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Peanut Butter Protein Bars – A homemade version of the Peanut Butter Perfect Bars that are soft, loaded with protein and taste like cookie dough! No baking required, super easy and ready in no time.
I don’t know about you, but breakfast is not my favorite meal of the day. I hate taking the time to actually make something. But I want something that is full of protein, filling, and easy. And let’s face it, Chocolate Chip Muffins are not the best choice for a healthy breakfast.
So, I have tried pretty much every protein bar that is on the market, trying to find one that I like. Perfect Bars seem to be the one that I like the best, but they are just so expensive. So I decided to try my own!
These peanut butter protein bars are loaded with protein, a tiny bit of chocolate to make them more fun, and you can even add in flax meal for tons of fiber as well!
What You’ll Need
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- Peanut Butter – you want to use a peanut butter with the only ingredients on the jar as peanuts. You don’t want to have any added sugar or oil to them. The recipe will definitely work if you use Skippy peanut butter, but the nutrition aspect changes a lot when you do.
- Protein Powder – I like to use vanilla here, but if you want to make them more chocolate-y or a different flavor, any variety will work. Just use a powder you like. There are a million different ones on the market, using different protein sources. Just pick one you like and you know works well with your stomach.
- Agave – I like agave in this recipe because it sweetens, but doesn’t flavor the bars. Honey or maple syrup work great as well. I use about 1/4 cup, sometimes a little less. If I am putting the chocolate on top, I use closer to 2 Tablespoons. It is kind of to taste. So mix up the dough, taste it before pressing it into the pan to determine if you want a little more.
- Chocolate – the chocolate on top is completely optional. The Perfect bars are not coated in chocolate, so this makes them different. It is just a super
Perfect Bars
I have to say, these are probably my all-time favorite bar. They are just sweet enough, without tasting like dessert (at least to me, you can reduce the agave if you want it even less sweet). The problem with the store bought bars are they are kind of dense and chalky. I think these are smoother and creamier than the Perfect bars.
I added the chocolate layer on top to make it just a little more fun, but it is completely optional! The nutritional information in the recipe card does include the chocolate topping, so if those numbers are important to you, be sure to calculate it without, if that is how you choose to make them.
How To Make Peanut Butter Protein Bars
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- In a bowl mix together the peanut butter, protein powder, agave, vanilla, and mini chocolate chips.
- Press into a lined 8 inch baking pan.
- In a small bowl melt together the chocolate and avocado oil until smooth. Pour over bars, and spread into an even layer. This is completely optional – skip this step if you don’t want chocolate on the top.
- Place in the fridge for 2-3 hours for them to completely set up.
- Slice into 10 bars. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Recipe Tips
- I like to use agave in this recipe, as I think it doesn’t affect the flavor as much as maple syrup or honey. But you really can use any liquid sweetener you like.
- If you have a peanut allergy, or just want to change the flavor use any nut butter that you like! You can even use sunbutter or wow butter as allergy friendly alternatives.
- Want to add fiber? Adding 1/4-1/3 cup of ground flax seed bumps the fiber in these bars to about 4 grams per bar.
- More Protein? I often will add 4 scoops of protein powder instead of the 3 called for in this recipe.
- The oil in the chocolate helps to ensure it is a little softer and doesn’t crack when you cut into it. You can omit the oil if you want to cut down on fat.
- I like to use Quest Vanilla Milkshake protein powder for this. It is a blend of both Whey and Casein protein, so it will fill you up but also stays with you.
Storage
These will last for about a week or two in the fridge. I layer them with parchment paper or wax paper in an airtight container so they don’t stick to each other. Then you can just grab one in the morning, after your workout or just because you are hungry and enjoy!
More Healthy Breakfast Recipes
- Chocolate Oatmeal
- Baked Oatmeal Cups
- Chocolate Oatmeal Blender Muffins
- Breakfast Bowls
- Protein Pancakes
Peanut Butter Protein Bars
Video
Ingredients
- 16 oz natural peanut butter, peanuts as the only ingredient
- 3/4 cup vanilla protein powder, (usually 3 scoops)
- 1/4 cup agave, or honey
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- 3 oz semi-sweet chocolate, optional
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil, optional
Instructions
- In a bowl mix together the peanut butter, protein powder, agave, vanilla, and mini chocolate chips.
- Press into a lined 8 inch baking pan.
- In a small bowl melt together the chocolate and avocado oil until smooth. Pour over bars, and spread into an even layer. This is completely optional – skip this step if you don’t want chocolate on the top.
- Place in the fridge for 2-3 hours for them to completely set up.
- Slice into 10 bars. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
add 1 cup or 4 scoops of protein powder for even more protein
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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These look so good! I think they’d be perfect for me when I’m rushed in the morning. Yum!
I thought I hated protein powder but I LOVED these. Tastes like candy!
@Krystle,
Which protein powder did you purchase?
Good food
Oh my goodness! These protein bars are a must make! Peanut butter is my favorite flavor!
@Catalina,
what brand of protein powder did you use?
This quickly became a favorite at my house! I will definitely make it again!
I know it’s optional but just curious what does the avocado oil add to the recipe when including it?
It helps the chocolate not get completely solid when you spread it on the top – so it doesn’t separate or break apart when you cut them or bite into them. If that doesn’t bother you, and you want to save the calories, you can leave it out.