These cake batter protein balls are a healthy and easy snack or dessert made with simple, wholesome ingredients! They’re also completely refined sugar free, vegan and gluten free.

cake batter protein balls with rainbow sprinkles on parchment paper

I’m an avid snacker. I rarely can go an hour without something to eat, so I love having little snacks on hand for when hunger strikes. I’m big on smoothies, but in the colder months I usually don’t want something cold nor do I always have time to prepare something.

Allow me to introduce you to these delicious cake batter protein balls. I’m a huge fan of energy balls, energy bites, bliss balls, or whatever you want to call them.

They’re an easy, on the go snack that are (usually) very good for you. This recipe is made with simple ingredients, sweetened with just pure honey or maple syrup and has about 7 grams of protein per serving.

They’re great to have either before or after a workout, in school lunches, or for a healthy late night snack!

ingredients labeled on a white background

Key Ingredients

Energy balls are often protein and fiber rich, and have lots of healthy fats to keep you full for longer. They’re the perfect healthy, on the go snack that you can keep in the fridge or freezer for weeks on end. For this recipe you will need:

Cashew Butter. Cashew butter is the base of this recipe. You can use another nut butter if you prefer (like homemade almond butter), but cashew butter is going to have the most neutral flavor and really give you that cake batter feel.

Oat Flour. To help bind everything together. You can also use almond flour if you prefer a grain free option or even try subbing for more protein powder instead.

Protein Powder. I love a vanilla protein powder for flavor and of course protein!

Maple Syrup. Since these are refined sugar free, we’ll be using maple syrup for natural sweetness, but honey is also delicious. For best results, I recommend sticking to a liquid sweetener. I do not recommend dates or a granulated sugar here.

Almond Extract. This will give that delicious cake batter flavor. You just need a small amount paired with vanilla extract to really round out the flavors.

Sprinkles. These are just for fun and you can totally do without!

two photos show how to mix the dough together

How to make protein energy balls

Add the cashew butter, vanilla, almond extract, and maple syrup to a bowl. Mix well.

Add all remaining ingredients except the sprinkles and combine until a dough forms. I like to use a rubber spatula for easiest mixing. Fold in the sprinkles.

Scoop the dough and roll into roughly 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls. About 1 tbsp of dough. Roll the dough in additional sprinkles if desired.

How to store protein balls

These particular cake batter protein balls will last in the fridge for about 2 weeks. But let’s be real, you’ll probably eat them all before then!

You can also freeze protein balls! I actually prefer the texture of these when they’re stored in the freezer. They firm up a bit and also keep for longer so that’s perfect if you live alone or will be eating over the course of a month or so.

one bite taken out of the protein balls to show texture

Frequently asked questions

Why are they crumbly?

Protein balls can end up crumbly if you don’t have enough moisture. Since this recipe is made with a base of cashew butter, you should not have this issue. However, if you do, just add in 1-2 teaspoons of milk until it forms a regular dough. On the other hands, if they’re too wet, just add in a bit more oat flour.

How much protein is in each ball?

About 6-8 grams of protein are in each ball, depending on how large you make them. This can vary depending on the brand of protein powder you use. Most of the protein is coming from the protein powder and cashew butter.

Can I use peanut butter?

Yes! You can definitely sub the cashew butter for peanut butter, just bear in mind that the flavor will be completely different and they won’t have much of a cake batter flavor. You can use peanut butter, then add chocolate chips instead of sprinkles for a little twist!

cake batter protein balls with sprinkles on parchment paper

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5 from 13 votes