Who doesn’t love the classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate? Now imagine that flavor combo in a protein-packed, no-bake bar that’s not only delicious but also fits perfectly into your macros.
These Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bars are incredible, and they’re super customizable to fit your taste and macro preferences.
I love making mini snack bars with this recipe, and if you do the same, each one will contain just 115 calories with 7.5 grams of protein.
That said, you can adjust the amount of chocolate used to fit your goals perfectly, and trust me, every single version is delicious.
You can go with chocolate coated, chocolate dipped, or chocolate drizzled. I guess you can technically also go with no chocolate… but where is the fun in that?
The best part of this recipe is that these protein bars are toddler-approved by my 2 and a half year old! And if you know toddlers, you know how picky they can be.
So if you’re looking for a healthier treat that the whole family can enjoy, you’ve come to the right place.
Ingredients needed for Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bars
The star of these bar is, of course, peanut butter. It gives these bars their rich, creamy texture and that incredible flavor. I recommend using regular creamy peanut butter rather than powdered peanut butter for the proper texture. With powdered peanut butter, these bars will likely be far too thin.
To sweeten things up, we’re using honey in this one. Not only does it add natural sweetness, but its thick consistency helps bind the bars together.
I have historically used sugar-free syrup in many of my recipes, but I have recently gained a huge appreciation for honey. Not only is it delicious, but I feel a bit better giving my child a snack with honey rather than a sugar-free substitute, so it’s a win-win. That said, if you want to save some calories, a sugar-free alternative will still work.
For the protein, we’re using peanut butter flavored protein powder. I always use PEScience, which is a whey/casein blend. This type of protein powder works best for creating a thick, bar-like consistency. You can use another type of protein powder if needed, but you’ll need to adjust the liquid amounts.
One unique ingredient that sets these bars apart is whey protein crunchies.
These little puffs of protein add a satisfying crunch and boost the protein content even further. I buy these on Amazon and while they’re not tasty on their own (trust me, don’t try to eat these as cereal), they work so well inside of the bars for added texture.
If you can’t find them, don’t worry – oats make a great substitute, although they’ll lower the protein content slightly and won’t contribute the same crunch.
Finally, we’re coating, dipping, and drizzling these bars with melted dark chocolate. Because let’s face it, everything’s better with chocolate. The amount is completely up to you, and I love using different methods to create some variety in my big batch of protein bars.
How to make No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bars
The beauty of these bars is that they require no baking – just a little mixing, shaping, and chilling.
Start by combining your peanut butter and honey in a large bowl. If these ingredients are at room temperature (the way they should be stored, in my opinion), they should mix easily. If not, a quick 15 seconds or so in the microwave will soften them up.
Next, add your protein powder and milk, mixing until there’s no dry powder left. At this stage, everything will start coming together to be nice and thick.
Fold in the whey protein crunchies (or oats if you’re using those instead).
Empty the mixture onto a sheet of parchment paper and use your hands to form it into a ball. Then, flatten it out into a rectangle. Don’t worry about getting it perfect, we’re going to cut these into bars and we don’t care about them looking perfect.
Pop the shaped mixture into the fridge for about an hour. This chilling time is crucial – it allows the bars to firm up and makes them easier to cut and handle when dipping into the chocolate.
After chilling, cut your big rectangle into 12 mini bars or 6 larger bars. I prefer the mini bars to have quick 100-calorie snack bites, but it’s totally up to you.
Now it’s time to add our chocolate.
Melt the dark chocolate (I use Ghirardelli dark chocolate melting wafers for their ease of use) and dip each bar. You can fully coat them, dip just one side, or drizzle the chocolate over the top.
My personal favorite is dipping just the bottom half – it helps hold the bars together and gives them the perfect chocolatey flavor. Plus, it’s much easier to make that version than fully coating the bars.
Throw the bars back into the fridge for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to harden, and your homemade protein bars are ready to enjoy.
Tips for perfect protein bars:
- Keep your bars chilled for the best texture. They’ll hold their shape better and the chocolate will stay nice and snappy.
- If you’re taking these on the go, consider wrapping them individually in parchment paper to prevent sticking. But don’t worry, they shouldn’t melt or soften too much out of the fridge.
- Feel free to experiment with add-ins like chopped nuts or dried fruit for extra texture and flavor.
- These bars freeze well, so don’t hesitate to make a double batch and store some for later on.
More protein-packed recipes for peanut butter lovers
If you love the idea of these peanut butter protein bars, I’ve got a bunch of other high-protein recipes that you are sure to love.
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter and honey. If you store these at room temperature they should mix no problem, but if they are refrigerated you will need to microwave for a few seconds to soften them up a bit.
- Add the protein powder and milk and then mix everything until there is no powder left.
- Add the whey protein crunchies to the bowl and fold them into the mixture.
- Empty the bowl onto a sheet of parchment paper and use your hands to form everything into a ball. Flatten the mixture out into a rectangle (the exact size is up to you) and refrigerate for about one hour to allow the bars to firm up.
- After one hour, remove from the fridge and use a sharp knife to cut the mixture into 12 mini bars or 6 larger bars. I prefer making mini protein bars for a quick low-calorie snack.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt down your chocolate. I use Ghirardelli dark chocolate melting wafers and meltdown more than needed for easy dipping.
- Dip each bar into the melted chocolate and return to the parchment paper. You can fully coat the bars, dip one side, or drizzle the melted chocolate over the top. I experimented with each method, but dipping half the bar so only the bottoms were coated was my preferred method (for both the ease and final calories) so that is what this recipe is based on.
- Add the bars back to the fridge for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to harden, and then you are ready to enjoy! These bars should be served chilled to remain firm, but they can also safely be taken on the go and remain at room temperature as needed.
Notes
Possible Substitutions
Peanut butter: I do not recommend swapping for powdered peanut butter because these will lack structure. You can substitute peanut butter for any other kind of nut butter, though.
Honey: I have tried these with sugar-free syrup, and it technically works, but honey is much thicker and helps these bars hold their form way better than other liquid sweeteners.
PEScience Protein Powder: The whey/casein blend works the best here for thick bars, and the peanut butter flavor works exceptionally well. You can use any other protein powder you would like, but since different types of protein powder absorb liquid differently, you may need to adjust the milk. Start with one tablespoon of milk and add more as needed until it comes together.
Whey Protein Crunchies: This is a unique ingredient I buy from Amazon that helps add extra protein to these bars and give them a crunchy texture. They work incredibly well, but I have also made this same recipe using oats instead. While it won’t give you the same crunch, oats will add some extra protein and texture as well.
Melted Chocolate: I use dark chocolate melting wafers because they don’t require any tempering, meaning you can melt them in the microwave and they will become silky smooth without needing to add any oil. Melting chocolate chips will also work, the chocolate coating just doesn’t end up as pretty.
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The calories in these bars can vary based on substitutions made. The nutrition facts here are for a small protein bar (this recipe makes 12) with a chocolate layer on the bottom rather than fully coated, which is my preference. Here are the calories for some other variations:
- Chocolate coated bars: 140 Calories, 8g fat, 11g Carbs, 8g Protein
- Chocolate drizzle/topping only: 100 Calories, 5g Fat, 7g Carbs, 7.5g Protein
- No chocolate: 85 Calories, 4g Fat, 5.5g Carbs, 7.5g Protein
- Oats subbed for protein crunchies: 125 Calories, 6.5g Fat, 12.5g Carbs, 6g Protein
- Sugar-free syrup instead of honey: 105 Calories, 6g Fat, 6g Carbs, 7.5g protein
If you combine multiple methods, like leaving out the chocolate and using oats instead of protein crunchies, then the calories will be altered even more, so I always recommend calculating your own nutrition facts.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 12
Serving Size 1 Mini Bar
Amount Per Serving
Calories 115Total Fat 6gCarbohydrates 8.5gFiber 0.5gSugar 6.5gProtein 7.5g
