Vegan Oatmeal Balls
Today we are making an easy snack – vegan oatmeal peanut butter balls, peanut butter and jelly flavor! What are your favorite recipes using peanut butter and jelly? It was a classroom favorite when I was growing up, and it seemed that every other child was bringing it for lunch. But at some point, I remember peanut allergies being a thing, and then suddenly no one was allowed to be bringing PB&J sandwiches anymore.
From that point on, peanuts were banned from classrooms because schools could not be held liable for those with allergies. Peanut allergies for some reason were the most common, and so we said farewell to the trusted PB&J. Sunbutter was a new alternative to PB at the time (also known as sunflower seed butter). The spread was just as thick, creamy and nutty, albeit lacking the actual peanut flavor.
I never used to be a fan of PB&J – I thought spreading jam on your PB sandwiches was weird. I got used to it after it was banned in schools, and to this day it’s a favorite of mine when I make peanut butter flavored desserts or food at home.
PB bars with a raspberry filling, PB&J banana bread, PB&J smoothies, PB and blueberry ice cream bowls, and the likes! Today, it’s PB&J Oatmeal Balls.
This no bake energy bites recipe is an easy breakfast with wholesome ingredients, because peanut butter and berries are common oatmeal toppings, and now it’s all rolled into one bite! The main ingredients are mainly peanut butter, cranberries and oats, making it an easy recipe for the whole family!
Why You’ll Love These 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls
PB&J in a Ball: These no bake oatmeal balls are like little PB&J sandwiches on the go! They contain simple ingredients made of whole foods and lots of health benefits, with natural sugars from the dates, fiber from the oats and healthy fats from the peanuts.
They make a healthy snack in the afternoon, packing around 3 grams of protein per ball, from the peanut butter and oats!
Substitutions: Wet Ingredients
Peanut Butter: Use all creamy natural peanut butter, where the only ingredient is peanuts (no added sugar or oils)! If you don’t want a peanut butter flavor, use almond butter, cashew butter or another nut butter. The kind of peanut butter you use will change the texture of the recipe, so choose the natural version for best results. If you enjoy crunchy peanut butter, you can also use that instead.
For a nut-free option, try sunflower seed butter or whichever nut or seed butter as per your personal preference.
Substitutions: Dry Ingredients
Medjool Dates: These are super thick and soft dates, almost like nature’s caramel! If you don’t have very soft dates, soak your dates in boiling water for thirty minutes before using. Make sure to use a paper towel to pat out all the liquid so no extra water is in the recipe.
For up to two tablespoons, you can try substituting pure maple syrup or agave nectar. The dates help to bind the recipe together, and a liquid sweetener will act in a similar way for part of this.
Dried Cranberries: You can also try dried blueberries, dried cherries or another dried berry to make different flavors. Use dried cranberries that do not have added sugar, such as this brand. Search the natural section of your grocery store to find a sugar-free option.
Ocean Spray Craisins are a popular brand of dried cranberries that you may have seen before, but they contain a lot of added sugar.
Dry Oats: I used quick oats, but you can also use rolled oats (old fashioned oats) which you can pulse in the blender to break them up a bit before using. As you can see from the photos, I did not grind the oats to oat flour first, because there are pieces of the quick oats visible in the balls.
If you have a gluten allergy, to avoid cross-contamination use certified gluten-free oats.
Vegan Oatmeal Balls Recipe Notes
- These won’t have the peanut butter pink swirly look like they do in the photo. I had peanut butter stuck to the sides of the blender so parts of my dough was not pink. Normally, the entire dough should turn a shade of pink if you’re using dried cranberries or cherries.
- Other mix-ins to this recipe can be dark chocolate chips, semisweet mini chocolate chips, cacao nibs, chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds and more! Mix these in by hand at the end, once the dough is formed.
- Chocolate lover? Drizzle some melted chocolate over top of these bites before eating – it’ll be like a chocolate PB&J bite!
More Energy Ball Recipes You’ll Love
If you make these Vegan Oatmeal Balls, then leave a comment and star rating! Don’t forget to tag your photos @peanut_palate on Instagram. Enjoy!
Vegan Oatmeal Balls (PB&J)
Equipment
- Blender or Food Processor
Ingredients
- ¼ cup natural, creamy peanut butter 100% peanuts only
- ¼ cup medjool dates pitted
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- ⅔ cup oats
- Pinch salt
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add all wet and dry ingredients to a blender.
- Blend until a dough forms with no big chunks of cranberries or dates remaining.
- Blend it for a minute more after a dough has formed, and it should get even smoother and easier to roll the more you blend.
- Then roll the peanut butter mixture into 10 balls. Enjoy!
Notes
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Storage
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
