Easy To Make Vegan Pumpkin Protein Balls

These delicious and nutritious easy to make vegan pumpkin protein balls are free from refined sugar and are a great source of plant-based protein.   

Protein Balls vs Energy Bites

Protein balls go by a variety of names including energy bites, power balls, and energy balls just to name a few.  What ever you call it they make a simple and healthy that only requires a few ingredients to make.

There are many different protein ball recipes out there.  The one thing they have in common is they are full of protein packed into a bite size treat your whole family will love.

A Healthy Road Trip Snack

I have been wanting to make our very own protein ball recipe.  It wasn’t until this past summer when we were packing for our road trip to Arizona that we decided protein balls would be a great heathy plant-based and vegan snack to take on our road trip.     

I mean a 2400-mile road trip calls for prepping and packing some go to healthy plant-based and vegan snacks.  And these Pumpkin Protein Balls were just what we needed and I can say did not last long on the trip.  

Made using only 5 ingredients they are pretty much the perfect snack. 

Packed with ingredients like naturally sweetened dates, pumpkin puree, and pumpkin spice, they are a great snack to enjoy any time of the year.

A Delicious and Nutritious Snack

Need some ideas for breakfasts on the go? These Vegan Pumpkin Protein Balls make the perfect breakfast on the go and are a great way to start the day.

And now that we are into the full swing of pumpkin season, these bite sized vegan protein balls are sure to be a hit in your home.

There are so many different combination and ingredients you can use to make protein balls including peanut butter, dates, flaxseeds, chia seeds, vegan chocolate chips, and shredded coconut.  The possibilities are endless.

Pumpkin Protein Balls Ingredients

We have experimented with a few different versions of this recipe and included some pictures below. 

The main ingredients we used to create this recipe though are:

Pitted Dates-Dates come from the Date Palm Tree.  Dates have a chewy sweet flavor and are a great source of nutrients.  Dates are an excellent natural sweetener and have a subtle caramel taste making them a great healthy substitute for white refined sugar and often used in vegan and plant-based dessert recipes.  1 cup of dates has 12 grams of fiber and 3.6 grams of protein.

Two Types of Dates:

The most comment are Medjool and Deglet Noor dates.  We have used both to make this recipe in the past.  You just want to make sure they are pitted or if you get whole dates, remove the pit.  Your food processor will thank you. 

Peanut Butter-You can make your own peanut butter by blending up a cup of raw peanuts in the food processor for about 5-6 minutes or if you prefer, you could use a store-bought version, just make sure that the only ingredient is peanuts and salt. Peanut butter is a great source of plant-based protein and helps give a great flavor to this recipe.

Make Your Own Pumpkin Puree

Pure Pumpkin Puree-Pumpkin puree can be made from scratch at home.  Check out our Instant Pot Pumpkin Puree Recipe here.  Or you can buy store bought canned versions too. You will just want to make sure that the store-bought version is pureed and the only ingredient is pure pumpkin.

Pumpkin is a great source of vitamins and minerals like Vitamin A and C. One cup of pure pumpkin has 3 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein.   

Pumpkin Pie Spice-What would a pumpkin recipe be without pumpkin pie spice?  Loaded with lots of nutrients, pumpkin pie spice is a simple and easy recipe you can make in just minutes.  Check out our Pumpkin Pie Spice recipe here.

Salt– If you are looking for a salt-free version, just omit the salt from the mixture. 

Ratio of Dates to Pumpkin Puree

I found using about 1 ¼ cups of dates and ¼ cup of pumpkin puree made forming the balls easier and keep them from sticking to your fingers too much.  Sure, the mixture is still going to stick to your fingers some, but I found using more pumpkin puree made it a little too sticky and more difficult to form a ball shape. 

Even though it takes less than 5 minutes to make this vegan recipe, the time comes from letting them harden in the freezer.  I found it best to let them harden for about an hour. I know it will be difficult waiting, but trust me, these vegan pumpkin protein balls are worth the wait. 

You could also add in shredded coconut, vegan chocolate chips, chia seeds or flax seeds to add in more protein and fiber. 

How To Make Vegan Pumpkin Protein Balls

• 1 1/4 cup Pitted Dates
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup Pure Pumpkin Puree
• 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1/8 tsp Sea Salt
• 2 tbsps Dark Chocolate Chips (optional)
• Coconut Flour or shredded coconut to garnish (optional)

To Create This Recipe

• Start by blending the dates in your food processor.  Once a ball forms, about a minute (depending on your food processor).   Add the peanut butter, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and salt to the date purée and blend until combined. You might need to scrape down the sides. 
• Once the mixture is blended, form 1-inch balls and place on parchment lined baking sheet.  Make sure that you lay them out on the baking sheet so they do not touch one another.  Repeat until all the dough is used up.
• Freeze the balls for at least an hour until firm then transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge or freezer. Enjoy!

Leftovers

You can refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to one week. And you can freeze them for up to two months.

If you are like my house, that might be a day or two at the most as they go quickly in our house.

Want More Flavor

Add vanilla, cinnamon or vegan chocolate chips.

Want More Protein

Add chia seeds, flax seeds, or hemp hearts

Nut-Free Version

Use a seed butter like sunflower seed butter or pumpkin seed butter.

My teenage boys love these pumpkin protein balls and I love that they are getting a healthy vegan snack.

Kitchen Equipment we used to make this recipe:

Food Processor

Parchment Paper

Baking Sheet

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #cleanfoodmama on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

These easy to make pumpkin protein balls make a great plant-based snack or treat your whole family will love.

Enjoy!

Date Paste Recipe

Making date paste is simple and easy and a great recipe to have on hand to help sweeten up some of your vegan and plant-based desserts without the use of refined sugars.

To make date paste you will need:

2 cups of pitted dates

1 cup of water

High speed blender

First start by soaking your dates for about 30 seconds in hot water and add them to the blender along with your water and blend until smooth.  Scrape down the sides as needed.  That is it. You just made date paste. You can store any unused amount in an air tight container.

Date paste is a great plant-based and vegan alternative refined sugars and is full of antioxidants and a great source of fiber. 

Want more Pumpkin Recipes? Try our newest Pumpkin Recipes

How To Make Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

The Best Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte (Dairy-Free)

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