Coconut Protein Balls

Name: Coconut Protein Balls
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1½ cup quick oatmeal; 3 soft Medjool dates (pitted); 6 tablespoons pineapple juice; 1 cup hemp hearts; 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut; ¼ cup unsweetened flaked coconut (for rolling); 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup

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Coconut Protein Balls are easy little powerhouses to make for nutritious energy snacks. With only six ingredients and no baking or chilling required, they'll be ready to eat in minutes!

rows of golden balls coated in flaked coconut sitting on a black plate in front of lavender napkin

This recipe works for vegan, gluten free, and nut free diets. There's no refined sugar, and it provides healthy fats and fibre. Take protein balls with you to enjoy on the road or grab them for a post-workout snack.

These energy bites are similar to my popular Lemon Coconut Chia Balls and the Peanut Butter Energy Balls with Chocolate Chips.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions
Equipment
FAQ's
Storage
Top tip
Recipe
Food safety

Ingredients

coconut - unsweetened, flaked works best
quick oats - gluten free, if necessary
hemp hearts - an excellent source of plant protein, omegas 3 and 6, amino acids
pineapple juice - use pure, unsweetened juice
dates - soft, Medjool dates help these little guys hold together
pure maple syrup - a natural sweetener with antioxidants

See the recipe card below for quantities.

Instructions

Pulse oats and dates together in a food processor until the dates have been chopped into small pieces.

dry, crumbly mixture of oats, hemp, and coconut, with little bits of chopped date showing here and there in bowl of food processor

Add the remaining ingredients, pulsing at first to make sure everything is evenly combined. Then process the mixture until it starts to ball up and come away from the sides of the bowl.

moist dough starting to ball up in bowl of food processor

Using wet hands, press the dough into about 24 little balls.

ball pressed together in palm of hand with flaked coconut on plate below

Roll each ball in some extra coconut to finish.

coconut ball is rolled by fingers in flaked coconut scattered on black plate

Substitutions

Coconut - if you don't have flaked coconut, a finer coconut will work

Equipment

I often use my food processor, even in my tiny motorhome kitchen. My Cuisinart machine is a good middle-of-the-road workhorse for cost and quality.

If you don't have a food processor, don't despair! You can still make Coconut Protein Balls! It will just be a little more work.

Chop the dates finely. Whisk the oats, hemp hearts, and coconut together. Then stir in the pineapple juice and maple syrup. It will be a stiff, sticky mixture, but you can work it with your hands.

FAQ's

Are protein balls good for you?

Protein balls that are not high in sugar can be a very healthful snack. Good ones will give you a healthy dose of good fats, fibre, and vitamins. These energy bites can be a very handy on-the-go snack.

Do protein balls give you energy?

With their good fats and protein, protein balls give you a good boost of energy. They're great to reach for before or after a workout, or perhaps when you're feeling a mid-afternoon slump.

looking down on a round black plate filled with rows of coconut-coated protein balls

Storage

You can keep protein balls for several days in the refrigerator, if they're kept in a well-sealed container.

I think yours will disappear quickly. If not, move some to the freezer for up to a month or two.

Top tip

Using wet hands and squeezing the dough well will help your energy bites to hold together nicely.

Recipe