These banana chocolate balls are a super fast energy ball recipe that is so delicious and fudgy. With 8 grams of protein in each energy ball, it's a great recipe to use up a ripe banana!
I've found energy bites to be one of my favorite things to snack prep over the last 5 years. I like to have them in my freezer to grab and go along with like these raspberry protein balls and a batch of these seedy chocolate energy balls, because it's such an easy snack for kids.
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Banana: The ripeness of the banana will determine how sweet and how strong-tasting the banana flavor will be. For a sweet and flavorful no-bake banana taste, use a ripe banana with brown spots. For a less sweet and more subtle banana flavor, I use a banana that has just become fully yellow.
- Rolled oats: When testing this recipe, I was trying to make it with fewer ingredients, so I only tested it with almond flour, but I found it better to use a few oats so they wouldn't be squishy, With oats they will hold their form better for packing them along to school or on a hike. So, for these banana and oat balls, the best texture is created when we grind the oats in the food processor first. If you don't have a food processor, use a coffee grinder or buy oat flour instead.
- Almond flour: Using almond flour makes these bites nice and chewy. I really love the texture. I also use it because it is a great source of protein.
- Cocoa powder: The chocolate powder is essential in the flavor of these energy bites, and goes so well with the banana!
- Honey: I tried making these without honey, but I found they tasted like dark dark chocolate, so with a little honey (or maple syrup) they were perfect for a refined sugar-free snack.
- Salt: A little dash of salt offers a burst of flavor and increases the minerals in these chocolate banana energy balls!
See the recipe card below for complete quantities.
Add in and swaps for your chocolate banana balls
- Gluten-free: Be sure to use gluten-free oats if you need these banana oat energy balls to be gf.
- Nut free: If you want to make these nut free, you could try to use more ground up rolled oats instead of the almond flour. I haven't tested doing it that way, but I think they would be a little denser - though still fine.
- Add chocolate chips or white chocolate chips!
- Coconut: For that chunky monkey flavor, add in 3 tablespoons of shredded coconut or walnuts!
How to make chocolate banana oat balls
- In a food processor, pulse the oats. After about 1 minute or so, it will look like coarse sand.
2. Add the almond flour, cocoa powder, banana, honey, and salt. Then pulse for another 1-2 minutes.
3. You will have a soft dough ball form. If everything is not mixed well, scrape down the sides and pulse again for another minute.
4. Use a tablespoon to grab dough chunks and roll into balls. This will make about 15 (if you don't eat some of the dough like I usually end up doing!). Keep these banana chocolate balls in the fridge or freezer.
Recommended for energy balls
I really love this large heavy-duty 14-cup cuisinart food processor for making all energy balls or no-bake snacks or for quickly shredding my veggies. I've had this one since 2023, and it's awesome.
Other easy snacks
If you have more ripe bananas, then you may enjoy some of my other recipes like these banana whole wheat muffins, this moist banana loaf, or these delicious banana oat protein bars.
- Apple Cinnamon Bites
- Chewy Granola Bars with Dates
- Raspberry Protein Balls
- The Best Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Balls
🍌 Did you make these banana chocolate balls? Would you take 5 seconds to give a star rating and review just below the recipe? That means a lot to me and helps the growth of Beside the Mountain blog.
Chocolate Banana Balls
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 ¾ cups almond flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 banana
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place the rolled oats in the food processor and blend until the oats look like coarse sand, about 60 seconds.
- Add the almond flour, cocoa powder, banana, honey, and salt. Continue to pulse until a thick ball forms. You may need to scrape down the sides and pulse again to make sure everything is mixed in well.
- Using a tablespoon, roll into energy balls. Makes about 15. Keep chocolate banana balls in the fridge or the freezer.
Notes
Nutrition
Danika Vanderpyl, C.H.N
I create snack recipes with healthy ingredients that are mostly already in your kitchen. I'm certified in Holistic Nutrition and I care about giving my kids real food. Let me share my nutrient-dense easy snacks with you.
Kallie says
These are a great little snack. Toddler approved. My vitamix was unable to mix these as the consistency was too thick, but they were super easy to mix by hand.