I’m going to let you in on a little secret…these 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Balls are just as delicious as their counterparts. You might be surprised to learn the ingredients: peanut butter, bananas, and honey! Yep that’s right — that’s it! I know what you’re probably thinking, this will never work. But ask yourself one question…would you eat a piece of banana bread? Well, these are like that but with a peanut butter twist.
No-Bake 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Bites
Made in less than 15 minutes, these gluten-free No Bake 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Bites are a wholesome, make-ahead snack option or tasty lunchbox addition.
15 min
Made in less than 15 minutes, these gluten-free No Bake 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Bites are a wholesome, make-ahead snack option or tasty lunchbox addition.
Perfect For Weekend Meal Preps.
If you have been a reader of our blog for awhile now you most likely are aware that we love a good weekend meal prep. While it doesn’t happen every weekend, we both do our best to make it a priority. Because meal prepping is a big part of what we share on this blog, we create recipes with that in mind. Recipes that are made with few ingredients, are simple, approachable and of course, delicious.
These 3-ingredient Peanut Butter Energy Bites take just 10 minutes of your time to make, are tasty and perfect for meal prepping.
Give ’Em A Boost Of Protein If You Wish
For a boost of protein, you can replace 1/4 cup of the oats for 1/4 cup of protein powder. I like to use Primal Kitchen Unflavored Collagen Peptides. This protein powder won’t change the flavor of the 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Bites and it’s a great way to sneak in a boost of protein.
Double The Batch Because These Bites Are Freezer-Friendly!
Thus recipes is simple to make, made with less than 10 real food ingredients, is meal ‘prep-able’, freezer-friendly and takes just a few minutes of your time. Awesome, right?! These are my favorite kind of recipes because they allow you to eat healthy, nourishing foods while spending less time in the kitchen so you’re left with more time to do the things you love.
Make Them Nut-Free With One Simple Substitution.
We do our best to create recipes for ALL to enjoy! So if you have a nut-allergy, whether it be peanuts or tree nuts, you can simply substitute sunflower seed butter for the peanut butter in this recipe. It will give the bites a little bit different of a taste, but they’ll still be delicious nonetheless.
3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Balls {No Bake}
These NO BAKE! 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Balls are great for a quick sweet Real food healthy snack guaranteed to give the kids an energy boost. All you need is 3 ingredients, a few minutes a few minutes and very little prep!
3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Balls
If you’re looking for a quick, easy, mega kid friendly (assuming they like peanut butter and that’s why you’re here!) snack, this is it! Seriously, it doesn’t get much easier than this. My kids love to make these, they’re easy enough for the littlest hands to create and you’re more than likely to have the ingredients already sitting in your pantry ready to go.
We keep these cold. While I have a batch of them often in the freezer so I can grab a few out at a moments notice, if you’re going to be eating them the day you make them you can keep them in the fridge.
Make sure they’re on a plate or in a container lined with parchment paper, although they’re sticky, when they’re cold they shouldn’t be overly so.
What Are Peanut Butter Balls Made Of?
Not only are these made with just 3 simple ingredients but they’re also no bake! Yep, made in minutes without so much as heating up the oven.
I use a smooth natural peanut butter for these (and everything else!) and look for those ones that contain only 100% peanuts. If the label says it contains a little salt, I’m okay with that, but anything else is a No No from me. Many store bought peanut butters contain all sorts of things, mostly oils and preservatives you really don’t need, so I always check the labels. Feel free to use crunchy peanut butter if you have it or you’d like a little crunch in your peanut energy balls!
Aside from the star ingredient, these use Maple syrup (you can also use honey if you prefer) for sweetness and Oatmeal flour for binding. The rolled oats flour is simply the oatmeal you might have for breakfast ground in a powerful blender, I use my NutriBullet, to make a flour.
You don’t have to blend the oatmeal and can use it as it comes straight from the pack. I do usually blend it because if you also use a smooth peanut butter you get a smooth, silky, texture my kids (and me!) really like. The choice is totally yours and all quantities remain the same.
How Healthy Are Peanut Butter Energy balls?
I know some people wouldn’t consider these to be a healthy snack. I think they are.
I always compare what we used to eat with what we eat now and these are made with Real, natural ingredients, no refined sugars and give the kids a long lasting protein energy boost with some fiber.
The store bought equivalents to these balls contain some shocking ingredients I can’t even pronounce and so I’m totally happy with these. The nut butter is protein heavy and the Oatmeal is also one of the more protein rich grains, so these really do give the kids an energy boost.
Of course no ones suggesting anyone eats these for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but we’re snackers here in this house and so these fit the bill nicely!
Additions & Substitutions
The base of this recipe is a nut butter, a flour (or some type of binding ingredient) and a sweetener. You could use any nut butter you like, I’ve chosen peanut butter because it’s a family favorite treat, but there are a few around and they’re all Clean, just check labels.
Other nut butters you could try are almond butter or cashew butter, and for the binding ingredient you could use coconut flour, finely shredded coconut or whole cut Oatmeal.
Where I’ve used Maple syrup you can also use honey. I find this makes them slightly sweeter!
If you wanted to you could add a few chocolate chips, or chopped nuts if you wanted to add some more texture to these.
Recipe Notes
- I’ve used ground Oatmeal flour and so have written the quantities for that. If you’re using coconut flour, it’s slightly more absorbent than oatmeal and so mix in half the flour first and then the other half slowly, you’ll be able to see if the mixture is becoming too dry
- Make sure you chill the mixture in the fridge before you make your balls rather than keeping them at room temperature. The mixture will be too soft to roll unless it’s been chilled for an hour or so
- I use natural peanut butter. If you’re using a peanut butter that contains other oils, you may need to use less Maple syrup
- I use a small cookie dough scoop or an ice cream scoop to make the ball shape so we can make some attempt to get them the same size. It doesn’t always work 🙂
- I don’t buy quick oats as they’re often pre coated in other ingredients
- You can use a food processor to make these, I find a bowl and wooden spoon does the trick perfectly well!
Storing Peanut Butter Balls
Once you’ve made your energy balls, you want to cool them down again after being worked into balls so they stay bound together and in their ball shape. I keep these for up to 2-3 days in the fridge, sitting on parchment paper and in a little airtight container.
You can keep these for far longer in the freezer, and i usually have some of these waiting in the deep freeze to be eaten.
Peanut butter balls are fine to stay in the freezer for up to a month and although they don’t need to be thawed as you normally would, they’re solid and so if you leave them on the worktop for an hour or so they’ll be chilled but soft enough to tuck into.
How To Make 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Balls
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Oats Ground into a flour in a blender
- ½ Cup Natural smooth peanut butter Can also use crunchy peanut butter
- ¼ Cup Maple syrup Or honey
Instructions
- Use a blender to grind the oatmeal into a flour
- Put all your ingredients into a bowl
- Stir to combine well, keep mixing until you have a smooth mixture
- Put the bowl into the fridge for at least an hour to firm the mixture up
- Divide into balls and keep in the fridge until you want to eat them!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE 3 INGREDIENT PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL BALLS
- They are gluten free (be sure to use certified gluten free oats), dairy free, refined sugar free, and egg free. You could even replace the peanut butter with another nut butter if you have a peanut allergy.
- These no bake oat balls are easy to meal prep for snacks and are freezer friendly too!
- With just 3 ingredients, one bowl, and a few minutes of prep, this recipe literally couldn’t be easier!
- These peanut butter bites are a great healthy “dessert” or snack for picky eaters. I have a picky eater at home and he ate about 10 of these in a day the last time I made them.
INGREDIENT NOTES
- Peanut Butter: This recipe can be made using creamy natural peanut butter or regular (Jif, or Skippy) style peanut butter. Note that the oat balls with natural peanut butter will be a bit drier the next day than the ones made with Jif.
- Maple Syrup: you can also replace the maple syrup with honey or your liquid sweetener of choice. Depending whether you’re using natural peanut butter or regular, the amount of maple syrup will be a bit different. Notes for this are in the recipe card below!
- Oats: This recipe uses old fashioned oats. Large flake oats work as well, but I don’t recommend quick oats – they would make the oat balls more flaky and harder to bind together.
- Mini Chocolate Chips: this is an optional add in! Mini chocolate chips are great because they are so small and easier to bite into, but regular chocolate chips would work as well!
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
STEP ONE: Add the peanut butter and maple syrup to a medium mixing bowl. Pour in the oats, then stir together with a wooden spoon. Add in chocolate chips if desired.
STEP TWO: If the mixture is sticky, place it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before rolling into balls.
STEP THREE: Scoop out tablespoons of dough and roll them in your hands to form the balls.
Why are my oatmeal balls dry?
Using natural peanut butter can have the tendency to dry the oat balls out the next day. If the mixture is dry before you’ve formed the balls, you can add another tablespoon of peanut butter until the consistency of the dough is more moldable.
Can I reduce the amount of sweetener?
I would not recommend reducing the sweetener, since the recipe relies on this amount in order to not be dry and crumbly. If using natural peanut butter, you’ll use more sweetener (notes are in the recipe card).
Can I make these peanut butter oatmeal balls with honey?
Yes! If you aren’t following a vegan diet, you can swap out the maple syrup at a 1:1 ratio with honey.
Why is my dough sticky?
If your dough is too sticky to roll into balls, place it in the fridge for 10 minutes. The oats will absorb some of the liquid from the other ingredients and the dough will hold together more easily.
Can I make these peanut free?
Yes! You can replace the peanut butter with cashew butter, almond butter, sunflower butter, or any other creamy “nut butter” you’d like!
ADD IN SUGGESTIONS
Mini semisweet chocolate chips are my personal favorite add in, but you can also add shredded coconut, chopped nuts, cranberries, or raisins. I also sometimes like to melt chocolate chips and drizzle them over top of the oat balls before refrigerating!
EXPERT TIPS
- Weigh your oats: I always like to weigh the oats because there is a significant difference between the weight of one cup of old fashioned oats and one cup of large flake oats.
- Chill the dough: You can chill the dough for 10-15 minutes, making it easier to roll the dough into balls.
- If using natural peanut butter, increase maple syrup to 6 Tablespoons: Regular (Jif, Kraft, or Skippy) style peanut butter is sweeter than natural peanut butter, so you only need 4 tablespoons of maple syrup. If using natural peanut butter, which is unsweetened, you can increase the sweetener to 6 Tablespoons to give the oatmeal balls more sweetness and more liquid in the dough.