No bake chocolate peanut butter protein bars made with peanut butter, vanilla protein powder, chia seeds, coconut flour, and lightly sweetened with honey. This low-sugar protein bar recipe tastes just like a peanut butter cup. Keep in your fridge or freezer and enjoy all week long!

This chocolate peanut butter protein bar recipe was made in partnership with HUM Nutrition.

You’ve been warned, these no-bake protein bars are totally addictive! If you’re a chocolate + peanut butter lover, you’re going to go crazy over these bars. I swear they taste just like a peanut butter cup! But the best part? They’re packed with protein and other nourishing ingredients like peanut butter, chia seeds, coconut flour. I love having them a pre- or post-workout bite, an afternoon pick-me-up or a sweet after dinner treat.

Now the key to the perfect taste and texture is HUM Nutrition’s Core Strength vanilla protein powder. This vegan protein powder is incredibly smooth and subtly sweet. This means no grittiness or the need for much additional sweetness. In fact, these bars only have two tablespoons of honey in the entire batch! This keeps these bars low sugar so you can refuel with protein, healthy fats and a bit of fiber.

Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade peanut butter protein bars

These chocolate peanut butter bars require just 7 ingredients. Following the recipe exactly will give you the best results but I’ve included a few substitutions. Here’s what you’ll need to make these protein bars.

Peanut butter: these aren’t peanut butter protein bars without peanut butter. I recommend a natural peanut butter made from just peanuts and salt. I prefer Santa Cruz Dark Roasted and Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods or Smucker’s natural creamy peanut butter. Almond butter, sunflower butter, cashew butter or another nut or seed butter will work here.

Protein powder: I recommend HUM Nutrition’s Core Strength vanilla plant-based protein powder for the best results. It has a lightly sweet vanilla flavor and incredibly smooth texture. It’s made from a combination of pumpkin, hemp, and pea protein that packs in 20 grams of protein per serving.

Coconut flour: this is KEY for structure! This low-carb flour absorbs moisture, firming up the bars without tasting flour-y. If you do not have coconut flour, I’ve tested this recipe with oat flour. However, you’ll need closer to 1 cup of oat flour to get the same texture.

Honey: this unrefined sweetener adds a touch of sweetness and helps hold the bars together. You only need two tablespoons in the entire recipe. Maple syrup will work here too.

Vanilla extract: a little extra boost of flavor. I like adding a touch more vanilla even when using vanilla protein powder.

Chia seeds: these are optional but I like the added crunch for a little bit of texture. Plus, chia seeds are such a good source of nutrients like plant-based omega-3s, iron, calcium and fiber, so why not add them?!

Dark chocolate: you’ll need dark chocolate and a touch of coconut oil for the chocolate drizzle. You can use your favorite brand of dark chocolate. I love Hu Kitchen chocolate baking gems. They’re dairy-free and made with coconut sugar.

How to make Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars

These chocolate peanut butter protein bars couldn’t be easier to make. There’s no baking or stove-top required. All you need is a bowl, a 9×5 loaf pan and a little bit of patience while the bars firm up in the freezer or fridge. Here’s how to make these homemade protein bars.

Measure and mix. Mix together the peanut butter, protein powder, chia seeds, honey, and vanilla extract. Add 4 tablespoons of coconut flour. Mix and check the consistency. It should be thick and pliable like play-dough. The thicker the dough, the more firm they will be at room temperature. If it’s still sticky, add more coconut flour 1 teaspoon at a time to reach desired consistency.

Press and chill. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Place the dough into the lined pan and flatten to ½ inch thickness. Flatten the top by placing a second loaf pan on top and pressing down or using the bottom of a measuring cup. Place in the fridge or freezer for 5-10 minutes.

Drizzle with chocolate. While the bars chill, melt the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave. Drizzle the bars with chocolate then place back in the fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes before slicing.

HUM Nutrition’s Core Strength Vanilla Protein Powder

Like I mentioned before, the key to the best taste and texture of these bars is using HUM Nutrition’s Core Strength vanilla protein powder. I’ve been obsessed with this protein powder ever since it launched. And that says a lot since I’m so picky when it comes to protein powders. This one checks all the boxes for taste, texture and ingredients. I can’t recommend it enough.

I love that Core Strength promotes lean muscle mass and complements a well-rounded diet. It’s easy to add to smoothies, oatmeal, or recipes like these peanut butter protein bars. Let’s take a closer look at what makes it so great…

PLant-BAsed Protein BlenD

HUM Nutrition’s Core Strength™ is a vegan protein powder made from pea, hemp and pumpkin seeds. It’s complemented by a natural vanilla flavor, and provides all 22 amino acids and 20 grams of protein per serving. It’s also low FODMAP certified by Monash University, ensuring that it’s easy to digest—especially for those who suffer from GI issues. Never heard of FODMAPs? They stand for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. You can read more about FODMAPs here.

Digestion Support

In addition to the easily-digestible blend of plant-based protein, Core Strength goes to further support digestion with the addition of flax seed, digestive enzymes and probiotics. Flax seed provides both soluble + insoluble fiber. Digestive enzymes, improve digestion + nutrient absorption. L. acidophilus is the most researched probiotic strain for gut health.

Quality You Can Trust

As with all of HUM’s supplements, Core Strength is formulated with clinically proven ingredients that are clean + natural, gluten-free, non-GMO and free of artificial colors, flavors + preservatives, triple-tested for purity + verified by independent labs for potency.

Tips for Making these protein bars

• Use natural creamy peanut butter. Peanut butter (or other nut/seed butter) is the main flavor of these homemade protein bars. Make sure to choose a high quality peanut butter with peanuts and salt as the only ingredients. Make sure your peanut butter is stirred well. You want it smooth and pourable, not dry and crumbly from the bottom of the jar.
• Adjust the sweetness. Using HUM Nutrition’s Core Strength protein powder gives these bars the perfect amount of sweetness. If using another protein powder, keep in mind the amount they are sweetened can vary greatly, so you may want more or less honey in these bars. I recommend tasting as you go. You can always add more honey but can’t take it away.
• Add coconut flour slowly. Coconut flour is extremely absorbent. Adding a little at a time will help ensure you don’t add to much, leaving you with a crumbly mess that won’t hold together. If this happens, you can troubleshoot my adding in protein peanut butter and a touch of honey until the mixture sticks together.
• Store in the fridge or freezer. These bars firm up in the fridge or freezer and soften slightly at room temperature. I recommend storing in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to enjoy. If you need to take them on the go, I recommend storing them in a sturdy container so they don’t get smashed.

More protein-packed snack recipes

• • Cacao Tahini Collagen Bites
  • Lemon Cashew Collagen Bites
  • Cashew Coconut Collagen Bites
  • Seed Cycling Energy Bites

If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe below to let me know how you liked it. You can also tag #nourishedbynutriton on Instagram with your creations!

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