Bonus, these peanut butter banana balls are vegan, refined sugar-free, and dairy-free. I love making simple and delicious post-workout snacks. I’ve learned from my background in chemistry and nutrition what are the ingredients you should include for their nutritional benefits and which you must include to form balls that stick together. You might have tried some of my workout snacks like my Strawberry Protein Balls, Brownie Protein Bites, or Vegan Protein Balls. They’re all incredibly tasty, and I feel so much stronger and recharged when I take them after a good workout!
What Are Banana Energy Bites?
Banana energy balls or energy bites are golf ball-sized no-bake energy bites made of healthy grains, nuts, and seeds to bring all the important nutrients to your morning in a bite-sized sweet ball. They are sweetened with mashed banana and maple syrup and no refined sugar.
Ingredients and Substitutions
All you need to make banana energy bites are:
Ripe Banana – peel and mash the bananas and measure the amount called by the recipe. Not all the bananas have the same size, so to avoid a too-wet or too-dry batter, it’s better to measure the amount of mashed bananas before adding them to the recipe. Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats – we used gluten-free certified oats. Flaxseed Meal – this adds healthy omega 3 to your banana energy balls. Chia Seeds – Chia seeds bring some consistency to the balls and also all their nutritional benefits (source). Pecans or walnuts or shredded coconut Peanut Butter or almond butter – if you pick natural peanut butter (with only peanuts), you’re certain that it’ll be vegan peanut butter. Cinnamon – for some classic fall flavors. Vanilla Extract – for flavor Salt – Salt boosts the taste of chocolate. Mini Chocolate Chips – We use vegan dark chocolate chips, but you can use any chocolate chips. Maple Syrup – You can use any liquid sweetener, such as agave syrup, coconut nectar, or brown rice syrup.
How To Make Banana Oat Balls
These banana chocolate energy balls are very easy to make with a few healthy, wholesome pantry ingredients.
Storing Banana Energy Balls
These healthy protein balls store for up to 7 days in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also store the balls in the freezer and thaw them in the fridge the day before or 3 hours before eating at room temperature.
Creating Different Flavors
You can use this peanut butter banana energy ball recipe to create a range of healthy snacks. Some flavor ideas are:
Chocolate Banana Energy Bites – add 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder to the blender or chocolate protein powder. White Chocolate And Cranberry – Replace the chocolate chips with half the quantity of vegan white chocolate chips and cranberries. Seeds – Replace dark chocolate chips with a combo of hemp seeds, chia seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
Allergy Swaps
Below are some ingredient substitutions option for this energy bites recipe.
Nut-Free – Use shredded coconut instead of nuts and replace peanut butter with sunflower seed butter or tahini. Chia-Seed-Free – Swap for more flax meal, the same amount. Gluten-Free – Use a gluten-free certified oat brand.
More Energy Balls Recipes
I love to create a range of energy balls for breakfast or pre-workout to quickly fuel on slow carbs before a run. Below I posted our favorite energy balls recipe for you to try:
