These easy no-bake Pumpkin Energy Balls taste like pumpkin pie and are a nutritious dessert or snack option! They are ready in 10 minutes or less, and are perfect for pumpkin season. 😊 I hope you love them as much as I do!
As a dietitian, I'm a fan of all things pumpkin. Not just because I love the taste and smell of pumpkin recipes (which I do!), but because pumpkin provides important nutrients including vitamins A and C, dietary fiber for gut health, and antioxidants. These Pumpkin Spice Energy Balls are like little bites of pumpkin pie - a great sweet treat to make when fall flavors are in the air and autumn leaves are falling.
This was inspired by my Cookie Dough Balls. I wanted something similar for the cozy fall season, and I love a good no-bake recipe. So I decided to make a pumpkin version to share with you! These delicious pumpkin energy bites turned out so tasty....the perfect seasonal snack. If you're looking for more easy pumpkin recipes, try this 5 Ingredient Pumpkin Protein Smoothie.
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Key Ingredients and Substitutions
These Energy Pumpkin Balls are made with simple ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Be sure to check the printable recipe card at the bottom for exact ingredient measurements and full recipe.
- Pumpkin Puree - we will use canned pumpkin puree to make this recipe even easier. Be sure to look for real pumpkin puree and not canned pumpkin pie filling which contains added sugars and salt. Canned pumpkin adds so much moisture and nutrition! If you have some extra time, you can even make your own homemade pumpkin puree. Check out how to make it here.
- Almond Flour or Blitzed Oats - almond flour adds texture and flavor and serves as a natural binder. You can blitz some rolled oats in a food processor instead if you want! I've had it both ways and enjoy both.
- Vanilla Protein Powder - I prefer to use plant-based protein powder, but you could also use whey protein powder. Use your favorite protein powder based on taste because it will make or break these pumpkin balls. I use Orgain Vanilla Protein. Feel free to switch it up and use chocolate-flavored protein powder.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice - pumpkin pie spice amps up the pumpkin spice flavor. It's a combination of cozy pumpkin pie spices often including cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice.
- Cinnamon - add a bit extra cinnamon - a great addition for even more fall flavor and antioxidants.
- Pure Maple Syrup - a small amount of maple syrup adds sweetness to seasonal pumpkin energy balls. You can substitute with honey, agave nectar, or your favorite natural sweetener or liquid sweetener of choice.
- Nut Butter - I prefer to use natural nut butter do either creamy peanut butter or creamy almond butter. Natural nut butter has a more runny consistency and mixes easier into a no-bake snack like this one. Justins or MaraNatha are my go-to brands. You could substitute it with cashew butter. Or for a nut-free option, use sunflower seed butter.
- Almond Milk - just a small amount of milk is needed. I use Califia brand unsweetened vanilla almond milk. If you don't like almond milk, you can easily substitute it with any kind of plant-based milk or regular milk.
- Mini Chocolate Chips - try to find mini chocolate chips for this recipe so you get a little chocolate in every bite! If you can't find mini chocolate chips, you can totally use regular-sized. Feel free to use dark chocolate, semi-sweet milk chocolate, or white chocolate.
- Vanilla Extract- vanilla extract amps up the sweet flavor and ties everything together for these pumpkin spice energy balls!
- Sea Salt - optional
How to Make Pumpkin Energy Balls
Below are the instructions for how to make this Pumpkin Energy Ball recipe with some process shots that I hope are helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe.
- Step 1 - Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients including almond flour, protein powder, chocolate chips, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and sea salt.
- Step 2 - Add in the wet ingredients including the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, milk, nut butter, and vanilla extract. Mix well to combine until it forms a dough-like consistency.
- Step 3 - Shape about 2 tablespoons of dough at a time into a ball using your hands or a small cookie scoop. Place each ball on the parchment-lined baking sheet. There will be about 14 balls. Use a rubber spatula to get all of the dough off the sides of the bowl.
Hint: Wet your hands before shaping these pumpkin bites - it will help them be less sticky and easier to form into balls! I use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop.
Dietitian Tip
You probably know pumpkins are a nutrient-rich winter squash. But did you know that they are botanically a fruit? "Pumpkin” comes from a Greek word “pepon,” meaning “large melon.” The flesh of a pumpkin contains antioxidants and Vitamin A in the form of beta carotene, and pumpkin seeds contain plant protein and iron. Using pumpkin in recipes doesn't only add delicious flavor, it also provides plenty of nutrition!
Video of How to Make Pumpkin Protein Bites
Here's a video of how to make this recipe that I hope is helpful!
Variations
One of the best things about these no-bake Pumpkin Energy Balls is you can customize to your taste! Below are some ideas, but feel free to get creative.
- Hearty - make these little bites more hearty by adding a source of plant protein and heart-healthy fats like pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds or ground flaxseed.
- Apple Pumpkin Pie - add a teaspoon of apple pie spice and a tablespoon of apple sauce to add even more fall flavors!
- Monster Cookie Pumpkin Balls - use a combo of m&ms and chocolate chips and double up on the peanut butter to give these more of a monster cookie flavor.
- Peanut Butter Pumpkin Balls - amp up the peanut butter flavor by using 2-3 tablespoon of peanut butter and replacing chocolate chips with peanut butter chips.
See these Cookie Dough Balls if you want another option!
Storage
- Refrigerator - store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
- Freezer - store in a freezer-friendly container in the freezer for up to 4 months. To thaw, place the energy balls in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
Expert Advice
- Wet your hands before shaping them into balls. This will help prevent them from sticking to your hands.
- Be sure to use your favorite vanilla protein powder. If you don't like the taste of the protein powder, you likely won't enjoy the taste of the pumpkin energy bites! You can use a chocolate protein powder if you prefer.
- Double up on these and freeze half of them to have a healthy snack on hand for busier weeks.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, these pumpkin balls are a nutrient-rich option. They contain plant protein to keep you full longer, and heart-healthy fats from the nut butter that also support brain health and hormone health. Almond Flour provides fiber for gut health, manganese, phosphorus and antioxidants. These protein balls are gluten-free,, vegetarian, and can easily be made dairy-free by using dairy-free chocolate chips. Check out the bottom of the recipe card for the nutritional information.
If you’re trying to cut back on sugar, there are many great-tasting vanilla protein powders on the market with minimal or no added sugars. Some brands of vegan protein powder that I like are Orgain or Truvani. You can also use collagen powder. My favorite Collagen powder is Vital Protein brand. You can amp up the pumpkin flavors even more by using their seasonal Pumpkin Spice flavored collagen powder.
Yes, absolutely! To make them into bars, simply shape the dough into a square which can be easily done in a bread pan or on a baking sheet. Then, refrigerate it for about 20-30 minutes and cut it into bars.
Yes! You can substitute with oatmeal if you prefer a more textured protein ball. I would go with either old fashioned oats (also called rolled oats) or quick oats. I wouldn't suggest using steel-cut oats for this recipe.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this one? Try these:
Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Pumpkin Energy Balls:
Looking for Nutrition Education?
Here are some nutrition education articles from a dietitian:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram....I LOVE knowing there’s people out there trying out my recipes! 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian.
📖 Recipe
No Bake Pumpkin Energy Balls (Healthy Energy Bites)
Equipment
- 1 spatula or spoon
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour or oats blitzed in a food processor or blender into a flour
- ⅓ cup vanilla protein powder I use Orgain brand
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips (60g)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup (30ml)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5ml)
- 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter or nut butter of choice,(15ml)
- pinch sea salt optional
- 1 tablespoon almond milk or milk of choice, if needed to add moisture
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients including almond flour (or blitzed oats), protein powder, chocolate chips, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and sea salt.
- Add in the wet ingredients including the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, milk, nut butter, and vanilla extract. Mix well to combine until it forms a dough-like consistency.
- Shape about 2 tablespoons of dough at a time into a ball using your hands or a small cookie scoop. Place each ball on the parchment-lined baking sheet. There will be about 14 balls. Use a rubber spatula to get all of the dough off the sides of the bowl.
Video
Notes
- Wet your hands before shaping them into balls. This will help prevent them from sticking to your hands.
- Be sure to use your favorite vanilla protein powder. If you don't like the taste of the protein powder, you likely won't enjoy the taste of the pumpkin protein bites! You can use a chocolate protein powder if you prefer.
- Double up on these and freeze half of them to have a healthy snack on hand for busier weeks.
- Refrigerator - store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
- Freezer - store in a freezer-friendly container in the freezer for up to 4 months. To thaw, place the protein balls in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
Nutrition
Sources: Thinkery
Mary Gray
These were delicious! My whole family loved them. I will definitely be making these again!
Mallory
Awww thank you so much! I am so happy to hear that you and your family loved them! ❤️ Thank you so much for taking time to leave a review!