My keto protein balls are ready in 5 minutes and taste like cookie dough. This satisfying keto snack has just 1.6g net carbs and 10g of protein per serve.
I love having a high protein, low carb snack on hand for those times when life gets busy. And these no bake almond butter protein balls are exactly what I need when I am dashing out the door or want a pick-me-up in the afternoon.
They are proper keto energy balls - nourishing you with healthy fats while providing a good amount of protein as well.
To me, the combination of curbing carbs and increasing protein in my diet has been a game-changer. I feel more energetic, alert, stronger and less hungry.
And what a bonus that I can enjoy sweet treats like this one that fit my macros and taste divine at the same time!
Also try my chocolate protein balls.
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What's To Love About This Recipe
Super simple - I make these ketogenic protein balls with only 4 ingredients, in 5 minutes.
No special equipment - All you need is a bowl and a fork. And your hands, to roll the balls (which is fun!).
Make ahead and portable - To me, the key to a successful keto diet is planning ahead. Peckish? Grab a protein ball and off you go. Because you can make a batch of these and store them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Fantastic flavor - I first made a batch of these with peanut butter, but I actually prefer them with almond butter. Almond butter has a more refined, nutty taste without any sticky mouthfeel. I think the balls taste like cookie dough.
Very low carbs & high protein - Almond butter is LOWER IN CARBS than peanut butter and has a similar amount of protein. It's only 1.6g net carbs and 10 grams of protein per ball!
Ingredients
Let's talk ingredients. You'll find exact quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but I wanted to give you a bit of extra info right here:
- Almond Butter - I used a crunchy almond butter by Meridian. It is 100% almonds. Smooth almond butter is also fine, but I like the crunchy almond bits inside the balls. Stir before using.
- Protein Powder - Unflavoured whey protein powder is best for a creamy and rich taste. Choose a whey protein isolate because it has a higher protein content and less carbs.
- Sweetener - I chose liquid allulose in this recipe. I love it because it has literally no aftertaste (unlike many other keto sweeteners). Allulose is a zero carb sweetener and does not affect blood sugar levels. I buy it on iherb.com.
- Cinnamon - For a warm, mellow note.
Chef's Tip: If your almond butter does not contain salt, add a generous pinch (¼ teaspoon) of sea salt. It really lifts the flavor.
Instructions
It is simple to make keto protein balls. Here are the basic steps.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed method with ingredient amounts, timings and nutrition information.
STEP 1
Mash all ingredients in a mixing bowl with a fork until a crumbly dough forms. Add water as needed to loosen.
STEP 2
Form a large dough ball and cut it into 6 segments.
STEP 3
Roll each segment into a ball.
STEP 4
Option to roll the balls in a topping. I rolled mine in a mixture of crushed pumpkin seeds (pictured) and cinnamon.
Katrin's Top Tips
#1 Tweak for the perfect consistency. Almond butter brands vary in texture and so do protein powder brands. This means that you may have to tweak the dough:
- Too dry? Add water, almond milk or even a little olive oil to loosen the mixture. I used ½ tablespoon of water.
- Too runny? Work in more protein powder if the mixture is too soft to form balls.
#2 Day 2 rescue. If the balls become too firm or dry during storage, crumble them into a bowl. Then, add water by the teaspoon to loosen the mixture. Re-roll, eat one and put the rest back into the fridge!
Using Different Protein Powders
Collagen protein - I tested these low carb protein balls with collagen peptides instead of whey protein. This created a much softer dough and I sprinkled in a little coconut flour to firm it up.
Plant based protein powders - Personally, I found the taste of pea protein powder in this recipe overpowering. But, if being dairy-free is non-negotiable for you it's a possibility. You may want to add more cinnamon and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. (Note that hemp protein has an even stronger flavor than pea protein, so I would not recommend trying that.)
Egg white protein powder could work if you added more sweetener or vanilla. I haven't tried it yet because it's not my favourite of protein powders in terms of taste.
In short, I think that whey protein and collagen powder are the two best options.
Variations
- Nut or seed butter - Swap out the almond butter for any other nut butter. Pumpkin seed butter is the highest protein option of the seed butters.
- Sweetener - Any sugar free sweetener is fine, as long as it is powdered (granular sweetener would taste gritty). You could go for erythritol, Bocha sweet or allulose. Or, use stevia drops. Add additional water if you don't use a liquid sweetener to balance the wet/dry ratio.
- Add-ins - Sugar free chocolate chips or cocoa nibs. This works especially well with smooth nut butter.
- Toppings - Shredded coconut is a great keto option, or roll them in hemp hearts, which have a surprising amount of protein. Or dip one half in melted keto chocolate.
- Make them smaller - Roll the mixture into 12 balls for bite-sized protein bites.
Recipe FAQs
A vanilla whey protein would be great in this recipe, as would a chocolate one. Just make sure it is keto friendly. Reduce the sweetener in my recipe accordingly because flavored protein powders usually contain sweeteners.
They do, actually! Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract, increase the cinnamon and don't forget to use the sea salt to add flavor.
1 ball is 1 serving. Each weighs around 30 grams. For me, it was 4 satisfying bites per ball.
Storage
Store the balls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
More Delicious Keto Bites
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe
Keto Protein Balls
Ingredients
- ½ cup almond butter crunchy, 130g
- 4 tablespoon whey protein powder 28g
- 1 tablespoon liquid allulose
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt if the almond butter is unsalted
As needed
- water to loosen the mixture, I used ½ tablespoon
Instructions
- Stir all ingredients in a mixing bowl with a fork until a firm dough forms that can be shaped easily. (***Adjust as needed with water/oil or more protein powder, see recipe notes)
- Form a large dough ball and cut it into 6 segments.
- Roll each segment into a ball.
- Option to roll each ball in a topping of your choice. I rolled mine in crushed pumokin seeds and cinnamon.
Notes
-
- Too dry? Add water, almond milk or a little olive oil/melted butter
- Too runny? Work in more protein powder
- Sweetener swap: You can use powdered sweeteners such as allulose, Bocha Sweet or erythritol/monk fruit. Add more liquid as needed to balance the wet/dry ratio
Shani
These are so yummy! Great anytime of day or night. Goes well with a cuppa or solo as a sweet treat after dinner. So quick and easy to make.
RUTH LANT
So yummy, they certainly won't last very long in my fridge! Great recipe thanks!
Joanna
These sound amazing! I'm a snacker too...
Opting to use collagen and powdered allulose as I don't have protein powder or liquid allulose on hand.
Katrin Nürnberger
That's great. Come back here and let me know how they turned out for you!