Soft, rich dark chocolate protein balls made without nut butter: banana, oat flour, cocoa and WAM Protein. About 9 g protein per ball, no baking needed.
These dark chocolate protein balls are soft, rich and made without any nut butter. Banana, oat flour, cocoa and WAM Protein Chocolate Hazelnut are all you need, and the recipe makes 7–8 balls with around 9 g of protein each – no baking required.
A warning, though: these are very rich, dark and a little bitter if you don’t add extra sweetener. I love them with a cup of coffee. If you prefer something sweeter, add syrup, sugar or dates to your heart’s content.
Why you’ll love these protein balls
- No nut butter: unlike most energy balls, these are held together by banana and oat flour.
- Soft and fudgy rather than dry and crumbly.
- Around 9 g protein per ball.
- Dark chocolate flavour that isn’t overly sweet.
Ingredients (7–8 balls)
- 1 overripe banana, mashed.
- 40 g oat flour (oats blended until fine).
- 20 g cocoa powder, plus a little extra for dusting.
- 80 g WAM Protein Chocolate Hazelnut.
- 200 ml oat milk – use a little less if you add syrup.
- Optional: sweetener of your choice, or dark chocolate for coating.
Method
- Mix: stir all ingredients together until you get a soft, mouldable dough.
- Shape: form 7–8 balls with your hands and dust them with cocoa powder.
- Enjoy straight away or let them firm up in the fridge for an hour.
- Store in an airtight container so they don’t dry out or crack.
Tip: for a crunchy shell with a soft centre, dip the chilled balls in melted dark chocolate.
Prefer a nut-butter version? Try our chocolate coconut energy balls or chocolate peanut butter protein truffles.
Why WAM Chocolate Hazelnut works here
With 80 g of WAM Protein Chocolate Hazelnut in the dough, the protein powder does a lot of the work: it adds structure, flavour and most of the protein. Because it’s only lightly sweetened with stevia, the balls stay genuinely dark and grown-up – and you decide how sweet they should be.
FAQ
How do I make protein balls without nut butter?
Use a binder that keeps the dough moist, like mashed banana combined with oat flour and a little plant milk. That’s exactly what holds these balls together.
How long do protein balls keep?
In an airtight container in the fridge, they keep for about 4–5 days.
Can I freeze protein balls?
Yes. Freeze them in a single layer, then transfer to a container. Let them thaw for 10–15 minutes before eating.
The takeaway
Not every snack has to be sweet. These dark chocolate protein balls are rich, satisfying and perfect alongside a coffee – and if you want them sweeter, that’s entirely up to you.
If you give this a try, we’d love to see it! Tag us @wam.fit on Instagram so we can share your creations.
