Are you a cookie monster fan? you will love Monster Cookie Energy BallsWith everything you love about cookies: peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips and M&Ms!
Recipe review
Why you’ll love it: This no-bake treat is easy to make and is gluten-free. Kids love them!
How long will it take: 15 minutes
Equipment you will need: large mixing bowl
Dishes: Makes 30 balls
Are you a cookie monster? Do you remember the lovable fuzzy blue cookie monster from Sesame Street who devoured cookies as fast as he could while saying “I want more cookies!!”?
I heard that in response to concerns about promoting healthy eating for children, the show’s producers are going to change its name to Monster Vegetarian. Ha, good luck with that! Has anyone heard of the vegetation monster? I didn’t think so. Obviously it doesn’t fly.
Cookie Monster or not, everyone loves a cookie monster with peanut butter, oatmeal, chocolate chips and M&M’s, all wrapped up in a big, beautiful cookie. You can’t go too wrong with this combination. It will turn anyone into a crazy cookie monster.
So I guess Cookie Monster Energy Balls will be an instant hit wherever you take them. A no-bake protein ball with all the goodness of a monster cookie. Pride! this is genius!
Coming soon: Learn how to put together an awesome after school snack board. Monster Cookie Energy Balls play a starring role, accompanied by many more healthy snacks. The snack board is perfect for birthday parties, pool parties, or any event that includes children and those of us who are still children at heart.
about this recipe
Energy balls, energy bites, protein balls are all pretty much the same thing. I made a few different variations of an energy/protein ball and you can find the recipes below. They are usually made with oats, some protein (nuts, nut butter, protein powder), often dried fruit or another sweetener.
They are like trail mix but in a neat little ball. They satisfy a hungry stomach and give you a nice little boost when you’re running on empty. Energy balls are perfect for lunch boxes or after school treats.
Is it difficult to make energy balls? definitely not! These treats don’t bake, don’t cook, and don’t involve sharp knives, so the recipe is definitely kid-friendly. They can use their hands to mix the ingredients and have a blast rolling the little balls. You might see some of the M&M’s and chocolate chips disappear before they roll but you can always throw in a few more.
I’ll start here with the recipe and give you some helpful tips (even though the recipe is super easy!).
Look for the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post for complete instructions, measurements and nutritional information.
what do you need
- Creamy Peanut Butter: Peanut butter is a good source of protein, nutrients, dietary fiber and healthy fats. Stick to a brand that doesn’t have a lot of extra ingredients like sugar, vegetable oils, or trans fat. Peanut butter is the glue that holds these balls together. And, you can substitute sunflower butter or other nut butters.
- Maple syrup: A natural sweetener, maple syrup also tastes great. Use pure maple syrup. Pancake syrup is often made with high fructose corn syrup and artificial maple flavor.
- Pure vanilla extract: Most cookies contain vanilla extract. It provides a pleasant and sweet taste.
- Peanut butter protein powder (optional): Made from ground peanuts but without the oil, PB powder increases the nutritional value of the energy balls. Other types of protein powder are also fine.
- Rolled oats: These energy balls have a hefty amount of oats: two cups! Oats are a whole grain with lots of protein, soluble fiber and antioxidants. They are gluten free.
- Mini M&M’s: An essential part of monster cookies! I like the mini size for these energy balls, but regular size M&M’s are fine too.
- Mini chocolate chips: Another essential for cookie monsters!
How to make this recipe
Roll up your sleeves, wash your hands and let’s get started! Find a nice big bowl.
Measure out the peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and PB powder (if you’re using it) and put it all in a bowl. Mix it with a rubber spatula until it is smooth and creamy.
Then, mix in the oats. The mixture will be thick. Mix it until the oats combine with the peanut butter mixture.
Now add the M&M’s and chocolate chips. At this point it will be difficult to mix the dough and it is okay to use your hands.
Using your fingers, roll the mixture into small balls, about one and a half centimeters in diameter. It’s okay to guess! If your energy balls are smaller, you’ll end up getting more of them. If they are bigger, you will have a few less. Not a big problem!
Having trouble rolling the balls?
Spray your fingers with a light mist of non-stick spray.
If your mixture is too dry or too sticky, it may be difficult to roll. If the balls fall apart, try adding a little more peanut butter to the mix. If the mixture seems too sticky, stir in more oats.
Refrigerating the mixture for an hour or so can also help.
Store the energy bite in the refrigerator. They will firm up a bit as they cool. They will keep for a week in the fridge or a few months in the freezer.
Serve the energy bite with a glass of cold milk or a tropical shake. They also go great with a cup of coffee.
Common questions
Energy pills and protein pills are pretty much the same thing. Protein pills may add additional protein in the form of protein powder, but energy pills can also contain protein powder. It all depends on the recipe you use and how the author chooses to call them.
Many energy pills are high in calories and may contain quite a bit of sugar, giving you a quick energy boost, mostly in the form of carbohydrates. However, a good recipe for energy pills should also include proteinWhether it’s from protein powder, nuts or nut butters and whole wheat, such as oats. Complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, fiber and protein will fill you up and help you feel more energetic for a longer period of time.
Make it yours
- Without nuts: Replace the sunflower butter (SunButter) with the peanut butter. Remove PB powder or substitute another protein powder of your choice.
- Play with the ingredients. Instead of chocolate chips and M&M’s, try dried fruit like raisins or cranberries. Toasted coconut is also good. Try to keep the ratio the same or you will have trouble rolling them into balls.
- Increase nutrition By adding chia seeds, hemp seeds or flax seeds. You can also add ground flax seeds. Try to keep the ratio of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients the same. If you add a lot of extra dry ingredients, the mixture may be difficult to roll into balls. For example, if you add a quarter cup of chia seeds, you might want to reduce the amount of chocolate chips to a quarter cup.
- Prefer a cookie? Try the Trail Mix Cookies or my popular M&M Cookies.
Storage tips
Keep the energy balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for about a week.
I like to make a double batch and put half of them in the freezer. freeze Energy balls, place them on a tray or baking sheet in one layer and freeze them for about an hour, or until they are firm. Place them in a freezer container or freezer bag and freeze for up to three months. They make a great treat in a lunchbox!
did you do that? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog Facebook, Instagramor Pinterest!
Dishes
Prevent your screen from going dark
Are you a cookie monster fan? You’ll love Monster Cookie Energy Balls, with everything you love about cookies: peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips, and M&Ms!
Instructions
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In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla and optional PB protein powder using a rubber spatula.
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Add oats and combine with the peanut butter mixture.
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Mix in M&Ms and chocolate chips, using a rubber spatula or clean hands to combine.
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Roll the mixture into ½ inch balls and place on a baking sheet or tray. Makes 30 bullets.
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Serve and enjoy!
Remarks
- Store Monster Cookie Energy Balls in an airtight container or storage bag in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. To freeze, place them on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer for about an hour. Once the energy balls are stable, transfer them to a freezer storage bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Sunflower butter can be replaced with peanut butter.
- If you like, add a tablespoon or two of ground flax seeds, chia seeds or hemp seeds (hearts).
- Other types of protein powder can be substituted.
Nutritional information
dose: 1ball, Calories: 142KKL, Carbohydrates: 13G, protein: 5G, Fat: 9G, Saturated fat: 2G, Polyunsaturated fat: 2G, Unsaturated fat: 3G, trans fat: 0.01G, Cholesterol: 3mg, sodium: 62mg, potassium: 102mg, fiber: 1G, Sugar: 7G, vitamin: 17IU, Vitamin C: 0.04mg, calcium: 23mg, iron: 1mg
This site provides approximate nutritional information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutritional data is primarily collected from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or other online calculators.
