Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Energy Balls

These Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Energy Balls make a great after-school (or after-work!) snack. You can whip them up in a jiffy and they'll be gone just as quickly. They also freeze beautifully!

By
Summer Miller
Summer Miller
Summer Miller

Summer has spent the last 12 years working in food media and she's the author of the award-winning book "New Prairie Kitchen."

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Updated May 05, 2023
Summer Miller
No Bake Peanut Butter Energy Balls
Leela Cyd Ross

On any given day I have a pack of wild children roaming the halls of my home. Bite-sized sweet treats are always in demand, which means these easy-to-make, easy-to-eat energy balls are on the rotation.

These chocolate chip peanut butter treats take only minutes to throw together. I often swap out one ingredient for another to create endless variations on the recipe, and I can freeze big batches so my children always have something quick to grab for an after-school snack.

Leela Cyd Ross
Leela Cyd Ross

How To Make Peanut Butter Energy Balls

These peanut butter balls are made with just a handful of simple ingredients.

I use old fashioned oats pulsed in the food processor as the foundation. It gives the balls a nice texture without being too chewy. Next, I combine honey, peanut butter, chocolate chips, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. To finish the job, I add the oats to the honey mixture, then shape it into little balls about the size of a teaspoon.

Once shaped, I like to roll my Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Balls in a mixture of ground almonds, powdered sugar, and cinnamon. This helps absorb some of the oil from the peanut butter, which keeps your fingers oil-free and makes these snacks easier to eat while typing, running kids from one place to another, and going on about the general business of life.

Have a Peanut Allergy?

Do you have peanut allergies in your house? Substitute the peanut butter in this recipe with seed butter or another nut butter.

Leela Cyd Ross

Make This Recipe Your Own

Instead of honey, you can also try molasses, maple syrup, or agave. You can add hemp or flax seeds, or switch out the chocolate chips for raisins, dried cranberries or dried cherries.

Variations are the name of the game with these creamy, sweet treats. And they're easy enough that you can get your kids involved in making them!

More Easy Snacks to Make at Home

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Energy Balls

Prep Time 20 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Servings 12 to 24 servings
Yield 24 balls

Roll these balls in an almond sugar powder to help absorb some of the oil from the peanut butter, which leaves little hands less sticky when they grab a snack. This step, however, is optional.

Ingredients

For the energy balls:

  • 1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats (gluten-free, if needed)

  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

  • 1/4 cup honey

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

For the coating:

  • 1/4 cup roasted almonds (or substitute peanuts, pecans, or walnuts)

  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • Pinch kosher salt (if almonds are unsalted)

Special Equipment

  • Food processor

Method

  1. Process the oats:

    In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the oats for 10 seconds to break them down a little. Some pieces should look small like sand; others should remain almost whole. This is what you want.

    No Bake Peanut Butter Energy Balls process the oats
    Leela Cyd Ross
  2. Combine the ingredients:

    In a small bowl, stir together the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla extract. Add oats and chocolate chips to the peanut butter and stir well with a wooden spoon to combine. The mixture will be thick and pliable like playdough.

    Leela Cyd Ross
    Leela Cyd Ross
    How to Make Energy Balls with Peanut Butter combine the ingredients
    Leela Cyd Ross
  3. Make the almond sugar powder:

    In the bowl of the food processor (no need to clean it out), add the almonds, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pulse until the mixture looks like sandy gravel. You want a very fine powder with almond bits that are smaller than the mini chocolate chips.

    No Bake Peanut Butter Protein Balls make the almond sugar powder
    Leela Cyd Ross
  4. Make the balls:

    Scoop out about 1 teaspoon of dough and roll it into a ball between the palms of your hands. It may be a bit crumbly, but should hold together when pressed firmly (if not, mix another tablespoon of peanut butter into the mixture).

    Continue until all the dough is used up, placing the balls on a sheet pan or platter lined with wax paper.

    Peanut Butter Protein Balls shape the balls
    Leela Cyd Ross
  5. Roll the balls in the coating:

    When finished shaping, roll the balls in the almond mixture to coat. Once all the balls have been coated, go back and roll them all once more. The first coating is often absorbed into the ball. The second coating will adhere, but not absorb, which makes it easier to eat the energy balls.

    Leela Cyd Ross
  6. Store or freeze:

    Store in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. To freeze, place them in a single later on a platter or baking sheet until solid. Transfer to a zip-top bag for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
81 Calories
4g Fat
9g Carbs
2g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 24
Amount per serving
Calories 81
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 37mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 10mg 1%
Iron 0mg 3%
Potassium 69mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.