BIRTHDAY CAKE PROTEIN BALLS

We are huge fans of protein balls at my house, and these colourful birthday cake (or funfetti) bites are definite winners.

Honestly, what could be better than super tasty portable snacks that are easy to make, refined sugar free, suitable for vegan, gluten-free, paleo, and keto diets, AND packed with healthy fats and protein?!?

For those of you with nut allergies or looking for a nut-free snack for school lunches, I’ve also provided a nut-free (other than coconut) version below.

Ingredients for 8 balls:

• 1/2 cup Further Food Vanilla Collagen Peptides or Nuzest Clean Lean Smooth Vanilla Protein or 1/4 cup of each

• 1/2 cup almond flour

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup Lakanto Powdered sugar-free monk fruit sweetener (or Swerve confectioners’ or coconut sugar for non-keto), adjusted to taste

• 1/4 cup creamy cashew butter

• 1 tsp pure almond extract

• 0 to 3 Tbsp unsweetened cashew or non-dairy milk of choice, adjusted to desired consistency

• optional toppings: sprinkles (I used the old-fashioned sugary sprinkles here, but I typically use sugar-free, naturally-coloured ones!), Lakanto Powdered sweetener, unsweetened desiccated coconut, cinnamon, or toppings of choice

Directions:

1. Put collagen or protein powder, almond flour, sweetener, and salt into food processor or blender container and blend together.

2. Add cashew butter and almond extract. Pulse a few times and then blend until well combined, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides with a spatula as needed. Adjust sweetness to taste and add non-dairy milk, one tablespoon at a time, if the mixture seems dry.

3. Scrape the sticky dough onto a plate or parchment paper. If needed, refrigerate it for approximately 15 minutes to make it easier to roll. Then, using your hands, roll into approximately 8 balls. Roll formed balls in toppings of choice and chill before serving.

Birthday Cake Protein Balls can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a week, or the freezer for up to 2 months.

Nut-Free Birthday Cake Protein Balls Recipe

Ingredients for 8 balls:

• 1/2 cup Further Food Vanilla Collagen Peptides or Nuzest Clean Lean Smooth Vanilla Protein

• 1/2 cup coconut flour

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup Lakanto Powdered sugar-free monk fruit sweetener (or Swerve confectioners’ or coconut sugar for non-keto), adjusted to taste

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 cup Sunbutter or tahini

• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 0 to 3 Tbsp nut-free milk of choice, adjusted to desired consistency

• optional toppings: sprinkles, Lakanto Powdered sweetener, unsweetened desiccated coconut, cinnamon, or toppings of choice

Directions:

1. Put collagen or protein powder, coconut flour, sweetener, and salt into food processor or blender container and blend together.

2. Add Sunbutter and vanilla extract. Pulse a few times and then blend until well combined, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides with a spatula as needed. Adjust sweetness to taste and add milk, one tablespoon at a time, if the mixture seems dry.

3. Scrape the sticky dough onto a plate or parchment paper. If needed, refrigerate it for approximately 15 minutes to make it easier to roll. Then, using your hands, roll into approximately 8 balls. Roll formed balls in toppings of choice and chill before serving.

Nut-free Birthday Cake Protein Balls can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a week, or the freezer for up to 2 months.

Birthday Cake Protein Balls made with collagen and coconut sugar and topped with cinnamon & sprinkles. Recipe testing and photo by Suzanne @snackattackblog.