Healthy Keto Energy Bites

These easy, make ahead, no-cook keto energy bites are literally a life saver if you are busy out an about and need a little pick me up and an energy boost. They are easy to make and make a great snack whether you are at home, work or on the road. 

Adults and children alike will love these keto energy bites particularly if you want a vegan option. These protein almond butter balls are made with wholesome ingredients like nut or seed butter, ground flax seed and shredded coconut and are the perfect snack if you are on a keto diet.

Even though these protein energy balls I made today did not include a sweet component, you can always add sweetened chocolate chips, dates or raisins if you don't follow a keto diet. Keto foods are low in sugar and that's what makes these keto energy bites perfect.

I've made these a couple of times now, and I usually take them on Friday as a snack with my lunch. Not to mention that they seem to otherwise be gobbled up by my kids and hubby lately. 

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Jump to:

• Choosing Ingredients for Keto Energy Bites
• Ingredients You will Need to Make Protein Energy Balls or Keto Energy Balls
• Variations and Substitutions for Almond Keto Protein Balls
• Use a Food Processor to make Almond Keto Energy Balls
• Use your muscle
• Use a Cookie Scoop to form Keto Energy Balls
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• How to Make Almond Keto Protein Bars
• Why Make Nut Butter Keto Protein Balls?
• Instructions on How to Make Almond Butter Protein Balls
• How do you Store Almond Butter Protein Balls
• Food Safety
• Other Healthy Recipes
• Recipe Details
• Comments

Choosing Ingredients for Keto Energy Bites

Some people use peanut butter substitutes as a way to reduce calorie intake (e.g. PB2).  You can do this as well if you like, but if you are using more dry ingredients you'll need to add in more liquid ingredients like maple syrup or honey so that you are able to combine everything together into a consistency that will stick together and hold its shape.

On keto, you cannot add maple syrup or honey. Instead add melted coconut oil if your mixture is to dry. Also maple syrup and honey are high in sugar which are not keto friendly. Therefore stay away from ingredients high in sugar.

If you are on a keto diet though, you'll definitely want to include real peanut butter instead of a powdered peanut butter because of it's high fat content.

To make the best energy bites use real natural peanut butter or almond butter, don't use peanut butter with additives. You want to use a peanut butter made from peanuts only. There shouldn't be any other ingredient in your peanut butter, especially sugar or sugar substitutes.

In this recipe, I use whole natural almond butter made from scratch rather than low calorie substitutes.

Ingredients You will Need to Make Protein Energy Balls or Keto Energy Balls

• Use Almond butter for protein balls – a protein and healthy fat to add that will give you energy
• Use Shredded Coconut for your protein balls - a healthy fat and added flavor
• Use Ground Flaxseed for your protein balls– a healthy fat with omega3 that is also high in fibre, has protein and can help to lower your total blood cholesterol levels
• Collagen Protein Powder - adds the protein you need without the added sugar
• Melted Coconut Oil - to help bind ingredients.
• Swerve or Sugar Substitute - add sweetness if needed, but not necessary

Variations and Substitutions for Almond Keto Protein Balls

There are some many different combinations and ingredients you can use to make protein bites. Here are just a few ingredients to consider adding to your recipe that will make them different and unique. 

• Chocolate Chips - choose chocolate chips without sugar for Keto
• Maple Syrup - to add sweetness if you are not on a keto diet
• Oatmeal - to bind ingredients if you are not on a keto diet
• Cocoa - add unsweetened cocoa for a chocolate version
• Raisins - if you are not Keto
• Spices - Use Spices in your protein balls like cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice
• Healthy Fats - use chia seeds, flax seed, hemp hearts in your protein balls
• Flavor Extracts - use Vanilla extract in your protein bites. For Keto make sure the extract is sugar free.

Also, if there is an ingredient in the recipe that you are not fond of then you can remove it and replace it with one you like.

Use a Food Processor to make Almond Keto Energy Balls

The easiest and quickest way to make these energy bites is to through all of the ingredients in a food processor and mix.

I’ll be honest, though, I haven’t used a food processor yet to make them.  When I make them, I usually throw all the ingredients in a bowl and mix by hand.

Use your muscle

You will need to use a little bit of elbow grease when you are mixing up all the ingredients together.  As you start to mix the ingredients, the nut butter will start to loosen up.  Once the peanut butter begins to get loose it will make it easier to combine everything together.  This should take about 5 minutes using a fork.

Use a Cookie Scoop to form Keto Energy Balls

Using a cookie scoop to form the balls is the best way to keep these energy balls uniform. The cookie scoop also keeps your hands clean from the mess of the mixture from sticking to the palms of your hands.

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How to Make Almond Keto Protein Bars

Although this recipe is for Energy Bites, there is no reason you couldn’t press the ingredients into an 8 x 8 square baking dish and make protein bars.

Why Make Nut Butter Keto Protein Balls?

• Family-Friendly: Your family will love them, even your kids.
• Packable Snack: great snack to add to your lunches or to take along on a hike or on a trip.
• Healthy: filled with wholesome ingredients, protein, fiber.  Provides instant energy and curbs your hunger until you eat your next meal
• Personalize: Made with only the ingredients you want and not full of added sugar or sweeteners.
• No Cooking Required: No cooking or baking required

Instructions on How to Make Almond Butter Protein Balls

Mix: mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl

Be prepared because making these will require some muscle.  It's best to either soften the nut or peanut butter before you begin working with it. If needed, microwave it for 30 seconds at a time until it is soft enough to start working with it.

Add in oatmeal (eliminate for Keto), coconut and any other ingredients like chocolate chips, ground flax seed protein powder. If you are making a vegan version, you'll want to use a chocolate chip without dairy.

Begin mixing the ingredients and once incorporated start forming them in one inch balls or use a scoop to mold the balls.

Roll: use a small scoop to make balls or take a chunk and hand roll into small 1” balls. Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

The scoop was extremely helpful because I was able to keep all the keto energy bites neat and uniform with one another.  As I made them, I placed them on a piece of aluminum foil. You can also use parchment paper in place of the foil.

For Energy Bars: press mixture in the bottom of an 8 x 8 dish.

Cool: place the energy balls in the fridge to cool and harden

Eat: remove from fridge and eat!

How do you Store Almond Butter Protein Balls

As I made these bundles, I placed them in a tray so that I could refrigerate them once done.  Refrigerating them allowed the nut butter to harden and ensure that the bites would remain intact and not fall apart.

Store covered in the refrigerator. Consume with 3 to 4 days.

These Healthy Protein Energy Bites also freeze very well. I freeze my bites so that I can take them as a snack occasionally. Whether you are ready to use them all or just a couple, remove them from the freezer and place the desired amount of bites in the refrigerator to thaw out overnight. 

Drop a comment below with your spin on this recipe. I’d love to know how they turned out.

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