These No Bake Protein Bars with Oats are quick, easy and fun to make. They’re soft and chewy, full of chocolate flavour with a hint of sweetness. Made with natural ingredients, and your favourite protein powder, these are healthy snacks that will keep you fuller for longer.
Make them in as little as 15 minutes, drizzle with sugar free chocolate and a sprinkling of almonds and let them set in the fridge.
Recipe Highlights
- Soft, chewy, silky and creamy with loads of chocolate flavour and a subtle honey sweetness
- They’re quick to make and way healthier than store bought snacks
- They’re cheaper than buying protein bars
- Easy to customize using different protein powder, sweeteners and toppings
- They’re portable, easy to grab and go when you’re on the run and keep for a week in the fridge, like these No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars.
If you’ve ever considered making your own protein bars because store bought ones are too expensive of you’ve never found one you like, this is the recipe to try. Or if you're a fan of Anzac Slice, I highly recommend this one too.
There’s no baking involved so there is no messing anything up. Just like these No Bake Chocolate Weetbix Bars with added protein, and these No Bake Healthier Peanut Butter Bars. These Chocolate Oat Granola Bars are also a firm favourite and I make them often.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Oats: Quick oats work well in this recipe as they are a little smaller than rolled outs. However rolled oats will also work. They will make the bars a little more chewier.
- Protein Powder: any chocolate protein powder will work. I prefer to use a Lean Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) powder. The one I use is Genetix Nutrition Lean WPI Chocolate Bomb Flavour Protein Powder. Its low carb and has a lot of chocolate flavour.
- Ground Flax Seed: also known as flax meal are seeds that have been ground down. Flax seed.flax meal is full of fibre and is very filling, making it ideal for protein bars. Its generally available from the healthy food section of the supermarket. Alternatively you could use ground almonds, or chia seeds.
- Natural Peanut Butter: A natural creamy peanut butter works well in this recipe. Opt for one that has no added sugar if you can.
- Natural Honey: Honey provides the sweetness in the protein bars and the stickiness helps to bid them together. A natural, good quality honey will provide a nicer flavour over the cheaper varieties.
- Sugar Free Chocolate Chips: these are for the chocolate drizzle on top of the bars. If you’re unable to find sugar free chocolate chips, a sugar free bar will work just as well, but may take a bit longer to melt. Otherwise use the darkest chocolate chips you can find.
- Flaked Almonds: these are a nice textural element to the bars. You can buy flaked almonds in a packet from the baking aisle, or if you have whole almonds, you can chop them up and sprinkle them on top to achieve the same result.
- Coconut Oil: the coconut oil helps the chocolate chips to set on top of the bars. If you don’t have it, just melt the chocolate on its own. Don’t substitute the coconut oil for another type of oil, just omit it instead.
How To Make
- Mix Ingredients Together: In a large mixing bowl, combine protein powder, nut butter, honey, flax seed, and rolled oats. Mix until fully combined. Mixture should appear crumbly but hold together when squeezed.
- Spread mixture into pan and smooth out: Line an 8x8 inch (20cmx20cm) pan with baking/parchment paper. Pour protein bar mixture into prepared pan and press down firmly with your hands.
- Decorate the Top: Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl. Drizzle melted chocolate over the top of the bars and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
- Let them Set: Refrigerate for at least one hour before slicing into 8 bars. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Different Protein Powders
There are so many different protein powders out there. I’d recommend using a protein powder that you’ve used before. One that you know your like to drink, maybe in a smoothie or a shake.
I also recommend using a flavoured protein powder and chocolate is definitely my favourite. Any chocolate protein powder will work. I used Genetix Nutrition Lean WPI Chocolate Bomb Flavour Protein Powder and I buy it from Nutrition Warehouse in Australia.
As well as protein bars I also love making protein pancakes for breakfast. They're light an fluffy just like regular pancakes and they keep me fuller for longer.
Instead of Honey
Dates are a great natural sweet alternative to honey and its very easy to make a thick and sticky date paste to use just like honey that will help to hold the bars together. Of course you can buy Date Paste or Date Syrup at the supermarket, but making it is easy and you can do it injust two steps
- Microwave around 4 large medjool dates (seeds removed) for 30 seconds with 2 tablespoons of water
- Mash with a fork into a thick sticky paste and add to recipe in place of honey.
Note: you may need a little more date paste than honey if you have a sweet tooth as dates aren’t typically as sweet as honey.
Recipe Tips
- Alternate pan suggestions: Whilst I used an 8 inch square pan, you could also use a rectangle loaf tin, or even a muffin tin.
- Alternative Nut Butters: Almond nut butter or cashew nut butter will work just as well.
- Extra Chocolate: Add an extra tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder. If mixture becomes too dry, add a little extra peanut butter.
- Chocolate chips: Instead f melting the chocolate chips to drizzle over the top, you can add them to the protein mixture instead for even more chocolate flavour and texture.
- Spice Addins: Ground cinnamon, Nutmeg, or ginger may be added very sparingly, or even sprinkled on top
- Dried Fruit Addins: Dried cranberries, dried mini blueberries or goji berries are all good options to add a fruity twist
- How to Slice: Use a sharp knife and wipe clean in between each cut t get those crisp sliced edges.
- Storage: Store in an air tight container in the fridge for 1 week.
Common Questions
Yes, a food processor will make quick work of combining these ingredients and will create a super smooth and silky protein bar. Although a food processor is not essential and these can definitely be made without one.
Overall, these No Bake Protein Bars with Oats are a great healthy snack alternative that won’t leave you feeling hungry. Ideal for lunchboxes, pre or post workouts, to ward off the 3pm munchies or even as an after dinner snack to ward off those sweet cravings.
No Bake Protein Bars with Oats
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup chocolate or vanilla protein powder
- 1 ½ cup nut butter
- ⅓ cup honey
- 3 Tablespoons ground flax seed
- ⅓ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine protein powder, nut butter, honey, flax seed, and rolled oats. Mix until fully combined. Mixture should appear crumbly but hold together when squeezed.
- Line an 8x8 inch (20cmx20cm) pan with baking/parchment paper. Pour nut butter mixture into prepared pan and press down firmly with your hands.
- Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl. Drizzle melted chocolate over the top of the bars and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
- Refrigerate for at least one hour before slicing into 8 bars. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
- Oats: Quick oats work well in this recipe as they are a little smaller than rolled outs. However rolled oats will also work. They will make the bars a little more chewier.
- Protein Powder: any chocolate protein powder will work. I prefer to use a Lean Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) powder. The one I use is Genetix Nutrition Lean WPI Chocolate Bomb Flavour Protein Powder. Its low carb and has a lot of chocolate flavour.
- Ground Flax Seed: also known as flax meal are seeds that have been ground down. Flax seed.flax meal is full of fibre and is very filling, making it ideal for protein bars. Its generally available from the healthy food section of the supermarket. Alternatively you could use ground almonds, or chia seeds.
- Natural Peanut Butter: A natural creamy peanut butter works well in this recipe. Opt for one that has no added sugar if you can.
- Natural Honey: Honey provides the sweetness in the protein bars and the stickiness helps to bid them together. A natural, good quality honey will provide a nicer flavour over the cheaper varieties.
- Sugar Free Chocolate Chips: these are for the chocolate drizzle on top of the bars. If you’re unable to find sugar free chocolate chips, a sugar free bar will work just as well, but may take a bit longer to melt. Otherwise use the darkest chocolate chips you can find.
- Flaked Almonds: these are a nice textural element to the bars. You can buy flaked almonds in a packet from the baking aisle, or if you have whole almonds, you can chop them up and sprinkle them on top to achieve the same result.
- Coconut Oil: the coconut oil helps the chocolate chips to set on top of the bars. If you don’t have it, just melt the chocolate on its own. Don’t substitute the coconut oil for another type of oil, just omit it instead.
Nutrition
Note: Sugars contained in this recipe are from naturally occurring sugars in fruits, vegetables or other natural sweeteners.
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