Coconut Protein Balls

Protein balls are one of my favorite sweet treats without any guilt. It tastes like I am eating a truffle and I do not feel terrible after eating it. In fact, they are so good for you that I don’t mind eating seconds.

Talk about coconut. These coconutty protein balls are packed with all of the goodness from creamy almond butter to sweet maple syrup to the rich coconut. You’ll get several servings of protein with each ball thanks to the protein powder and almond butter. They are healthy, gluten-free, easy to make, dairy-free, and plant-based. What more could you want from a vegan protein snack?

Why Are They So Good?

They are easy to make. The recipe calls for only eight ingredients. Not to mention, they are all basic ingredients that are most likely sitting in your pantry.

They are healthy. If you are looking for a dairy-free, gluten-free protein snack, this is your recipe. Each ball has a good amount of protein, healthy fats, and fiber.

They are delicious. I wasn’t kidding when I said they remind me of a coconut truffle. They are that good! Who needs store-bought sweets when you can make your own and they taste much better?

They are filling. You won’t want just one but you will be satisfied with two. Thankfully, you can learn self-control with these protein balls because they are really filling. LOL.

They are family-friendly. My girls love these balls. Honestly, I must admit I do love drizzling melted chocolate over the top of them and throwing them in the freezer for a bit. My family loves the chocolate version.

They are unprocessed. As you probably are aware, most store-bought desserts are filled with processed ingredients from high fructose corn syrup, to cane sugar, to canola or sunflower oil. Well, not these bad boys. Oh, the perks of cooking at home, right?

They are cheap to make. As I said, you will most likely find the ingredients for these Coconut Protein Balls in your pantry. By the way, have you ever purchased protein balls from a smoothie shop or a health store? They usually come in a two-pack for around $6-$9. Wowza.

The Ingredients

Almond butter-Make sure to purchase all-natural almond butter. That means the only ingredient should be almonds. The only downside is that the naturally occurring oil rises to the top and must be stirred upon opening. Totally worth it to me, however.

Coconut oil-Look for varieties labeled, extra virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil. Also, make sure it has not been stripped of the coconut flavor. I purchase mine from Trader Joe’s or Costco.

Maple syrup-All natural maple syrup is by far different from traditional pancake syrup. Make sure to buy the natural, unprocessed version. Pancake syrup won’t work for this recipe.

Vanilla-I like to make my vanilla which ends up producing the most beautiful vanilla flavor. Otherwise, make sure to purchase real vanilla extract, not imitation.

Shredded coconut-Try to find finely shredded coconut varieties. The finer, the better for this recipe. Make sure to save coconut for the tops of the protein balls.

Almond flour-I really enjoy baking and cooking with this flour. It’s gluten-free and unprocessed, for one. And, the flavor is light which makes it a good fit with almost any flavor.

Oats-Use old-fashioned oats for this recipe. I am not sure how any others will work with this recipe, though.

Protein powder-Use vanilla flavored protein powder for this recipe. I like to use a protein powder with real ingredients and minimal ingredients. My favorite protein powder is Truvani and you can purchase it on Amazon.

Let’s Make Them

Step One: Start by making sure your coconut oil and nut butter are slightly melted. Typically on a warm day, both are naturally melted enough, otherwise, place them in the microwave for a few seconds to melt them a little.

Step Two: Mix all of the wet ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. This includes almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and coconut oil. Place the coconut oil in last to avoid it hardening. Mix it all together.

Step Three: Add in all of the dry ingredients and give it all a good stir until everything is incorporated. (Sometimes, I use my hands at the end to really turn it into dough). This includes shredded coconut, almond flour, old-fashioned oats, and vanilla protein powder.

Step Four: Using a small cookie scoop, place a 1 to 1-1/2 inch ball of dough into your hands and roll it until a firm ball is formed. Note, if the dough is sticking to your hands, wet your hands before touching it. Place the protein balls onto a plate lined with parchment paper or a glass, air-tight container lined with parchment paper. If you are looking to be more environmentally friendly, I suggest using silicone cooking mats. They are reusable and easy to wash.

Step Five: Add the desired and optional toppings. I like to roll a few into extra shredded coconut and press a whole almond into a few tops. My daughter’s also like to add a few chocolate chips to the top of their protein balls.

How to Store Them

These Coconut Protein Balls must be stored in the fridge. They can also be stored in the freezer. They may need some thawing before eating straight from the freezer. I do have a little tip for you. Try doubling the recipe and put half of them in the freezer for later and half in the fridge for the week. Please note that you will need to store them in an air-tight container or ziplock bag.

How Long Will They Last?

In the fridge, they should last around 2 weeks. In the freezer, they can last up to two months.

Any Modifications?

If you are a chocolate lover, once the balls are complete, melt chocolate chips with a little coconut oil in the microwave and drizzle the chocolate over the tops of these balls. Place them in the freezer for about 30 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden.

You can certainly change the nut butter to cashew butter or sunflower butter if you would like. I would say peanut butter would be too strong of a flavor for this recipe.

How Do You Like Them?

I hope you enjoy these as much as our family does. Please write a review down below and let me know what you think!

If you liked these Coconut Protein Balls, I know you will also love:

Vegan Fudgy Brownies with Toasted Coconut Caramel Frosting

Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Balls

Enjoy!

XOXO

Michelle