These no-bake Pumpkin Protein Balls taste like pumpkin pie cookie dough…which is so delicious! They’re packed with fiber, beneficial fats, and protein too, for a balanced snack or dessert to share.
I am forever on the hunt for easy snacks that I like as much as the kids and these no-bake bites are SO good for fall…or really any time you want a dose of pumpkin. They don’t need to be baked, the ingredients are easy to stir together, and they store well in the fridge for weeks and weeks.
Plus, each serving has protein to keep us satisfied until the next meal or snack!
These are a great after school snack, pregnancy snack, postpartum snack—or even a breakfast on the go.
(You may also like my Bliss Balls and Edible Cookie Dough for variations on this idea.)
Why This Recipe Works
A combination of pumpkin puree, almond butter, and honey provides enough binding to hold together the oat flour, protein powder, and optional seeds. Which means you can make a no-bake snack in minutes that’s easy to form into energy bites—no fuss required.
Table of Contents
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Ingredients You Need
Here’s a look at the ingredients you need to have on hand to make Pumpkin Protein Balls so you know what to pick up from the store or have ready.
- Pumpkin puree: You can use canned or homemade pumpkin puree. (Do not use pumpkin pie filling.)
- Creamy unsweetened almond butter: Or you can use peanut or sunflower seed butter.
- Honey: The honey in this recipe helps the bites hold together. You can also swap in brown rice syrup for a less sweet taste.
- Oat flour: You can also use rolled or quick oats as they are out of the canister or bag, or you can grind them up in a food processor or blender to make a finer texture. (We like them ground up so the bites have the texture of cookie dough.)
- Vanilla extract: You can use pure or imitation vanilla extract here.
- Chia seeds: These little seeds add some texture and additional fats. You can omit them if you don’t have them or don’t want black dots throughout the bites.
- Pumpkin pie spice: For lots of cozy pumpkin flavor, this is key. If you are out, use cinnamon.
- Mini chocolate chips: Add these in for more flavor and yumminess.
- Vanilla protein powder (optional): You can use store bought protein powder or my easy homemade protein powder (which is much less $$).
Featured Review⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
These are so good. I would definitely double the recipe next time though. I popped too many of them while making them! —Lisa
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a preview of how to make these Pumpkin Protein Balls so you know what to expect from the process. Scroll down to the end of this post for the full information, including the amounts and the timing.
Step 1. Warm the nut butter and honey if not at room temperature. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl.
Step 2. Stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon as much as you can. If the dough is at all stiff, mix with clean hands.
Step 3. Use a tablespoon-size measuring spoon to portion and roll into balls. Squeeze the batter, then roll it into a ball to help it hold together easily.
Step 4. Serve or store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a month.
Frequently Asked Questions
It works well as the recipe is written and while you could add another scoop of protein powder, for more people, eating a lot of protein simply isn’t necessary. You can serve these with some milk, though, to make them a more filling snack.
You can use brown rice syrup or maple syrup. If you use maple syrup, the batter may not be quite as firm so pop it into the refrigerator for 10 minutes before rolling into balls.
Sure, just use certified gluten-free oats or oat flour and maple syrup or agave nectar in place of the honey.
How to Store
To store Pumpkin Protein Balls, place in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a month. Let sit at room temperature to soften slightly if needed for your toddler.
Best Tips for Success
- If you don’t have chia seeds on hand, you can simply skip them.
- Use quick or rolled oats in place of the oat flour if desired.
- You can buy oat flour at the store or make homemade oat flour.
- Use a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon measuring spoon to easily portion out the batter.
- Swap in cashew butter or peanut butter for the almond butter.
- Nut-free: Use SunButter or another sunflower seed butter instead of almond butter.
- Use dairy-free chocolate chips to make this recipe dairy-free.
- If you have pumpkin puree left over, try my other pumpkin recipes: Pumpkin French Toast and Pumpkin Bars.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback on this post, so please rate and comment below!
Pumpkin Protein Balls (No-Bake)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup creamy unsweetened almond butter
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds (optional)
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
- 2 scoops vanilla protein powder (optional)
Instructions
- If not at room temperature, place the almond butter and honey in a heat-proof container (such as a glass measuring cup) and warm for 15-30 seconds in the microwave.
- Add to a medium bowl with the rest of the ingredients including protein powder (if using).
- Stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon as much as you can. If the dough is at all stiff, mix with clean hands. Add chocolate chips, if using.
- Use a tablespoon-size measuring spoon to portion and roll into balls. Squeeze the batter, then roll it into a ball to help it hold together easily.
- Serve or store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a month.
Equipment
Notes
- To store, place in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a month. Let sit at room temperature to soften slightly if needed for your toddler.
- Reduce the honey to 2 tablespoons if desired.
- If you don’t have chia seeds on hand, you can simply skip them.
- Nut-free: Use SunButter or another sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter.
- Warm the almond butter and honey if not at room temperature so they are easy to stir into the other ingredients.
I want to make these for my infant and toddler can I switch out the honey for something else?
You can use a small amount of agave or maple syrup (like 1 tbsp to start) to make sure they don’t get too sticky or hard to hold together.
My batter came out super sticky.. hard to roll into balls, what am I doing wrong here?
Pop them into the fridge for 10 minutes!
My son is allergic to oats. Is there a swap you can recommend?
Do I absolutely need pumpkin spice? I don’t have all those ingredients and I’m in a pinch and need to make it, if possible. I have cinnamon and nutmeg though. Will that work? And how much for each you think? Thanks!
You can use cinnamon!
Loved these! Perfect fall snack!
I’m so glad to hear that!
My almost three year old DEVOURED these. He kept patting me and saying “thank you mama” long after he finished eating🥰 I had to hide them so he wouldn’t get a stomach ache. They were also really nice for me as I have a nursing infant and often forget to eat anything substantial.
I also added 2 tsp of hemp hearts just to squeeze in a little extra as it’s very hit or miss what my toddler will eat and those are pretty imperceptible. I didn’t have chocolate chips or oat flour so I chopped up some baking chocolate very small and blended some rolled oats into flour and it worked perfectly. Thank you so much! Your recipes are the reason my toddler eats more than mac and cheese, quesadillas and fruit snacks♥️
I’m so glad to hear that and I’ve been meaning to try adding hemp hearts so I’m glad to hear that worked well.
This looks yummy! Could I grind quick oats if I don’t have oat flour? Thanks!
Sure thing!
Could regular peanut butter be used instead?
Yes, that will work though peanut butter has a much stronger flavor so that is why I didn’t use it to start with. But if you enjoy that flavor, it will be yummy too.
Is there an alternative to oat flour like almond flour instead? My baby has FPIES to oats right now but I would love to make this for him! Please let me know if there is a substitute!
I think you might be able to use almond flour, though since it absorbs moisture differently, you might need to add a little more. I’d start with the amount of oat flour listed and then add a little more almond flour as needed to make balls that are easy to roll.
Do you think these would work with maple syrup swapped for the honey? Maybe less maple syrup since it has a higher water content than honey? I might try just starting with 1/8 cup maple syrup and see how it goes. I love these snack recipes, thank you for the variety!!!
I think that should work! Please let me know once you try it!
These are so good. I would definitely double the recipe next time though. I popped too many of them while making them.
Do you think maple syrup would work as a substitute for honey in this recipe?
Yes but I would do 2 tbsp to start with to make sure they are not too damp to hold together.
Can you use a wheat flour instead of an oat flour?
You are not supposed to use wheat flours raw as there is a bacteria risk so I would not recommend that.
This is so random but I was accidentally sent some oatmeal baby cereal with my recent little spoon delivery.. can this be used as oat flour do you think?
Maybe use a portion of it in the mix with oat flour? Sometimes the flavor of baby oatmeal can be strong so that is my main concern. Enjoy!
Can these be frozen?
Sure, though they are also fine in the fridge for a few weeks.