Happy Friday! (At it again with another protein energy ball recipe!)
I’m going to spend the weekend cooking some new recipes for the blog, attending yoga, going out and playing around with my new camera, lunch with friends, and just catching up on some yardwork (assuming& hoping the rain will pass.) Before I get started with this delicious recipe post, I wanted to let you know that I’m running a fun spring giveaway on my Instagram! I get asked about my Nespresso maker all the time, so I thought it would be cool to give one away! I’m hoping to do a lot of giveaways this year as an appreciation to you guys! My blog wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for you! 🙂
A couple of weeks ago, I made these 5-ingredient white chocolate macadamia nut energy balls to keep in the house. Kyle was so obsessed with the chocolate chip peanut butter ones that he asked if I could come up with another. I figured he’d enjoy a white chocolate macadamia nut one, so that’s what I did! Verdict? HE LOVED THEM! & so did my mom. I brought some over for my parents, and I asked my dad the next day what he thought. He said he didn’t get to try them because my mom ate them all! I’m assuming she enjoyed them. Hiding them from my dad? Savage.
I know I’m totally late to the “ball” game, but I finally get the hype. You don’t have to bake them, you can pretty much use any ingredient you’d like, and they are so convenient. I took some of the lemon energy balls I made (recipe coming soon) on my weekend trip to Asheville, and they held up great. If you have picky eaters in your household, energy balls may be the trick.
These white chocolate macadamia nutballs are gluten-free and can be made vegan by using dairy-free white chocolate chips. (You can find those here.)
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Almond Butter
- 1 Cup Oats
- 1 Cup Vanilla Protein Powder (I used plant base)
- 1/2 Cup Chopped Macadamia Nuts
- 1/2 Cup White Chocolate Chips
- water or almond milk for texture
Instructions
- In a large bowl (or electric mixer) combine the almond butter, oats, vanilla protein powder, macadamia nuts, and white chocolate chips together.
- Gradually add in the water or almond milk until you get a texture that you can roll into balls. Add by the tablespoon.
- Scoop 2 heaping tablespoons of the mixture and roll into a ball. This recipe makes about 24-26 servings.
Notes
I hope you guys have a great weekend! I’m off to yoga 🙂
Questions for you!
- Have you ever made balls? If so, what flavor?
- Almond butter or peanut butter?
- White chocolate or dark chocolate?
Krista says
These look awesome!! I’m definitely looking forward to the lemon ones; it’s one of my favorite flavors! I’ve made energy balls a couple times, including chocolate hazelnut ones a couple of weeks ago. I like them for a quick snack on the go, as we tend to spend a lot of time driving.
I love almond butter, but I can’t say I’d eat it out of the jar quite like peanut butter. I love the Justin’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups, but dark chocolate in general is awesome. I could never wrap my head around white chocolate in general, though admittedly, I ate a ton of white chocolate macadamia cookies from Subway when I was in college. 🙂
Taralynn McNitt says
Hi, Krista!
Thanks so much! I’m excited to post the lemon ones soon!
mmmm hazelnut would be delicious! one of my favorite nuts lol
omg…………i ate so many white chocolate subway cookies in my lifetime! lol I actually posted a healthier/almond flour version on the blog years ago!
Rebecca Forney says
These look awesome! Is there any substitution for the protein powder? Or is it possible to just omit it- I’ve tried a lot of different protein powders and have never been a fan of the taste. To answer your questions- I’ve never made balls but always wanted to try to make them! I love all nut butters but I think peanut butter over almond, and def dark chocolate over white chocolate. I do love white chocolate macadamia nut cookies so I’m sure I’ll love these as well!
Thanks for the recipe and have a great weekend!
Taralynn McNitt says
Hi, Rebecca!
You don’t have to add the protein powder at all! 😀 If you love white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, you’ll LOVE these!!
Have a great weekend!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says
Chocolate protein balls? Count me in! Sounds like heaven! 😉 ❤️
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Taralynn McNitt says
Thanks, Charmaine!
Rayna says
I’ve been waiting on this recipe!
Thanks for posting!
Taralynn McNitt says
Enjoy!!!
Meghan says
OMG these look so good! White chocolate macadamia is my favorite flavor of anything ever haha I have made chocolate peanut butter energy balls in the past, and ‘monster cookie’ ones with mini m&m’s in place of chocolate chips. I haven’t made them in forever though because I don’t have enough self control to only eat one, theyre so good!
I just tried almond butter for the first time a few months ago and I’m obsessed. It’s so good! I love it on apples. My go to chocolate is usually dark chocolate!
Also, I just made your cranberry carrot chicken last night for dinner and it was sooo good! I didn’t have a can of cranberry sauce, but I had dried cranberries so I just heated some of them up and mashed them in place of it and it worked well! Ended up throwing the leftover veggies on my salad today!
Taralynn McNitt says
Hi, Meghan!
So happy you enjoyed the cranberry chicken!! Now I may have to make that! 🙂 yummy!
ohhhhhhh yes dark chocolate for the win! Try it with almond butter!
MONSTOR COOKIE BALLS? yum!!!!
Deanna Perry says
These look super easy. I also use plant based protein powders, I just wondered if they make it more crumbly. Anyway I’m going to make these today.
Taralynn McNitt says
I’ve never made them with anything other than plant-based, but adding the liquid helps them stay together!:)
Jessica says
Looks amazing! Currently eating my oatmeal raisin protein balls while I’m reading this, I bring two to work with me every day for afternoon snack/pick me up! Similar ingredients to the ones you used, except instead of white chocolate chips & macadamia nuts, I used raisins, honey, vanilla extract, and chia seeds!
Can’t wait to try these out!
Taralynn McNitt says
Yum! Adding those to the list!
Sounds so good! 🙂 I used chia seeds in lemon ones!
Sara says
Could you bake these?
Taralynn McNitt says
I wouldn’t recommend it! 🙂
Lindz says
I made them this afternoon! I didn’t have almond butter but used sunflower butter and they were a hit with the kiddos.
Taralynn McNitt says
That’s so great to hear 🙂 Glad the sunflower butter worked out. I may have to that with another ball recipe.
Susie @ Mile High Dreamers says
I LOVE this flavor combination. In Boulder we have this place called Boulder Baked (see what they did there…) and it’s fresh baked cookies to order. I ALWAYS get this flavor! But this is the perfect way to satisfy that craving without taking a huge nosedive into a calorie sugar fat pool (although I won’t say that’ll never happen…).
We do energy balls all the time, usually just a basic chocolate chia version!
Almond butter all the way (I’m obsessed with Nutzo right now too).
And if it’s chocolate… I’ll eat it!
Have a great weekend Taralynn!
Taralynn McNitt says
Hi, Susie!
Hahaha! True! These are a better alternative to my FAVE cookie…the white chocolate macadamia nut! I had so many of those Subway cookies as a little kid. Hahaha no chocolate discrimination happening! 😉
Have a great weekend, Susie!
Stefanie says
I found you on google from your last ball recipe! I look forward to making these!
Taralynn McNitt says
Yay for google! Enjoy 😀
Andy says
Can I omit the white chocolate?
Taralynn McNitt says
Yup!
Kari says
These look delicious and easy to make for my Sunday meal prep!
Taralynn McNitt says
Very easy to make 😀
Presley says
Can I use another nut butter? I don’t like almond butter.
Taralynn McNitt says
You can! 😀 You can’t taste the almond butter that much in this recipe, but you can most certainly swap it out!
Linda @ the Fitty says
You absolutely can! This is a fairly simple recipe and you can use any Nut Butter 🙂
Samantha says
Where did you get your flower napkin
Taralynn McNitt says
I just buy the fabric at the craft store and sew the edges! 🙂
Carol says
My fave combo ever!
Taralynn McNitt says
Mine too 🙂
zeyna says
how many carbs
Taralynn McNitt says
It’s all on the recipe card:)
Linda @ the Fitty says
I want an espresso machine!! I feel like I’ll never win though. You have so many amazing followers and everytime I enter a contest it never seems to go my way, haha.
Also, have you ever tried pili nuts?
And also, what is this new camera that you talk of?! I am so into that kind of stuff since I also blog.
Taralynn McNitt says
I do have some pretty amazing people who read my blog:) Including YOU!
I haven’t!
I’ll be doing a post on all the new equipment!
Sara says
Did you and kyle break up? 🙁
Taralynn McNitt says
lol no?
Jeni says
I’m seriously loving the energy balls/energy bites trend! They’re so perfect for taking to school– I commute and park over a mile from campus, so the less stuff I have to carry while walking that distance, the better. These can just be thrown into a small container and stored in a small compartment in a book bag! They also seem relatively inexpensive to make, which is even better 🙂
When I was a kid we used to make peanut butter balls all the time! I don’t recall the exact recipe, but it involved peanut butter, powdered milk, chocolate chips, and honey. Other than that, I haven’t made any energy balls recently, but looking at your recipes I’ll have to start again 🙂
To answer your other questions, I really like the taste of almond butter, and dark chocolate >>> white chocolate, especially when it’s paired up with oranges or strawberries!
Tori @torinsley says
I’ve only ever made energy balls one time and they turned out terrible. I didn’t care for the recipe and it really turned me off to them. I would be willing to give these a try because white chocolate macadamia nut cookies are my favorite.
I totally prefer peanut butter to almond butter, am a huge fan of cookie butter😄 but let’s be honest I like them all.
When it comes to chocolate I will take any and all forms it comes in lol. Hope you have an amazing week. Love your recipes!
I still make your oatmeal cream pies every year for thanksgiving and every raves about them.
Taralynn McNitt says
Hi, Tori!
I think you’ll like these!:D
omg those oatmeal cream pies are my weakness.
Leisha says
I made these using ProGranola instead of oats since I eat keto. Delicious! I might try doing the same with your recent muffin recipe.
Taralynn McNitt says
I’ve never heard of ProGranola! May have to look into it:)
Madeline says
1. Have you ever made balls? If so, what flavor? Yes! There’s a recipe I found on pinterest that has like 10 ingredients so it can take a while to make, but that’s my favorite recipe I’ve made. I tried your simple recipe and my first attempt was too crumbly (I didn’t add enough water!) The second attempt was much better as far as moisture – I shredded an apple for Apple Cinnamon energy balls, but something is still off about the flavor. I’m pretty sure it’s the brand of protein powder I’m using. I bought a giant tub from Walgreens and HATE the flavor so I’ve been trying to use it in other recipes so I don’t waste it. I’ll buy another kind and try it again.
2.Almond butter or peanut butter? Oh goodness that’s hard to choose. I love both! Maybe peanut butter for this recipe so it’s more smooth.
3.White chocolate or dark chocolate? Again hard to choose! I really like the Brookside dark chocolate covered berries. I bet those would be awesome in the energy balls!
Jenna says
I’ve made some with chocolate chips, raisins, oats and PB and they’re super addicting! Can’t wait to try these!
I prefer PB over AB and white chocolate over dark!
Taralynn McNitt says
Yum!!!!