Are you looking for a low carb protein balls recipe that actually tastes good? Look no further – these cookie dough protein balls are incredible! With a similar flavor and texture as a peanut butter cookie, these almond flour protein balls are made with only good quality ingredients.
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Tired of “healthy snacks” that taste like paste? Many mass-produced protein bars and snacks typically include dozens of weird ingredients, are really expensive and taste terrible.
Instead of spending your hard-earned money on protein bars that aren’t worth it, make your own low carb protein bites at home. Guaranteed to taste amazing, these cookie dough protein bites are so much better than anything store-bough and best of all, only need 7 ingredients!
What do I need to make low carb protein balls?
Here’s a quick-reference check list of the ingredients you’ll need to make these protein balls, as well as where to find the ingredients:
- Almond Meal/Flour – Almond flour is made of ground almonds instead of grain. This makes these protein bites low-carb. You can find almond flour in the baking section near the other flours and sugar. Costco now offers large bags of almond flour at a great price.
- Peanut butter – I like the Kirkland Creamy Organic peanut butter at Costco. It’s a fantastic price and the only ingredient in this nut butter is organic peanuts and salt. You could also use almond butter in this recipe. Check out my post of the 15 Favorite Things I Buy at Costco for Healthy Meals and Snacks.
- Honey – honey is how these protein balls are sweetened. The stickiness of the honey is also the way these protein balls hold their shape.
- Vanilla Protein Powder – I use and love Orgain Organic Vanilla Protein Powder. It’s great in smoothies and I’ve also mixed it into muffins as well.
- Vanilla extract – the vanilla gives these protein balls a great cookie dough flavor.
- Salt – I wouldn’t recommend leaving this out. The salt provides necessary balance of the sweet flavors.
- Chocolate Chips – to keep these protein balls refined sugar free, I used no sugar added chocolate chips. For this recipe I used Lily’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Chips. You can find Lily’s chocolate at most grocery stores and at Target.
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the post for the recipe. Thanks!
How do I make cookie dough protein balls?
Making homemade protein balls is very simple, need only one bowl, just 7 ingredients and less than 10 minutes to mix together.
Start by add the almond flour, peanut butter, protein powder, honey, vanilla and salt to a mixing bowl. Mix these ingredients together well with a rubber scraper until a thick dough forms.
Add in chocolate chips to the dough and mix together well. The mixture will be thick like cookie dough.
What makes these protein bites low carb?
The primary ingredients for these protein bites are almond flour, protein powder and peanut butter. These ingredients are low in refined carbohydrates.
According to MyFitnessPal app, when these ingredient amounts were added to their nutrition calculator, a serving contains 7.8g of carbs.
Love a great protein snack? Check out my friend Randa’s recipe for Protein Rice Krispie Treats at Randa Nutrition.
How many calories are in a cookie dough protein ball?
Depending on the ingredients used and the size of the ball, a cookie dough protein ball will have 100-125 calories per ball. For this protein ball recipe, each ball has 104 calories per serving.
What are the healthiest chocolate chips for almond flour protein balls?
I’ve tried a number of chocolate chips and chocolate chunks. Here are three that have no refined sugar that taste good.
- Lily’s Dark Chocolate Baking Chips – sweetened with Stevia, these chocolate chips taste great. Lily’s also make semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and even peanut butter chips, all without refined sugar. You can find these at several grocery stores and at Target.
- Lakanto Sugar Free Chocolate Chips – these chocolate chips are sweetened with monk fruit and also contain no refined sugar. You can find them at Whole Foods and Amazon.
- Hu Chocolate Baking Chips – these are the most expensive of the three, but also the best tasting! You can find Hu Chocolate at Target and many other grocery stores. They also make refined sugar free chocolate bars that are incredible!
To form the protein balls, the easiest way to make uniform bites is to use a cookie scoop. Simply scoop the dough using the scoop, then release the dough into your hands. Roll the dough into a ball.
Place the balls on a sheet pan that has been lined with parchment paper or waxed paper. This will prevent the bites from sticking to the pan when frozen.
What’s the best way to store protein balls?
These protein balls are best stored in the freezer. Once you have scooped and rolled the protein bites, place them on a sheet pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Freeze uncovered for 1-2 hours.
Once the bites are frozen, transfer all of the bites to a freezer container or a freezer zip-loc bag. Kept frozen, the protein balls will keep for up to 3 months frozen.
Why do my protein bites stick together in the freezer?
If you place your protein bites in a freezer bag or container immediately after rolling them (they are still room temperature), the bites will stick together in the freezer.
To prevent the balls from sticking together, freeze the balls on a sheet pan before placing them in the freezer. (see photo above) When they are placed in a freezer container already frozen, they will not stick together.
Can I keep low carb protein balls in the refrigerator?
Homemade protein balls can be stored in the refrigerator. Store the bites in a meal prep container or any other resealable container. Kept refrigerated, the protein balls will keep for up to 14 days.
Love using meal prep containers? Me too! Check out my post for my Favorite Meal Prep Containers.
If you loved these almond flour protein balls, check out some of our other protein snack ideas:
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Cookie Dough Protein Balls
Equipment
- Cookie Scoop Great for making uniform cookies and protein balls. Just scoop and roll!
- Mixing Bowls These stainless steel mixing bowls are an essential cooking tool for every kitchen.
- Rubber Scrapers These Cuisinart rubber scraper spatulas are fantastic for fillings, batters, and so much more!
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter or creamy almond butter
- 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder or unflavored collagen protein
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup no sugar added chocolate chips like Lily's
Instructions
- To a mixing bowl, add the almond flour, nut butter, protein powder, honey, vanilla and salt. Using a rubber scraper, mix the ingredients well until well incorporated. Dough will be thick.
- Add in the chocolate chips and stir to incorporate into the dough.
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop out dough and roll into balls. Place the balls on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper or waxed paper (so the balls don't stick to the pan.) Once all the dough has been rolled into balls, freeze the balls for 1-2 hours.
- Store the protein balls in a freezer container or zip-lock freezer bag in the freezer.
Notes
Nutrition
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