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All you need is 5 ingredients, one bowl and 25 minutes to make these Peanut Butter Protein Bars. They’re simple, delicious and packed-full of flavor and protein with 12 grams of protein in each bar! The taste of a peanut butter cup with an extra dose of protein!
Table of Contents
The Best Peanut Butter Protein Bars!
These No-Bake Peanut Butter Protein Bars are for my peanut butter loving soulmates of the world. And now that I know there are so many of you out there, I should warn you that they are completely addictive. We’re talking 12 bars down in 2 days kind of addictive.
I love me some good homemade protein bars for casual snacking or a post workout snack or hunger curb. These taste like peanut butter cups but with a side of health. They also only require 5 ingredients that you probably have on hand. Honestly, you’ll never go back to store-bought protein bars again!
Ingredients in Peanut Butter Protein Bars
- Smooth peanut butter – look for natural peanut butter where the only ingredient is peanuts! A lot can have added sugar and oils. use smooth peanut butter to keep an even consistency in each bar.
- Honey – the natural sweetener in these bars! No artificial sweeteners required.
- Vanilla protein powder – look for a protein powder with minimal ingredients. I’ve only tested these with whey protein powder. You could also use chocolate protein powder for a chocolate peanut butter protein bar.
- Oat flour – you can grind oats yourself or buy pre-made oat flour.
- Chocolate chips – I like Enjoy Life’s dairy-free chocolate chips but any chocolate chips will work!
How To Make Peanut Butter Protein Bars
These bars don’t require any baking and are ready in under 30 minutes!
STEP 1: In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter and honey. Stir in the protein powder and oat flour. Mixture should come together into a ball and will seem slightly dry.
STEP 2: Place a large piece of plastic wrap (or parchment paper) over an 8 x 8 inch baking pan so it hangs over the sides. Put batter into the pan and flatten with your hands so it fills the entire pan. Try to make it as flat and even as you can.
STEP 3: Place the pan in the freezer for 20 minutes.
STEP 4: While you freeze the bars, melt the dark chocolate chips in the microwave. I recommend heating in 20 second increments until smooth.
STEP 5: Remove the bars from the freezer, cut into 12 bars and pour or drizzle chocolate onto bars. Allow chocolate to cool and enjoy!
Storage Instructions
Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. They should last 1 week in the fridge and will keep much longer in the freezer!
While these peanut butter cup protein bars are always delicious, they hold their shape best when cold. If you’d like to eat these on the go, I suggest rolling them into 24 small ball. But if you’re only eating them at home, leave them as bars!
FAQs
This number will depend on the type of protein powder you use. You will also have protein from the peanut butter. For the whey protein powder I used it came out to 12 grams of protein per bar.
Unfortunately, no. While you could try to use a plant-based protein powder, I don’t recommend substituting the honey for something like maple syrup as they won’t stick together well. Agave may work but I haven’t tried it myself.
They are so long as you are using certified gluten-free oats and a gluten-free protein powder.
Absolutely! If you’re allergic to peanut butter feel free to substitute your batch with almond butter or cashew butter or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free alternative.
I wouldn’t. Unfortunately maple syrup is not as sticky as honey so they will likely fall apart. They may work with a different liquid sweetener but I haven’t tried it myself.
You can use another grain-based flour in place of oat flour but I wouldn’t recommend a grain-free flour like almond flour or coconut flour.
More No-Bake Recipes:
- Raw Nutella Bars
- Peanut ButterProtein Balls
- No-Bake Gingerbread Cookies
- No-Bake Cinnamon Roll Protein Bars
- No-Bake Protein Oatmeal Energy Balls
No-Bake Peanut Butter Protein Bars
All you need is 5 ingredients, one bowl and 25 minutes to make these No-Bake Peanut Butter Cup Protein Bars. They’re simple, delicious and packed-full of protein with 12 grams in each bar!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 Bars 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Raw
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 cup natural smooth peanut butter*
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
- 1/2 cup oat flour**
- 1/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine peanut butter and honey.
- Add in protein powder and oat flour. It should come together into a ball. Batter will be slightly dry.
- Place a large piece of plastic wrap over an 8 x 8 inch baking pan so that it hangs over the sides.
- Put batter into pan and flatten with hands so it fills the entire pan. Make sure it’s flat and even.
- Place in freezer for 20 minutes.
- While bars are in freezer, melt chocolate chips in the microwave. I heat in 20 second increments until smooth.
- Remove bars from the freezer and lift out of the pan using the plastic wrap.
- Cut into 12 bars.
- Using a knife spread chocolate onto bars. OR place in a ziploc bag and cut off a corner and drizzle over bars.
- Allow chocolate to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.***
*Make sure your peanut butter is the natural variety, meaning the only ingredient should be peanuts!
**You can grind the oats yourself or buy packaged oat flour. This may work with other flours but I haven’t tried.
***NOTE: The texture of these is best straight from the fridge or freezer. If you are eating them on the go, I recommend rolling the dough into 24 balls instead of 12 bars as they keep their shape better.
Like this idea. 2 questions B4 I make these: 1) If I only have unsalted PB, how much salt would I add, & 2) Can I sub an equal amount of cacao bits? Thanks so much for all your time & energy in making life more beautiful! You are a lifesaver for people with special dietary needs. I found you only a short time ago & I have made 6-7 of your recipes but have yet to comment, though I have shared everything with family & friends who have grown to love you too! When I can breathe again (I suppose after Christmas) I promise to critique every recipe that I have made because they are soooo good! Your granola bars will forever be a staple in our home.
Do you have nutrition info for these?
I am a peanut butter junkie! I love it and I can’t wait to try out these bars.
Enjoy, Wendy!
what are the macros for this?
Perfect, looking for a back to homeschool, afternoon snack. These fit the bill perfectly. I am subbing almond flour for the oat, because I have almond on hand.
I want these! Too bad I JUST got back from the store. I have everything but protein powder. Wait…I could omit it 🙂
I can’t wait to make these!!! And your protein oat cups! (I think they look like cups haha!) found you on Instagram and I’m loving your blog, thank you!!! ❤️ Simone
Aw thank you Simone! You’r too sweet. Hope you enjoy!
Does anyone know the calories in these?
how about the macros in this recipe? looks interesting.
I just nearly ate the screen of my phone… those look so yummy I am obsessed with nut butter of all kinds! I am a mouse in a trap for click bait, always avoiding what I should be doing to read pointless crapola on the interwebs. I even made a new years resolution not to do that anymore, we all know what happens to new years resolutions *sigh*