Chocolate peanut butter bars that are dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan thanks to healthy ingredients. This high protein bar recipe is easy to make in one hour and allergy free if you use sunflower seed butter! Keep it stocked in your freezer for a high protein snack whenever you need extra energy!
Peanut Butter Bars
Creamy peanut butter bars with a fudge ganache top that are easy to make, naturally vegan and gluten-free! Each bar has 12 grams of protein and is the perfect morning or afternoon energy bar.
I made these bars with peanut butter, and sometimes with sunflower seed butter or even almond butter. I usually use almond and coconut, but you can use oat flour instead of almond to keep this bar completely nut free.
How Healthy Are Seeds & Nuts
Seeds and nuts are generally high in essential vitamins and minerals, including zinc and vitamin e. Both are so important for the immune system, blood healthy, muscle repair and beauty restoration.
Why You Need To Make This Recipe
There are so many reasons to love this recipe!
1. The bars can be made in one hour.
2. They are naturally vegan, gluten-free and nut-free if needed.
3. Each bar has lots of protein, and provides a powerful energy bar to support your busy day or workout or afternoon slump.
Ingredients in These Peanut Butter Bars
Nut Butter: I have used both seed and nut butters. Make sure your version is naturally with just nuts or just seeds.
Coconut & Almond flour: These flours provide a cake-like quality to this no bake bar. These flours are packed with protein and fiber.
Maple syrup: Just a touch to sweeten.
Dark chocolate ganache: A thick creamy fudgy top created by mixing coconut milk and dark chocolate.
How to Make These Protein Bars
In a food processor, mix all ingredients. The batter should be crumbly like cookie dough. Press into an 8x4 inch pan lined with parchment paper.
Heat the coconut milk and use it to melt the chocolate chips. Pour the chocolate over the nut butter layer and freeze until set, about 30 minutes in the freezer.
Tips To Make Protein Bars
The bars turned out perfectly is you stick to the ingredient amounts - the batter is crumbly and should be.
Do not refrigerate the can of full fat coconut milk before using it to make the ganache. And be sure to shake it up well before opening the can for this recipe.
Make sure you freeze the bars for at least 30 minutes before cutting them.
Make sure to store these bars in the fridge or freezer.
Other protein recipes to try
Peanut Butter Marble Fudge
Sunflower Seed Chip Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
protein bar crust
- ⅓ cup peanut butter (or any nut butter)
- 1 cup almond flour (or oat flour to keep the dessert nut-free. Add a bit more milk if batter seems too stiff)
- ½ cup coconut flour
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
Chocolate ganache top
- 1 cup dark chocolate
- ½ cup full fat coconut milk (from a can, not refrigerated, shaken)
Instructions
Prep
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper
Make bar crust
- In a food process, mix all ingredients. The batter should be crumbly like cookie dough. If you use oat flour instead of almond flour, add a few tbsp of milk to loosen the batter a bit.
- Press into the lined pan. I cover the batter with saran wrap, and then flatten hard with the bottom of a glass or flat bottom metal measuring cup.
- Set in freezer while you make the ganache top.
Make ganache top
- Add the chocolate chips to a pyrex measuring cup. Warm the coconut milk in a pot or in the microwave for 60 seconds. Pour the milk over the chocolate chips and stir until all are melted. If need be, microwave the mixture again for 30 seconds. Pour over crust layer.
- Freeze for 30 minutes or more before slicing into 8 squares.
- Store in the refrigerator for two weeks. Or freeze indefinitely.
Nutrition
Dee Dine is founder of Green Smoothie Gourmet, a plant based recipe blog, and author of the recent cookbook, Crazy Healthy with 4 Ingredients and another immunity-boosting smoothie shot book, 4-Ingredient Smoothies + Juices , due out in January 2021. On this blog you'll find incredibly easy recipes with hidden veggies for anyone wanting to eat healthier, regardless of diet. Dee has graduate degrees in sciences and journalism, editor at The Feedfeed and a nutritional expert at WikiHow. More about Dee Dine here.
Chelsea
Have you actually tried this with pea protein powder? Which brand do you recommend?
Dee Dine
Yes, I used Bob Red Mill's brand pea protein powder and I added a few tbsp of milk to loosen the batter. It worked out well with this brand. Not sure about other brands although I have heard that Orgain and Garden of Life are great quality.
AlbertinaTeen
Another GREAT easy healthy recipe! You should write a book! Alberta
Dee Dine
Thank you! I actually have written a cookbook, TWO as a matter of fact! Find them here and here.
San34Y
Can I use another nut butter in this recipe? I don't have sunbutter, but I do have cashew butter. Great recipe, love that frosting.
Dee Dine
Yes! Use any nut butter, although they would have to be natural, as in those that are just nuts and oil.