Your snack game will never be the same once you try these no-bake oatmeal energy balls. And with eight flavor options, plus tips on how to make up your own, you definitely won’t get bored!
Hello friends! I’m so excited to finally be getting this awesome post out to you today. I’ve had the recipes done and photographed for a while and then life happened; I had a pretty nasty illness, and spring sprung, which means I’ve been slow getting all these words written for you. Last year’s post about 9 Energy Bites was so well received that I wanted to share with you 8 recipes for no-bake oatmeal energy bites, the cookie-like cousin of the date ball.
We LOVE No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls, and I have been making them pretty much non-stop this year. It’s an easy thing for the kids to grab out of the fridge, they travel great, they are so easy to make, and they taste like a cookie. These are going to become a fast family favorite in your house too, that I guarantee! These are a great, easy, budget-friendly whole food snack you are going to make again and again. If you feel like your kids are constantly asking for food, you are going to love these. Best. Snack. Ever!
Want all 8 recipes in one easy printable? You can get it for free here!
What I Love About No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
I have everything on hand to make them.
The base of No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls is oatmeal, peanut butter, and honey. You can mix in a lot of things to suit your taste, but in general, they are made from just a few simple ingredients that I always have on hand. There’s nothing special to put on a shopping list, they can be mixed together in just a few minutes, and my kids are crazy for them.
They are made with “whole food” ingredients.
Oats, peanut butter, and honey are some pretty great simple ingredients. I love that these have a good mix of health fats, carbs, protein, and fiber that help keep my family running. Some of the recipes also include almond butter and I’m sure that they could be made with sunbutter too. If you need these to be gluten-free, find gluten-free oats. I feel like these are very easy to adjust to your dietary needs, which is always nice. That being said, a few of the recipes do have chocolate chips in them and one even has 1/4 cup of mini M&M’s. I know that these aren’t whole foods. You can, however, find some great whole food chocolate chips and dye-free candies, if that’s important to you. Make them work for you and you’ll be one happy camper.
Oatmeal energy bites taste like cookies.
I’m never sad when easy whole food recipes taste like cookies. Neither are the kids. Long live the cookie!
My kids love them.
As much as I’d like you to think my kids eat all the things I put in front of them without fuss, that just isn’t true. These, however, are 100% kid approved. They have been tested by my kids plus about 10 other neighborhood buddies. The Monster Cookie No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls were the favorite… thanks to those M&M’s. 🙂
They can be made on a prep day, store well, and travel well.
Long live a prep day for busy moms! These are great made ahead of time, store well in the fridge, travel well, and are all around awesomeness.
Tips and Tricks for Making No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
Rest time is a must.
Don’t skip the resting time. This is when the oats will absorb some of the moisture and will help everything stick together. It’s a must.
When in doubt, add something sticky.
Different factors like the kind of oatmeal and mix-in’s you add are going to affect the “stickiness” of the energy balls. If they are too dry and won’t stick together after the resting time, your best bet is to add a tablespoon or two of something sticky (like the peanut butter and/or honey).
Add what you love.
Don’t let my recipes stop you from adding what you think sounds good or what you might have on hand; these are just to get you started. You can also add some “superfoods” to these if you are looking to boost the nutrition (always a good idea, if you ask me). A tablespoon of chia seeds, ground flaxseed, and/or hemp hearts can be added to any and all of these recipes. Play with them! I’m going to make some with dried pineapple and cashew butter soon, because we love the stuff.
SUBSTITUTIONS
When it comes to the oats:
Did you know that quick cooking oats are still a whole grain? Unlike other “instant” kind of things, quick cooking oats are simply cut smaller. If you use quick cooking oats (sometimes called 1-minute oats), the texture of the oats will be softer/less chewy. If you use old-fashioned oats, the texture will be chewier. I found that a mix of the two was the best, though using one or the other will work well too. I like the chewy old-fashioned oats, but my husband thought they tasted too much like raw oats (LOL, because they are…).
When it comes to the honey:
I did not do much recipe testing using anything other than honey. If you would like to experiment, I think that agave or brown rice syrup might be a good place to start, though I didn’t work with either.
When it comes to the peanut butter:
You can use peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, pecan butter, sunbutter, and just about any other nut butter that you like, though it will change the flavor of the oatmeal energy balls. I like to use almond butter when I don’t want the flavor of the nut butter to be very strong (like peanut butter). It worked great in recipes like the Blueberry Muffin No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls because the flavor is a bit more mellow than peanut butter.
Monster Cookie No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
If there were an awards ceremony for No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls, this Monster Cookie version would win the kids’ choice award. What is it about a few pretty little candies that gets them so excited?! Peanut butter, M&M’s, whole peanuts, and chocolate chips all in one place was a big hit with all the little people. And let’s be honest, these were my husband’s favorites too. I couldn’t find any mini baking M&M’s, so I just bought a normal sized tube of the mini M&M’s from the candy isle and they were just enough for one recipe.
PrintMonster Cookie No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: 12 balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry oats (I like 1/2 old fashioned oatmeal and 1/2 quick cooking)
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts
- 1/4 cup mini M&M’s
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- dash of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add all of the ingredients and stir to combine well. The mixture should be a bit sticky. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Use a spoon to scoop about a tablespoon of the cookie ball mixture into your hand. Roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining mixture. This should make about 12 oatmeal energy balls.
- Store the balls covered in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for much longer.
Blueberry Muffin No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
Blueberry Muffin No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls are often my favorite because I love dried blueberries a whole lot! I used almond butter in this recipe because it has a more natural flavor compared to peanut butter. The additional of a little cinnamon and some toasted coconut really makes this no-bake recipe a treat.
PrintBlueberry Muffin No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: 12
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry oats (I like 1/2 old fashioned oatmeal and 1/2 quick cooking)
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup dried blueberries
- dash of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add all of the ingredients and stir to combine well. The mixture should be a bit sticky. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Use a spoon to scoop about a tablespoon of the cookie ball mixture into your hand. Roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining mixture. This should make about 12 oatmeal energy balls.
- Store the balls covered in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for much longer.
Classic Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
This variety is forever a favorite thanks to the combination of peanut butter and chocolate. It’s simple but always delicious.
PrintClassic Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Energy Balls
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: 12
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry oats (I like 1/2 old fashioned oatmeal and 1/2 quick cooking)
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- dash of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add all of the ingredients and stir to combine well. The mixture should be a bit sticky. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Use a spoon to scoop about a tablespoon of the cookie ball mixture into your hand. Roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining mixture. This should make about 12 oatmeal energy balls.
- Store the balls covered in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for much longer.
Sweet and Salty No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
There’s something magical about Sweet and Salty No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls. These are made with almond butter, salted roasted almonds, and crushed pretzels. They are sweet but have some great crunchy and salty components that make them stand out from the crowd.
PrintSweet and Salty No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: 12
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry oats (I like 1/2 old fashioned oatmeal and 1/2 quick cooking)
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup crushed pretzels
- 1/4 cup chopped roasted salted almonds
- dash of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add all of the ingredients and stir to combine well. The mixture should be a bit sticky. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Use a spoon to scoop about a tablespoon of the cookie ball mixture into your hand. Roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining mixture. This should make about 12 oatmeal energy balls.
- Store the balls covered in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for much longer.
Peanut Butter Cookie No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
Long live peanut butter! This No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Ball recipe has big peanut flavor and crunch thanks to peanut butter and whole peanuts. I’m never sad when I make a batch of these because peanut butter is my spirit animal.
PrintPeanut Butter Cookies No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: 12
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry oats (I like 1/2 old fashioned oatmeal and 1/2 quick cooking)
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add all of the ingredients and stir to combine well. The mixture should be a bit sticky. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Use a spoon to scoop about a tablespoon of the cookie ball mixture into your hand. Roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining mixture. This should make about 12 oatmeal energy balls.
- Store the balls covered in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for much longer.
Oatmeal Cookie No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
I used almond butter, spices, chopped pecans, and raisins to mimic the flavors of a classic oatmeal cookie. The best part about this cookie though is you don’t have to bake it and it’s pretty darn good for you! If you like the classic oatmeal cookie taste but not the raisins, feel free to swap them out for a few chocolate chips.
PrintOatmeal Raisin Cookie No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: 12
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry oats (I like 1/2 old fashioned oatmeal and 1/2 quick cooking)
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup toasted coconut
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- dash of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl add all of the ingredients, and stir to combine well. The mixture should be a bit sticky. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Use a spoon to scoop about a tablespoon of the cookie ball mixture into your hand. Roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining mixture. This should make about 12 oatmeal energy balls.
- Store the balls covered in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for much longer.
Double Chocolate No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
Long live the chocolate fix without the guilt. A little cocoa powder and a few chocolate chips turn this no-bake oatmeal ball into a real treat. You can use peanut butter or almond butter. This is a great one to add any superfoods to because the dark color makes it harder for kids to detect their presence. 🙂
PrintDouble Chocolate No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: 12
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry oats (I like 1/2 old fashioned oatmeal and 1/2 quick cooking)
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- dash of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add all of the ingredients and stir to combine well. The mixture should be a bit sticky. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Use a spoon to scoop about a tablespoon of the cookie ball mixture into your hand. Roll into a ball. Repeat with remaining mixture. This should make about 12 oatmeal energy balls.
- Store the balls covered in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for much longer.
Vegan Banana No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
This recipe is a bit different in the fact that it doesn’t follow our honey + nut butter recipes. I wanted to try an vegan/nut free option for you. This No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Ball is make with a mashed banana and not much else. You’ll need to let this rest longer in the fridge (more moisture for the oats to soak up), but it turned out great. You can add vegan chocolate chips or skip them. Be sure to use a banana that is nice and ripe, but not so dark that it will taste old. This one was ok but I didn’t love the banana in it. My toddler however couldn’t get enough. You’re going to have to be the judge on this one.
PrintVegan Banana No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: 12
Ingredients
- 1 ripe (but not grossly ripe) medium banana
- 1 cup dry oats (I lik1/2 old fashioned oatmeal and 1/2 quick cooking)
- 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips (or something similar), optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add the peeled banana and mash thoroughly with a fork. Add the dry oats and chocolate chips and stir to combine. Refrigerate until the mixture holds together when pressed into a ball (this took about an hour for me). Use a spoon to scoop a tablespoon of the mixture into you hands and roll into a ball.
- Repeat with the remaining mixture.
- Store the balls covered in the fridge for a few days, or in the freezer much longer. I feel like the banana started to get brown and slimy much faster than the other recipes, so if you make a couple types, eat these first!
And there you have 8 amazing No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Ball recipes! Your snack game will never be the same.
This post is going to be your go-to No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls guide! I hope you use it over and over again. If this post speaks to you, you think someone else might like it, or you want to save it for later, by all means, share it on your social media platforms. Pin it, Facebook it, throw a picture up on Instagram and tag me (#blessthismesseats). All of those things are incredibly helpful to me. There is so much power in your sharing, you literally have no idea how important that is for me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Now, which one are you going to make first?!
Want all 8 recipes in one easy printable? You can get it for free here!
I have a bunch of oats to use up. I was going to make oatmeal cookies, but these look so enticing…
PERFECT use for some extra oats 🙂
Thank you Melissa for this yummy no bake energy balls.
It will save me money and for sure more delish and fresh than the one I buy in the supermarket.
Making them tonight thanks!
mmmmmm these look fantastic!, off to the kitchen I go! but which one to make first?
Peanut butter is your spirit animal…bahahahaha….you are killing me over here!!!
Truer words were never written. 🙂
These would be perfect for a snack for my kids to bring to school! Do you know if they fall apart easily if they start to warm up? They leave the house at 7:00 a.m. and snack time isn’t until later in the day. They all look so good! Thanks!
They are fine! I like them cold but they will hold together at room temperature just fine. I took some to preschool this week and they were a huge hit!
I made your basic peanut butter cookies.
I’m a cyclist looking for an energy bar to take along for a mid-ride snack.
I used Natural Grocers in -store ground p-nut butter. Added ground flax seed, diced almonds.
After the 30 minute rest in the fridge I used an ice cream scoop and rolled into a ball. Definitely need to wet hands to keep from sticking to my hands.
I found the end product to be really sticky so I rolled the balls in wheat germ and that took care of the stickiness.Then wrapped the golf ball sized cookies in plastic wrap..like popcorn balls and frozen. They should travel okay on my bike rides.
These are fantastic…better than expensive energy bars !!! I am looking forward to trying the other balls.Next time I might trying rolling the balls in almond flour before packaging.
These recipes are a keeper and a great substitute to expensive energy bars.
Thanks Mellissa.
Thank you so much for the review! You can also up your oats a little if things feel sticky 🙂 But it sounds like you have it figured out. I’m so excited you made them and and they turned out well for you!
Hi,
These look amazing! I was wondering if you know the calories?
Any idea on calorie count for these bites?
I was wondering the same thing.
Could you add a protein powder to these?
Yes, you might need a little more peanut butter or honey to get them to stick together though!
Do you think these could be frozen? I’m due with my first child in a few weeks and am thinking these would be great to have on hand once he/she arrives.
Yes! I actually like to eat them a bit frozen or cold. They freeze great. I normally make a double or triple batch and keep the bulk of them in the freezer!
I made the monster cookie energy balls and it taste great but I had trouble with them sticking to form balls. I followed the recipe and your instructions, any thoughts or suggestions where I went wrong?
Everyone has different peanut butter and even the the brand of oats will change things up a bit. Next time if they aren’t sticking together after the chill time, add a little more peanut butter and/or honey, stir well, and see if they stick together better. They might just need a little more of something sticky! Did they taste great?
It was delicious, I’m eager to try the other recipes. I found that leaving them overnight in the fridge helped with them sticking☺
LOVE THE RECIPES. GREAT FOR THESE HOT SUMMERS IN LAS VEGAS.
Can I substitute honey for something else? I really want to try these but I’m allergic to honey.
I’d play around with agave or brown rice syrup! I think both should work though you might need to pay with how much you need to use!
I made one “healthy” batch with raisins, sunflower seeds, molasses and honey, on, etc. Its okay.
THEN! I pulled my marshmallow sundae topping, mountain crumble topper (choc chips, cookie crumbles, and hard marshmallows), a big hand full of mini marshmallows, on, honey, oats etc. Its in the fridge resting. Those are going to disappear quickly!!
These look like the right thing for a mod afternoon pick me up but I’m courious as to the protine amount in them?
Just made the PB and chocolate chips. I’m very excited to try them! Any suggestions for a honey substitute that has less sugar?
Thanks!
I’m am not great at sweeteners other than honey and maple syrup… so I’m fairly useless to you. Maybe try looking up low carb energy balls? I feel like that might send you in the right direction.
My 2 kids and I just made the PB Chocolate Chip recipe and it was soooo good. Wishing I would’ve made a double batch because the kids ate most of them already!
My nutritionist uses your recipes for the energy balls. She has tried all of them and loves all of them. When I asked her for a healthy dessert she gave me recipes for the peanut butter, chocolate chip and the blueberry muffin energy ball, which I made this morn. Very easy to make and very delicious. It called for 1/4 cup of honey and I only had half of that amount. Still delicious. These will be my go to sweet treats.
Thanks for this! I am linking this recipe to a blog post I am working on. Stay tuned!
Do you know the calorie count on these recipes?
I’m working on it, plan on seeing it by the end of this week!