup (60 g) natural peanut butter
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 servings (60 g) chocolate or vanilla pea protein

Instructions

  1. Add the dates and banana to a food processor and blend into a paste.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until it forms one large balls.
  3. Use your hands to roll the dough into 20 balls.

Notes

Alternative: For more protein and peanut butter flavour, use 1/4 cup each powdered peanut butter and cocoa powder instead of 1/2 cup of cocoa powder.

Addition: For an extra treat, add up to 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips.

Nut-Free Option: Use sunflower seed butter or tahini instead of peanut butter.

Storage: Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week or freezer for up to 2 months.

Keywords: chocolate peanut butter protein balls, no-bake chocolate protein balls

Update Note: This recipe was originally published on July 28, 2016. It was updated with new photos and text on July 28, 2020.