Homemade Protein Bars with Peanut Butter and Chocolate Recipe
These homemade protein bars are a quick, nutritious, and customizable snack perfect for fueling your day or post-workout recovery. Made with peanut butter, protein powder, and pure maple syrup, they can be shaped into bars and optionally coated with rich melted chocolate for an indulgent touch. These no-bake bars are easy to prepare, requiring minimal ingredients and time, and can be adapted with your favorite protein powder flavors to suit your taste.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes (including chilling time)
- Yield: 10 bars (based on 8x8 pan dimensions and typical bar size) 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups peanut butter (or allergy-friendly substitute)
- 3/4 cup protein powder (approximately 90 grams, unsweetened)
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or honey)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional Ingredients
- 4 oz melted chocolate chips (optional, for coating)
- 2 teaspoons oil (to mix with chocolate for smoother coating, optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the mixture: In a mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, protein powder, pure maple syrup, and salt. Stir thoroughly until a uniform dough forms.
- Shape the bars: Either use your hands to shape the mixture into individual bars or press the dough evenly into a lined 8×8 inch pan for a uniform shape.
- Optional chocolate coating: If using chocolate, melt the chocolate chips. For a smoother texture, stir in 2 teaspoons of oil if desired. You can either spread the melted chocolate evenly over the shaped bars in the pan or individually dip bars into the chocolate.
- Chill the bars: Place the prepared bars or the pan into the refrigerator and chill until firm and set, typically about 1 hour.
- Cut and serve: If you pressed the mixture into a pan, cut it into bars before serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for best freshness.
Notes
- Ensure you like the flavor of your chosen protein powder since it heavily influences the taste.
- Use unsweetened protein powder to keep sugar levels lower, or try flavored protein powders to customize taste.
- Maple syrup can be substituted with honey; for keto versions, use a keto-friendly sweetener.
- Adding oil to melted chocolate helps achieve a smoother coating but is optional.
- Store bars refrigerated to maintain texture and freshness; they can also be frozen for longer storage.
- Experiment with additional mix-ins like nuts, seeds, or dried fruit for varied textures.
Keywords: protein bars, peanut butter bars, no-bake protein bars, healthy snack, post-workout snack, homemade protein bars
