Applesauce Birthday Cake Protein Balls (Healthy 5-Ingredient Energy Bites)

These birthday cake themed protein balls are packed with energy and a whole lot of happiness. Made with vanilla-flavored protein powder, these protein balls have a similar consistency to vanilla confetti cake pops. Their subtle fruity sweetness comes from APPLESAUCE, which keeps these energy bites moist and soft!

7/28/22 update: here’s a collagen peptide powder version of this same recipe! The collagen version is dense and chewy, kind of like a thick sugar cookie.

Aren’t confetti and birthday cakes just so fun and exciting? I remember eating one at my friends’ birthday parties, and so whenever I get to eat them now, it’s like I go back to feeling like a kid again.

Today’s recipe is a tribute to traditional birthday cakes in the healthiest way possible. Ta-dah! These over the top, confetti sprinkled protein balls will bring back your childhood memories without any guilt. The sweetness of the cake with notes of vanilla with beautiful and colorful specks of the confetti sugar sprinkles almost has the same moist texture as cake pops!

They are perfect if you’re looking for a healthy snack to share with your friends and family. Also, these applesauce protein balls are:

• no-bake
• easy to prepare
• only 6 ingredients (5 if you leave out the extra sweetener)
• high-protein
• high-fiber
• low calories

Ingredients used to make this

_{**I’ve linked some of these ingredients to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local grocery store (usually, the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂}

• Applesauce – you can use any kind or any flavored applesauce. I used unsweetened.

• Protein Powder – You can use any protein powder for this, but in this recipe I used a vanilla plant-based protein powder, like this one below. For a collagen protein ball version, go to this recipe

• Coconut Flour – you can use any brand of coconut flour for this recipe. I used Anthony’s Organic Coconut Flour

• Sprinkles – I like using the Wilton Rainbow Sprinkles for most of my recipes. Here’s the link, below:

More Healthy Recipes Using Applesauce

How to Make

Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins:

• Feel free to experiment with natural flavoring / extracts. Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract (I didn’t feel like it was essential so I left it out in this recipe), or vanilla bean paste
• Coat these in melted white chocolate to turn these into birthday cake truffles
• Add a tsp of lemon zest for more flavor

• Here’s a Protein Bar Variation of the Applesauce Birthday Cake Recipe HERE that uses a secret ingredient to make these taste just like the real thing!

How to Make this Healthier

• Make this even healthier by adding a handful of nuts, seeds and old-fashioned oats to add texture and nutrition. Even better, add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed, hemp seeds, or chia seeds.

See More of my Protein Ball Recipes here

How to Store

• Store these protein balls covered in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.

Final Tips

• Coconut flour and protein powders are all very different depending on brands, so if you find that the dough is too soft, add more coconut flour; if the dough is too thick, add a teaspoon or more of water, honey or liquid sweetener of choice.