Description
These Banana Bread Protein Bites are a healthy, delicious snack combining ripe banana, almond butter, and vanilla protein powder, coated in dark chocolate for a perfectly sweet and satisfying treat. They are easy to make, require no baking, and are great for on-the-go energy.
Ingredients
Protein Bites
- 1 medium ripe banana (mashed)
- ⅓ cup creamy almond butter
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
- ¾ cup vanilla protein powder (I used Ritual)
- ½ cup oat flour
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Chocolate Coating
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
- 1 tsp coconut oil
Optional Toppings
- Flaky salt
- Crushed walnuts or pecans
- Cinnamon dusting
Instructions
- Mash the Banana: In a bowl, mash the banana until it becomes smooth and free of lumps to ensure even texture in the bites.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the creamy almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla bean paste to the mashed banana. Stir thoroughly until the mixture is creamy and well combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Fold in the vanilla protein powder, oat flour, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Mix well until a thick dough forms that holds its shape.
- Shape Bites: Scoop the dough and roll it into 10 equal-sized balls. Arrange these on a parchment-lined tray or plate for easy handling.
- Freeze Bites: Place the tray in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes until the protein bites firm up and hold their shape.
- Melt Chocolate Coating: Gently melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil together until the mixture is smooth and glossy, perfect for dipping.
- Dip Bites in Chocolate: Dip each protein bite into the melted chocolate, allowing excess chocolate to drip off for an even coating.
- Add Toppings: Place the chocolate-coated bites back onto the parchment paper and immediately sprinkle with flaky salt, crushed nuts, or cinnamon dusting while the chocolate is still wet for added flavor and crunch.
- Set Chocolate: Refrigerate or freeze the bites again until the chocolate shell hardens, creating a delicious, crisp coating.
Notes
- Protein powders vary in texture; Ritual vanilla protein powder works best for dough-like consistency. Other protein powders like FlavCity may make forming the dough more difficult.
- You can substitute almond butter with any other nut or seed butter according to preference or dietary needs.
- Sprinkling flaky salt on the chocolate before it hardens balances the sweetness perfectly and enhances flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
