5-Ingredient Protein Bars (no-bake!)
These 5-ingredient Protein Bars are super easy, packed with nutrition, and are the perfect pre/post workout fuel. They’re reminiscent of Clif energy bars, but are way more budget-friendly when you make them at home.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 5 min
- Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 12 1x
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup chunky peanut butter
- 1/2 cup real maple syrup or honey, plus more to taste
- 1 cup vanilla, chocolate, or plain whey protein powder*
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats, uncooked
- Optional: 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Optional Add-ins (1 cup): chocolate chips, raisins, dried blueberries, chopped dates, or melted chocolate for topping
Instructions
- In a medium heavy pot, combine milk, peanut butter, and maple syrup/honey over low heat. Stir just until all ingredients are well combined and warmed through. Remove from heat.
- Add protein powder, oats, and optional cinnamon or add-ins. Stir to combine well. Taste and add more maple syrup or honey if desired. (If mixture is too thick to stir, simply add a bit more milk.)
- Lightly grease an 8×8 pan. Press evenly into pan, using firm pressure to compress mixture into desired bar thickness. Tip: use wet or lightly greased hands to prevent sticking.
- Allow bars to cool completely. Once cool, cut into squares. If desired, drizzle with melted chocolate and let cool. Wrap in airtight container and store at moderate room temp for several days, or chilled in fridge for a week.
Notes
Protein powder is to be measured according to standard cups, not the scoops that come inside the tub of protein powder. If needed, check for certified gluten-free labeling.
We recommend using a protein powder made without fake/artificial sugars, as those tend to have a funny aftertaste. We prefer using pure, unflavored 100% whey protein powder. This one is my personal favorite.
Make it dairy-free or nut-free: use almond or coconut milk or any other milk of your choice. Use sunflower butter instead of a nut butter.
If you’re planning to pack these bars to go, use add-ins rather than drizzling on top.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating 🙂
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 279
- Sugar: 26 g
- Sodium: 108.1 mg
- Fat: 11.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 38.4 g
- Protein: 8.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0.6 mg
- Category: snacks, breakfast
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Keywords: homemade protein bars, oatmeal bars