These keto peanut butter protein balls are a sweet and filling treat! They are made with just a few basic ingredients and are the ultimate treat for peanut butter lovers (and yes, peanut butter is keto!). Make a batch of these healthy low carb protein balls for a quick snack when a craving strikes. Whether you’re new to keto or not, I think having healthy snack options on-hand is an important way to make this lifestyle work – everyone needs snacks! Ingredients for keto trail mix, keto popcorn, kale chips, protein mug cake, and pepperoni chips are all great items to have stocked in your fridge or pantry for whenever you need a little something.
What Are Peanut Butter Protein Balls?
These easy keto protein balls are small, round, sweet treats packed with protein and healthy fat. They are basically keto protein bites that taste like peanut butter truffles or peanut butter fudge!
Are protein balls keto?
Not all protein balls are low carb or keto. Many are made with oats, sugar, or other higher carb ingredients. This easy low carb protein balls recipe is made with Besti, which gives them sweet flavor without any carbs or sugar.
Ingredients For Peanut Butter Balls
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for low carb protein balls, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Peanut butter – It’s important to use a thick peanut butter like this one — NOT a runny one! Also, use a salted peanut butter, or add 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon salt if yours is unsalted.Collagen protein powder – Look for a high quality collagen that is unflavored. Other unsweetened protein powders are also fine to use.Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – This sweetener works best in the healthy protein balls recipe, as it gives the balls sweet flavor without any aftertaste and dissolves well without making them gritty. Other powdered sweeteners can work — see my keto sweetener guide for different types. Keep in mind that you may need to reduce the sweetener if you don’t use Besti, because it dissolves into the peanut butter more than other sweeteners would.Vanilla – Use a high quality vanilla extract to bring out the sweetness in these keto peanut butter balls. Peanuts – We’re rolling the balls in chopped peanuts to make them easier to handle and to add crunch. Give them a good chop in the food processor or with a sharp knife.
How To Make Keto Peanut Butter Balls
This section shows how to make sugar free no bake peanut butter balls with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Mix dough. Combine the peanut butter, collagen powder, Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend, and vanilla in a powerful blender or food processor. Process until uniform, scraping down the sides as necessary.
TIP: If the mixture is too runny, you can add more sweetener and protein powder in equal amounts. The consistency of the mixture will vary depending on how thick your peanut butter is. You want the mixture to be dense, but not so dry that it can’t be pressed together.
Freeze. Freeze the dough for about 20 minutes to make the mixture firmer and less sticky.Roll balls. Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out balls of dough and then roll in your hands.
TIP: Use cold hands to make the rolling process easier. You can do this by washing your hands with cold water.
Coat protein balls. Roll the formed balls into the chopped peanuts to coat. Place the protein balls on a baking sheet after rolling each one. From there you can refrigerate or freeze.
Recipe Variations
Feel free to change up your keto protein ball recipe with these variations!
Chocolate chip – My favorite to use are these sugar-free chocolate chips. You can roll them on the outside instead of chopped peanuts, or stir them into the peanut butter mixture.Peanut-free – If you have a peanut allergy or don’t like them, you can swap the peanut butter with almond butter and the peanuts for almonds (or any other keto nuts). Most almond butters are more runny, so you’ll need to add more sweetener and protein powder to make the mixture firm enough.Chocolate – Replace 1-2 tablespoons of the protein powder with cocoa powder to make your low carb protein balls chocolate throughout.Coconut – Roll the protein balls in unsweetened coconut flakes instead of (or in addition to) the chopped peanuts.
Storage Instructions
To store: Refrigerate for up to 7 days.To freeze: You can freeze keto peanut butter protein balls for 3-4 months. They will be firmer out of the freezer, if you prefer that texture.
More Healthy Protein Ball Recipes
If you like these low carb protein balls, you might also like some of these other protein and energy ball recipes:
Keto Maple Energy Balls Keto Cookie Dough BitesChocolate Peanut Butter Fat BombsLow Carb Protein Bars
Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too – I’d love to see it!
