Banana Walnut & Maple Protein Balls (Healthy Energy Bites)

The best flavor combination ever! These banana walnut & maple protein balls taste like the ultimate comfort dessert or snack, except they're actually healthy!

What I love about this recipe

• Easy to make (just 5 ingredients!)
• Vegan-friendly
• Gluten-free
• Full of fiber and nutritious!
• A perfect healthy treat

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 🙂}

• Mashed banana - it's best to use ripe bananas (the ones with brown spots)
• Protein Powder – You can use any vanilla flavored protein powder for this protein ball recipe, but I used this plant-based protein powder with an added “superfood” powder which I’ve found turns out darker than regular vanilla protein powders. Just something to have in mind when you compare my photos with yours!
• Maple Syrup - like this one
• Walnuts - roughly chopped
• Coconut Flour - you can use any brand of coconut flour for this recipe.

Did you know?

Bananas are an excellent source of potassium. A single banana provides 23% of the potassium that we need daily. Recent studies demonstrated that potassium can help to decrease blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke. Bananas are also an excellent source of vitamins A, B6, C, and D that aids in healing, increases your focus and mental acuity. Some studies show that bananas can help improve your mood, and that they even improve PMS symptoms in women.

More Healthy Recipes Using Bananas

How to Make Apple Butter Protein Balls

• Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Add more coconut flour if the dough is too soft, add a teaspoon or more of water or milk of choice if the dough is too thick
• Roll the dough into tablespoon sized balls, and refrigerate 15 minutes to help set

Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins:

• Add natural flavoring / extracts. You can add a teaspoon of vanilla extract (I didn’t feel like it was essential so I left it out in this recipe), or other flavorings or extracts, such as caramel flavoring, hazelnut extract or almond extract.
• You can also use applesauce if you don't have apple butter.
• Try Dark Chocolate instead of White chocolate covering!
• Love coffee or mocha? Add either a teaspoon of coffee extract or espresso powder to the batter
• Add up to 1 tsp of Cinnamon powder, Cardamom or Chai Tea Powder.

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.

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.

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