Ditch the store-bought granola bars for good. These Peanut Butter Protein Granola Bars are so simple to make and with just a few simple ingredients. Enjoy them for breakfast on the go, snack time, after school, or anytime you need a healthy snack to give you energy.
I wanted to come up with a simple recipe that combined our love of peanut butter and chocolate along with some extra protein to give my kids much-needed nutrition as an after school snack or anytime they get hungry. These Peanut Butter Protein Granola Bars give a healthy dose of protein (10 grams per bar) and fiber to help give you or the kids energy for a busy day.
How to Make These Peanut Butter Granola Bars – Step by Step
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and get a 9×9 baking pan ready by spraying it with cooking spray. Gather ingredients together.
2. In a large bowl, mix together rolled oats, cup peanut butter , cup honey, cup milk of choice , cup protein powder (plain or vanilla), cup mini chocolate chips, chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, until well blended.
3. Pour the granola mixture into the pan, and spread out evenly, smoothing with the back of a large spoon. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until edges begin to turn golden brown.
4. Remove from oven, and let cool for at least an hour, or until completely cooled before cutting. Cut into bars.
Can You Use Any Nut Butter?
Yes, you can substitute the peanut butter in this recipe for your favorite nut butter, including almond butter, cashew butter, and my favorite sunflower butter.
Can You Swap Out Other Ingredients?
You can swap out the chia seeds for flax seeds, or even omit altogether. They help keep the granola bars together and provide an extra source of protein but you can omit them if you prefer.
You can also omit the chocolate chips and the protein powder. This recipe is really customizable.
How to Store and Keep These Peanut Butter Granola Bars
You can store at room temperature in a glass container with a lid for up to 3 days. You can freeze leftovers and enjoy them later. I like to put a frozen bar in a lunch box and it’s ready to eat by lunch time.
Top Tips for Making These Granola Bars
- Opt for gluten-free rolled oats. Not all oats are gluten-free.
- Toasting your oats gives them a richer flavor, but you can of course use them raw.
- Substitute the peanut butter for your favorite nut butter, including almond butter, sunflower butter or cashew butter.
- Customize this recipe for your taste. Omit the chia seeds and/or chocolate chips and add in your own favorites like flax seeds, peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, etc.
- When preparing your 9×9 pan for these granola bars, leave parchment or wax paper hanging over each side of the pan so when they cool, you can easily lift the bars out of the pan and then slice them on a cutting board. This makes life so much easier!
- If you have one, use a large knife to cut your granola bars. If you use a small blade it can crack up the granola bars as you slice.
- Make a double batch of the dough for this recipe and store in the freezer to bake at a later time.
More Recipes You Might Like
- 10 Delicious Uses For Almond Butter
- Paleo Peanut Butter Cups with Sunflower Seed Butter
- Peanut Butter Protein Bites
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Peanut Butter Protein Granola Bars
Equipment
- Medium-sized mixing bowl
- Spatula
- 9x9 baking pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/3 cup milk (dairy, almond, or coconut_
- 1/2 cup protein powder (plain or vanilla - opt for no or low sugar)
- 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and get a 9×9 baking pan ready by spraying it with cooking spray. Gather ingredients together.
- In a large bowl, mix together 2 cups rolled oats, 3/4 cup peanut butter , 1/3 cup honey, 1/3 cup milk of choice , 1/2 cup protein powder (plain or vanilla), 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, 2 tbsp chia seeds, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/8 tsp salt, until well blended.
- Pour the granola mixture into the pan, and spread out evenly, smoothing with the back of a large spoon. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until edges begin to turn golden brown.
- Remove from oven, and let cool for at least an hour, or until completely cooled before cutting. Cut into bars.
Notes
Nutrition
Want More Recipes?
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What a fabulous recipe, I’m planning on making these today for my husbands lunches. He’ll be thrilled!
Katie xoxo
This is seriously amazing! My kids really loved it too!
My son devoured these! Perfect snack for after swim practice.