These sunbutter protein balls are chewy with a delicious chocolate and caramel flavor. They're made with just 6 ingredients - all gluten free, grain free, nut free and dairy free.
Sunbutter was on sale at my local grocery store last month and I definitely stocked up! While we love eating it on homemade bread or sandwiched between crackers, I knew I wanted to expand my collection of sunbutter recipes.
I love baking with sunbutter because it adds a nutty caramel flavor to baked goods (and no-bake treats) but is nut free...which is great for those that either can't eat nuts or try not to over-consume them.
We love these sunbutter protein balls because they have a soft, chewy texture and delicious chocolate-caramel flavor. You only need 6 ingredients to make them, plus they're packed with protein.
Why You'll Love these Protein Balls
- nut free - made without peanut butter or any other nut butter.
- made without oats - this protein ball recipe is grain free, so does not use any oats.
- paleo and vegan - perfect for anyone following a paleo or vegan friendly diet.
- easy to make - just a few simple ingredients that are combined in a bowl and then rolled into balls.
Ingredients
The full recipe for these sunbutter protein balls can be found in the recipe card below, but here's an overview of the ingredients you'll need:
- protein powder - I used Sprout Living vanilla lucuma protein powder, which contains of blend on pea, sunflower and pumpkin seed proteins. Most other plant based protein powders should work for this recipe, but you may have to slightly adjust the water content. I don't recommend using an animal based protein powder because they aren't very absorbent like plant based ones.
- cacao powder - or cocoa powder
- sunbutter - since these are sunbutter protein balls. However, you can swap sunbutter for any other nut or seed butter.
- water - to thin the dough for the protein balls. Depending on the protein powder you use, you may need slightly more or less water.
- maple syrup - or any other liquid sweetener
- vanilla extract - optional for extra flavor
You can enjoy these protein balls as-is, or roll them in cacao powder. I also like freezing them, then dipping the protein balls in dark chocolate for a healthy dessert.
How to Make Sunbutter Protein Balls
All you need to make these protein balls is a small bowl for mixing the ingredients and a spatula for combining everything. Here are the steps:
- Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Mix with a spatula until well combined.
- Roll the dough into balls, each about 1 tablespoon in size.
- Enjoy as-is or add a coating. You can roll them in cacao powder.
- Or freeze the protein balls and dip them in dark chocolate.
Tips and Tricks
- Use a plant based protein powder: this recipe was made using Sprout Living lucuma vanilla protein powder. However, I've also tested these protein balls with pea protein. Both work well. Plant based protein powders tend to be more absorbent, so you'll have to play around with the water content if you're using an animal based protein.
- Add a coating to the balls: these protein balls are a bit oily after rolling. To solve this, you can roll the balls in extra cacao powder or dip them in melted dark chocolate.
Storage
Keep these sunbutter balls in an airtight container in the fridge, up to two weeks. For longer storage, place them in a baggie and store in the freezer, up to two months. They do get pretty solid in the freezer, but quickly defrost.
FAQ
These protein balls are little oily, which is easily solved by rolling them in cacao powder or dipping them in dark chocolate.
If your dough is too dry, mix in an extra tablespoon of sunbutter and really knead the dough (using your hands works well). If it's still too dry, then add another teaspoon of water.
More Recipes using Sunbutter
Looking for more recipes that use sunbutter? Take a look at these:
Sunbutter Protein Balls (No Nuts, No Oats)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 15 protein balls 1x
Description
Healthy protein balls made with sunbutter and protein powder. These protein balls are nut free, oat free, gluten free and dairy free.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup sunbutter (unsweetened, salted)
- ¼ cup water
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup vanilla protein powder (54g)*
- ¼ cup cacao powder (20g)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
- Mix until well combined**
- Roll the dough into balls, each about 1 level tablespoon in size. You should get about 15 protein balls.
- Enjoy as-is or add a coating to the protein balls. You can roll them in cacao powder or freeze them for 30 minutes, then dip them in melted chocolate.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 weeks. For longer storage, keep in an airtight baggie and freeze up to two months.
Notes
*I used Sprout Living vanilla lucuma protein powder, which contains a mixture of pea, sunflower and pumpkin seed proteins. I recommend a plant based protein powder for this recipe. Plant based protein powders tend to be more absorbent than animal based ones, so if trying an animal based protein powder you will probably need to reduce the water in this recipe.
**If your mixture is too dry, add another tablespoon of sunbutter. If it's still too dry, add an extra teaspoon of water. You don't want to add too much extra water or the protein balls will turn out super oily and won't hold together as well.
Katie
Hope you all love these sunbutter protein balls as much as we do!