Paleo Banana Protein Balls (Vegan, Nut Free)

These healthy Banana Protein Balls are Paleo, Vegan and nut free.  Plus, they don't contain any added sugar.  They are only sweetened with banana and are coated in extra dark chocolate for a simple, low carb, high protein snack or dessert.  These are the best banana energy bites!

Fruit sweetened desserts are my favorite!  And these no bake banana bread bites are only sweetened with bananas.  (Yippee!)

I prefer desserts that don't contain any added sugar because then they can double as a healthy snack...or even qualify as a healthy breakfast.  (At least, that's my opinion.)

In addition to only being sweetened with bananas, these banana protein balls are:

• Paleo
• Vegan
• nut free
• high in protein
• low in sugar
• grain free (no oats)
• only 5 ingredients required
• easy to make
• healthy enough for breakfast, snack or a guilt-free dessert

I've made these Paleo energy bites more times that I can count...and they always disappear by the second day.  (What can I say, I love energy balls dipped in chocolate!)

Ingredients in Paleo Banana Protein Balls

Only a few ingredients are necessary for making these energy balls.  Here's what you need:

• medium ripe banana
• sunflower seed butter
• pea protein powder
• cinnamon (optional)
• vanilla extract (optional)
• water
• extra dark chocolate
• coconut oil (optional)

Banana

I used a semi-ripe banana to make these.  Meaning, yellow with few brown spots.  However, any level of ripeness will work for this recipe.

Sunflower Seed Butter

To make these banana bread balls nut free, I used sunflower seed butter.  Peanut butter (not strict Paleo) or almond butter would be great substitutes.

Pea Protein

I used my favorite pea protein powder in this recipe.  Pea protein is super absorbent, so substituting with other types of protein powder may not work well. However, if you're using a different protein powder you can always add more (or less) to the recipe to get the right filling texture.

Dark Chocolate

I recommend a dark chocolate with a cocoa content between 70-100%.  My two favorite Paleo chocolates include THESE 70% dark chocolate chips and THESE 100% dark chocolate chips.

How to Make Banana Protein Balls

Like all of my recipes, these Paleo protein balls are super easy to put together.  You can prep a batch (or two) for the week ahead for a simple meal prep option.  As, they store well in the fridge or freezer.

Here's what you need to do:

Make the Filling

First, combine all filling ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl.  This includes everything except the chocolate.

Mix the dough with a spatula, then use your hands.  At first it may seem like you don't have enough water/moisture...but just keep kneading the dough until it's well mixed.  The end result should be almost playdough-like.

Next, roll the dough into balls.  I made 16 energy balls (about 1 tablespoon in size), but you may make them as big or as little as you'd like.

Place the balls in the freezer while you prepare the coating.

Chocolate Coating

Next, make the chocolate coating.  Do this by placing the chocolate and coconut oil in a small sauce pan.  Melt them on the stove top over low heat, stirring frequently.

Once fully melted, retrieve the balls from the freezer.  Dip, one at a time, into the melted chocolate and then place on a piece of parchment paper.

After all of the balls have been dipped, you may drizzle any remaining chocolate over the balls and add a pinch of cinnamon.  Place the protein balls in the fridge or freezer for the chocolate to fully set.

More Healthy Protein Powder Recipes

For more easy protein powder recipes, check out these reader favorites:

• Vanilla Protein Waffles
• Dark Chocolate Protein Balls
• Pumpkin Protein Bars
• Vegan Banana Protein Bread

Enjoy!

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