A fun spin on a classic THM recipe, these tahini energy balls require zero cooking, are packed full of protein and will give you energy all day! They come together in 10 minutes and are easily portable for a snack on-the-go.
Did you know that the most popular recipe on THM are my no-bake oatmeal protein energy balls? For good reason too! They’re delicious, nutritious and SO easy to make. That’s kind of my jam. I love anything that packs a punch and can be made in minutes. No slaving away in the kitchen for hours!
However, in the last few months I’ve heard from some of you that you wanted to see a nut-free version of that recipe. Which of course made my mind immediately go to one of my favorite foods: tahini. If you’re an avid THM blog reader, you’ll know I’m obsessed with tahini. Any chance I get to share a recipe with tahini, I’m down. I’ve shared a Tahini Date and Cinnamon Smoothie, Tahini Butter Cups with Honey Candied Cereal, and Chocolate Chip Tahini Bars… among many others!
Tahini is such a nutritious and versatile ingredients when it comes to recipes. I can’t help myself! It is the perfect addition to these protein balls. It adds a hint of savory to the otherwise sweet ingredients.
What is Tahini?
Tahini is a paste or “butter” made from ground sesame seeds. Seriously, that’s it! I’ve never tried to make my own because you can find it in most major grocery stores by the other nut and seed butters. It is a great nut butter substitute for anyone with a nut allergy or for kiddos in a nut free school. Not to mention, it’s also super high in protein so make a great addition to these energy balls.
Plus tahini + honey reminds me of sesame snaps which were one of my favorite sweet treats growing up!
Ingredients in Tahini Energy Balls
- rolled oats – the base of these energy balls.
- tahini – you’ll find this by the other nut butters in the grocery store.
- honey – a natural sweetener to make these snacks extra addicting 😉
- milk of choice – I typically use oat milk or almond milk but any milk works!
- chia seeds – helps bind the balls together and adds healthy fats and fiber.
- vanilla extract – a delicious flavor enhancer.
- cinnamon – the perfect spice pairing.
- salt – to bring all of the flavors together.
- chocolate – I like chopping up a dark chocolate bar but using chocolate chips will also work.
- protein powder or coconut flour – both protein powder and coconut flour work great in these balls! Protein powder will add a little bit more protein but both are great options. My favorite brands of protein powder are: Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein (in Vanilla) and Vega Sport Protein Powder (in Vanilla).
Customize this recipe!
I’m all about that customization and helping you guys to make my recipes your own.
- Not a fan of tahini? You can sub any seed or nut butter!
- Chocolate ain’t your thing? Mix in some chopped raisins or other dried fruit.
- Want a double-dose of chocolate? Sub in chocolate protein powder! This recipe works with both whey and plant-based protein powder though you may need to adjust the amount of non-dairy milk depending on which brand you use.
There’s only two things you cannot sub in this recipe: oats and honey. Oats are the base of the recipe so I wouldn’t recommend subbing with any other grain. Honey is the primary binder and we haven’t found other sweeteners to work as well. We’ve tried them with maple syrup and they just didn’t stick as well so proceed with caution.
How to Make Tahini Chocolate Protein Energy Balls
STEP 1: Mix together the tahini, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and protein powder or coconut flour in a bowl, stirring to combine.
STEP 2: Add in the chia seeds, oats and chocolate. Stir to combine.
STEP 3: Pour in the milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture comes together into a sticky ball. I have found that I usually need ~2 tablespoons when using coconut flour and closer to 4 tablespoons when using protein powder.
STEP 4: Roll the mixture into balls with your hands.
How to Store Protein Balls
Store your protein balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. You can also freeze for longer storage.
Tahini Chocolate Protein Energy Balls
A fun spin on a classic THM recipe, these tahini energy balls require zero cooking, are packed full of protein and will give you energy all day!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 20 balls (approx) 1x
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1–2 tbsp milk of choice
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup or 1/2 chocolate bar, chopped
- 1/2 cup neutral or vanilla flavored protein powder
*OR 2 tbsp coconut flour if you don’t have protein powder
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together the tahini, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and either the protein powder or coconut flour and stir to combine.
- Add in the chia seeds, oats and chocolate and mix.
- Pour in your milk of choice 1 tablespoon at a time until everything comes together into a sticky ball. If you are using coconut flour you may only need 2 tablespoons or closer to 4 if using protein powder.
- Roll the mixture into balls and store in the fridge.
Note: if you use protein powder you may need more or less honey depending on how sweet it is.
Like this recipe? Here are other energy ball recipes:
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16 Comments
Marianne
August 21, 2023 at 5:13 amLoving these!! Have you calculated the app. calories (macros) for the recipe or each ball?
Manda
October 5, 2022 at 3:10 amHey there 🙂 I just thought I’d leave a comment for people who want to replace the honey. I used Rice Malt Syrup and it came together really nicely. I also added pitted dates in place of chocolate and used a food processor, which may have helped with the binding process. I rolled each ball in coconut flakes. Delish!
★★★★★
Daisy
October 4, 2022 at 5:30 pmthese are so delicious! I’ve already made it 4 times to share with clients and friends. I prefer them after they’ve been in the fridge for an hour, as they can be sticky.
★★★★★
Monica
March 1, 2022 at 2:53 pmHi. I just wanted to say that you have lots of amazing recipes, that I want to do. I wished I could save them in a folder/mark them in some ways so I can return to them in the future. Lots of cooking websites allow that.
Rebecca Landes
January 20, 2022 at 1:33 pmHi Davida – I found your recipe for tahini energy balls while looking for a recipe for savory energy bars made with tahini. Can your recipe be modified to be savory instead of sweet? Is there an alternative to honey that can bind the recipe so it’s savory not sweet? Thanks! ~Rebecca
Riya
May 2, 2021 at 4:02 pmHI … can you tell about its nutritional info ?
Loril
September 22, 2020 at 4:12 pmLooks like a great recipe and appreciate that you’ve made suggestions for substitutions, also that no sweetener aside from honey is suitable. What are your thoughts about flax meal or flax seeds in lieu of chia seeds? Thanks!
Davida Lederle
September 22, 2020 at 4:17 pmYes! Ground flax works great.
George
July 22, 2020 at 7:55 pmHi,
Definitely interested in trying out this recipe. Could possibly substitute coconut flour with buckwheat flour and would the measures be the same?
Regards George
Taralynn McNitt
September 14, 2019 at 9:45 pmYum! These look fantastic. Definitely trying them soon!
Shannon
September 11, 2019 at 2:38 pmHiya! Looks amazing. Thoughts on subbing almond flour/meal for coconut flour?
Davida Lederle
September 12, 2019 at 12:06 pmPotentially! I haven’t tried it myself but I suspect you’d need to add more than what’s called for as coconut flour is very absorbent and almond flour isn’t as absorbent. Let me know if you give it a try!
Barbara
September 11, 2019 at 2:12 pmSounds so yummy… can you use cacao powder instead of chocolate bar… and if so how much should be used?
Thank you
★★★★★
Davida Lederle
September 12, 2019 at 12:07 pmDefinitely! Just leave the chocolate bar out and add 1-1 1/2 tbsp of cacao powder!
Sharon
September 11, 2019 at 11:06 amCan the tahini protein balls be frozen? Do they stay together if frozen?
Davida Lederle
September 11, 2019 at 11:28 amYou can certainly freeze them though you’ll definitely want to defrost before eating!