Looking for more recipes with protein powder? Try these peanut butter protein balls, homemade protein bars, protein balls, and protein popcorn next. If you enjoy my healthy granola bars but want to amp up the protein, then my protein granola bar recipe fixes those issues. Don’t get me wrong, most granola bars do a good job of providing whole grains and fiber, but they often miss the mark on protein. Not anymore!
Why I love this recipe
Easy to customize. I’ll give you the base recipe (my favorite!) plus a handful of flavor combos so you can make them your own. 20 grams of protein per bar. Making them the perfect morning, midday, or post-workout snack. A no-bake recipe. These bars come together in minutes and have the perfect chewy yet soft texture. 4 key ingredients. Each one can be customized depending on what you have on hand.
Ingredients needed
Rolled oats. Also known as old-fashioned oats. These give the protein granola bars an extra chewy texture and are much more satisfying. Protein powder. Vanilla or unflavored protein powder is preferred. I used a vanilla brown rice protein powder, which also provided extra sweetness. Peanut butter OR alternative. Smooth and creamy peanut butter with no added sugar. Depending on which protein powder you use, you may also want to choose peanut butter with no added salt, as some protein powder brands have tons of sodium in them. Honey or brown rice syrup. I prefer these to other sticky sweeteners (like maple syrup or agave) since they’re super sticky and will help bind the bar batter the best. Chocolate chips. Optional, but what’s the harm?!
How to make protein granola bars
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Step 1- Prep work. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Step 2- Mix the wet and dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats and protein powder. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the peanut butter and honey and whisk until smooth. Step 3- Combine the ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and combine. Stir in chocolate chips if using. Step 4- Shape and chill. Transfer the bar mixture to the pan and press until smooth. Refrigerate the bars for an hour, then slice.
Arman’s recipe tips
Leave some parchment paper sticking out. So they’re easier to pop out of the pan when it’s time to slice. Swap the nut butter. Use almond butter, cashew butter, or even protein cookie butter. Make the nut-free. Swap the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter or tahini, or make these nut-free granola bars. Adjust the consistency. Sometimes, the bars turn out a bit dry for my liking. If this happens, add a splash of almond milk to thin out the batter until it reaches a moldable consistency. Slice with a warm, sharp knife. My #1 tip for dealing with sticky bars is to use a sharp knife that’s been run under hot water. It’s the only way I’ve found to guarantee clean, even cuts. Instead of rolled oats, use equal parts of my protein granola.
Storage instructions
To store: High protein granola bars are best stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 weeks.
Dark chocolate. Dip the prepared bars in melted dark chocolate. Refrigerate them until the chocolate has firmed up. Coconut chocolate chip. Fold through 1/4 cup of shredded coconut flakes and 1/4 cup of mini chocolate chips. Monster cookie. Fold through 1/2 cup of mini M&M candies, along with the chocolate chips. Salted caramel. Drizzle 1/2 cup of vegan caramel on top and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Cherry almond. Fold through 1/4 cup of dried cherries and 2 tablespoons of chopped almonds. For a more intense almond flavor, use almond butter. Cinnamon raisin. Fold through 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and ¼ cup of raisins. White chocolate cranberry. Fold through ¼ cup of white chocolate chips and ¼ cup of dried cranberries.
To freeze: Place individually wrapped bars in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More granola bar recipes to try
No bake granola bars No bake oatmeal bars Keto granola bars Granola cups
Originally published September 2021, updated and republished May 2024
