Chunky monkey oatmeal balls are full of peanut butter, oatmeal, banana and honey. They are the perfect snack for kids and grown ups alike. Plus they are are a great new way to use some of those ripe bananas!
This recipe serves many purposes. It is a great snack that is perfect for lunch boxes, afternoon pick me ups, a homework incentive or an after workout boost.
They are easy to make as well as a great way to use up ripe bananas. They are beloved by children and adults alike.
Plus they store well. Whip up a batch for your refrigerator today!
A week or two back, one of MiMi’s cousins asked for some suggestions of things to do with ripe bananas. Her family was getting tired of banana bread and like a lot of us she had a revolving bunch of overripe bananas.
After giving her some links to the seemingly hundreds of banana recipes I have here on the blog, it got a fun discussion going on my Facebook page. So I thought it would be fun to put the question out to your readers to see what your had to say.
It has been fun getting some new recipe ideas from everyone in the group and the banana question was no different.
While I do like to keep some bananas in the freezer for smoothies and “nice cream,” sometimes you just want to make something now. So I couldn’t wait to try the recipe our friend Sharadan shared in the group.
She and her daughter, Miss K, like to make these fun chunky monkey oatmeal balls together. She even shared a picture of Miss K mashing the bananas for a batch.
It is a great recipe to let the little ones help on. The only change I made to the recipe was replacing a bit of the oatmeal with flax.
Mostly I made the change due to having a large bag of flax in the freezer right now, so I’m putting it in everything! You can certainly use all oatmeal if you’d rather.
Either way, these delicious little balls are a super fun snack. They are full of good stuff and really portable.
I threw a few in my lunch for work and we were all snacking on them when we got home. It’s hard after a long day at work to come home hungry and know you still have to start dinner. So these helped fill the void!
So now I’m curious. What are your favorite ways to use ripe bananas?
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you store energy balls?
It is best to store these tasty energy balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator. That will help them firm up. They can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. They are good for several hours at room temperature if you want to take them with you. Or for longer storage, pop them in the freezer for up to three months.
Can I use other nut butters?
Yes! If you don’t like peanut butter or can’t have it, almond butter or sun butter would be tasty options as well. Use whatever nut butter you like best.
More Fun After School or Work Snack Ideas:
- No bake monster cookie bites are great peanut butter and oatmeal bites as well with the fun of tiny candy coated chocolates.
- Peanut butter maple snack mix is a great mix of cereal, peanuts, raisins and the like. It is like gorp on steroids.
- Fast and easy peanut butter yogurt fruit dip is one of our favorites. It whips up in seconds and is great with apple slices.
Chunky Monkey Oatmeal Balls
Equipment
- Glass Mixing Bowls, Set of 10
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 2 cups oats
- 2 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Mash the bananas until smooth.2 ripe bananas
- Stir in honey and peanut butter until combined.¼ cup honey, ½ cup peanut butter
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix together.2 cups oats, 2 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Roll about a Tablespoon at a time into a ball.
- Refrigerate for a couple of hours to firm up.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat as you go!
Helen
Monday 17th of August 2020
Yum! I will try this for my kids. Healthy snack for kids.
Carlee
Saturday 29th of August 2020
They are going to love them!
Big Rigs 'n Lil' Cookies
Friday 11th of August 2017
Man, these look good! And they remind me of a treat my sister used to make. Over ripe Bananas? I stick to the standard bread and muffins. I've tried some "crazy" recipes before and never found any that were really up our alley.
Carlee
Saturday 12th of August 2017
I make a lot of muffins and cakes, but it nice to have a little healthier option too! We always have a few in the freezer for smoothies too.
Carlee
Monday 7th of August 2017
Perfect for snacking! Thanks, Jan!
Amy
Thursday 3rd of August 2017
Congratulations on the feature on Wonderful Wednesday link party!
Carlee
Friday 4th of August 2017
Thank you so much, Amy!
Unknown
Wednesday 2nd of August 2017
These look amazingly delicious, and I can't wait to Mae some.
Carlee
Friday 4th of August 2017
I hope you enjoy them!