3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls

Name: 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 2 cups old fashioned oats; 1 cup peanut butter; ¼ cup honey

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Made with only 3 ingredients, these peanut butter oatmeal balls are the perfect start to your morning. These energy bites are packed with nutrients and can be whipped up in 5 minutes!

peanut butter balls stacked together on a white plate

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Recipe Ingredients
Step by Step Instructions
Frequently Asked Questions
Substitutions/Add ins
Storing & Freezing
Want to try more oatmeal recipes?
📖 Recipe

If you are looking for a quick & easy on-the-go breakfast, look no further than these 3-ingredient peanut butter oatmeal balls. They are so easy to make it should be illegal.

These no-bake peanut butter energy bites are packed with healthy carbs, fats, and protein, making them a well-rounded snack and perfect for a grab-and-go situation. I love making these and keeping them on hand for when I get a little hungry!

If you love recipes using oats, you should definitely give my Protein Overnight Oats a try, as well as my Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal.

Recipe Ingredients

Oatmeal- For this recipe, you're going to want to use old-fashioned or rolled oats. They are sturdy and give the best texture for these oat balls. You could also use quick oats, just know that the texture might be a little different. I would avoid using steel-cut oats.
Peanut butter- I used regular creamy peanut butter for this recipe (think like Jif or Skippy). I didn't test with natural peanut butter, but if you want to use natural I would make sure to use one without a lot of oil and make sure the oil is fully mixed in before using. Natural peanut butter typically has a dryer texture than creamy, so this might affect the texture of your oatmeal peanut butter balls.
Honey- Honey is used as our sweetener and binding agent for this recipe, but we don't need a lot!

ingredients needed to make peanut butter oatmeal balls

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1:

In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the peanut butter for about 30 seconds, or until it reaches a runny consistency. This is to make it easier to mix.

Step 2:

In a large bowl, mix the oats, peanut butter, and honey until fully combined.

oats, peanut butter, and honey in a mixing bowl

oat mixture fully mixed in a bowl with a rubber spatula

Step 3:

Use a tbsp-sized measuring spoon to scoop the oatmeal mixture and roll it into a ball in the palm of your hand. Place on a parchment paper-lined plate and place in the fridge until they firm up.

tbsp measuring spoon with oat balls rolled out on a plate

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have to bake these?

No! This recipe is no-bake, so there is no baking involved. I do like to chill the balls in the fridge after rolling them.

Can you eat raw oats?

Yes! The combination of peanut butter and honey will soften the oats just enough so that it doesn't feel like you're eating just raw oatmeal. Plus the oats give a little texture to these peanut butter energy bites.

Can I add protein powder?

Absolutely! If you want to make these protein peanut butter oatmeal bites, I would remove ¼ cup of oatmeal and add in ¼ of vanilla, peanut butter, or even chocolate protein powder.

peanut butter oat ball with a bite taken out of it next to a spoon full of peanut butter on parchment paper

Substitutions/Add ins

Here are some fun ideas to change up these peanut butter oatmeal balls:

Use almond butter, cashew butter, or another nut butter you love. If you are nut-free use sunflower butter!
Use gluten-free oats to make this recipe gluten-free. You can also swap the honey for maple syrup to make this vegan.
Add chia seeds for an extra boost in nutrients and fiber.
Add mini chocolate chips, cinnamon, or shredded coconut for a little extra flavor.

Storing & Freezing

These energy bites are stored best in the fridge in an airtight container. They stay fresh for up to a week in the fridge or a month in the freezer.

pile of peanut butter balls on parchment paper with a spoon full of peanut butter

Want to try more oatmeal recipes?

If you made this recipe, I would love to know what you thought! Leave me a star rating and a comment below ⭐️ Your reviews not only help my business but other bakers as well!

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