These no-bake Pumpkin Protein Balls have all the flavors of pumpkin pie but in a healthier bite! They're the perfect nourishing grab-and-go snack to satisfy your pumpkin spice cravings.
Fall is in the air, and that means one thing—pumpkin season is here! 🍂 If you love all things pumpkin, these pumpkin protein balls are for you.
These no-bake energy bites are made with nourishing ingredients and no refined sugars. They're packed with pumpkin flavor as well as protein, fiber, and healthy fats to fuel you through busy days. They're the perfect grab-and-go snack when you want a sweet treat to satisfy your pumpkin spice cravings.
Jump to:
Looking for more pumpkin recipes? Check out my high-protein pumpkin chocolate chip bread, pumpkin spice protein shake, and pumpkin protein bars.
Why You’ll Love This Dish
- Perfect seasonal snack: Filled with fall flavors, thanks to real pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice.
- Easy to make: These pumpkin spice energy balls are no-bake and come together in just a few steps with simple ingredients.
- Nutritious: These healthy bites are packed with 6 grams of protein and healthy fats to give you long-lasting energy. The perfect healthy snack!
- Customizable: Swap out the almond butter for peanut butter, cashew butter or sunflower seed butter, or add in chia seeds, flaxseed or coconut flakes for even more texture and nutrition.
- Perfect for meal prep: A convenient and nutritious snack that can be enjoyed throughout the week.
Doctor’s Tips
- These pumpkin protein balls are a great healthy snack- they provide fiber-filled carbs, protein, and healthy fats. This combination will fill you up and give you sustained energy to fuel your day. You can also try my 3-ingredient peanut butter oatmeal balls.
- Pumpkin is packed with nutrients including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.
- Looking for more protein-packed recipes? Check out my high protein recipe collection.
Ingredients
Ingredient notes and substitutions. See recipe card at the end of the post for full ingredient list.
- Canned pumpkin- be sure to use canned pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, which has added spices and sugar. It's a great way to use up leftover canned pumpkin.
- Almond butter- helps bind the balls together; you can substitute other nut butters like creamy peanut butter (this will give a stronger peanut taste), cashew butter or sunflower seed butter.
- Honey- a natural sweetener that helps bind the balls together; you can substitute another liquid sweetener like pure maple syrup or agave nectar.
- Oats- I use old-fashioned oats; you can use certified gluten-free oats to keep the recipe gluten free. I like to give them a coarse chop in a mini food processor because I like the consistency better and I find that the balls hold together better this way.
- Vanilla protein powder- you can use whey protein powder or plant-based protein powder; use your favorite vanilla protein powder that you like the taste of.
- Pumpkin pie spice- you can buy a premade blend at the grocery store; if you don't have it, you can use a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice. You can also just use cinnamon.
- Flaky sea salt- I love Maldon sea salt; the saltiness perfectly balances out the sweetness of the pumpkin and white chocolate.
- White chocolate chips- I like to drizzle a little bit of white chocolate on these pumpkin protein balls- it's the perfect compliment to the pumpkin. You can leave it off or use dark chocolate or semisweet chocolate instead.
- Coconut oil- helps make the melted chocolate glossy and helps it solidify in the freezer
- Optional add-ins- chia seeds, ground flaxseed, coconut flakes, or pumpkin seeds
How To Make Pumpkin Protein Balls Step-by-Step
- Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine the canned pumpkin, almond butter, and honey until smooth.
- Step 2: Add the dry ingredients- chopped oats, vanilla protein powder, pumpkin pie spice, and a pinch of sea salt.
- Step 3: Mix everything together using a spatula until well-mixed. If you want to include extra ingredients like chia seeds, stir them in now.
- Step 4: Using a small cookie scoop or your hands, form the mixture into 1-inch balls. Roll them around in your hands to make sure they’re compact and hold together.
- Step 5: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate chips and coconut oil. Heat in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until smooth.
- Step 6: Drizzle the melted chocolate over the pumpkin protein balls and sprinkle with sea salt for an extra touch of flavor.
Place the pumpkin energy balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze them until firm, about 20 minutes. Once firm, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Chef’s Tips
- I like to chop the oats in a mini food processor to break them into smaller pieces, which helps the balls hold together better.
- The texture of the mixture can vary depending on the nut butter you use. Also, pumpkin has a lot of moisture. If your mixture is too wet, simply add more oats, protein powder, or even a little oat flour.
- If the mixture feels too soft, you can refrigerate it for 15 minutes so that it firms up before rolling it into balls. You can wet your hands with a little water if the mixture sticks to your hands while you're rolling the balls.
- Use a small cookie scoop to make sure all your pumpkin spice protein balls are all the same size.
FAQs
Are these pumpkin balls gluten-free?
If you use certified gluten-free oats, these pumpkin protein balls are gluten-free!
What is in pumpkin pie spice?
Pumpkin pie spice is a blend of spices and typically contains a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice.
Can I meal prep these?
Yes! These pumpkin protein balls are perfect for meal prep. Store them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
What if I don’t have almond butter?
You can use creamy peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, or cashew butter. Each will give a slightly different flavor, but all are delicious and provide plenty of healthy fats.
More Tasty Snacks
YOUR PATH TO WELLNESS STARTS HERE!
Get my best healthy recipes and tips sent straight to your inbox!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Recipe
Pumpkin Protein Balls
These no-bake Pumpkin Protein Balls have all the flavors of pumpkin pie but in a healthier bite! They're the perfect nourishing grab-and-go snack to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Print
Pin
Rate
Servings: 14
Calories: 120kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup canned pumpkin
- ⅓ cup almond butter (can substitute peanut butter, cashew butter or sunflower butter)
- 3 tablespoons honey (can substitute maple syrup or agave nectar)
- 1 ½ cup old-fashioned oats (use certified gluten-free oats to keep the recipe gluten free)
- ½ cup vanilla protein powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 pinch of flaky sea salt
- 3 tablespoons white chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon coconut oil
- Flaky sea salt
Prevent your screen from going dark while you're cooking
Instructions
- Mix the pumpkin, almond butter, and honey together in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
- Roughly chop the oats in a mini food processor. This step is optional but I find that the balls hold together better if they're chopped into smaller pieces.
- Add the oats, protein powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Using a spatula, stir to combine all the ingredients well.
- Form the mixture into balls, about 1-inch in size. You can do this with your hands or a small cookie scoop. Roll them around in your hands to compact them so that they stay together.
- To make the white chocolate drizzle, put the white chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small bowl in the microwave. Heat in the microwave in 30 second increments until chocolate is melted. Stir until smooth.
- Drizzle the melted white chocolate on top of the balls and sprinkle a little sea salt on top. Place the balls in the freezer until firm.
- You can store the energy balls in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
- I like to chop the oats in a mini food processor quickly first to break them up into smaller pieces. This will help the balls hold together better.
- The texture of the balls will be a little different depending on what type of nut butter you use. Pumpkin also has a lot of moisture. If the mixture is too wet, add some more oats, protein powder, or oat flour.
- You can stick the bowl in the fridge for about 15 minutes to get the mixture to firm up a little and make it easier to roll.
- You can wet your hands with a little water to make rolling them easier.
- I like to use a small cookie scoop so that the balls are all the same size.
- Pumpkin pie spice is a blend of spices and typically contains a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice.
- The texture of the balls will be a little different depending on what type of nut butter you use. Pumpkin also has a lot of moisture. If the mixture is too wet, add some more oats, protein powder, or oat flour.
- You can stick the bowl in the fridge for about 15 minutes to get the mixture to firm up a little and make it easier to roll.
- You can wet your hands with a little water to make rolling them easier.
- I like to use a small cookie scoop so that the balls are all the same size.
- Pumpkin pie spice is a blend of spices and typically contains a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 ball | Calories: 120kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 920IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Share a Photo on Instagram!Tag @FoodiePhysician or use hashtag #TheFoodiePhysician!
Did you know.... Rating and sharing recipes is one of the best ways you can support your favorite food bloggers? If you make this recipe, I would love if you clicked the stars above to leave a rating!
Comments
No Comments