Blueberry Chia Protein Bites
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Quick and easy, these Blueberry Chia Protein Bites are made with old-fashioned oats, freeze-dried blueberries, honey, nut butter, and protein powder for a tasty on-the-go treat.
For my fellow snackers.
As someone who loves fitness and nutrition but also has an insatiable sweet tooth, I love whipping up relatively nutrient-dense treats. I never turn down a classic chocolate chip cookie, but life is all about balance, after all. Little protein bites are so great to have around, not least because it also gives me something tasty to grab quickly in between work and running the kids around.
This variation of a protein bite is a little less sweet than its strawberry chocolate cousin, but has all the same wonderful texture of chewy oats and creamy nut butter bound together with honey. Freeze-dried blueberries pack in flavor and fun, while chia seeds add more protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids — the same nutritional powerhouses found in salmon and other fatty fish. It all adds up to a little snack that satisfies but contributes to your daily goals at the same time.
Ingredient & Substitution Notes
- Freeze-dried blueberries and chia seeds. The magic mix-ins here! Substitute freely with other freeze-dried fruits, flax seeds, hemp hearts, etc.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats. For best results, do not substitute instant, steel-cut, or another type of oats.
- Nut butter. I use almond, cashew butter, or a mix, owing to my daughter’s peanut allergy, but I have zero doubt peanut butter would be delicious in this. If using almond butter or a natural butter that separates out, do your best to stir and reincorporate the oil before measuring it into this recipe.
- Honey. Agave or maple syrup makes a good substitute.
- Vanilla protein powder. Your favorite brand. I typically use two scoops, because that is the normal serving size of my standard, but it should be roughly one serving or 50-60 grams.
- A splash of milk, any kind. This is the secret little ingredient to help keep the mixture stuck together without becoming overly sweet.
Top Tips for Success
- Vary the fruit. Swap the blueberries for freeze-dried strawberries or raspberries. Just be sure they are chopped into small pieces.
- Recruit your muscles to stir. The mixture will seem too thick at first, but keep going and it will come together. Use your hands towards the end to press in the last few bits and knead the mixture together. It needs to be thick to stick together in balls.
- Use a cookie scoop for portioning. This is just so much easier than two spoons.
Storage Suggestions
Stash these protein bites in the refrigerator for about a week or in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
Experiment with which delivers your favorite texture for snacking. Chilled in the refrigerator is my personal favorite, but they are still edible straight from my freezer.
Related Recipes
Craving more strength-focused snacks? You might also enjoy these chocolate strawberry protein bites, and this banana protein shake has more than 22 grams of protein.
If you try this Blueberry Chia Protein Bites recipe, don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment below. I love hearing how recipes turn out in your kitchen, and it helps other readers, too.
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Blueberry Chia Protein Bites
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 3/4 cup freeze-dried blueberries
- 1/3 cup almond, cashew, peanut, or another nut butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 scoops vanilla protein powder 50-60 grams
- 2-3 Tablespoons milk any kind
- 2 teaspoons chia seeds
Instructions
- Place oats, blueberries, nut butter, honey, protein powder, 2 Tablespoons of the milk, and chia seeds in a large bowl.1 and 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, 3/4 cup freeze-dried blueberries, 1/3 cup almond, cashew, peanut, or another nut butter, 1/4 cup honey, 2 scoops vanilla protein powder, 2-3 Tablespoons milk, 2 teaspoons chia seeds
- Stir very well to combine — it will seem too thick at first and can be difficult to mix, but use your muscles and it will come together. Use your hands towards the end to press in the last few bits and knead the mixture together.
- Once everything is evenly mixed, use a small cookie scoop to portion the dough into balls. Use your hands to roll them smooth. If you find that the balls are not holding together, add the extra Tablespoon of milk, or even a few drops more, to the mixture. Stir it in well and try rolling again.
- Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to one week. Enjoy!
Notes
- The nutrition information here is an automatically-calculated estimate based on a generic nut butter; if you need detailed specifics for your own macros, I highly encourage you to plug this into MyFitnessPal or a similar app of your choice with the exact data from the nut butter, protein powder, and other ingredients that you prefer to use.
