4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls

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This healthy peanut butter oatmeal balls recipe requires just four simple ingredients! Plus these easy no bake treats are ready in under 30 minutes!

About this Recipe

These peanut butter oatmeal balls are also called energy bites, since they are packed with protein, fiber and healthy fats.

Over the past 4 years, I’ve been in my kitchen developing foolproof recipes and helping beginner cooks. Made from just four simple ingredients, these treats are so easy to make!

This recipe is extremely versatile, so you can substitute ingredients like apple chips or other dried fruit, seed butter or chocolate chips.

These are perfect for a breakfast on the go, post work-out snack, or a healthy dessert! Each bite is packed with salty-sweet flavor and crunchy texture. If you're looking for more tasty recipes that transport well, try DIY trail mix or homemade granola.

Ingredients

These four simple ingredients create delicious and healthy energy balls. Keep reading below for ingredient substitutions and variations. For full quantities, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom.

• Rolled oats - also called old fashioned oats. You can substitute quick oats, but the texture will be a little softer.
• Peanut butter - use creamy peanut butter so it's sticky enough to hold everything together.
• Honey - provides a sweet compliment to the salty peanut butter and also helps hold everything together.
• Chopped peanuts - don't leave the nuts whole since they'll overpower the texture.

Ingredient Substitutions and Variations

Substitutions

• Use homemade almond butter instead of store-bought nut butter
• Use agave syrup or maple syrup instead of honey to make this recipe vegan
• Use seed butter and seeds instead of peanut butter and chopped peanuts to keep this recipe nut-free.
• Add extra protein by substituting about ¼ cup of the oats with ¼ cup of protein powder. This helps keep the ratio of dry to wet ingredients remains roughly the same.

Variations

• raisins
• cranberries
• chopped nuts
• chia seeds
• ground flax seeds
• hemp seeds
• shredded coconut
• cinnamon
• dark chocolate or mini chocolate chips

For more flavor combination ideas, check out my build-your-own adventure trail mix guide. Maybe you're heading to a bonfire on the beach and want to make s'mores-flavored energy balls? Just mix the oats and honey with mini marshmallows, graham cracker crumbs and chocolate chips. The possibilities are endless!

How to Make Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls

1. Mix all four ingredients in a medium mixing bowl until the oats and nuts are fully coated in the peanut butter and honey.
2. Set the mixture in the fridge for 15 minutes, to make it easier to shape into balls.
3. Using clean hands, take about 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture and press it in your palms to shape into a ball. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.
4. Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Recipe Tips

• If your peanut butter balls are dry and aren't sticking together, add a little more honey, one tablespoon at a time.
• Lightly wetting your hands before rolling the mixture into balls will help it not stick to your hands.
• Don't skip refrigerating the mixture before rolling them into balls. Otherwise you'll end up with a sticky mess!

Storing

• Room temperature: These peanut butter energy balls are great to take on a trip, to school, or to work. They keep well during the day in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week.
• Freezer: Store in an airtight container or freezer safe Ziplock bag for up to 3 months.

Choosing the Best Peanut Butter

I love using peanut butter that tastes great with minimal ingredients. Wild Friends Foods has some incredible flavors of nut and seed butters made from wholesome ingredients without any palm oil.

I use their peanut cashew super butter in these energy bites, since it adds a little extra sweetness from the organic clover honey. And the chia seeds and flax seeds make it extra thick and delicious.

More Recipes Featuring Oats

• Vegan Apple Crisp
• Vegan Baked Oatmeal with Caramel
• Apple and Hazelnut Baked Oatmeal
• Healthy Cowboy Cookies
• Almond Cashew Chocolate Granola
• Homemade Oat Milk
• Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
• Winter Oatmeal with Stewed Fruit
• Savory Oatmeal with Caramelized Onions & Mushrooms
• Blueberry Almond Butter Oatmeal