Make a batch of these no-bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Balls to have on hand for hungry kiddos during the week—or to feed yourself a naturally sweet snack whenever you need one! They taste so good and are filled with nutritious ingredients. Plus: They’re ready in under 10 minutes!
Before anyone states the obvious, I do realize that most toddlers do not need more energy! They usually have plenty all on their own. But these “energy balls” are such a delicious (and easy snack) full of nutritious ingredients for little bodies.
These are an easy snack to make at home and keep in the fridge. Plus, you don’t need to use any fancy ingredients or complicated methods to make these energy bites. You simply warm the wet ingredients and stir them into the dry—all in under 10 minutes.
And they have a texture that’s sort of like cookie dough so they’re great for younger toddlers, too—just dice them up if needed.
We love these for afternoon snack with some milk, as an easy bedtime snack, or a quick on-the-go bite.
(You may also like Peanut Butter Muffins, Bliss Balls, and no-bake Chewy Granola Bars, and Chocolate Balls.)
Table of Contents
Ingredients You Need
Here’s a look at the pantry ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe to share with the kids so you know what to have on hand.
- Creamy unsweetened peanut butter: I like the “natural” kind from Smuckers or Teddies, but any brand will do.
- Honey: The honey in this recipe helps the bites hold together. You can also swap in brown rice syrup for a less sweet taste.
- Vanilla extract: You can use pure or imitation vanilla extract here.
- Rolled oats: You can use the oats as they are out of the canister or bag, or you can grind them up in a food processor or blender to make a finer texture. (We like them ground up so the bites have the texture of cookie dough.)
- Chia seeds: These little seeds add some texture and additional fats. You can omit them if you don’t have them.
- Raisins or chocolate chips: Add these in for more flavor and yumminess.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at how to make this easy energy ball recipe so you know what to expect. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe.
- Warm the peanut butter and honey. Stir together
- Cut the raisins in half, if large, to make the balls easier to bite into for the little eaters.
- Add all ingredients to a medium bowl and stir together.
- Roll into balls.
TIP: The recipe works with regular oats, but grinding the oats—or using quick oats or oat flour—makes the balls taste more like cookie dough. You can skip the chia seeds if you don’t have any!
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure, just use mini chocolate chips in place of the raisins! That will definitely taste like cookie dough and I expect will make the kids really happy. (And probably the grown ups too!)
If you can’t do peanut butter in your house or you need a nut-free snack to send to preschool or school, try these energy bites with sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter. They should work just fine and taste similar.
Sure thing, just reach for certified gluten-free rolled oats and you should be good to go.
How to Store
You can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. They will likely be gobbled up well before that. though—I make these as much for my kids as I do for myself. I store each batch in a quart-size mason jar in the fridge and cut them up for younger eaters to ensure they are easy to chew.
Best Tips for Success
- Grind the oats in a blender or food processor. Or use quick oats or oat flour. This will make the final texture smoother and more like cookie dough.
- Cut the raisins in half if they are very large so they are easier for the kids to bite into and chew.
- Warm the peanut butter and honey so they are easy to stir into the other ingredients.
- Use sunflower seed butter to make these nut-free.
- Use a tablespoon, measuring spoon, or a small spoon to portion out the dough.
- Cut up if needed to serve to younger kids.
- If they feel too firm for younger eaters, simply let sit at room temperature for a bit before storing.
- Use mini chocolate chips instead of raisins if you prefer.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback on the recipe if you try it, so please comment below to share!
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Balls
Ingredients
- ½ cup creamy unsweetened peanut butter
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 cup rolled oats ground into a coarse flour in a blender or food processor (or use quick oats or oat flour)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- ¼ cup raisins, cut in half (optional, but recommended for overall texture)
Instructions
- Place the peanut butter and honey in a heat-proof container (such as a glass measuring cup) and warm for 15-30 seconds in the microwave.
- Add to a medium bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
- Stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon as much as you can. If the dough is at all stiff, mix with clean hands.
- Use a tablespoon-size measuring spoon to portion and roll into balls. Squeeze the batter, then roll it into a ball to help it hold together easily.
- Serve or store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Equipment
Notes
- To store, place in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Let sit at room temperature to soften slightly if needed for your toddler.
- If you don’t have chia seeds on hand, you can simply skip them.
- Nut-free: Use Sunbutter or another sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter.
- Grind the oats in a blender or food processor or use quick oats or oat flour. This will make the final texture smoother and more like cookie dough.
- Cut the raisins in half if they are very large so they are easier for the kids to bite into and chew.
- Warm the peanut butter and honey so they are easy to stir into the other ingredients.
- Use a tablespoon measuring spoon or a small spoon to portion out the dough.
- Cut up if needed to serve to younger kids.
- Try snipped dried cherries, cranberries, or apricots instead of the raisins.
- Use mini chocolate chips instead of raisins.
Nutrition
This recipe was first published June 2017.
These are so yummy! Definitely becoming a regular snack at our house. Sprinkles also make them extra fun!
So yummy!! Thanks for all the great recipes!!
Tried the recipe with almond butter and it was great! Today we will try the banana bread! My son 19months old loved the energy balls!!!
Would these store well in the freezer?
Sure, just store them in a container or bag with as much air removed as possible.
Yes! Yes! Yes! These are absolutely perfect for the picky toddler! Thank you so much for this recipe. I was able to make it immediately with what we had on hand in the pantry (love that!). I didn’t have peanut butter but I did have almond butter & it substituted perfectly.
My twin toddlers love these. I double the recipe and freeze for an easy snack on the weekend.
Yummy! Really easy and good! I also added some ground flax seed and used mini chocolate chips. My 3 year old loves it!
So easy! My toddler helped put everything into the food processor and we did it all there (no microwave or mixing by hand). Delicious! I also added in about a tablespoon of hemp hearts for extra nutrients (healthy fats and protein).
This was good but not one of my favorites. It was pretty intense and dense (of course) and I felt like I could barely eat it. It was just really heavy feeling. I would have preferred it with whole oats. The oat flour just made it so dense. I can only eat like a teaspoon at a time so I didn’t bother rolling it into balls. I added marshmallows to cut the density which worked ok. I probably needed more. It would be good served warm as a dip for apples.
Made these on Valentine’s Day and shaped one into a heart. My toddler loved them!
The bomb – thanks
Do we need to cook the oats first?
Nope, they go in raw and soften in the batter
Have you tried or do you think almond butter would work too. Little one has peanut allergy and doesn’t take to sun butter but she loves the almond butter!
Hi almond butter should work as long as it’s not super runny. If it’s a similar consistency to peanut butter, that is best. If it’s a little runnier, you may need a smidge more oats. I hope that helps!
What we can we use if we want to replace the honey? The equivalent amount of maple syrup?
Maple syrup won’t hold them together the same way but you could use brown rice syrup as an option.
Very yummy. I, too reduce honey a little, added flax seed meal, 1/2 teaspoon of coarse kosher salt, and 1 1/2 T of coconut oil to hold balls together. I did everything in my food processor.