These No-Bake Monster Cookie Energy Balls will feel like a special treat, but are actually a healthy after-school snack or grab-n-go breakfast!
Our peanut butter balls have all sorts of good stuff in them. They are not only delicious but packed with protein, hearty oats, and honey to help keep those afternoon hunger pains away.
3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Balls
My kids come home from school starving and these No-Bake Monster Cookie Energy Balls are just what they need to help curb their hunger until dinner.
Peanut Butter Energy Balls are perfect when it is too late for a big snack because dinner is right around the corner. The M&M’s add just enough chocolate and color to make them fun and they will think they are getting a special treat!
Looking for something similar? Check out my Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars here – they are great if you want to leave out the M&M’s. One of my kids other favorite after-school treats is our Chocolate Chip Banana Bread! This is always a hit and a good way to use up ripe bananas!
Why are they called energy balls?
The ingredients in energy balls will give you a nice boost of energy (hence the name). They are packed with protein, so they help you curb those annoying afternoon hunger pains.
They make the perfect pick-me-up afternoon snack or grab-n-go breakfast.
Ingredients
- Quick Oats
- Peanut Butter
- Honey
- Mini M&M’s (Optional)
Side note – a useful kitchen tool that I love is my silicone baking mat! Place the balls on a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat to keep the balls from sticking when refrigerating them.
How to Make Oatmeal Energy Balls (No-Bake; 3 Easy Steps)
- Combine all ingredients and mix well.
- Roll into balls and set on a baking sheet
- Refrigerate for about an hour.
Tips
- If the dough is super sticky, place the mixed dough into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before rolling them into balls. They will go together much easier and not be as sticky on the hands!
- You can use a cookie scoop if you want uniform sizes, I made mine about the size of a golf ball.
Add-Ins for Oatmeal Power Balls
The best thing about these Oatmeal Energy Balls is that there really are no rules! You can pretty much add in anything to make them exactly what you like!
Try adding some “superfoods” to make them even more nutritious, like flaxseeds or chia seeds. Or instead of M&M’s, try some chocolate or cinnamon chips!
Peanut Butter Energy Balls (Four Ways)
Check out our how to make energy balls video below and you will see how we take the same base recipe, but make them four different ways!
Want to cut down on the sugar or just looking for a variation? Try one of our other mix-in ideas. We love, coconut, dried cranberries or almonds. Just substitute these instead of the M&M’s!
You can even divide the recipe in quarters and make all four varieties at once!
Frequently Asked Questions
If your school is peanut-free or you have a peanut allergy, try substituting the peanut butter for sun butter, pecan butter, almond butter, cashew butter, etc.
It will change the consistency and taste a bit, but try testing it out until you find one you like.
If you place your energy bites in a container in the fridge, you can keep them for about a week. If you freeze them, you can keep them for up to three months!
Once you roll the balls, place them on a cookie sheet and place them in the freezer for about 1-2 hours. After they are frozen, place them in either an airtight container or a zip lock bag and keep them in the freezer until you are ready to eat them.
Personally, I love to keep them in the freezer (they are cold and take longer to eat).
Pro-Tip: keep them in the freezer and then pop them in your kid’s lunches – they will be perfect come lunchtime (or a packable after-school snack)!
Yes, you can eat raw oats in energy balls, especially when combined with other ingredients.
Energy balls are a combination of protein, good carbs, healthy fats, and high in fiber – but like everything, they should be eaten in moderation. They are still high in calories, so it is best to enjoy them in smaller quantities.
Other Easy No-Bake Desserts
- Chocolate Lasagna
- No-Bake Eclair Cake
- Edible Cookie Dough
- Peanut Butter Truffles
- Energy Bites
- Frozen Yogurt Bark With Berries
- Sour Patch Grapes
- Cookie Dough Truffles
- Chocolate Orange Truffles
Monster Cookie Oatmeal Peanut Butter Balls with M&Ms
Video
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Quick Oats
- 1 Cup Peanut Butter smooth
- ½ Cup Honey
- ⅓ – ½ Cup Mini M&M’s Candy
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.
- Roll into balls and set on a baking sheet (use a silicone baking mat or wax paper to keep them from sticking.)
- Refrigerate for about an hour.
- Store in airtight container.
- Great after school snack for the kids!
Jenn’s Notes
Nutrition Info
Originally Published August 15, 2017
Love it! But less oats and more peanut butter makes for better balls!
Can you use all natural peanut butter?
What can I substitute the honey for when feeding it to a 8 month old?
Megan, I’d suggest maple syrup..hope that helps!
Sure wish I had known about these energy cookies when my kids were children….they are all now in their 50s..
In your monster cookie recipe you did not say the temperature to bake them at or how long to bake them. Please add this to your recipe so they can be made.
They are No-Bake cookies.
These are such good ideas! I have been looking for some health snack ideas for my kids after school. I don’t want them to have any cavities next time we go to the pediatric dentist here in Logan, UT. Thanks so much for sharing your brilliant ideas!
This wouldn’t stick together?? Just made a flat glob and will cut into squares!
Help!!!
They didn’t stick for me either
Make sure you’re using quick oats and maybe double check measurements of wet ingredients? Or use a smidge less..hope that helps! These are a hot item in my house!
These look great! Would it be okay to use Old Fashioned Oats instead of Quick? Or do you think that would mess with the texture?
You can swap out old fashioned oats for the quick oats, but I find that the balls tend to not hold together as well.
Just made these! Do they need to stay refrigerated until time to eat? I will store in the fridge, but was planning to send one in a little baggie with my daughters normal snack for school. Will it do fine without a cold pack or will it get melty?
They should be fine in the lunch box without a cold pack. If it Is super hot they may get a little melty or lose their shape a bit, but will still be fine.
Wondering if you can sub anything else in place of the honey?
Maybe maple syrup?
So funny Kristin! Just replyed same response to a comment that popped up in my email! That’s what I always did when my wee man(now 10😳) was a baby and recipes called for it.