Monster Cookie Energy Balls are a great afternoon energy boost or perfect for an after school snack. Hearty oats, chocolate chips, peanut butter, honey, and m&m's make these energy balls so delicious and fun.
MONSTER COOKIE ENERGY BALLS
I am always on the hunt for healthier after school snacks for my kids. These monster cookie energy balls are just that! Full of creamy peanut butter, hearty quick oats, honey, and miniature chocolate chips and m&m's. Only 6 ingredients needed.
I love that they're so filling too. And they store perfectly in the fridge for several days.
We also love these 4 ingredient energy oatmeal balls and steel cut oatmeal energy bites too. They are very similar but don't taste as sweet or cookie-like because they don't have the vanilla extract and m&m's in them.
WHAT INGREDIENTS DO I NEED TO MAKE MONSTER COOKIE ENERGY BALLS
Quick Oats - After much testing of this recipe the quick oats works the best. Quick oats have a finer texture which acts as a binder (like flour would) in the energy balls. You can use old-fashioned oats for this recipe but you may have trouble getting the energy balls to form into "balls" and stay.
Creamy Peanut Butter - If you're having trouble with this recipe make sure you are using regular creamy peanut butter like from the Skippy brand, Jif, or Peter Pan. Do not use the all-natural peanut butter as those tend to dry out anything you put it in when baking with it.
Honey
Vanilla Extract - This is what gives these energy balls that monster cookie flavor.
Miniature Chocolate Chips - These are very common and found with the other chocolate chips. It's best to use the miniature chips because they're smaller in size which does better with the small energy balls.
Miniature M&M's - Found in the baking aisle or in the candy aisle with the other m&m candies.
MY TIPS AND HELPFUL HINTS
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Do not use all-natural peanut butter!
- This is my #1 tip. This recipe has such mixed reviews and I am convinced it's because some people try and use the natural peanut butter. Don't do it. The balls will not hold together well, they will be crumbly, because natural peanut butter does not have the oils in it that are needed to "bind" the energy balls together. The natural peanut butter is drier and not as smooth as regular peanut butter.
- Just make sure you are using a peanut butter that does not say 'natural' or "all-natural" on the label.
- Of course some may try using natural peanut butter and say that it works fine. Go ahead and try it but for best results use regular creamy peanut butter.
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Quick oats
- Quick oats are a finer texture oat that is more binding. It acts as flour would in a recipe. For best results use quick oats.
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Do I need to refrigerate these monster cookie energy balls?
- Yes, they do need to be stored in the fridge.
- You can eat them right away after making.
- I think they taste much better cold straight from the fridge.
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I'm having trouble rolling the energy balls
- The energy balls will be slightly sticky, because of the honey, but nothing so bad that you should not be able to roll into a ball shape.
- If you are still having trouble try pressing the mixture between your fingers and palm, work it a little bit, and then try rolling into a ball. This should help it come together better.
- If needed, spray your hand with cooking spray to help with the sticky.
TRY THESE OTHER MONSTER COOKIE RECIPES
Monster Cookies - Thick, soft-baked, and loaded with all the good stuff like oats, peanut butter, chocolate, and m&m's. These cookies have cornstarch in them which is the "secret ingredient" to a great cookie.
No Flour Monster Cookie Bars - Naturally gluten-free with no added flour in the recipe. Made in a cookie sheet so it makes plenty for a crowd or freeze them.
Monster Cookie Dough Cheeseball Dip - A sweet cheeseball with eggless and no flour monster cookie dough. Use miniature cookies or pretzels to dip with.
Reese's Stuffed Monster Cookies - Monster cookies stuffed with a miniature Reese's peanut butter cup.
Triple Peanut Butter Monster Cookies - For the peanut butter lovers!
Monster Cookie Dough Bars - No egg monster cookie dough topped with chocolate ganache.
Monster Cookie Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups quick oats
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter not all-natural peanut butter
- ½ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
- ½ cup mini m&m's
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into a mixing bowl. Use a wooden spoon or a handheld mixer to combine together. I find that using a hand mixer is the easiest way to combine the ingredients thoroughly.
- Shape into balls, about 1" in size, and place on a plate or Tupperware type container. * Recipe yields 36 energy balls when shaped into a small 1-inch sized ball.
- You can eat right away OR refrigerate for about 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. I love these cold straight from the fridge.
- Store energy balls in a covered container in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
Thank you so much for this recipe. I was getting weary of protein balls; this looks like a FUN diversion! I really appreciate your recipes!
Hi! My Daisy troop is making these! Do you happen to have nutrition info on the finished product?
Thanks!
Please email me [email protected]
I want the nutritional info, too!
I will update this recipe to include it. I finally figured out how to get it on the recipes.... I am not very tech savvy so it took forever! 🙂
Is the 158 calories for all or for 1 ball?
Yes it's for one energy ball
I can’t get them to stick together any suggestions.
Try refrigerating for 30 minutes if you're having trouble with them holding together. If you used natural peanut butter (which is thicker) that may also be causing the trouble.
So easy and so good!! This was a definite MUST save in my book! Not a huge fan of PB so when it called for a cup I was Leary but nope it was perfect!!!!
Hi!! I’m a teacher and want to make this with my class over zoom. If parents don’t have oats do you think I can ask them to use cereal? I know it won’t be the same but what are your thoughts?
Hey. I just love teachers. Especially right now with all the zooms and online work y'all are doing. Thank you! Honestly, I do not think cereal would work at all. I don't think it would bind everything together as well as the oats. But I could be wrong and it may work fine. Maybe rice krispies? I think the best results would be to use old-fashioned regular oats or quick oats will work too. Either one. I know the recipe calls for old-fashioned but you can use either one.
If you are using natural peanut butter how much do you suggest we add so they will sick together? Also how did natural peanut butter affect calorie count?
I don't bake with it ever so I am not sure. You will just have to experiment with how much natural peanut butter to use. It might be less or more.... I really don't like baking with the natural stuff so I really have no idea.
Hey there! My daughters school is a nut-free zone, will sun butter work well as a peanut butter substitute?
I have many people comment on my peanut butter recipes saying that the sun butter works great! I have never done it personally but I have heard it's a very popular substitute for peanut butter in recipes. I hope that helps.
We make these all the time but use more chocolate chips instead of m and ms and my husband and kids love them! We use a cookie scoop to make them into to ball shape and then place on a cookie sheet and put in the freezer, once frozen I store the balls I’m a zip lock bag in the freezer.. I usually double or triple the recipe. - it’s a family favorite!
Could you add protein powder to these for added protein boost? If so, how much would you add?
You can. I've never added it but I would start with 1 tablespoon and add from there. You just want to make sure that you don't have too many dry ingredients or else the energy balls will crumble and not hold together well. You'll just have to play around with it and maybe add slightly more peanut butter if you add some protein powder.
Excellent! I didn't have quick oats so I grinded roll oats a bit in blender.
Why could you not use Dry fruit in these bars versus all the chocolate?
You could do that! That's a great idea. The recipe is supposed to be like a monster cookie which has the chocolate chips and mini m&m's. But yes you could certainly use dried fruit instead. Enjoy!