Homemade Protein Bars

This delicious peanut butter protein bar recipe pack in protein, fiber, and flavor. The kids will love these homemade protein bars!

If you love our peanut butter protein balls, you’re sure to absolutely adore this peanut butter protein bar recipe!

Our favorite store-bought protein bar is Perfect Bars and that is the flavor and texture we went for in this recipe!

Simple Homemade Protein Bars

We get it, buying store-bought protein bars is convenient, easy, and delicious. However, we are totally biased toward homemade protein bars! Here are some highlights of why these are the best homemade protein bars:

• 7 basic ingredients
• naturally sweetened
• Ingredients you can pronounce!
• gluten-free
• great for meal-prep
• easy on-the-go snack
• cheaper than store-bought

Is it cheaper to make your own protein bars?

Homemade protein bars are much more cost-effective than buying protein bars at the store. A single protein bar can range from $.99 to $3.99. This entire recipe (for 16 bars) will cost you less than $5 and you likely already have these ingredients on hand!

Is it OK to eat a protein bar every day?

Homemade protein bars are okay to eat every day because they’re made with whole grains and are naturally sweetened.

What You Need for PB Protein Bars

To make this peanut butter protein bar recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• Medjool dates – always make sure your dates are soft. If they are hard or stale, you can soak them in warm water for a few minutes to soften.
• all-natural peanut butter – use a drippy, all-natural peanut butter such as Smucker’s or Trader Joe’s brand.
• honey – honey is important because it not only adds sweetness but helps with the stickiness.
• vanilla protein powder – we used whey protein, but you can use any kind. Protein powder obviously adds protein, but also sweetness.
• ground oat flour – ground oat flour is a whole grain and can easily be made by pulverizing oats in a food processor until flour-like.
• vanilla extract – adds great flavor!

Can’t do peanut butter?

Feel free to use a different nut butter such as cashew butter or almond butter if you can’t do peanuts!

How to Make Protein Bars

1. Combine: To make these peanut butter protein bars, simply place all ingredients (minus the water) into a high-speed food processor and blend on high until smooth.
2. Add Water: Add water as needed to thin out the dough to make it feel like cookie dough.
3. Transfer Dough: Transfer peanut butter protein bars dough into a 9×13-inch pan and use your hands or a spatula to press dough into the pan until evenly spread out.
4. Optional Chocolate Topping: Pour on optional chocolate topping and use a spatula to spread it out.
5. Freeze: Freeze bars for around 30 minutes to set the bars and chocolate.
6. Slice: Slice bars using a sharp knife. We cut our into 16, but you can cut yours smaller or bigger.

Top Tips for Homemade Protein Bars

Use a good food processor – this has to be our #1 tip. A high-speed food processor is so important for not only pulverizing your dates but combining all of your ingredients into a smooth consistency.

Consistency is key – all said and done, you’re looking to get a cookie dough-like consistency out of your batter. This is why this recipe calls for drippy peanut butter and honey. They will help your ingredients stick!

• too dry: add more water
• too wet: add more oat flour

Any size pan works – don’t have a 9×13-inch pan? No worries! Since these are no-bake protein bars, you can use any size pan. Use a square pan or even 2 loaf pans. You can cut your bars smaller, longer, thicker, etc. The world is your oyster.

Optional Chocolate Topping

When there is an optional chocolate topping, the answer is always YES! All you need is 2 ingredients: chocolate chips and coconut oil.

Melt the two together and mix until smooth. Then, pour on the top of your bars and use a spatula to spread it out evenly. Then, sprinkle on coarse sea salt.

Let set in the freezer for 30 minutes to harden before slicing into bars!

How long do homemade protein bars last?

Homemade protein bars will last up to 3 days on the counter, 7 days in the fridge, and 3 months in the freezer.

Storage

Once your protein bars have been sliced and the chocolate has hardened, transfer into an airtight container or gallon-size plastic bag and store in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Freezer Instructions

We actually prefer to store homemade protein bars in the freezer because they last longer.

Transfer sliced bars into a freezer-safe gallon-size bag and freeze for up to 3 months.