Today we’re doing a throwback recipe from 2017. These peanut butter protein bars were SO delicious when I first made them years ago that I love to re-share them with you to remind you to make them.
These bars are seriously one of my favorite healthier treats to make because they’re so freaking easy and do NOT require any baking. They also make an excellent post-workout snack or late afternoon pick-me-up as they happen to pack 9g of protein.
Personally, I love keeping them in the fridge when I want a nutrient-dense dessert that’s similar to my favorite candy in the world.
Peanut butter + chocolate = match made in heaven
Raise your hand if Reese’s peanut butter cups are your favorite candy; it’s been mine since I was a little girl. I remember finding my Dad’s stash of peanut butter cups in the fridge or freezer and begging him to have one after dinner. It’s funny, I even remember eating the edges of the peanut butter cup and then savoring the peanut butter middle for last.
These days, I make my own homemade healthy peanut butter cups, and still am obsessed with just about anything with a peanut butter and chocolate combo. That’s exactly where these chocolate peanut butter protein bars come in. They provide a healthy dose of protein, yet they taste like dessert. WIN WIN WIN.
Ingredients in these peanut butter protein bars
These chocolate peanut butter protein bars are easy to make because there’s no baking required. All you need is a pot or two, an 8×4 inch loaf pan, parchment paper and 7 simple ingredients:
- Peanut butter: because they’re peanut butter protein bars, of course! Remember to use an all natural peanut butter that’s made with just peanuts and salt.
- Honey: I love using honey because it’s the perfect unrefined sweetener for holding the bars together and naturally sweetening them.
- Coconut oil: you’ll only need a tablespoon of coconut oil to add moisture to the bars.
- Vanilla extract: I’m such a vanilla lover. It adds the perfect flavor! Learn how to make your own vanilla extract here.
- Flaxseed meal: I absolutely LOVE how flaxseed meal adds fiber and protein to these bars.
- Protein powder: feel free to use a plant based or whey protein powder. My personal favorites are Vital Proteins collagen peptides (which is dairy free) or Four Sigmatic plant based protein powder.
- Dark chocolate: you can use your favorite brand of dark chocolate bar. Feel free to use vegan/dairy free chocolate like this one!
- Optional: a little fancy sea salt for sprinkling on top.
Simple ingredient swaps
- Make them vegan: feel free to swap the honey for coconut palm syrup or date syrup.
- For the peanut butter: you can use any nut butter you’d like, just be sure that it’s made only with nuts and salt!
Healthy peanut butter protein bars in 4 steps
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Mix the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl mix together peanut butter, honey, coconut oil, vanilla together until smooth.
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Add the dry ingredients. Use a spoon to mix in the flaxseed meal and protein powder, then use your hands to mix until everything is well combined.
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Press it and add chocolate. Press the mixture into an 8×4 inch pan lined with parchment paper, then melt your chocolate in a small saucepan until it’s nice and smooth. Pour the melted chocolate over the peanut butter layer and tilt the pan so that the chocolate covers the peanut butter layer entirely.
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Refrigerate, slice & devour. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour before slicing into 10 bars or squares (either works but I love squares the most). Then enjoy!
Storing tips
- In the fridge: store these chocolate peanut butter protein bars in the fridge tightly wrapped or in an airtight bag or container for up to 2 weeks. The perfect easy snack to have on hand!
- In the freezer: feel free to keep them in a freezer-safe bag in your freezer for up to 1 month. If you do keep them in your freezer, be sure to leave them out on the counter for a few minutes before serving so that they soften up a bit.
More no bake snacks to try
- Sea Salt Cashew Butter Chocolate Protein Bars
- Peanut Butter Cup Freezer Fudge
- No Bake Superfood Brownies
- No Bake Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars
- Coconut & Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars
Get all of my no bake snacks here!
If you make these peanut butter protein bars, be sure to leave a comment below and rate them! And don’t forget to tag #ambitiouskitchen on Instagram so we can see your creations!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (192g) natural creamy peanut butter (just peanuts + salt)
- ¼ cup (84g) honey (or coconut palm syrup, if vegan)
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅓ cup (40g) ground flaxseed meal
- ½ cup (40g) of your favorite vanilla or plain protein powder*
- 2.5 ounces your favorite 85% dark chocolate bar
- Coarse sea salt for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- In a medium bowl mix together peanut butter, honey, coconut oil, vanilla together until smooth. Add in ground flaxseed meal and protein powder of choice. Use a spoon to mix together until you can’t anymore, then use clean hands to help work together. The batter should be similar to cookie dough.
- Press into an 8x4 inch pan lined with parchment paper.
- Make the chocolate layer by adding 2.5 ounces of dark chocolate to a small saucepan and melting until completely smooth. Pour the melted chocolate over the peanut butter layer and tilt the pan so that the chocolate covers the peanut butter layer entirely.
- Place in the fridge for 30 minutes-1 hour before slicing into 10 bars or squares (either works but I love squares the most). Store covered in the fridge until ready to eat. Bars will keep for up to two weeks.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on December 4th, 2017, republished on August 19th, 2019, republished on August 30th, 2022, and republished on January 15th, 2024.
Yes. Yum. Making. NOW!
YES enjoy!
Oh, these look WONDERFUL! And what a better Christmas present to give to your friends?! I love that these are easily veganizable. Peanut butter cup anything is a winner in my book!
Yes! So good 🙂 Enjoy!
Question – What happened to the “print button” for your recipes? love to print and add to my cookbook! please help! thanks!
Hi Jackie! We’re currently working on a fix for the print button. Right now, though, click in the white space right under the the “prep time, cooke time, etc.” and the print preview will show up!
I wonder if you could substitute the peanut butter for PB2. Hmmm
I wouldn’t recommend it! The consistency will not hold up in this recipe.
I used the PB2 and did not get the right consistency, and they remained gooey. I peeled off the choc layer ( easy to do) scraped off the goo from the parchment paper and rolled into 1” balls and dipped into the re melted choc… SUCCESS. What I thought was s a disaster turned out to be a delish treat that I will make over and over!!!
BUT, can’t wait to try it with the correct PB!!!
I’m glad that rolling the dough helped! PB2 is a much different consistency than regular peanut butter, which is why your bars were still gooey. Hope you get a chance to try them with regular peanut butter!
I’m allergic to protein powder–anything I can use in its place…ground oats?
Hi! I’ve only tried making this recipe with protein powder, so I’m not sure what type of flour will yield the same consistency.
Can you use anything else instead of protein powder? or just omit? I don’t have one that tastes good when I add it into my baked goods.
Hi Janelle! I linked a couple of great ones in the post to try 🙂
This is a great recipe! In place of protein powder, I used powdered peanut butter and it worked like a charm. This is a keeper – likely will be a staple in my house. Thanks, Monique!
Glad that swap worked for you! Enjoy 🙂
Thanks for sharing this tip!
Yum these look delicious! Also, that’s funny there’s a nut butter called Santa Cruz – that’s where I live… I’m suprised I’d never heard of it!
They’re insanely good! And yes – small world 🙂 It’s one of my favorites!
YUM! Do you think the Vital Protein Collagen could be used in place of the protein powder? I am low on PP but have the collagen in my pantry!
I think that would work well!
I’m loooooving cookie week and these look AMAZING! Who wouldn’t want that perfect pb and chocolate combo?!
Best combo EVER!
Is there a sub I can use instead of flax seed meal? Looks delish and want to try it out ASAP!
Hi Jess! You could try a tablespoon or two of coconut flour!
Just had one at my desk at work. I used a mixed nut butter and they were soooo delicious!
Gabriella
pastelsandpastries.com
Amazing! Best snack ever 🙂
You’ve done it again, AK, another amazing one! Everyone in my house adores these protein bars!
So happy to hear that! Perfect bars for stocking up the fridge 🙂
These are SO delicious and easy!! Mine don’t look as pretty as yours, but yum!!
Do you think these could be freezer friendly? I don’t think I could eat ten that quickly and my husband probably won’t eat them and my kids are still under two. So it’s gonna be me eating them all!
Yes, definitely! These are delicious straight from the freezer, too 🙂
these are great! How would you adjust the recipe for a 13×9 pan?
thanks!
You could try doubling this recipe for a bigger pan!
I did half almond butter and half peanut butter, but otherwise kept everything else the same! I put them in the fridge for an hour and the bottom still wasn’t hard enough to cut so I put them in freezer… still not hard enough! Any suggestions for next time? They are still delicious but I have to eat them in random chunks now and the bottom is very soft.
Very strange! Any type of nut butter should firm up in the fridge. I would check and make sure you’re using natural almond butter / peanut butter!
Hi Monique I just made these this morning and I can’t seem to figure out why they didn’t firm up. I use a mix of wild friends peanut butter and wild friends mixed almond/cashew butter b/c I ran out of the peanut butter. My protein powder an unflavored collagen protein powder from Dr. Amy Myers Everything else exactly as recipe states. They were in fridge an hour and freezer 30 minutes and still the bottom did not firm up. What might be culprits for the lack of the bottom layer hardening?
I only use almond butter in mine every time. Love, love, love them. What I do is line the container with kitchen paper. Then I split the chocolate in two and cover the bottom of the container with a layer of chocolate. Cool in the refrigerator and follow the rest of the recipe as directed. Concerning both layers of chocolate, I check them to see if they are firm instead of hard. Cutting is easier. You get a soft almond butter center held together by layers of yummy goodness! Thank you for the recipe!!!
Delicious! Glad that works out well!
I doubled and used an 8×8 pan and they are way too thick. I’d use a bigger pan. Def not healthy!
A bigger pan should work! With the all-natural ingredients (plus protein) I do consider these a healthy treat/snack.
These are soooo delicious! I have been making them once a week since I found the recipe. I use plain plant-based protein powder. They come out perfectly every single time. THANK YOU Very much for this perfect recipe.
Amazing!! So glad you love these 🙂 They’re my fav snack to keep on-hand!
Absolutely delicious! I also made the chocolate cashew butter bars as well! I’m stocking up my fridge with your tasty recipes! Thanks so much for sharing!
Love those!! So glad you liked these ones too 🙂 Perfect for stocking the fridge!
These were amazing! I can see these bars becoming an addiction!
Hi! I wonder if you can use egg white powder to substitute for the protein powder? I don’t like the sweeteners used in my veg-based protein powder. Thanks!
Hi Jenny! Yes that should work 🙂
I doubled these in an 8×8 pan and cut them into 36 squares. So delicious! I only had regular pb, so they’re a bit soft, but that’s ok! I flipped them over to cut because the chocolate was shattering and that fixed the issue. 🙂
That’s a great tip!!
Hi Monique! I just made your pb Rice Krispie treats and bought the collagen peptides specifically for it. Would I able to use that instead of the protein powder here? I have two protein powders and they are very strong in flavor and I don’t want them to take over!
Hi! Yes I think that should work. You might just need to add a bit more coconut oil. Let me know how you like them!
These are so easy and sooo good! I’m already looking forward to eating another one for breakfast tomorrow. I used Pure Protein Vanilla Cream whey and the flavor is perfect.
Perfect breakfast or snack! Happy you loved them 🙂
I love when you do throwback recipes! Many of my favorite AK recipes are from years ago. It’s great to see them featured again for new readers and a good reminder for me.
So happy to hear that! I love bringing back some old AK recipes and re-vamping them a bit for you guys 🙂 Enjoy!
I love that I’m not the only one who ate the outside of the peanut butter cup before the middle when I was a kid 😂
The best part!!
Yum!! Peanut butter + chocolate dessert/snacks are my absolute favorite!
Mine too! SO good.
Love this recipe! Such a go too when I want to have a no bake treat that also has protein!
Absolutely! So happy you love it 🙂
This peanut butter and chocolate combo is simply divine, this is just what you need after a good workout!
Absolutely! Perfect post-workout treat 🙂
Am keen to make these.
Am in South Africa so hoping to find protein powder that yields a similar flavor 🙂
Also wondering at what age protein powder is suitable for kids? Mine are 3 and 5…
Protein powder is a great way to get kids more protein in their diet; you might want to try collagen peptides because of it’s neutral flavor 🙂
How much can I cut the honey without affecting the consistency? I like things less sweet in general. I’ll be using unsweetened egg white protein powder.
Probably by a tablespoon or two. The honey also helps them hold together!
These are awesome! I like to use chunky peanut butter to complement the texture of the flax and don’t skip the salt on top…Yum!!
Love it! Great idea 🙂
The recipes look so good, especially for protein bars. I have not tried any yet but will be doing so very soon.
Enjoy! 🙂
Stumbled on this recipe and your site as I was looking for new recipes to use my That Protein Nutty Nutty Peanut Butter Protein. (It’s a vegan protein brand based out of Ireland that I love) So happy I stumbled on your recipes – made these peanut buttter protein bars today and the prep was so easy and the finished product tasted absolutely divine!
Perfect! I’m so glad you found Ambitious Kitchen and these amazing bars 🙂 one of my all-time favs!
Just tried this recipe for the first time. The bars are so easy to make, and SO good!
Amazing! Glad you loved them!
I made these bars in order to have a healthier treat for when I crave something sweet. These are easy to make and soooo amazing!!! They honestly taste like a peanut butter cup. Thank you for the recipe!
The perfect healthy treat! I’m glad you found these 🙂
These bars were absolutely delicious!! We snack on these even on cheat days!
We used our rocky road protein powder giving it even more of a chocolate taste. I WILL be making these again.
Delicious! Great idea.
These are so good! I’ve made them with whatever I have in my pantry – even subbing chocolate protein powder, crunchy peanut butter and wheat germ for the ground flaxseed 😀 they always turn out amazing!
Love that! These are great for customizing for the perfect snack 🙂
I’m not a fan of peanut butter and chocolate but have made these twice now for people who are.. They are in love with them and said they are better than Reese’s!! I make as per the recipe but make them as 12 “cups” by pushing the peanut butter mixture into the bottom of silicone muffin trays and top with the choc mixture. I freeze them for 30 minutes and run a knife around and they come out easily and look nice with the two layers. Thanks for another great recipe.
Love that! Such a great treat 🙂
There is no way this is a “protein bar”
There are almost 9g of protein per bar, which is why I consider it a protein bar 🙂
Creamy, Sweet but not too sweet, filling. These are fabulous. Highly recommended!! And Easy to make – I burned my chocolate the first time so I had to redo it, other than that takes only a few minutes really. Thank you!! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Such a great, easy treat! Glad you enjoyed (and were able to make some more chocolate!)
Followed to a T and came out great. So easy!
Love it!!
Love this recipe! It’s become a staple in our household since my 2 fussy kids and husband (who doesn’t care that much for sweets) love it too 🙂
Amazing! I’m so glad 🙂
Made these for church, everybody wanted the recipe.
Needless to say they didn’t last long.
Seriously delicious.
So happy to hear that!
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THESE. THESE ARE MY NEW, HEALTHY REESESS PEANUT BUTTER CUPS.
Amazing! Glad you love them!
Super delicious recipe. I dont have just flaxseed as I buy a huge container of flaxseed mixed with hemp and chia seeds. It still works perfectly though. Have them every morning with my wife before we hit the gym.
Perfect! Great pre-gym snack!
AMAZING!!! Almost too delicious. The flax is an interesting addition. Love these bars.
Best snack! Glad you loved them!
Amazing recipe! I got my whole family hooked on these and they eat them instead of buying store bought protein bars!
Perfect! Love that 🙂
These are the most delicious bars I have ever made! I truly have tried several, and in fact these beat them all! And very easy to make! I highly recommend them
Amazing! So happy to hear that, Sam 🙂
Made these and was wonderfully surprised. The texture is awesome, and I love how satisfying they are. They taste like an actual sweet treat but the bonus is the protein and fiber!
Such a great treat and snack! Glad you loved them!
I’ve made this 3 times now and the first time was the only time that I had a dough like consistency. After that, the dough has been really soft. The second time I made them, I used almond butter and I thought the was why they were a little different. Now I’m making them and the dough is really mushy. Any suggestions?
It’s likely the brand of pb you are using and how liquid-y it is. Feel free to add more flax if needed, but they should be like a very wet cookie dough.
I had my reservations coming into this recipe. It looked great – but will it actually taste good. Having made them today – I’m blown away. They taste AMAZING. They are not only great for a good protein cake but also itch that dessert scratch. Thank you so much for this!
Such a great snack or dessert! Glad you loved them 🙂
Wondering if you know of a sub for coconut oil – I am allergic to coconut 🙁
Butter should work okay!
Thanks for the wonderful recipe. It’s so good that I ended up making two batches.
My adult daughter raved about and said it taste like Reeses Bar.
Amazing! Glad you both enjoyed 🙂
One of the best protein bars that I have made. So good and I made my own peanut butter!
Amazing! So happy to hear that!
Make these often – so yummy!
So glad you love them!
Can you use almond butter instead of peanut butter? For this recipe as well as the Twix recipe? Thanks!
Yes that works just fine!
Soooo good and so easy. Used hemp seed protein powder because that’s what I had on hand. Made a double batch. Couldn’t stop ‘taste testing’ the batter. I’ll look forward to my bar goodness each day.
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
These are really great, not too sweet and super filling. I’m new to using protein powders and it felt luxurious and decadent to make such tasty bars. I used pea protein powder and I feel like the taste of that isn’t a disadvantage, but rather adds to the already earthy peanut flavour! Thank you so much, I love this site <3
Such a great treat! I hope you keep finding recipes here that you love 🙂
Can I substitute almond flour for the flaxseed meal??
I think that should work, let me know how it goes!
I found the mix too wet, and when I tried to cut the bars, they fell apart. Any suggestions?
That’s so strange that it would go from wet to crumbly! Did you by chance keep them in the freezer too long?
So delicious!! I only had 1/2 cup of peanut butter so I adjusted all the other ingredients accordingly, and they turned out great. I put them in a muffin tin with parchment squares so they were the shape of reese’s, which was a little more work but still SO easy. You can’t even taste the coconut or the protein powder (my fiance hates coconut so I have to be sneaky with it). Will definitely be making these again… thanks for another amazing recipe!
Perfect! I’m glad they turned out well!
Fantastic!
Glad you enjoyed!
I may have already commented/reviewed these before (I can’t remember) but I’ve made these a few times now and they are SO good. They are so easy and taste like reeses but better and much healthier. I use parchment paper and a muffin tin to make them into cups so they are a quick grab and go…. my fiancé keeps asking me to make them!!
Amazing! Thanks so much for your note 🙂 One of my fav treats, too!
Turned out great!
Only differences I used were PB protein (Syntha 6 Edge) and 100% baking cocoa. I was scared to use a completely unsweetened chocolate, but it still tasted so yummy. I cut into 1” squares. They’re actually really filling, perfect to quench that sweet tooth. Thanks for the recipe!!
I’m glad that worked out well! 🙂
Delicious! My only suggestions for those who don’t know is to double boil the chocolate. That means you put a pot of water 1/4 full on the stove and begin to heat it. Place a slightly smaller pot inside it with the chocolate. That way the chocolate is away from the direct heating element and won’t dry up and go into crumbly bits, instead of gooey and melty like we want. I also used double the amount of chocolate. Shhh… don’t tell!!
Great tip! And I’m all about extra chocolate 😉
Omg if I make these I will overdose😂. They sell them at my natural health food store and I buy them almost everyday. But I still try this recipe because I want to save money.
These were easy to make. My husband ate half of them in 2 days. His word was “killer.” Questions: 1) The whey protein powder taste is rather strong. How do you make it less overpowering? 2) Can you just place whole chocolate squares (e.g., Ghiradelli) on top of the peanut butter mixture instead of melting it and pouring it on top?
I think it depends on what kind of protein powder you use. We love Vital Proteins because it’s so mild. Perhaps try an unflavored protein powder next time! And sure, if you want a large chocolate chunk, you could put them on top, but the chocolate is nice because it also helps to hold the bars together a bit when cut.
I love this recipe! I have made it quite a few times now. I double it and freeze it in small portions for grabbing on the go. Love the texture. I have used chocolate protein powder in them as well and that was also delicious. Make this recipe!
Perfect! Such a great snack or treat 🙂
Just discovered this recipe a couple of months ago! I now make a double batch weekly to keep in the fridge. They are DELICIOUS! I’ve subbed the flaxseed meal with both Almond meal and coconut flour and they are both winners!
Thank you all the way from New Zealand xx
Amazing! So happy you loved them!
Yummy I just made them as Christmas treats. But it gets soft and chocolate layer becomes melty when I take them out of the fridge. Is that normal?
Because they’re a no-bake treat they will soften at room temp. I’d recommend keeping them in the fridge!
Great recipe! I was searching online for a protein substitute for Reeses pieces (I have a slight addiction!)
These are amazing! Taste so great, and the recipe was so easy to follow and make.
Will definitely be made again!
Love it! Glad you found these ones!
I can’t remember if I’ve already left a review, but these are sooo good and a healthier option for a quick snack. I used vital proteins collagen and modified into cups using cupcake liners, and they turned out perfect! Love the addition of flaxseed to add some extra texture and nutrition, and the salt on top is perfect!
Was drawn to these by their simplicity and was not disappointed. They were incredibly quick and easy to put together and a huge hit enjoyed by the whole family as a Superbowl treat. Love that they are no bake and have some healthy elements (flaxseed meal and protein powder.) I used Garden of Life Organic Vanilla Plant Protein and it was perfect.
Oh my god. I cannot stop eating these. Taste like Reese’s cups, but healthy. The perfect afternoon or evening treat. No guilt. And so, so easy to make. I’ve made these 5 weeks in a row now and have passed the recipe along to 3 others who are just as obsessed. I have wheat bran to use so I’ve been subbing that for flax seed and it’s worked great. Thank you for this incredible recipe!
The best! So happy to hear that!
These are amazing! I made mine in a smaller tray (6x 4) so they came out thicker (about 3/4 in of pb filling). They were like eating peanut butter fudge. Heavenly. Made with Vital Proteins CP and there was no trace of flavor or texture of protein powder. No taste or texture from the flax. These are perfect!
YUM sounds amazing!
These are great! Satisfies my Reese’s sweet tooth in a bit healthier of a way. They were very easy to make. I used hemp protein powder which gave the peanut butter a green hue but still taste great. Will be making again. Thank you.
Love it! Glad you enjoyed!
Instead of protein powder could I use oats or oat flour?
I think oat flour would work well! 🙂
Really good protein bars
Glad you liked them!
Health is wealth. These were delicious. I adjusted protein powder because I didn’t want it to overpower the bar, and used vegan butter. Bars turned out great and was really fast to make. Win!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
Absolutely DELICIOUS!!! Plus super easy to make. Made this with the help of my four year old. We had a great time making them. And of course taste testing!
So happy to hear that! Perfect snack 🙂
Easy to make and absolutely delicious!!!
So glad you loved them!
I made these after trying Kind refrigerated bars, loving them, then not finding them anywhere and having withdrawal pains, I thought there must be a way to recreate them at home. Ambitious Kitchen to the rescue. My daughter says these are even better than the Kind bars. Easy and delicious.
Amazing! So glad you found these ones!
Loved these. Surprisingly it really reminds me Halavah which I love. Thanks for all of your recipes.
You’re welcome, I’m so glad you loved them! Thanks for leaving a review, Joe 🙂
I came across this recipe in my never ending search to make home made protein bars that are actually good.. Not going to lie, this is probably my end all recipe now. Its not only easy to make but also quick. In as little as 20 minutes this dough-like mixture was in my fridge and on its way to being eaten.
I opted out of the coconut stuff (not a big coconut fan) and it still came out perfectly fine. I also skipped the dark chocolate layer on top and put in smaller dark chocolate chippets instead. Finally, I used vanilla plant-based protein as in the past the whey protein sometimes was goopy or didn’t mix correctly, in this change I noticed the consistency was a lot smoother and less grainy.
Thank you for this simple and tasty recipe.
Ahhh that’s amazing!! I’m so happy they turned out perfect and that you’re loving them. Thanks for leaving a review!
These are the best! Used chocolate protein powder instead of vanilla and they were still delicious!
YAY I’m so glad you loved them!
Absolutely love all of AK recipes!!! Healthy and tasteful.
Thanks so much, Sharee!! I’m SO happy you’re loving them ❤️
These are so easy and so much better than any store bought bar! Will definitely be making these on repeat!
Oh I’m so glad!! Thanks so much for the review, Kate 🙂
These are dangerously good! I love a sweet treat now and then, and these fit the bill…. plus collagen and flax and protein, so i don’t have to feel totally guilty for indulging! I doubled the batch and used an 8×8 pan. I also put my kitchen aid to work to mix it all up, and it came together quickly. I ran out of peanut butter, so used one third almonds butter, which set up just fine.
Next time, i might try adding some chopped nuts so they’re not as rich, and use a bigger pan so they’re not as thick….. there will be several “next time” opportunities to experiment. Kudos!
Thanks so much for sharing all this, Barb — glad that all worked well and that you love these!
I used a vegan protein powder (Owyn) and didn’t love these. The texture is kind of grainy. Flavor is good though!
Sorry about the texture! Is that protein powder pretty fine in texture? And what brand of peanut butter did you use?
These were delish! I did make a few changes: reduced the honey a little bit, used peanut butter flavored protein powder (Orgain brand) and omitted the flax seed. I think next time I will increase the chocolate a little bit to make that layer thicker but this was very good, thank you!
Nice! Glad that all worked well, and good to know about the amount of chocolate, which you can absolutely increase! 🙂
How long would they last in the freezer?
I actually haven’t tried it! But I’d guess around 2-3 months 🙂
They tasted wonderful. Thank ou
Happy you loved them!
What can you sub for flaxseed meal?
Hi! I haven’t tested anything else but possibly ground chia seeds!
Easy to make and delicious. My chocolate cracked a lot when I went to cut them and the bottom was very soft. I think I should have frozen them for a bit instead. Still really good
Feel free to pop them in the freezer for a bit! If the chocolate is cracking you may need to let them sit at room temp for a bit before slicing.
This is one of my favorite recipes of yours! My new spin on making them is to skip the coconut oil, add cacao nibs and just roll them into balls. So good as a pick me up in the afternoon with an iced almond milk coffee!!!
Yummy! I replaced the protein powder with almond flour bc I didn’t have any. My kids and I loved it
Glad they came out great with the almond flour! Thanks for the comment 🙂
Delicioso. Awesome recipe. Your recipes are always incredible and tasty which makes my mouth water.
Thanks so much, Rylee. I’m happy to hear you’re a fan! Appreciate your comment ❤️
I have a question, could you replace the flaxseed meal with oat flour? I guess it would affect the flavor but would it affect the texture?
Yes, it would affect both the texture and the flavor.
I have read your articles and I’m really grateful to read your recipes that contain a lot of variations. It filled new energy in me and now I love making and eating healthy.
They taste great! Everyone loves them!
Yay! Happy to hear these turned out great 🙂
Loved it!!! Everyone loved it!
OUTSTANDING!!!! Made two substitutions because I didn’t have the exact ingredients at home. Used vegetable oil instead of coconut oil and 72% dark chocolate bar. Such a fantastic treat after a workout. A million thanks for posting this yummy recipe!
Amazing and addictive!
Is there any way I could substitute flaxseed meal? it is difficult to find in my area. Could I use oat flour instead for instance?
Hi Tris – You could try a tablespoon or two of coconut flour! Hope you enjoy these!
Hi coconut oil is extremely bad for your health, scientifically it is a fully hydrogenated fatty acid chain, and should be avoided. What other oil could be used instead for this recipe? Perhaps Almond oil?
Would it be OK to swap out the honey with sugar-free maple syrup?
I am not sure they will hold together as well.
Thanks Monique, these are so delicious. I added chilli peanut butter and chilli honey and rice malt syrup and a bit of oat flour.
Will definitely make again
I’m glad those swaps worked out well! Such a great snack.
These are delicious!
I made these as an extra treat for my weekly meal prep and I am so glad that I did. Such a simple recipe, but absolutely delicious results! Excited to have a delicious and healthy treat to snack on this week. Will definitely be making these again.
Love that! These are the perfect treat or snack to have on hand.
These are fantastic. I made these several times back when you first posted- I’m so glad you reminded me of them. Wouldn’t change a thing- so yummy!
Absolutely! One of our favs 🙂
These were great!! I was looking for a healthier peanut butter bar and these totally deliver. I used 2 tbsp maple syrup and skipped the coconut oil (though it would’ve been great with it), used vital proteins collagen for the protein and the texture is great, akin to a Reese’s. They firmed up very well after 30 min in the freezer. Thanks Monique and team!
Perfect! Such a great protein-packed treat!
Just made these today with my 3 year old son! These are the perfect snack for on the go and the consistency is spot on. Absolutely delicious!
Love that! One of our favs for busy weeks, too 🙂
I really enjoyed this although I will say mine wasn’t a stiff, so I ended up adding almond flour in order to stiffen it up a little bit probably about a quarter of a cup.
I’m glad the extra flour helped! Perfect snack.
These are amazing! So easy to make and delicious!
Oh my gosh. These are DELICIOUS! Super quick and easy to make, Entire family loves them! I have a feeling these will be a staple in our fridge from now on!
So happy to hear that!
YUM. These are quick to make and super delicious! The texture and flavor remind me a lot of Perfect bars, which I absolutely love. I used a combination of creamy peanut butter and the dregs of a jar of crunchy (maybe 1/4 c crunchy?), Designer Whey protein powder from Trader Joe’s, and melted chocolate chips that I measured more with my heart than my scale. I would like to try them again but skip the chocolate layer and instead stir in mini chocolate chips. Think they would hold together?
Love that! And yes, I think mini chocolate chips would be great in here!
This recipe is so good! I opted for collagen peptides instead of protein powder & it left it more sticky to work with so I had to add almond flour but overall, great recipe! Reminds me of perfect bars
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
These slap so hard – thank you!!
Haha I’m glad you loved them!!
Wow this recipe is SO good! I love how simple and easy it is to make but also so yummy. Definitely something I will be making again and again!
So glad you loved it!
Love these! Have made a few times already. My favorite variations include crunchy peanut butter! I also find freezing them to set makes for cleaner cutting.
Amazing! So glad you love them!
These are easy to make and the perfect little snack. I melted chocolate chips for the chocolate layer.
Love that – such a great snack or easy dessert!
Has anyone tried this with adding cocoa powder instead of adding the chocolate layer on top? Just curious and what amount did you use? I like Hershey’s Special Dark. TIA!
These were delicious and so easy to make! Great for a sweet tooth that makes you feel good. Great (& cheaper) replacement for perfect bars
Absolutely! Perfect snack 🙂
These are sooo good! Second week making them
So glad you love them!
These are really simple to make – 1 bowl and no baking! I wasn’t very exact with my measurements and these still came out tasty. One thing I will say is that the flavour will depend heavily on your protein powder. Better tasting powder = better tasting bars. I am wondering if anyone has tried this with chocolate flavour powder?
Such an easy snack or treat! I think these would be delicious with chocolate protein powder!
I made my own chocolate with cacao, coconut oil and chocolate protein powder. Yummm. Perfect use for Christmas “tin” too!
Love that!!
This will be my third time making these in the last month!! They are so delicious and are now a household staple.
These are great! I am often skeptical of protein powder desserts but this one has a pleasant texture and fabulous flavor. It is perfect when I am craving something sweet. And the touch of salt on the top is perfect! Thank you for this recipe.
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
I’ve tried a few protein bars that have been less than stellar. I made this recipe and it’s fantastic! Not too sweet, great texture.
So glad you found this one!
Tried for the first time tonight, sooo tasty! Couldn’t wait the 30 minutes to set up they were so good. Added about 1/4 cup of GF puff rice cereal for an added crunch to mimic my old favorite chocolate shop treat. Turned out great! Used Truvani Vanilla protein powder.
Love that!! Glad you enjoyed!
so tasty and easy to make!!
These did not come together for me. Even overnight in the fridge, I still had mush under the chocolate instead of something cookie dough like.
Sorry to hear that! I would suggest double-checking your ingredients and measurements. Because they have coconut oil in them, they should set up nicely when chilled as coconut oil solidifies at a cold temperature.
Hi! These look great. Are the Collagen Peptides the same as using protein powder? Also, have you tried using Maple Syrup instead of Honey? Thanks!
Yes, you can use either collagen peptides or protein powder! These should work with maple syrup as well.
I’m kind of annoyed that these are so good. I really did not expect to like them so much and think that they tasted so much like the real Reese’s, but since I do love them, I will have to keep making them over and over and over . . .
The best snack/treat to have on-hand!
These taste amazing! My batter was a tad bit too soft, and the bars didn’t hold their shape 100% even after being refrigerated, so maybe I didn’t mix it enough. I will definitely be making these every week though!
Hmm try adding a little bit more protein powder or flaxseed meal if the batter is looking soft – that should help them hold together! Glad they tasted delicious!
I couldn’t wait to make these. I didn’t have any special peanut butter, just Skippy but I added 2TBS of PB Fit and 2TBS extra of non flavored protein powder stiffin up the dough. Everything else was the same. Except when I made the chocolate topping I only had chocolate chips which I melted with 1 TBS of coconut oil.
They are soooo good I’m having a hard time not eating them all in one day!
I’m going to use this recipe for my base and play with different ingredients.
Now if I could find one this good that was portable for outings.
Thank you for helping me get off the store bought wagon. These are so much better.
Perfect! These are great for customizing 🙂
I make these protein bars all the time! They are sooo good!
I doubled this and put in an 8 x 8. My family loved them!
So happy to hear that!
I tried to view other reviews, but it wouldn’t open the link.
I was disappointed because after refrigerating the bars for several hours, they were too soft to cut and eat like a bar. I could have still spread it on a cracker. In fact, maybe I will do I don’t waste it.
I made a double batch. I’m putting one batch in the freezer in hope that that will be firm enough to cut and eat like a bar.
So strange! Did the “dough” seem overly soft to you before you pressed it into the pan? Let me know if freezing helped!
Respectfully, 8.6 g of protein does not equal a “protein bar”. That’s literally 1-2 g more protein than 1 egg.
Healthy dessert bar, maybe, but perhaps the title of this receipe could be updated.
Compared to many other granola bars (store-bought included) I find that over 8g is great! Everyone’s protein needs are different 🙂
Delicious! I was looking for a protein bar to take on a week long camping trip and came across these. I added ground hemp seeds and chia seeds for some extra fiber and Omega 3’s and they were excellent! Everyone loved them and they lasted perfectly in the cooler. I am going to keep them on hand at all times!
Amazing! So happy to hear that!
Love these! Only change would be to make less sweet (less honey). I did not include the coconut oil and they came out well. Thank you!
Amazing! I have made these weekly for months and have yet to grow tired of their deliciousness. Note that I didn’t like them with vanilla-flavored protein powder, but I’ve been using a pretty neutral flavored pea protein and they come out great!
I made these and they were delicious! Shockingly simple, too. I ran out of honey so I subbed about 1/4 of it with maple syrup. I also like my chocolate a little sweeter so when I melted it, I added coconut cream and a couple tablespoons of maple syrup. The bars turned out pretty rich so they’ll probably last longer than I had thought, which is a bonus!
Perfect! So glad you loved them!
These were so good! My family loved them. Weird question – they want me to turn this into a pie for Thanksgiving. Any suggestions on how I’d do that? Thanks!
So glad they were a hit! Hmm I haven’t tested this in a pie pan so I’m not sure that it would fill one up. You could just try pressing the ingredients into a round dish and chilling it?
Thanks! I’ll give that a try. Happy Thanksgiving!
What could I substitute for the flax seed? We are allergic to seeds and nuts.
This one also has a peanut butter base so it might not be the best recipe to try!
can you use some sort of flour instead of protein powder?
Hi! Try these bars instead, which have rolled oats instead 🙂
I love many of your recipes!
You didn’t list maple syrup as an option in place of honey. Will it work? I’m not a fan of honey or the other options you gave. Please let me know. Thanks
Yes maple syrup should work!
You prove once again we can never go wrong with your recipes! Thank you for this simple yet delicious one!
I skipped the salt on top and added some chopped pistachios. 😀
So glad you loved these!!
Aint no way this is called a protein bar… this is a dessert! And to even get a good amount of protein youd have to eat 2 for 410 calories, youre better off just eating this as dessert😂
These were delicious! My kids loved them. What’s your trick to getting the chocolate not to crack in several places when cutting into squares?
So happy to hear that! I let them warm up just a bit almost to room temp, and run a knife under hot water before slicing them 🙂
These were so quick and easy to whip up. I used my kitchenaid mixer to mix everything up. The best little treat, but healthy too! I cut back just a tad on the honey and chocolate (only because I have to watch carbs) and they were still unbelievable. Just like a Reese’s – like you said. Thanks!!!
Forgot one swap I made- I didn’t have flaxseed meal so used chia seeds and hemp hearts instead and it seemed to work great!
Perfect!!
Would hemp protein work?
Yep!
I made these today and they were gone within hours!! Everyone in my family snagged them… lucky they left me a piece! Making again tomorrow morning. Thank you!
Amazing!! Perfect snack or treat 🙂
YUM! Made these into mini peanut butter cups with my silicone mini muffin pan and they came out perfectly. Such a yummy healthier alternative to the candy version!
Love that! Perfect snack or treat 🙂
This seems like its going to be a terrific recipe!! Is there anything I can substitute the coconut oil for ????
You can use butter or vegan butter!
Hello!
These are amazing and so great to have for a nice treat to have at work. After hearing so much about heavy metals being in basically all protein powders, is there anything else you would recommend in place of it?
Thank you!!
You could do collagen instead, heavy metals are kind of hard to avoid completely i think but thats a good option.
I’d have to do some research!
So yummy!! I did the aloha plant based protein and i love how they taste exactly like a peanut butter cup, perfect dessert 🙂
The perfect treat!
I’m newly postpartum and having been looking for easy protein-packed snacks. A girlfriend brought these over to me to try and I just made my 4th batch in the last two weeks. I eat at least one bar daily and holy smokes these are SO GOOD! I used Orgain vanilla protein powder and a healthy amount of maldon salt on the top and it’s *chefs kiss*. Seriously takes like dessert!
Amazing! I’m so happy you discovered these!
Lil help? I love these—easy and delicious! One question: (and the only reason I didn’t rate at 5 stars): my bars come out too soft. How can I remedy this? I suspect the peanut butter. Made twice, using different brands, but I’m finding that natural PB is separated and oily, even when blended. Too much moisture compared to standard PB. Any ideas how to fix? Thanks so much!
Hi! Try adding another tablespoon or so of protein powder and let me know if that helps 🙂
I Followed the recipe, and these were delicious! However, I had a problem cutting them – The chocolate hardened and tended to split in odd places rather than cutting cleanly. I tried warming them for just a few seconds in the microwave, but then the peanut butter layer got too soft and the chocolate layer stayed hard. The chocolate I used was TraderJoe’s Pound Plus 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate Bar
Hmmm try leaving them at room temp for a few minutes before cutting them! That way the chocolate isn’t AS hard but the peanut butter doesn’t get too soft.
Very easy to make! Tastes great
Perfect snack!
While these are super yummy, I don’t think it’s accurate to call something with under 10 g of protein a “high protein” bar. Wish there was a way to make this more like 15-20! Thanks for a scrumptious bar!
I think these have great flavor. I like to make mine in muffin wrappers and they remind me of a Reese’s PB Cup.
Love that idea!!
Excellent treat. Mine stayed on the pliable side, but definitely eat-able. Nice texture for eating, Excellent flavor. I thought I was out of natural pb, substituted about 1/3 natural pb, 1/3 natural almond butter, 1/3 tahini. I will be using your recipe as written next time, and it will be a ‘regular’ at our house. Thanks for the good one. (I used chocolate Orgain vegan protein powder, because I also THOUGHT I didn’t have any vanilla protein powder in the house.) The chocolate worked just great, can’t really even tell it’s in there.
Perfect! Love the idea of adding chocolate protein powder, too 🙂
Life changing. Takes no time at all once you make regularly. Tastes incredible. I put them in the freezer for extra crunch. Best thing … saves me a fortune buying protein bars that taste nowhere near as good!!! Thank you !🙏
The best! Glad you love them!
Can you swap flaxmeal for coconut flour?
I haven’t tested it so I’m not 100% sure!
I had to use ABC nut butter in place of PB, with peanut butter flavoured plant protein – turned out great! I was very impressed. Thanks for the recipe!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
I am trying to minimize the sugar content. Can you substitute maple syrup for the honey using a 1:1 ratio?
I think that should work! Let me know if you try it 🙂
I am so excited to make these for my kindergarten class! Do these require refined or unrefined coconut oil? Will hemp protein powder work? And lastly, is 2.5 oz roughly a 1/2 cup of chocolate (is this measured after melting)? Thanks!
I recommend unrefined coconut oil, and any protein will work! I don’t measure the chocolate after melting, so that should be correct!
No thanks. Tried but eating peanut butter and protein raw is not for me.. better to have a smoothie!
Sorry you didn’t love these!
Thank you for this amazing recipe!
I made these for my partner and I to have as a snack while we’re at work and on the weekends…they’re so delicious and filling, such a winner. It is a snack that I will keep making!
So happy to hear that!
These chocolate peanut butter protein bars are absolutely delicious! I was looking for a healthy alternative to all the other bars that have so many chemicals in them . So easy and quick to make! I added Rice Krispies for a fabulous crunch! thank you!#ambitiouskitchen
So glad you found these! Such a great snack 🙂
These are fantastic easy and delicious, they are now a staple in our home ❤️
So happy to hear that!
Thanks for this inspiring recipe and article! I’d seen one based on oatmeal, using three times as much honey, which seemed too sweet to my taste. I appreciate yours being less sweet and having a diversety of ingredients like flaxseed meal and coconut oil.
In my version I used less protein powder and added pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts, cacao powder, shredded coconut, almond flour and cacao nibs. After pressing it into the prepared pan. I skipped the melted chocolate on top, favoring the raw cacao I added instead.
Knowing it was going to be great I doubled the recipe and I have to say, Way OKay!
Oops, looks like my email address got in the wrong spot when I left a comment. Could you please remove that when you have a chance?
Thanks again for the recipe and beautiful inspiring website!
Just updated, Nancy! Glad you loved these bars!
How big should the squares be cut to get the 8.6 g of protein ?
Hi! I typically just cut them 5×2 in the pan, because you should get 10 bars and the nutrition is based on one bar. Check out the photos and/or the video to help show how big they are!
These were lowkey gross. They just tasted like protine powder in a blob. Waste of ingredients and money.
Sorry you didn’t love these! What kind of protein powder did you use?
Can’t wait to make these! Was wondering what you would recommend if I wanted to make them crunchy what would you add? Rice Krispy?
Try my Healthy Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats!
These are so delicious! I swapped peanut butter for almond butter, and maple syrup for honey. If I could give this 10 stars I would.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
These look amazing but I can’t eat flax meal. Any ideas? Chia or maybe another seed? Ground pumpkin seeds?
I’ve seen some readers sub a mix of chia and hemp seeds, or you could try a tablespoon or two of coconut flour!
Delish! Will have these on repeat!
Such a great snack!
OMG these peanut butter protein bars are the BEST!!!! Definitely saving this recipe – thank you!!!
Is it okay if I just leave out the protein powder?
The protein powder will help the bars hold up, so I wouldn’t recommend leaving it out. You can try these bars instead, which use rolled oats and don’t require protein powder.
Oh my gosh these protein bars are sooo good! It’s the perfect snack for when you want something indulgent but want to stick with cleaner ingredients!
I didn’t have ground flaxseed so I subbed coconut flour and they still turned out great. I’ll definitely be making this (and doubling it) in the future!
So happy you loved this one, Bec! It’s one of my favorite snacks for sure.
So easy to whip up!!! Family favorite!! Come out perfect every time!
Perfect snack!
I’m not a great cook, so I love how was this recipe is! My kids (and myself) love these and use these for dessert and snacks!
The best easy snack or dessert!
These bars were simple to make without leaving the kitchen turned upside down and they’re perfect out of the freezer. I shared some with my picky nieces who also adored them. I swear half of my Pinterest board is Ambitious Kitchen recipes (many that are 5+ years old that I continue to keep in the rotation!)
Absolutely! So happy to hear that 🙂
These are delicious and easy to make! They are a great for when I want a healthier sweet treat option. Thank you for the recipe
Absolutely! Perfect snack or treat 🙂
I made these yesterday and they’re very delicious, but they didn’t set up! I troubleshooted the recipe and realized the natural PB I bought has palm oil, so I’m guessing that’s why the texture failed. I currently have an appropriate PB in my cart to try again next weekend!
On a side note, it’s been in the news that the decedent of the Reese’s cup inventor is outraged at what the chocolate has become these days. And he’s right- you can taste the artificial nature of it. I’m so happy to have encountered your PB and chocolate recipes that taste so much better and healthier!
Let me know how it goes with the new peanut butter! The flavor here is even better than Reese’s 🙂
I have just made these and cut into them, but they are quite soft and gooey despite being in the fridge for an hour. I followed the recipe exactly (although I did use a whey protein powder you didn’t mention), could you please help me on why this might have been? Thank you!
Hmm did the mixture seem overly “wet” when you pressed them into the pan? And did you use all natural peanut butter? It sounds like somehow there was too much liquid, so next time you could a little bit more flaxseed meal or protein powder.
I loved these! I followed the directions as written but had to use a 9″ loaf pan because that is what I had. I used Ascent vanilla whey protein powder. Huge hit with me and my husband who usually hates protein powder.
Perfect! Glad they were a hit!
This recipe is awesome! It’s a nice snack in the morning or right before a workout.
Instead of coconut oil I used 3 tablespoons of MCT oil. I found that 1 tablespoon made the bar too dry. For a sub of chocolate, I used carob chips and a squirt of MCT oil to make the chocolate smooth while melting them.
I’ve made this recipe 3-4 times now and still love it!
Perfect! Glad you love these!
I love these. For some reason they remind me of Halava. Thank you for sharing.
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed.