No Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls

These No Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls are the ultimate easy breakfast or snack! Mix, chill, roll and enjoy. Made with oats, peanut butter, flax, coconut, cranberries, and chocolate chips, this sweet treat will give you that boost you’re looking for. Healthy treats really do exist!

I like to split my day into two big-ish meals. Breakfast, and the most important meal: dinner. Most of my daily caloric allotment will be saved for the evening. There’s just nothing like sitting down to a big meal after a long day of hard work! My days are pretty busy working away, with a little dog-walk-break popped into the middle. There isn’t a lot of time for cooking!

That’s where these little energy balls come into play. I can grab one or two in the middle of the day as a snack to carry me through to dinner time! They’re delicious; it feels like I’m having a candy bar. You’ll be surprised by how filling they are as well! Seriously, just one or two will completely tide you over.

Ingredients

Click “Jump to the Recipe” at the top of the page or keep scrolling to the recipe card for ingredient amounts and the full recipe instructions. Keep on reading for more detailed information about the recipe! I’ll have some fun ideas for fillings, as well.

• Coconut – I like to use unsweetened. There’s plenty of sweetness in these with the honey, chocolate chips, and cranberries!
• Oats – Rolled oats, aka old fashioned or whole oats. This is the type that looks large and completely flattened.
• Flaxseed meal – I found a bag in the natural aisle of my local grocery store. I also found it at Bulk Barn! If you can’t find the meal, you can pulse some whole flaxseeds in your blender or food processor until the seeds are ground and powder-like. They don’t have to be perfectly powdered – varied size is the aim.
• Peanut butter – I used crunchy peanut butter made with 100% peanuts. Try a different type of nut butter if that’s what you have!
• Honey – Maple syrup or agave are great vegan substitutes.
• Vanilla – Use more or less as you prefer.
• Chocolate chips – I found mini chocolate chips. This just makes them a bit easier to roll if there aren’t too many big chunks in the way! You can, of course, use regular chips.
• Dried cranberries – I left them whole but you can chop them up a bit if you’d like.

What else can I add?

Just look at that simple list of ingredients! You can make these a little different every time you mix them up with pantry staples. Give these ideas a try:

• Flavor: cocoa powder, cinnamon, protein powder.
• Dried fruit: raisins, figs, dates.
• Nuts: cashews, almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachio, etc.
• Nut butters: almond, cashew, Brazil nut, walnut, etc.
• Seeds: sunflower, pumpkin, flax, chia, hemp.
• Sweets: peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, Skor bits, etc.

How to make no bake oatmeal energy balls

1. Optional: Toast the coconut. Preheat the oven to 350F. Spread the coconut in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 5-10 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until golden brown.
2. Mix & chill: Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix well to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge for at least one hour, or until the mixture is chilled through.
3. Roll: Portion the mixture into your desired amount per serving, and roll into balls.

I have found that the biggest variable ingredient in this recipe is the type of peanut butter you use. Some are a bit more liquid, some are stickier, some smooth, some crunchy. That being said, the exact texture of your mixture may differ from mine. If you find it feels a bit too sticky or wet, add some more oats. If you find it’s too dry to roll into balls, add some more peanut butter.

How to store no bake oatmeal energy balls

Transfer the balls to an airtight container or bag and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

You can also freeze these! The best method for freezing them without having everything freeze together in a huge lump:

1. Place the balls on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the freezer for 1-2 hours, or until frozen solid.
2. Transfer the balls to a bag or container and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Did you love this healthy recipe? Try these out:

• Healthy 5-Ingredient Granola Bars
• Butternut Squash Carrot Soup
• Turkey Chili
• Greek Salad
• One Pan Herb Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

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