Chocolate protein bars that are rich, chocolatey, fudgy, gooey, and sinfully delicious.
3 Steps To Instant Popularity:
First, take a class trip to a remote location. Bonus points if the trip lasts more than a week, and double bonus points if the trip includes multiple bus rides of 5 hours or more.
Second, bring along a stash of chocolate protein bars large enough to feed a small army.
Third, wait patiently. By day 6, it is almost guaranteed your tired and hungry classmates will clamor for your attention and fight over who gets to sit next to you.
At least… this is the experience I had at age 16 when–equipped with raisins, cashews, and a bunch of Luna and Clif bars–I went on a 10-day class field trip to northern China.
The trip involved quite a lot of walking in the heat, packing up and changing locations almost daily, and many long and boring bus rides, with not nearly enough food to sustain the energy expended on all of these activities.
Somehow word got out that Katie had a secret stash of food in her suitcase, and by the end of the trip I was breaking each protein bar into eight or ten pieces so there’d be enough to go around.
What was the best class field trip you ever took… or what was the worst?
Due to all of the incredible memories made during my ten days in northern China, I look back on the trip as one of the best school field trips I ever took.
However at the time, when we were hiking through the freezing-cold mountains at 5am, eating unfamiliar foods (including a goat we’d seen alive earlier in the day), and going out of our minds with boredom on the tour bus, I probably would have told you it was the absolute worst trip I ever took!
Chocolate Protein Bars
Adapted from Black Bean Brownies
Fudge Brownie Chocolate Protein Bars
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups black beans (1 15-oz can, drained and rinsed very well) (250g after draining)
- 3 tbsp dutch or regular cocoa powder (15g)
- 7 tbsp chocolate protein powder (I used Nutribiotic) (45g)
- scant 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or agave or honey (Honey is not for strict vegans.) (75g)
- pinch pure stevia, or 2 tbsp sugar of choice
- 3 1/2 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil (35g)
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 cup to 2/3 cup chocolate chips (Not optional; omit at your own risk.)
Instructions
Homemade Chocolate Protein Bars: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine all ingredients except chips in a high-quality food processor, and blend until absolutely and completely smooth. (A blender works if you absolutely must, but the texture and taste will be much better in a food processor.) Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour into a greased 8×8 square pan. Optional: sprinkle extra chocolate chips over the top. Cook the homemade chocolate protein bars 16 minutes. They will still look underdone when you take them from the oven, but this is okay. Let cool, then pat down with a pancake spatula. Refrigerate overnight. The bars will have firmed up and are now ready to cut and eat. Store leftovers in the refrigerator. Makes about 10 bars.
Links Of The Day:
(How to make it the EASY way)
Can I use vanilla protein powder instead of chocolate?
Katie, can you tell me if you use the nutribiotic organic rice protein or what? Just wondering what kind I should get. There are like 30 options to choose from! ?
Hi! I made these for my brother, he can have NO sugar so i subbed the maple syrup or agave for 1/3 Cup xylitol. When they were some stuck together but others fell apart – Would you suggest I add more liquid? I could add almond milk or more oil?
Can you use just Stevia as the “sugar” source instead of honey, agave or maple syrup…if so how much and do I need to add something else for liquid.
Hi Katie:
Will these be okay out of the refrigerator in an air-tight container? I ask because I’m thinking of making these to take on my mission trip to PR and I’m not sure if where we are staying has a refrigerator or what not
I will try this recipe very soon….this just suits what I can eat!! Thanks so much Katie!!
Please can you tell me if the beans are just called black beans. Am struggling to find some.
Thanks
Love your recipes! I was wondering if you could come up with some healthy oatmeal date bars. All the ones I looked at require a lot of butter.
Mmm this would go so well with the cuppa I just brewed, yum! What food processor do you use? ? Thank you so much for the recipe! Anything with almonds and cocoa gets me too ? x
HI – I just made these yesterday and took them out of the fridge just a few minutes ago. They didn’t come out as thick as yours – or as solid looking – they’re very fudge-y – like frosting… ?? We’re literally going to have to eat it with a spoon I think…
What could have gone wrong? I baked them for exactly 16 min. and followed all your instructions. Thank you.
Hi. How much chocolate chips is the nutrition count referring too? Thanks.
Wow, these turned out amazing! My husband and kids were skeptical but loved them. Thank you!!
Could I sub the honey for water ? My protein powder is incredibly sweet and I guess it would be just way too much sugar…
I used my ninja to blend everything up. Getting the perfect consistency was a challenge but I just added a bit of almond milk (1/3 c to be exact) and opted to use peppermint extract instead of vanilla for a mocha peppermint flare. It was delicious. The batter was thick and creamy like cake icing! I was almost tempted to jar the batter and eat it as it was. I held out and I’m glad I did. This snack is aiding in my high protein diet! Totally love it!
I LOVE this recipe. I followed it almost to a T – I accidently added my chocolate chips to the food processor instead of folding them in. This is a repeat recipe! Next try: mix of chocolate and banana protein powder! Thanks Katie, I just found your blog and I am a fan already… Trying your black bean brownies this weekend. 🙂
If I make a double batch would I still cook for exactly 16 minutes?
Check it after that time. You can always cook longer if needed.