These homemade chocolate peanut butter protein bars are like biting into a Reeses peanut butter cup!
3 Reasons You Should Try Making Your Own Homemade Protein Bars:
1. If you like the idea of protein powder but never really know quite what to do with it, this is the perfect way to use up some of that protein powder hanging out in the back of your kitchen cabinet.
2. Most packaged protein bars on the market these days are filled with processed ingredients such as isolated soy protein, maltodextrin, corn syrup solids, sucralose, and added sugar.
3. Ummmm… remember the part where I mentioned these bars taste like biting into a Reeses peanut butter cup?
It’s also much cheaper to make your own protein bars at home –
Just throw all of the ingredients together, and you end up with a whole batch of homemade protein bars for not much more than you would’ve paid for just one bar at the grocery store.
They can be gluten-free / dairy-free / egg-free / grain-free / soy-free / and oil-free
Avoid the unhealthy processed ingredients by making your own healthy chocolate protein bars at home.
You can use your favorite chocolate protein powder or experiment with other flavors as well.
If you aren’t into protein powder, these bars are also wonderful if made with 1/2 cup quick oats instead of the protein powder.
Although their protein count will not be as high, they will be just as delicious!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars
Adapted from Black Bean Brownies
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup chocolate protein powder (70g)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 15 oz can black beans
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup, agave, or honey
- pinch stevia or 2 tbsp additional sugar (liquid or granulated)
- 1 tbsp milk of choice (omit if using liquid sweetener above)
- 1/4 cup peanut butter or allergy-friendly alternative
- 1/3 cup to 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips (not optional; omit at own risk)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F and line an 8-inch pan with parchment (or grease very well). Drain beans and rinse them extremely well to get rid of any aftertaste. Combine all ingredients in a good food processor until completely smooth. (A food processor will yield a much better taste and texture, but you can use a blender if you keep this in mind.) Smooth batter into the prepared pan, scraping every bit from the processor. Use a second sheet of parchment to press down evenly – keep pressing down, making sure batter doesn’t go up the sides, and eventually it does spread to the edges of the pan. Bake 13 minutes on the center rack. They will look underdone, so take out and refrigerate the pan–loosely covered–overnight. This is my favorite trick to firm up baked goods while still retaining their moisture and not overcooking. The bars will be firm enough to cut by the next day, and you can top with more peanut butter if you wish.
Links Of The Day:
Flourless Chocolate Chip Cookies
Flourless Pancakes – 3 Ingredients
These protein bars taste EXACTLY like fudge brownies!!! They are sooooo good! As I do not have a food processor, I chopped the beans and chocolate chips in a chopper and then threw everything in my stand-up mixer with the paddle attachment. It came out fine, but I think I may have baked them a little too long. I took the bars out of the oven and cooled them a little and then put them in the fridge overnight. When I cut them into bars after taking them out of the fridge, they crumbled quite a lot. But it is so worth it because it tastes so good! My family said the same. Thank you!
I’ve never tried so really can’t say, but be sure to report back if you try 🙂
Thank you so much for trying them!
Those look amazing, peanut butter and chocolate are the best combination! I love baking and even making granola bars, but I’ve been wary of protein bars because I’m nervous about getting the right consistency – I’ll have to try this recipe, they look perfect!
Just wanted to comment on an error I made that turned into what I think is a very good twist on this recipe! My kitchen timer wasn’t working, and I must have slightly under baked them (I noticed the dough was just so, so sticky while trying to press it into the pan!). What I ended up with was the most wonderful fudge topped with peanut butter. Better than any protein bar I have ever tasted, and you could easily pass it off as fudge. I added a little powdered sugar to the PB, which was nice. And as an aside, while I could taste the protein powder in the raw dough, after baking, the taste has vanished.
I think these are the most delicious thing I’ve made. I actually had to make TWO batches this week because my family and I devoured them. They really do taste like brownies and I think I am in love with them.
Amazing protein chocolate bars. I ts really worth to watch your blog. I wish to add these bars to my website.
Thanks for sharing..
Can i use soy flour instead of the protein powder?
You can always experiment!
These are so delicious! We never have protein powder in the house, so I blended GoLean cereal in the food processor until it was powdery. Perfect post workout snack. 🙂
These are delicious! I’ve had a hard time sharing them with the rest of the family– I just want to stash them away for myself. 🙂
Made them without the chocolade chips and salt, because I topped them with roasted salted chopped peanuts.
So good, I had to hide them from myself.
Hi Katie,
I just want to tell you how much I appreciate you sharing all your delectable baked treat recipes with the public. Your time and commitment to us, the viewers and receivers, is precious to me, and I just wanted to tell you that. I am so happy to have recipes come to my inbox of delicious sweets, that are vegan and many times grain-free and raw, which are so wonderful for my health. Your sweet spirit and love of baking healthy sweets to share with others radiates through your posts. Just want to say that I absolutely admire you and have a lot of respect for you. Keep on doing what you are doing because you are cherished for it!
With Love, Linda
I only had kidney beans, so used them for the recipe. They still turned out delicious!
I’ve made these once & they came out very nice..this time I’d like to use my own cooked black beans & am uncertain what quantity would be correct. Can you help me on this? I have your cookbook and have been pleasantly surprised with everything I’ve made thus far!
It would still be the same amount. There are around 1 1/2 cups cooked beans in a can. Hope that helps!
So, these are amazing. My midday snack game has been revolutionized!! I used vanilla protein powder and added a peanut butter swirl.
I have used chick peas and refried beans with green chilies (what I had on hand!) instead of black beans for CCK’s brownie recipe and they all taste great. I imagine you can do the same for the protein bars too..