Peanut Butter Protein Balls Recipe (with cottage cheese!)

Healthy snacking doesn’t have to be boring OR complicated. I adore these peanut butter protein balls because they come together quickly, taste incredible, and pack a punch of protein.

If you love my Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars, you’ll also love this new recipe. The flavor is very similar, but instead of honey, I added cottage cheese to the mixture. It gives the filling of these balls an amazing creamy texture, more protein, and there’s no added sugar. You’re going to love these!

My recipe has no complicated steps or baking fuss, so it’s perfect when you need something fast and flavorful. Each batch whips up in minutes, so you enjoy something tasty on busy days without loading up on empty calories. They’re a perfect healthy snack for everyone, especially if you’re focusing on healthy eating or want an option that satisfies a sweet tooth.

I always keep a stash ready since they stay fresh for days and pair perfectly with a sprinkle of dark chocolate chips. Want to make these yummy balls? Let’s do it!

Why You’ll Love These No-Bake Energy Bites

These peanut butter energy bites are a regular in my kitchen because they deliver healthy fats and a hearty boost of protein. They don’t require an oven, which means you skip the hassle of baking energy bites. You can turn them into homemade snacks for busy days or pack them for school lunches.

• These protein balls are easy—measure a few basics, combine the ingredients, and scoop these little wonders in minutes. I use a food processor to ensure the cottage cheese is smooth and creamy, but with three main ingredients to combine, it takes minutes.

• They’re packed with flavor and have ingredients that excite your taste buds without adding junk.

• The texture is incredible! A smooth and creamy filling is unexpected and so satisfying. (If you like my Greek Yogurt Bars, you’ll love these!)

• You only need a handful of items you probably already have in your pantry.

• They have no added sugar! You don’t need honey, maple syrup, or any of the other sweeteners commonly found in energy balls or protein bars.
• These Peanut Butter Protein Balls are gluten-free and grain free. Many of my recipes call for old fashioned oats, but this time I left them out!

• They satisfy cravings and offer a quick pick-me-up without me having to eat something sugary. They also work as a sweet treat after dinner if you want a healthy dessert alternative!

Ingredients Needed for No-Bake Peanut Butter Protein Balls

You only need a few simple ingredients to make these healthy protein balls and only a few minutes to whip up this delicious snack—double win. Here’s what’s required for this fabulous peanut butter protein balls recipe:

• Cottage cheese: Creamy base that brings in extra protein without overpowering the flavor.

• Vanilla protein powder: This powder is for natural sweetness and much-needed protein to balance each bite. I use Just Ingredients Vanilla Bean Protein Powder because it has clean ingredients and is sweetened with stevia and no added sugars.

• Peanut butter: Forms the rich, nutty core that holds everything together. Use a natural peanut butter with nothing but peanuts and salt, no added sugar or oil.

• Stevia-sweetened dark chocolate chips: This dark chocolate will squash your sweet tooth and using stevia-sweetened chocolate chips means you’re not getting added sugar!

• Coconut oil: This helps keep the chocolate coating from getting too hard.

How to Make Peanut Butter Energy Balls

Energy balls are the easiest option for a little pick-me-up when you want a low-effort snack. And the best thing is, you can make them filled with protein. Here’s how you make healthy peanut butter protein balls:

1. Place the cottage cheese, protein powder, and peanut butter in a food processor and process until smooth.
2. Spray a small cookie scoop with cooking oil and school the mixture out into balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the tray in the freezer to allow the balls to firm, 20 minutes or longer.
3. Melt the chocolate chip and coconut oil in a double boiler (or microwave in 15 second increments).
4. Use a fork to dip the frozen peanut butter balls into the chocolate until fully covered, allowing excess chocolate to drip off of the fork before placing back on the tray. Place the tray in the refrigerator until the chocolate is firm.

If you’d like these instructions in a printable format, scroll below to the recipe card! 

I hope you love these Peanut Butter protein balls recipe as much as we do! If you try it (or any of my healthy recipes), please leave a comment and star rating–it’s so helpful! Share a photo of these on Instagram so I can see and I’d love to feature you.

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Super Easy Peanut Butter Protein Balls Recipe

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• Author: Maryea Flaherty of Happy Healthy Mama
• Total Time: 0 hours
• Yield: 15 balls 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

This protein balls are creamy in the middle and taste like a treat!

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1 cup vanilla protein powder
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup stevia-sweetened dark chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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Instructions

1. Place the cottage cheese, protein powder, and peanut butter in a food processor and
   process until smooth.
2. Spray a small cookie scoop with cooking oil and school the mixture out into balls onto a
   baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the tray in the freezer to allow the balls to
   firm, 20 minutes or longer.
3. Melt the chocolate chip and coconut oil in a double boiler (or microwave in 15 second
   increments).
4. Use a fork to dip the frozen peanut butter balls into the chocolate until fully covered, allowing
   excess chocolate to drip off of the fork before placing back on the tray. Place the tray in
   the refrigerator until the chocolate is firm. Enjoy!

Notes

Recommended: Just Ingredients Vanilla Bean Protein Powder

• Prep Time: 15 minutes plus chill time
• Category: snack recipes
• Method: no bake
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 ball
• Calories: 146
• Sugar: 2 grams
• Fat: 10.3 grams
• Saturated Fat: 4.5 grams
• Trans Fat: 0 grams
• Carbohydrates: 11 grams
• Fiber: 4.2 grams
• Protein: 9.6 grams

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Swaps to Try With These Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls

These chocolate peanut butter protein balls are great as they are, but you can add your own spin to them. The base recipe is flexible, and I play around with other flavors to keep things interesting. But the key is to focus on healthy ingredients that nourish my body and support my healthy eating goals. They’re a perfect healthy snack for anyone who loves convenient food without a million steps. Below are some swaps that keep these balls fun, tasty, and easy to put together:

• Change the Nut Butter: Replace creamy peanut butter with almond butter, sunflower butter, or sunflower seed butter. Each option gives you a different nut butter profile, so you don’t get bored.

• Play With Protein: You can use a plant-based protein powder, a whey blend, or even powdered peanut butter might work. The key is to find a type of protein powder that suits your taste.

• Mix in Extras: I can stir in chia seeds or a spoonful of crushed peanuts for crunch. You can also fold in little chocolate bits or dark chocolate chips to your filling if you like a hint of decadence.

FAQs

How long can I store these protein balls?

You can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. They also freeze well for about a month.

Are these gluten-free?

Yes, these peanut butter protein balls are naturally gluten free and grain free.

Do I have to use protein powder?

You can leave it out and try to add almond flour or oats in its place. I haven’t tried these, but if you can’t do protein powder go ahead and experiment! But skipping it will lower the overall protein content and the flavor and texture will be very different.