In need of a healthy snack recipe for protein balls? Make these cherry almond butter energy balls! They’re studded with oats, coconut flakes, honey, and mini chocolate chips for maximum flavor! You’ll love having this vegetarian, no bake treat on hand.

eight almond butter energy balls with cherries on a serving plate on a napkin

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I’m a big fan of energy balls/protein bites/whatever you want to call them. I love having them on hand to satisfy my afternoon cravings for sweets. Plus, they’re so easy to customize!

This recipe for cherry almond butter energy balls is one of my favorite combinations of ingredients. I first made a variation of them for my sister after she gave birth to my nephew. And now that I am waiting for a baby of my own, I found myself going back to the recipe and perfecting it so I could share it with all of you!

The creamy almond butter pairs so well with dried cherries, and the flecks of coconut and mini chocolate chips round out the sweet flavor profile. I also added some oats and honey to keep everything together, plus vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt as flavor boosters.

If this sounds as delicious to you as it does to me, you have to give this recipe a try! It’s really easy to make. And did you know you can freeze energy balls? It’s true! Make a double or triple batch to set your future self up for snacking success. I have a few containers of bites in my freezer for my upcoming postpartum days.

almond butter, oats, dried cherries, vanilla, cinnamon, coconut, chocolate chips, and honey on a counter

How to Make Almond Butter Energy Balls

The process for this recipe is really easy, but here’s a preview of the steps. For the full ingredients list and instructions, scroll down to the recipe card!

Gather ingredients.
Combine everything in a bowl.
Scoop out a few tablespoons of batter. Roll into a ball.
Repeat with the rest of the batter. Enjoy!

ingredients for almond butter energy balls mixed together in a large bowl

eight almond butter energy balls on a small plate next to mixing bowl with batter

Expert Tips

Almond butter consistency: Use a creamy almond butter that has a drizzly/smooth consistency. Almond butter that has only one ingredient (almonds or almonds and salt) is the best option for energy bites. It tends to be smoother than almond butters with added oils. Keep it at room temperature, instead of in the fridge, to maintain the drizzly consistency. Trader Joe’s sells almond butter without any oil. If you have a hard time finding drizzly almond butter, you can add a few splashes of warm water to the batter to make it easier to mix.
Make vegan: To make almond butter energy balls vegan, sub maple syrup for honey.
Decrease sugar: If you want to make these less sweet, omit the chocolate chips and cut back on the honey or maple syrup.
Substitutions and additions: Feel free to sub dried cranberries or another dried fruit of choice for the cherries and another nut or seed butter for the almond butter. You can also add chia seeds, milled flax seed, or hemp seeds for a nutrition boost!
How to freeze: Energy bites freeze very wall. Place them in a freezer bag in a single layer or in a containers in layers separated by parchment or wax paper. Seal tightly, label, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before eating or enjoy straight from the freezer!

two almond butter protein bites on a serving plate sprinkled with cherries and coconut

More Healthy Snacks

Love these almond butter energy balls with dried cherries?! Check out my no bake Oatmeal Date Almond Butter Bars, Coconut Chickpea Cookie Dough Balls, and Pumpkin Peanut Butter Balls. You may also like the Carrot and White Bean Vegan Blondies.

I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.

📖 Recipe