Peanut Butter Protein Granola Bars

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.

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homemade peanut butter granola bars on a plate

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.

peanut butter, honey, chocolate chips in measured cups on a table

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.

mixing rolled oats, chocolate chips, and ingredients for granola bars in a bowl

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.

pouring granola mixture into a 9x9 baking pan

4. Remove from oven, and let cool for at least an hour, or until completely cooled before cutting. Cut into bars.

peanut butter protein granola bars stacked on a white plate

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 9Ă—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.

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three granola bars on a white plate

Peanut Butter Protein Granola Bars

Don't Mess With Mama
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.
5 from 67 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings
Calories 228 kcal

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 9Ă—9 baking pan ready by spraying it with cooking spray. Gather ingredients together.
    ingredients for granola bars
  • 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.
    granola in a bowl
  • 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.
    granola on a dish
  • Remove from oven, and let cool for at least an hour, or until completely cooled before cutting. Cut into bars.
    stack of granola bars

Notes

Notes: 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. 

Nutrition

Calories: 228kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 10gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 113mgPotassium: 185mgFiber: 3gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 34IUCalcium: 50mgIron: 1mg
Keyword granola bar, peanut butter granola bar, protein bar
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