Trail Mix Protein Balls (no bake & customizable)
These no-bake trail mix protein balls are completely customizable to your taste. Just pick an ingredient from each category and follow the recipe for preparation. With so many possible ingredients, there is no limit to the unique flavor combinations you can make. The simple preparation is also great for kids to help with.
Ingredients
Start with 1 cup of dried old fashioned oats as the base and pick an ingredient from each category below:
1/2 cup nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc.)
1/2 cup dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, cherries, etc.)
1/2 cup seeds (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia, flax, etc.)
2 scoops protein powder
1/2 cup nut or seed butter (peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower butter, etc.)
1/4 cup sweetener (honey, maple syrup, etc.)
Optional extras: unsweetened coconut, chocolate chips/cocoa nibs
I used oats, walnuts, dried cherries, pumpkin seeds, chocolate whey protein powder, peanut butter, and maple syrup for the images in this recipe. The chocolate and peanut butter combination is quite strong, but I’m not complaining :)
Mix It Up
Pulse the oats, nuts, dried fruit, and large seeds (like pumpkin seeds) in a food processor a few times to break them up slightly. Transfer to a large bowl. I found that having smaller pieces helps the balls stay together. Add small seeds, protein powder, nut/seed butter, sweetener, and any extras and stir until fully combined.
Roll Into Balls and Chill
Using your hands, roll the dough/batter/mixture (whatever you want to call it…) into balls. Choose a size you prefer - they can be bite size or slightly bigger. In mine, I used about 1.5 tablespoons in each. If the mixture is too crumbly and dry to hold its shape you can add a splash of water - this moistens the protein powder and helps keep the ingredients together.
Cover and refrigerate the balls for about 15-30 minutes so they can chill and firm up. Store in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Previously chilled trail mix balls should hold up at room temperature if you want to take them on the go, but they may become a little messy depending on your specific ingredients (mine leave a little bit of chocolate residue on my hands from the protein powder).
Trail Mix Protein Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc.)
- 1/2 cup dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, cherries, etc.)
- 1/2 cup seeds (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia, flax, etc.)
- 2 scoops protein powder
- 1/2 cup nut or seed butter (peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower butter, etc.)
- 1/4 cup sweetener (honey, maple syrup, etc.)
- Optional extras: unsweetened coconut, chocolate chips/cocoa nibs
Instructions
- Add the oats, nuts, dried fruit, and large seeds (like pumpkin seeds) to a food processor and pulse a few times to break them up slightly. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add small seeds, protein powder, nut/seed butter, sweetener, and any extras and stir until fully combined.
- Using your hands, roll the mixture into balls of your chosen size. If the mixture is too crumbly and dry to hold its shape you can add a splash of water.
- Cover and refrigerate the balls for about 15-30 minutes so they can firm up and hold their shape. Store in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Previously chilled trail mix balls should hold up at room temperature if you want to take them on the go, but they may become a little messy depending on your specific ingredients.
