3 scrumptious energy ball recipes
Amy Wood - Nutritionist | 24 May, 2022
Energy balls, protein bites, 'healthy' truffles... whatever you've seen them called, these little nuggets of goodness have been trending for some time now – and for good reason!
They're made using plenty of whole ingredients, and many count as sources of fibre and protein. This makes them a tasty, filling snack to accompany your afternoon tea or coffee, have before or after your workout for energy, or grab in a rush when hunger strikes.
To make your own energy balls at home, you'll need several characteristic base ingredients. These are:
- oats – to give the balls their structure and 'bite' (as well as a good dose of fibre)
- nut or seed butter – to act as a glue to keep all the ingredients stuck together
- honey, maple syrup or another sweetener – to make them extra tasty!
Following these staple ingredients, you can jazz up your energy balls with any flavours you like. Nuts, seeds, dried fruit, chocolate chips, desiccated coconut, spices, citrus zest...the combinations are endless! We've put together three tasty energy ball recipes to give you some inspiration. They're naturally vegetarian, but you can easily make them vegan by swapping the honey for maple syrup and choosing a plant-based protein powder.
Almond and cranberry fibre balls
Makes around 16 balls - 115 kcals per ball
| Kcals | 115 |
|---|---|
| Fat | 6.8g |
| Sat fat | 0.6g |
| Carbs | 9.5g |
| Sugar | 5.4g |
| Fibre | 2.2g |
| Protein | 3.6g |
| Salt | 0g |
Ingredients
- 80g rolled oats
- 125g smooth almond butter
- 70g honey
- 40g flaxseed
- 40g dried cranberries, roughly chopped
- 30g flaked almonds
Method
- Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix well to combine, forming a dough-like consistency. If the 'dough' seems a little dry, add a splash of water.
- Using your hands or a small batter scoop, form the dough into small balls, roughly 1 inch in diameter.
- Space the balls out evenly on a baking sheet or large plate lined with parchment and pop them into the fridge for one hour to set.
- Tuck in straight away or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. They also freeze well – store in a sealed bag and defrost before eating.
Peanut chocolate protein balls
Makes around 16 balls - 102 kcals per ball
| Kcals | 102 |
|---|---|
| Fat | 5.4g |
| Sat fat | 1.7g |
| Carbs | 9.3g |
| Sugar | 5.2g |
| Fibre | 1.1g |
| Protein | 4.6g |
| Salt | 0.09g |
Ingredients
- 80g rolled oats
- 125g smooth peanut butter
- 70g honey
- 40g chocolate protein powder
- 40g dark chocolate chips
- 30ml water
Method
- Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix well to combine, forming a dough-like consistency. If the 'dough' seems a little dry, add an extra splash of water.
- Using your hands or a small batter scoop, form the dough into small balls, roughly 1 inch in diameter.
- Space the balls out evenly on a baking sheet or large plate lined with parchment and pop them into the fridge for one hour to set.
- Tuck in straight away or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. They also freeze well – store in a sealed bag and defrost before eating.
Pistachio and vanilla protein balls
Makes around 16 balls - 108 kcals per ball
| Kcals | 108 |
|---|---|
| Fat | 6.1g |
| Sat fat | 1.2g |
| Carbs | 8.7g |
| Sugar | 4.1g |
| Fibre | 1g |
| Protein | 4.9g |
| Salt | 0.02g |
Ingredients
- 80g rolled oats
- 125g smooth cashew butter
- 70g honey
- 40g vanilla protein powder
- 40g unsalted pistachios, shelled and roughly chopped
- 30ml water
Method
- Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix well to combine, forming a dough-like consistency. If the 'dough' seems a little dry, add an extra splash of water.
- Using your hands or a small batter scoop, form the dough into small balls, roughly 1 inch in diameter.
- Space the balls out evenly on a baking sheet or large plate lined with parchment and pop them into the fridge for one hour to set.
- Tuck in straight away or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. They also freeze well – store in a sealed bag and defrost before eating.
Nutritionist Amy Wood (ANutr), MSci BSc Nutrition has a keen interest in the relationship between diet and health. Having been published in the European Journal of Nutrition, Amy is passionate about making evidence-based nutrition accessible to everyone and helping others to adopt a food-focused approach to taking control of their health.
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