Birthday Cake Protein Balls – Oh Sweet Basil

Looking for a quick and simple way to satisfy your sweet tooth and get a boost of protein? These easy no bake birthday cake protein balls are the perfect healthy snack option! Whip up a batch in minutes and enjoy the delicious and energizing benefits.

I am always looking for fun new snacks for my kiddos that are healthy and delicious. I love to have these cake batter energy balls ready for them when they get home from school or as a fun surprise in their lunch box. They taste just like a bite of birthday cake!

Ingredients for Cake Batter Protein Balls

I always like to see a quick overview of the ingredients in a recipe before I get into the details, so here is a quick glance of what you’ll need for this protein balls recipe. We love all the wholesome ingredients…

• Cashew Butter: can be store bought or made at home from whole cashews
• Honey: acts as a natural sweetener
• Vanilla or Cake Batter Protein Powder: grab any brand that is your favorite
• Oat Flour: you can buy it at the store or make your own from old fashioned oats (see section below)
• Almond Extract: adds that signature birthday cake flavor
• Vanilla Extract: adds flavor
• Sprinkles: Makes the protein bites so fun for the kiddos and the crunchy texture they add are so dang satisfying!

The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post. The recipe is easily scalable to make more protein energy balls if desired.

How to Make No Bake Protein Balls

1. Mix: Add all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined.
2. Form: Use a cookie scoop to form balls out of the mixture and roll the balls in more sprinkles if desired.

The complete recipe can be found in the recipe card down below.

How to Make Cashew Butter

Whole cashews can be made into cashew butter by pulsing them in a food processor or by blending in a blender. If you want to make 1 cup of cashew butter, you will need 2 cups of whole cashews. Cashew butter has a more neutral flavor that really lets the cake batter flavored protein powder shine.

How to Make Oat Flour

It is super easy to make oat flour at home using old fashioned rolled oats. You can use a 1:1 ratio, meaning if you need 1 cup of oat flour, you need to use 1 cup of old fashioned oats. Use a food processor or blender to pulse the oats until they are powder.

My Favorite Protein Powder

If you go with vanilla protein powder, any brand will do. If you want more of that cake batter flavor, Just Ingredients and Clean Simple Eats both have cake batter flavored protein powder that are both really tasty.

Allergy Friendly

Double check all your ingredients, especially the oats (or oat flour) and the sprinkles, to make sure they are gluten-free and you should be all set. They are also naturally dairy-free and you can use different nut butters if there are cashew allergies. Almond butter or sunflower seed butter would also work well. I would avoid using peanut butter because it has such a strong flavor it sort of drowns out the cake batter flavor.

Are Protein Bites Healthy?

Healthy snacks that are high in protein are hard to find, but they do come with some trade offs. Each protein bite has 6g protein and just 14g carbs, but they are high in fat at 11g. So they are definitely better than typical after-school snacks like goldfish or fruit snacks that are high in carbs and refined sugar. Protein bites should still be eaten in moderation. That high protein is sure to keep the kiddos full until dinner though!

Why are My Protein Bites so Crumbly?

You shouldn’t have a problem with this recipe if all the ingredients are measured properly, but if they do see a little crumbly, add a little more cashew butter. You can also add milk to help bind batter that is too dry. If they seem too wet, add more oat flour.

Storing No Bake Protein Balls

Protein balls should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to 2 weeks.

These protein bites also freeze very well. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and stick them in the freezer for about an hour until frozen solid. Then move all the balls to a freezer-safe container or ziploc bag. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. They can be eaten when frozen or just set them on the counter for 30 minutes until they thaw.

These no-bake birthday cake protein balls are packed with protein and healthy fats to keep you energized throughout the day or during that afternoon lull. Plus, they require minimal prep time and are perfect for on-the-go snacking!

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