15-Minute Gluten-Free Protein Balls (Vegan)

These quick and easy gluten-free protein balls are ready in 15 minutes (no baking needed)! Naturally sweetened with dates, you’ll want to keep these energy balls handy for whenever you need a quick snack! Dairy-free and vegan too.

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Protein Balls – The Perfect Snack

I never used to be a fan of protein balls, but that changed last year when Juan and I were back in Singapore visiting my family.

One afternoon while walking around the shopping center, our stomachs were growling but it was too close to our dinner appointment to sit down for a full meal. Thankfully we stumbled across a natural food store that was selling energy balls.

And it was just what we needed to curb our hunger. The perfect bite-size snack that was naturally sweetened with dates so it had just the right amount of sweetness to fix our sugar cravings, but also packed with protein-rich nuts that added a nice crunch and texture. I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed them.

The only issue I have with these storebought snacks are that they are ridiculously expensive (at least $2 per ball!). So let’s fix that by making our own.

Here’s a homemade gluten-free protein balls recipe that I know you’ll love!

Recipe Notes + Substitutions:

• Dates: I like using Medjool dates, but you can use whichever dates you can find. Just make sure that the dates are pitted and to soak them in hot water for at least 5 minutes to soften them a little before processing the dates.
• Nuts: I like using a mix of unsalted raw pistachio nuts and cashew nuts in this recipe, but you can also use other types of unsalted nuts (almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, etc).
• Pumpkin Puree: I used fresh pumpkin puree, but canned pumpkin puree will work just as well. Alternatively, sweet potato puree or butternut squash puree will do the trick too.
• Spices: I added pumpkin pie spice and ground cinnamon for nice fall flavors, but feel free to use whichever spice you enjoy!

How to Make Gluten-Free Protein Balls (Step by Step):

1. Soak Dates

Soak the pitted Medjool dates in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes, then drain the water.

(TIP: Make sure to soak the dates to soften and hydrate them a little so it’s easier to process.)

2. Process Half the Cashews and Pistachios

In a food processor or high-speed blender, roughly process half the amount of cashews or pistachios and set aside (a rough pulse is fine, you don’t need the nuts to be too finely processed).

3. Process Remaining Ingredients

Then grind the remaining pistachios, cashews, dates, puree, vanilla and spices in a food processor until you get a thick and homogeneous mixture.

4. Form Balls

Use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the mixture and use wet hands to roll the mixture into evenly-sized balls (you should get about 9 balls).

5. Roll in Nuts

Roll the balls in the ground pistachios and cashews that you set aside previously.

6. Serve and Enjoy

Serve and indulge in these delicious energy balls!

Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:

• Storing: To store, place these gluten-free energy balls in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Freezing: To freeze, place the balls in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Let the frozen protein balls thaw for at least 15 minutes at room temperature before eating.
• Use Other Types of Nuts or Seeds: I used a mix of pistachios nuts and cashews for this recipe, but if you preer, feel free to swap them out for other types of nuts or seeds that you have on hand (think almonds, peanuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, etc)!
• Chocolate Lovers: If you love chocolate, feel free to add in a handful of gluten free chocolate chips or white chocolate chips to make chocolate protein balls.
• Swap Out Pumpkin Puree: If you don’t have pumpkin puree on hand, you can also use sweet potato puree or butternut squash puree.
• Make Peanut Butter Protein Balls: Alternatively, you can also swap out the puree and use peanut butter, or other nut butters (such as almond butter, sunflower seed butter).

Other No-Bake Recipes You’ll Love:

• No-Bake Pumpkin Pie Truffles (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• Easy No-Bake Cookies (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• No-Bake Peanut Butter Crunch Bars (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

Gluten-Free Snacks to Enjoy:

P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!

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15-Minute Gluten-Free Protein Balls (Vegan)

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

• Author: Felicia Lim
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 9 protein balls 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

These quick and easy gluten-free protein balls are ready in 15 minutes (no baking needed)! Naturally sweetened with dates, you’ll want to keep these energy balls handy for whenever you need a quick snack! Dairy-free and vegan too.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
• 1/3 cup unsalted raw pistachios
• 1/3 cup unsalted raw cashews
• 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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Instructions

1. Soak Dates: Soak the pitted Medjool dates in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes, then drain the water.
2. Process Half of Cashews and Pistachios: In a food processor or high-speed blender, roughly process half the amount of cashews or pistachios and set aside (a rough pulse is fine, you don’t need the nuts to be too finely processed).
3. Process Remain Ingredients: Then grind the remaining pistachios, cashews, dates, puree, vanilla and spices in a food processor until you get a thick and homogeneous mixture.
4. Form Balls: Use 1 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the mixture and roll the mixture into evenly-sized balls (you should get about 9 balls).
5. Roll in Nuts: Roll the balls in the ground pistachios and cashews that you set aside previously.
6. Serve and Enjoy: Serve and indulge in these delicious energy balls!

Notes

Dates: I like using Medjool dates, but you can use whichever dates you can find. Just make sure that the dates are pitted and to soak them in hot water for at least 5 minutes to soften them a little before processing the dates.

Nuts: I like using a mix of unsalted raw pistachio nuts and cashew nuts in this recipe, but you can also use other types of unsalted nuts (almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, etc).

Pumpkin Puree: I used fresh pumpkin puree, but canned pumpkin puree will work just as well. Alternatively, sweet potato puree will do the trick too.

Spices: I added pumpkin pie spice and ground cinnamon for nice fall flavors, but feel free to use whichever spice you enjoy!

Storing/Freezing: To store, place these gluten-free energy balls in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. To freeze, place the balls in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Let the frozen protein balls thaw for at least 15 minutes at room temperature before eating.

• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Category: Snacks
• Method: No-Bake