Chocolate Protein Bars

This simple recipe will teach you how to make no bake Chocolate Protein Bars at home, in just 10 minutes. Vegan, gluten-free and keto-friendly, these protein chocolate bars are better than the ones you buy. Healthier, more delicious and much cheaper!

Time to say goodbye to overpriced snack bars full of sugars and artificial ingredients. After venturing into protein cakes, muffins and cereal, today I’m excited to share with you my latest creation: No bake chocolate protein bars!

Ingredients in protein bars

If you have ever paid attention to your protein bar packaging, changes are that you came across a long, endless list of unknown ingredients. Glycerol, polydextrose, palm, palm stearin, palm olein, humectant and so on. Well, at least for me, every time I eat one, I’m shocked at and slightly worried about what I just put in my body. But I love protein bars, they are actually one of my favorite snacks to calm the hunger and hit my macros. So I decided to make my own.

Simple and healthy ingredients only!

This easy chocolate protein bar recipe only requires simple and clean ingredients, all of which are great for vegan and gluten-free diets. Gather your favorite protein powder, some cocoa and peanut butter, and in a matter of minutes you’ll be ready to whip up a bunch of protein bars with chocolate. But before, be sure to read through the next lines for all details, tips and substitutes.

• Protein powder. Differently from the ones you buy, protein powder is actually the main ingredient in this recipe. I used chocolate flavored whey protein powder but you are free to choose other options, such as vegan protein powder or casein. Also whey casein blends work.
• Cocoa powder. This is what will give our homemade protein bars their chocolate flavor, without the need for excessive amounts of melted chocolate. Fewer fats, carbs, sugars (if using sugar-free cocoa powder) and calories!
• Oat flour. The oat flour gives the dough a good, smooth texture that is neither too dry nor too sticky. As this is a no bake protein bar recipe, you cannot use regular all purpose flour or wholewheat flour. But you can indeed replace with almond flour, which is great especially for low carb diets.
• Peanut butter. When making vegan protein bars without eggs, peanut butter helps the ingredients come together into a smooth batter. Further, it adds a delicious flavor. You can replace with any other nut butter, such as almond butter or cashew butter.
• Maple syrup. This is going to be the main sweetener in the recipe. You can replace with honey, agave syrup, date syrup. Or choose sugar-free syrups to cut some more carbs and calories.
• Chocolate chips. My recipe uses extra dark chocolate chips without added sugar. Substitute with the chocolate chips you prefer, they are all good.

Mix-in ideas

Here are some optional ingredients you can mix in to elevate the taste experience and make the best chocolate bars with protein powder. More taste, texture and satisfaction! Feel free to draw inspiration, mix and match, or experiment with any extra you like.

• Chocolate chips: Dark chocolate chips, semisweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips or sugar-free chocolate chips. 
• Nuts: Crushed walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts.
• Seeds: Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds.
• Dried fruits: Raisins, cranberries, dried berries, dried mango.

Which is the best protein powder in bars?

This chocolate no bake protein bar recipe is so easy and versatile that it can be made with any kind of protein powder. Whether whey, casein or vegan, all options are suitable. I personally like whey protein powder.

The only thing to keep in mind is that not all protein powders are the same. Some are more absorbent than others, and you’ll need to adapt the recipe accordingly. Here’s a general overview of the three most popular products in the market.

• Whey protein powder. This is the one I also used, which is also my favorite because it mixes very well and gives the bars a chewy texture. If, after following the recipe, your dough is sticky, adjust with more oat flour.
• Vegan protein powder. Soy, pea, rice or vegan blends, these protein powders have the tendency to absorb plenty of moisture. As a consequence, your dough may require additional peanut butter or maple syrup if dry and crumbly.
• Casein protein powder. This product is halfway between whey and plant based powders. Similarly to vegan options, the dough may need some more nut butter or syrup.

In terms of flavor, my suggestions are chocolate, brownie, vanilla and unflavored protein powder. These will make your bars more delicious without affecting their taste too much. But at the end it’s just my preference. Feel free to use the one you like the most.

Do you like chewy protein bars? Here’s my recommendation

If you are like me and prefer your bars to be chewy, I recommend opting for whey protein powder. Whey is the best option for no bake protein bars because it mixes very well and produces a smooth dough. As a result, your bars will be chewier (and much better, I’d say).

Adapt the recipe to your diet

• Low carb and keto bars with protein powder: Sweeten your bars with sugar-free maple syrup and substitute oat flour with almond flour, which is lower in carbs and vegan friendly.
• Vegan protein bars: Choose plant based protein powder, all other ingredients are already suitable for your diet.
• Gluten-free protein bars: Use gluten-free oat flour and check that your protein powder does not contain gluten, especially in the case of plant based products.
• Nut-free protein bars: Replace peanut butter with sunflower seed butter or tahini.

How to make chocolate protein bars at home?

• Step 1: Prepare the dough. In a large bowl, combine protein powder with cocoa powder, oat flour and a pinch of salt. Quickly give it a good stir, then add in peanut butter, maple syrup and chocolate chips. Mix until you get a smooth dough.
• Step 2: Refrigerate the bars. Line a 15 x 15 cm (6 x 6 in) pan with parchment paper or grease with little oil so that the protein snacks do not stick. Once ready, transfer your dough to the pan, smooth it out and refrigerate for about 1 hour. Once it has set, cut into bars. Place your chocolate bars in a sealable food container and store in the fridge for a maximum of five days.

Storage information

Once the dough has set and you cut the bars, leftovers should be placed in a sealable food container in the fridge. Refrigerated, these healthy chocolate bars with protein powder will last for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing them because the drastic change of temperature may ruin the texture.

Tips for the making bars with protein powder

• Choose a good protein powder and prefer simple flavors such as vanilla, chocolate or no flavor. Also, opt for whey in case you want your protein bars to be chewy.
• Use creamy peanut butter, without added sugar and oil. It mixes better and gives the dough a smooth texture.
• Customize your protein bars with chocolate chips, chopped nuts, seeds, raisins, dried cranberries or any mix-in you like.
• Store your no bake protein bars in the fridge in an airtight food container to preserve their taste and texture.

FAQ – Frequently asked questions

More healthy snacks with protein powder

• No bake protein cookies
• Cookie dough protein bars
• Protein frozen dessert
• Low calorie protein brownies
• No bake protein balls
• Chocolate protein balls
• Moist protein banana bread