If you’re looking for how to make some cheap and easy homemade protein bars then you’ve come to the right place! These Homemade Protein Energy Bars are quick, delicious, healthier, AND cheaper than almost all of the ones you can buy in the store!
Start this recipe by making some oat flour. To do this you’ll need to take out either a food processor like this or blender and add in 2 cups of rolled oats.
Process or blend your rolled oats until they look like flour.
Take out a large bowl and add in your oat flour, 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder, 10 teaspoons of instant coffee, and 6 scoops of a chocolate protein powder.
Lightly mix those ingredients together.
You can easily switch up the flavor of your homemade protein energy bars by using different protein powder flavors. Red velvet, mocha, vanilla, banana, and so on! Pick your favorite flavor or and let us know how they come out in the comments below.
Why instant coffee? It’s cheap ($1.00 per container here!), compliments the chocolate flavor, and each teaspoon of instant coffee has around 75mg of caffeine in it.
Next, take out a stovetop pan and turn your burner on low heat. Let that heat up for a couple minutes.
Add in 1/2 cup of unsweetened milk substitute, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons of brown rice syrup, and 16 tablespoons of peanut or other nut butter once it heats up.
Stir those ingredients together until everything is mixed.
Now slowly mix your dry ingredients into your wet ingredients. Your mix will be thick so make sure to put some muscle behind it! If it seems too thick add in a little bit more milk substitute or some water.
Energy Bar Size
Dump your mix into a pan, dish, or whatever you want and press it down go compact it. Whatever you use here will decide the shape and size of your homemade protein energy bars.
Top your bars with 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips and press them in. You could also use some crushed up nuts, dried fruit, sprinkles, etc.
Cover your energy bars and put them in the fridge for a bit to harden up before cutting them into however many servings you’re going for.
That’s it, your homemade protein energy bar are done! These bars are packed with complex carbs which are slow digesting so they’ll give you a nice, balanced energy throughout the day.
Add whatever you want on, into, or on top of your bars like our Chocolate Protein Spread!
Homemade Protein Energy Bars
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Ingredients
- 2 Cups Rolled Oats
- 4 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
- 10 Teaspoons Instant Coffee
- 6 Scoops Protein Powder - Chocolate
- 4 Ounces Milk Substitute - or Milk
- 2 Tablespoons Brown Rice Syrup - or Honey
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 16 Tablespoons Peanut Butter
- 2 Tablespoons Chocolate Chips - Semi-Sweet
Instructions
- Add your Rolled Oats into a food processor or blender and process or blend them until they look like flour
- Combine the flour you just made, Cocoa Powder, Instant Coffee, and Chocolate Protein Powder into a large bowl and lightly mix those ingredients together
- Take out a stovetop pan and turn your burner on Low Heat
- Add in your Milk Substitute, Vanilla Extract, and Peanut Butter
- Stir those around until they are mixed together
- Slowly add in your dry ingredients while mixing everything together
- Once everything is mixed together take out a dish or pan, pour your mix into it, and press your mix into your dish or pan until it’s compacted
- Add your Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips on top and press those in
- Cover your dish or pan, put it into the fridge for a little bit so that they can harden up, and cut them
Video
Notes
- Calories: 3423
- Fat: 151g
- Saturated Fat: 21g
- Sodium: 2384mg
- Carbs: 271g
- Fiber: 49g
- Sugar: 82g
- Protein: 245g
- Calories: 342
- Fat: 15.1g
- Saturated Fat: 2.1g
- Sodium: 238.4mg
- Carbs: 27.1g
- Fiber: 4.9g
- Sugar: 8.2g
- Protein: 24.5g
Nutrition
24 Comments
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Can I bake these to make them last longer?
I’ve never baked them so I can’t comment here though I will say that the texture will definitely change.
Hi, I tried making these today but after removing them from the fridge to cut they crumbled apart completely. I’m not sure why they didnt hold together?
Could be the protein powder. Was everything measured? I’d start with a bit more milk and go from there. Hope this helps Dan!
Is there anything I could substitute the coffee for? Or can I just leave it out ? I have been looking for a good protein bar recipe and yours looks fantastic ! But I don’t drink / eat coffee…
Hi Dustin! You can totally leave the coffee out if it’s not your thing, they’ll still be great!
Can I mix this with a mixer using dough hooks?
Absolutely!
It crumbled on me the first time around. On my second attempt, I added about 1/2 – 3/4 cup of water during the mixing process and it seemed to keep its constitution a lot better. Great recipe!
Heiii Derek…..your all recipes is just awesome…..but in this recipe where we use the rice syrup or honey??
Hi harsh! Thank you. You use it in the recipe – is that what you’re asking?
Do you think I can use coconut milk in it?
Gonna try it today so hopefully it will work out well =)
Love all the recipes that you have here…I was missing baking when I start eating clean. Now, I cannot stop =D and there are still soooo many recipes to try =D
Yes, of course! Thank you by the way 🙂
Hey Derek, been enjoying your recipes for over a year now, keep it up! Any substitute for the peanut butter in this recipe?
Hi Jordan! You could definitely use another nut butter (cashew, almond, soy nut butter, etc)!
Where is all the fat coming from in this recipe…did I miss something???
This would be from the peanut butter.
Hi,
Thanks for this great recipe.
I was wondering if you can freeze them?
How long can you keep them? Do you have to keep them in the fridge or at room temperature in a container?
p.s. One with toffee or cookies and cream would be great!
Thanks in advance,
Rafael
Strawberry or Cranberry would be good. That kitchen item for measuring out the peanut butter is neat. Hope I can one. Keep up with the awesome recipies!!!
Thanks Greg!
Just made these tonight. DAMN they are good! Easy to make and even better eating them! Thank you for all your excellent recipes!
Thanks David! Glad you liked them!