Satisfy your sweet tooth with these protein-rich no bake chocolate peanut butter bars that are made in a flash with just 5 ingredients. The perfect energy booster.
Creamy no bake chocolate peanut butter bars with a fudge ganache top that are easy to make, naturally vegan and gluten-free! Each bar has 6 grams of protein and is the perfect morning or afternoon energy bar.
I made these bars with peanut butter or any nut butter. I used almond and coconut flour, but you can also use oat flour and customize the ratios to your needs.
Why You'll Love These Bars
1. The bars can be made in 5 minutes. Chilling time is extra, but sometimes 10 minutes is enough.
2. They are naturally vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free.
3. Each bar has lots of protein, and provides a powerful energy bar to support your busy day or workout or afternoon slump.
Ingredients
Nut Butter: I use cashew butter because of the neutral flavor but any nut butter works. 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.
Cinnamon. Adds spice and balances blood sugar.
Dark chocolate top: A thick creamy fudgy top created by mixing coconut milk and melted chocolate chips.
Steps to Make
Step 1. In a food processor, mix all ingredients. The batter should be crumbly like cookie dough, but pressable so it holds it's form when you squeeze it. Add some water if needed to achieve that texture.
Step 2. Press into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper.
Step 3. 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 5 to 10 minutes in the freezer.
Recipe Tips
1. The ingredient ratios should produce a crumbly, stick-when-you-squeeze a fistful texture. If you need to add a bit more liquid or flour to achieve that.
2. 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.
3. The amount of chilling depends on what you want to do with them. If you want a perfect slice, you might want to chill up to 30 minutes in the freezer. But no longer than that. Store them refrigerated for best texture.
Substitutions
1. The almond and coconut flour is flexible. You can use all almond flour, or swap one of them with oat flour. Just don't do all coconut flour.
2. Instead of maple syrup, use ⅔ date paste. Here is my date paste recipe.
3. Use any nut butter flavor.
How to Store
Store these bars in the refrigerator for a week, or in the freezer for three months.
More Healthy Chocolate Bars
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
- Chocolate Oat Caramel Cups
- Chocolate Caramel Candy Bars
- Homemade Fudge Bars
- How to Make Homemade Protein Bars
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📖 Recipe
No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
bar crust
- ⅓ cup peanut butter
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup coconut flour
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
Chocolate top
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 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 processer, mix all ingredients. The batter should be crumbly like cookie dough but still holds it form when you squeeze it.You might have to add some milk or water. Sometimes I have added as much as 2 tablespoon to achieve this texture.⅓ cup peanut butter, 1 cup almond flour, ½ cup coconut flour, 2 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt
- If you use oat flour instead of almond flour, add a few tablespoon of milk to loosen the batter a bit.
- Press into the lined pan. Fold the two sides of over-hanging parchment down and press to flatten the crust with a spatula or your hand.
- Set in freezer while you make the ganache top.
Make ganache top
- Add the chocolate chips to a pyrex measuring cup. Microwave the chips for 1 minute. Stir them until most chips are melted.Meanwhile, open the can of coconut milk. If the milk has separated, set the open can into a pot of hot to boiling water and stir the contents of the can until the coconut milk is smooth.1 cup chocolate chips
- Pour ½ cup of coconut milk into the melted chips and stir until velvety smooth.½ cup full fat coconut milk
- Pour the chocolate over the crust, and smooth with a spoon.
- Freeze uncovered for 5-to-30 minutes. You can slice them pretty quickly but if you want perfectly square slices, freeze more than 5 minutes.
- Store in the refrigerator fora week or more.
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.