Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls
on Jul 28, 2016, Updated Feb 26, 2025
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These easy no-bake chocolate peanut butter protein balls taste like a chocolate dessert but are made with just 5 ingredients.
About the Recipe
You’ll need less than 10 minutes and they make a great option for a healthy snack to satisfy your sweet tooth. They have an addictive fudge-like texture that lands somewhere between cookie dough, truffles and brownies – yum.
Here are a few reasons to. love this recipe:
- No-bake.
- Easy to make with 5 ingredients.
- Customize with add-ins.
- Vegan, gluten-free an oil-free.
- Taste like dessert!
- Fudgy texture.
- No added sugar (depending on protein used).
- 82 calories with 4 grams protein per ball.
For more more protein powder recipes, these No-Bake Chocolate Protein Bars, 5-Ingredient Vegan Protein Brownies, Vegan Apple Oat Protein Muffins and Baked Berry Protein Oatmeal all make easy and delicious snacks too.
For more energy bite recipes, you’ll have to try these 3-Ingredient Chocolate Date Balls, Lime Coconut Energy Bites, Banana Bread Bites or No-Bake Brownie Bites next.
Ingredients
This recipe is very simple to make! All you need is a few ingredients and food processor. Here’s what you’ll need and any possible substitutions.
- Dates: Any variety such as medjool dates or sayer dates work as long as they’re soft and moist, if not they’re dry, 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 or substitute almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter or any other nut or seed butter.
- Protein Powder: A pea protein-based powder, such as Vega or NuZest, works best here, chocolate or vanilla protein powder both work (most vegan proteins are pea protein-based).
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
Variations & Additions
This recipe is versatile and can easily be customized to your needs. Here are some ideas:
- Add up to 1/2 cup chia seeds or hemp seeds for some healthy fats.
- Add up to 1 cup old fashioned oats or quick oats.
- Add up to 1/2 cup chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs.
- Add 2 tbsp ground flax seeds for healthy fats.
- For sweeter balls, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup.
- Up to 1 tsp vanilla extract helps to enhance the flavour.
- 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.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Add the dates and banana to a food processor and blend into a paste.
Step 2. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until it forms one big ball. This should take about 20 seconds.
Step 3. Use your hands to roll the dough into balls. A small cookie scoop can help portion the dough. You should get about 20 balls depending on size.
Recipe FAQs
For sure! You can use any nut or seed butter as long as it’s not too dry.
You can store protein balls for up to 1 week in an airtight container in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer in a container or freezer bag. If you’re freezing them, consider freezing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper before transferring to a container or bag or freeze with parchment paper between layers.
No. 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.
If you don’t have a food processor or blender, soak the dates for 15 minutes in hot water then drain well. Mash them into a paste with a fork then add the banana and mash both to combine. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well until you have a uniform dough you can roll into balls.
They’re definitely easiest to make with a food processor though!
Recipe Notes
- 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.
More Recipes to Try!
Energy Balls
No-Bake Cashew Coconut Balls
Energy Balls
No-Bake Cinnamon Energy Balls
Energy Balls
No-Bake Pecan Pie Balls
Energy Balls
No-Bake Banana Bread Balls
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup very tightly packed, soft pitted dates, 280 g
- 1 cup ripe, lightly spotted banana (about 2 small or 1 large), 210 g
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 50 g
- 1/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter, 60 g
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 scoops vegan vanilla or chocolate protein powder, 60 g
Instructions
- Add the dates and banana to a food processor and blend into a paste.1 cup very tightly packed, soft pitted dates, 1 cup ripe, lightly spotted banana (about 2 small or 1 large)
- Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until it forms one large balls.1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 2 scoops vegan vanilla or chocolate protein powder
- Use your hands to roll the dough into 20 balls.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on July 28, 2016.
Deryn, you did it again! Another amazing recipe. Love love loved the truffle consistency of these! 2f/16c/5p per ball was perfect for me!!!!! I used protein plus peanut flour and garden of life raw chocolate protein powder. Heaven!!!!!
I was looking for a protein bar and ran across this recipe. Have to try this.
Nice! I love all those ingredients in my smoothies too. I’m sure I’d love these. Vega protein really is the best!
Thanks for your sharing. This looks simple and I will definitely give it a try.
Wow, Looks tasty!
Love this recipe! Chocolate and Peanut butter is our FAVOURITE combo! xxx
Check out my article on Vegan February : https://www.mimazine.co.uk/
do you know the rough macros for these? (nutritional content)
thanks.
What a delicious looking treat … will have to make it soon!
Wow these look so great! and super easy to make!
These look delicious, and the texture reminds me/looks like a truffle! I’m always looking for new ways to use that Vega sport protein powder.