Satisfy your lemon cravings with an easy, high protein treat. These lemon poppy seed protein balls have 4 grams protein and only 1 gram net carb each!
These protein bites are great to have in the fridge for a quick snack or to bring with you instead of a protein bar.
The whey/casein protein powder blend is great for no bake protein recipes like this.
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Ingredients
- unflavored whey/casein protein powder blend (vanilla protein works, too!)
- coconut flour
- a pinch of sea salt
- granulated erythritol
- lemon zest
- lemon juice
- coconut oil (use refined for less of a coconut taste)
- poppy seeds
The recipe card below has all the quantities.
Equipment
No fancy equipment needed! I hate when what should be a quick recipe calls for a food processor, and then you have to clean all the parts. Not here!
You'll need a bowl, a spoon, and you'll want to use your hands to mix the ingredients fully. I like to wear these disposable gloves when I use my hands in food.
Instructions
Combine all of the ingredients, break the dough into 8 pieces, and roll each into a ball. Easy! (More details are below, in the recipe card.)
Substitutions
If you only have whey protein on hand, you'll need more coconut flour to thicken the dough.
I would not substitute other flours for the coconut flour. If you need a sub, I'd use casein protein powder, as that would thicken the dough similarly.
You can substitute the erythritol with your favorite sweetener, of course! If you use a liquid sweetener, you may need less coconut oil or more coconut flour.
Variations
Both Quest and PEScience make whey/casein blends in a variety of flavors. Omitting the lemon-specific ingredients (lemon juice and lemon zest), you could use this recipe for any flavor protein balls.
Replace the poppy seeds with mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or unsweetened coconut shreds!
Storage
These lemon poppyseed protein balls can stay out for the day (if you're on the go), but for longer storage I would keep them in the fridge.
Top tip
Keep in mind that different protein powders will react differently in recipes. A vegan protein would give different texture and may need a different amount of liquid, for example. For more info on how different protein powders are in recipes, see my article: The Best Protein Powders for Baking.
FAQ
Protein balls generally have healthy ingredients, but it really depends on the ingredients of the recipe and what works for your body. Some protein energy balls are high in sugar, while other protein ball recipes have sugar alcohols, for example. The good news is that because these are no bake recipes, it is easy to swap sweeteners and make other ingredient swaps to suit your dietary needs.
Protein balls can be left out for the day (and taken on-the-go), but for longer storage I would refrigerate them to keep them fresh.
Protein balls usually have healthy ingredients, but they may be high in calories. If you're looking for foods that are less calorie dense to help feel full while losing weight, opt for protein balls that are low in sugar and fat.
Related recipes
If you like this recipe, you might also enjoy these:
- Pecan Protein Bites
- Coconut Dusted Chocolate Protein Balls
- Pumpkin Pie Protein Balls
- Protein Buckeyes
and these 31 Easy Protein Balls Recipes (No Bake, Healthy Bites).
Recipe
Lemon Poppy Seed Protein Balls
Equipment
- disposable gloves optional, nice to have when your hands are in the food
Ingredients
- ½ cup unflavored whey/casein blend 36g (or vanilla whey/casein blend)
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour 14g
- a pinch sea salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated erythritol 12g
- zest of ½ - 1 lemon to taste
- 2 -3 tablespoons lemon juice 30-45ml
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil 28g or 30ml
- ¼ teaspoon poppy seeds 1.2ml
Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients. Start with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and add by the teaspoon as necessary to get it to mix as a dough. Use your hands to get it all fully combined.
- Break the dough into 8 pieces, and roll into balls.
- Enjoy! Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
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