No-Bake Oatmeal Balls

Looking for a healthy and portable snack? These No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls take minimal time to prepare and are perfect for snacking on throughout the week! A great make-ahead option that also happens to be freezer-friendly! {Gluten-free & vegan}

In our house, there’s never a shortage of energy balls kicking around. They just so happen to be one of my favourite snacks to have on hand because they’re quick, portable, healthy and everyone loves them! 

Over the years, I’ve tested a lot of energy ball recipes, but I always come back to these No-Bake Oatmeal Balls because no fancy equipment is required and they always hit the spot!

If you’re an oatmeal fan, be sure to also check out these recipes for Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal and Healthy Oatmeal Muffins!

Why make this recipe

Quick & easy: These delicious oatmeal balls take only a matter of minutes to prepare. You literally just throw the ingredients in a bowl, mix it all up and roll it into balls. That’s it.

Portable: We all have those moments where we’re in search of a quick and easy snack to take on the go. The solution? Energy balls. They are so convenient to grab and are completely mess-free!

Kids can help make them: Looking for a way to get your kids involved in the kitchen? This recipe is a great place to start! It’s easy enough that even toddlers and preschoolers can help add the ingredients to the bowl, mix it all together and roll it into balls (and maybe snack on a few along the way)!

Family-friendly: These bites offer a sweet little treat that the whole family loves! Make up a batch for the family to snack on throughout the week.

Nutritious: This is a snack that you can feel good about eating. These bites are packed with soluble fibre, antioxidants and healthy fats and are free of refined sugar. The can also be made gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan to meet all different kinds of dietary needs!

Ingredient Notes

Oats – When making these oat energy balls, I tend to prefer using rolled oats since they lend a chewier consistency. That being said, you can sub in quick oats if that’s what you have on hand. Use certified gluten-free oats if there are any gluten intolerances.

Almond butter – Helps to bind the energy ball mixture together. Use almond butter with just “almonds” on the ingredients list to limit the addition of processed ingredients. You can also sub in another nut or seed butter if desired.

Flaxseed – Incorporates some omega-3s and additional fibre into these bites. Be sure to use ground flaxseed or flax meal since whole flax seeds aren’t readily digested by the body.

Chocolate Chips – Adds a rich flavour and additional texture to the bites. Use darker chocolate chips for higher antioxidant content. You can use regular sized or mini chocolate chips.

Maple syrup – Use pure maple syrup. You can also sub in honey if that’s what you have on hand.

Vanilla extract – Incorporates some additional flavour and sweetness into the bites. Use pure vanilla extract for best results.

Step by step Instructions

How to Make No-Bake Energy Balls

To make these balls, all that you really require is a bowl, a spoon and your hands! They are really THAT easy.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the oats, chocolate chips and flax meal.

Add the almond butter, maple syrup and vanilla to the bowl and mix until well combined

Using your hands, roll the mixture into approximately 1 1/2 inch balls. You may need to place the mixture in the fridge for 20 minutes or so to allow it to firm up a bit before rolling it into balls.

Recipe Tips

Place the energy ball mixture in the fridge: Once you’ve mixed all of the ingredients together, it’s recommended that you place the mixture in the fridge for a few minutes to allow the oats and flax to absorb some of the liquid and thicken up a bit. If you try to roll the balls right after mixing, you might find that the mixture is still too sticky and messy. 

Adjust recipe depending on consistency: Different brands of almond butter (or other nut or seed butters) will have various consistencies, so you might need to adapt the recipe accordingly. If you find that the mixture is too dry, add a bit more nut butter or a bit of water to the mixture. If it’s too wet, slightly increase the oats until the desired consistency is reached.

It should be sticky enough that the mixture adheres together but not so sticky that it’s gooey and sticking to your hands.

Recipe FAQs

What type of oats should I use?

For the purpose of this recipe, you can use either quick or rolled oats. Rolled oats will give these bites more texture and a chewier consistency while quick oats will make them smoother and less chewy. It’s totally up to you which type you go with!

The only type of oats that won’t work in this recipe are steel cut oats since they are too hard and crunchy. Not exactly the texture we’re going for.

How to store

Store energy balls in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to one week.

Are these energy balls freezer-friendly?

Yes! One of the many reasons why I love energy balls.

Once you’ve rolled the mixture up into balls, place them in a freezer-friendly container or large Ziploc bag and place them in the freezer for up to three months.

 

Recipe substitutions

Need the recipe to be nut-free? Sub in sunflower seed butter, pumpkin seed butter or Wow butter instead of the almond butter.

Want to make it gluten-free? Use gluten-free rolled oats. Although all oats are inherently gluten-free, some brands can’t guarantee that there hasn’t been cross-contamination with gluten, so your best bet is to go with a brand that clearly labels the product as gluten-free.

Want to use a different sweetener? If you don’t have any maple syrup on hand or don’t enjoy the taste of it, you can sub in honey instead of maple syrup.

Don’t have any flax meal? Add some extra oats. You could also try adding in chia seeds or Hemp seeds instead, but I personally haven’t experimented with either of these add-ins, so let me know if you give it a try!

Want to add more protein? Add in a scoop of protein powder for some protein energy balls. If you choose to go this route, you will probably have to add more liquid so that the energy balls aren’t too dry. Try adding in extra nut butter or almond milk until desired consistency is reached. You could also add Hemp hearts to incorporate more protein as well.

Need the recipe to be dairy-free? Sub in dairy-free chocolate chips.

Looking for more healthy energy balls? Check out these recipes!

• Nut-Free Apple Oat Energy Bites
• No-Bake Carrot Cake Energy Bites
• No-Bake Pina Colada Energy Bites
• No-Bake Chocolate Mocha Snowballs
• No-Bake Pumpkin Pie Bites

Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a rating and review!

This recipe was originally posted in March 2020 and was updated in February 2021 to include more helpful tips and photos.

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