5 Ingredient Energy Balls: A No-Bake Recipe Featuring Mini M&Ms

When you need a filling yet sweet treat to help provide you with a little bit of energy to get through your day, grab one (or a few!) of these 5 ingredient energy balls. This no-bake recipe is quick and simple to make and can be customized to your family’s tastes.

There are many different recipes for energy balls out there. Some people call them energy bites, protein balls, protein bites, peanut butter balls, and so forth. The combination of the ingredients varies slightly based on each person’s preferences.

The energy balls I make have only 5 simple ingredients: oats, peanut butter, honey, vanilla, and mini M&Ms. Using good-quality ingredients will provide you with a tasty and somewhat healthy snack that resembles no-bake cookies.

You can use this recipe as a base and add or swap other ingredients to really make it your own. Try ingredients like mini chocolate chips, chia seeds, ground flax seeds, vanilla protein powder, dried fruit, shredded coconut, chopped nuts, and more.

I always make a big batch of these for my kids to grab before a big sporting event, as a quick breakfast, or when we go on a long car trip. They are great at room temperature, but even better when stored in your refrigerator or cooler!

How To Make 5 Ingredient Energy Balls

*Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see the full recipe, including exact measurements and amounts. You can also print out the instructions. I go into a bit more detail about the recipe here first, just in case you need it.

Ingredients

• Old-fashioned oats – Oats are a staple in most energy ball recipes. They are cheap, filling, full of fiber, and make a great base ingredient that can be paired with a lot of different flavor profiles. Make sure you are using old fashioned oast and not quick oats. Quick oats will turn out too mushy after sitting for a while.
• Peanut Butter – We like to use a natural peanut butter for this recipe. It has less sugar and other added ingredients than some of the regular store-bought varieties. The peanut butter helps to fill you up, providing healthy fats and a bit of protein. It also acts as the main binding ingredient for the energy balls.
• Honey – When possible, we try to use honey from a local source. (I unfortunately didn’t have any when I was making the batch for these images.) There are a lot of added benefits if you can find local honey. This is especially true if you are an allergy sufferer like my kids and I are. The honey helps to add sweetness to the recipe as well as help bind everything together.
• Vanilla – Use real vanilla extract, not the imitation kind. Or, try making your own homemade vanilla! It’s super easy to do and just takes a bit of time. The flavor profile of homemade vanilla is so much better than store-bought!
• Mini M&Ms – We like the extra little texture and crunch that the mini M&Ms provide, but you can also use mini chocolate chips instead. Or, leave them out altogether and try some of the ingredients mentioned below.

Optional Ingredients

While the oats and peanut butter are the base of the recipe, you can add other ingredients instead of the ones I listed above. For example, instead of honey as a binder, try using pure maple syrup. Just note that it will change the flavor profile as well as the texture of the energy balls.

Instead of mini M&Ms or in addition to them, try adding other ingredients like chia seeds, chopped nuts, shredded coconut, ground flax seed, dried fruit, vanilla protein powder, etc. Some people also prefer to use mini chocolate chips instead of the mini M&Ms. (They are still good this way, but we always miss the slight crunch the shell of the M&Ms provides.)

Just keep in mind that the texture might change slightly if you add more or different ingredients. This might require adding additional peanut butter, honey, or oats to help hold the energy balls together, depending on whether they are too sticky or dry. 

Instructions For 5 Ingredient Energy Balls

Add all of the ingredients but the M&Ms to a stand mixer bowl. Mix them together on low speed until everything is well combined. I have also done this by hand using a bowl and a spatula. It just takes a bit longer than using a stand mixer.

Stop the mixer when everything is well combined. Add the mini M&Ms or any other large-pieced ingredients you are using. Fold them in by hand until they are evenly distributed. (I find that it is easier to add the M&Ms this way as opposed to using the mixer since the batter is a bit thick by this point.)

If the batter seems to be too sticky after adding the M&Ms or other ingredients, add a quarter cup of oats. If the batter seems dry and crumbly, add a bit more peanut butter or honey. Continue this process until it reaches a consistency that is still slightly sticky and doesn’t crumble when you shape it into a ball.

Chill & Shape

Cover the container and place the mixture in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes or so to chill. This step is optional, but it makes scooping a lot easier. It also keeps the energy balls from being too sticky when forming. If you prefer, you can go ahead and scoop and shape them right away, though.

Once chilled, use a 1.5 Tablespoon scoop to create the perfect bite-sized amount. Shape each one into a smooth ball by rolling it between your hands. This recipe will make enough for about 35 energy balls. (Here is the 1.5 tbsp scoop I use all the time for these and most all cookie recipes I make – Product Link: Prep Solutions by Progressive Measuring Scoop.)

Store the 5 ingredient energy balls in a sealed container at room temperature or in your refrigerator. We prefer to eat ours cold, so our container lives in the fridge or a cooler. This way, the kids can grab a couple before their game, as a quick breakfast, or any time they want a sweet treat that will provide them with a little bit of an extra energy boost.

The energy balls will keep in your fridge for around two weeks, or you can freeze them in freezer-safe containers for around 3 months. Enjoy!

Until next time, thanks for stopping by!
– Chelsea

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