Monster Cookie Energy Balls
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These no-bake monster energy balls are the perfect grab and go snack for busy families. Made with hearty oats, peanut butter, honey, M&Ms, and chocolate chips, they’re irresistibly delicious but still nutritious.
Having quick, easy snacks to take on the go is a must when you’re dealing with busy work schedules, sports, practices, and appointments. We don’t always make the best choices when we’re in a hurry, but these monster cookie energy balls are about to change that! They’re sweet with a hint of decadence but still pack a nutritional punch with some protein and carbs.
With just 5 ingredients and 10 minutes, you can whip up a batch of more than 20 energy balls to enjoy as a quick breakfast, afternoon snack, or lunchbox treat.
The best part is that you can easily swap out some of the ingredients to change the flavor and texture and make them your own. We have lots of swaps and additions listed below for you to try!
If you love quick, easy, and healthy-ish no-bake snacks, try my Trail Mix Energy Balls or Cherry Almond Granola Bars, too!
Ingredients for Peanut Butter Energy Balls
This section includes ingredient notes and substitution options. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- Old Fashioned Oats — The oats are an excellent source of carbohydrates for energy. Quick oats may be substituted for the old-fashioned oats, but the texture will be a little different since quick oats are smaller.
- Peanut Butter — Creamy peanut butter works best for this recipe, but you may use chunky peanut butter if you like yours with more texture.
- Mini M&Ms — Mini M&M chocolate candies are great for this recipe because they’re so much smaller and are easier to work into the mixture. If you’re using regular M&Ms, you may want to chop them up a little in a food processor.
- Mini Chocolate Chips — The smaller mini chocolate chips are perfectly sized for working into energy bites.
- Honey — Honey adds sweetness and, along with the peanut butter, helps bind the ingredients together.
Equipment You’ll Need to Make No Bake Energy Balls
To make your monster energy bites, you’ll need the following kitchen tools:
- Cookie sheet
- Parchment paper
- Cookie scoop
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon or rubber spatula
- Airtight container for storage
How to Make No Bake Monster Energy Balls
This section shows you how to make the recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions. For the full printable recipe, see the recipe card below.
Step 1: Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set the baking sheet aside for now.
Step 2: Add the oats, peanut butter, M&Ms, chocolate chips, and honey to a large bowl. Stir to combine well.
Step 3: Use a cookie scoop to portion out servings. Place them on the cookie sheet. Once you have your portioned-out scoops, use your hands to roll the scoops into balls. Gently squeeze as you roll to compact the ingredients.
Step 4: Chill the oatmeal energy balls in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before enjoying (optional).
Serving Suggestions
You can serve monster cookie energy bites chilled or at room temperature. Enjoy them as a pre-workout snack or a pick-me-up treat in your lunchbox. They’re great for taking on the go (especially road trips).
Storage and Freezing
In the refrigerator: Store no bake monster cookie bites in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
In the freezer: Put peanut butter energy bites in a freezer container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Flash freeze them on the cookie sheet for about 30-60 minutes first before putting them in the baggie. This will keep them from sticking together.
Thawing: Thaw oatmeal energy balls for about 20 minutes before serving.
Monster Energy Balls Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Avoid natural peanut butter which won’t bind the ingredients together as well as creamy peanut butter.
- If the mixture sticks to your hands too much when rolling the balls, spray your hands with cooking spray. This should make it much easier to work with.
- Use quick oats or pulse your old fashioned oats in the blender a few times if you want your balls to have more of a cookie dough texture than the rougher texture you see pictured here.
- Double or triple the recipe to have extras to stash in the freezer. Thaw for a few minutes before eating. It’s so nice to have a grab-and-go snack for breakfast, lunchboxes, etc.
Additions and Variations
Add pure vanilla extract. For more depth of flavor, add 1/2 tsp – 1 tsp of vanilla extract (just a splash). It’ll make the mixture taste more like a cookie.
Use different chocolate chips. Instead of miniature chocolate chips, try peanut butter chips, caramel chips, or white chocolate chips. All of these would be super yummy in these energy bites.
Amp up the protein. Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder to the mixture to increase the amount of protein for your workouts. You may need to add a little extra honey or peanut butter to compensate for the additional dry ingredients. I recommend trying chocolate or vanilla protein powder for best results.
Ditch the honey. Not a fan of the honey flavor? Molasses or agave nectar may be used instead. Pure maple syrup can also be used, but you may need to reduce the amount since syrup is much thinner than honey.
Swap out the peanut butter. Have a peanut allergy? Just don’t like peanut butter? Swap it out for almond butter, cashew butter, or sun butter (sunflower seed butter) instead.
Use quick oats instead of old-fashioned oats. Quick oats are smaller and will mix easier with the other ingredients.
Substitute dried fruit in place of the candy and chocolate. It’ll be a little healthier but still sweet and tasty!
Add flax seeds or chia seeds. Get an extra nutritional boost of fiber and fatty acids by adding ground flaxseed or chia seeds to the mixture.
Sprinkle with sea salt. You’ll love the combination of sweet and salty flavors!
Monster Cookie Energy Balls FAQ
I don’t recommend natural peanut butter for this recipe, especially if you plan on freezing them or keeping them for several days, because the oil may separate. Also, natural peanut butter is not as creamy and won’t bind the ingredients as well.
This could happen for a couple of reasons. First, make sure you’re using creamy peanut butter rather than all-natural peanut butter, which is drier. Second, some people have trouble getting the old-fashioned oats to stick together. See if adding a little more honey or peanut butter helps. Another alternative is to blend about 1/4 cup of the old fashioned oats to create a “flour” which will help bind the ingredients. If you do this, add another tablespoon or so of honey.
Yes! If someone in your family has allergies or your child’s school is nut-free, sun butter is a wonderful substitute.
More No-Bake Snacks and Treats
Make more goodies without turning on your oven! Here are some of my favorite no-bake treats.
- No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
- No Bake Biscoff Cookie Truffles
- Peanut Butter Buckeyes Recipe
- No Bake Nutella Cookies
- Martha Washington Candy
No-Bake Monster Energy Bites
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup mini M&Ms
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
- 3 Tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, peanut butter, M&Ms, chocolate chips, and honey. Mix well.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion out and place portions on the lined baking sheet. Once finished, use hands to form balls by passing the mixture back and forth between the hands while gently squeezing to compact the ingredients.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving (optional).
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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