The Best Homemade Protein Bars

10 Bars316 cals

Are you ready to save money and make your own protein bar recipe at home? Not only will this recipe help your wallet out but it’s easy to make with just a few simple ingredients and has unlimited variations for every craving! If you’re looking for The Best Homemade Protein Bars you’ll ever have then you’ve come to the right spot!

For this recipe all you’re going to need is a stovetop pan and something to put your protein bars in like a cake pan or dish.

Start by adding into your stovetop pan 1/2 cup of unsweetened milk substitute or fat free milk, 1 cup or 16 tablespoons of peanut butter, 3 tablespoons of honey, and 2 cups of rolled oats.

Turn your burner on low heat (between 2-3) and as it heats up you’ll want to stir until everything is well incorporated. This should take, at the most, 5 minutes.

Remember to keep your mix moving to that it doesn’t burn while your pan is over the heat!

Protein Bar Flavors

Once you have your base mixed together you can optionally add in 10-15 drops of a liquid sweetener, 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, and 1 small box of seedless raisins. Whatever ingredients you choose to add in at this step will be the “flavor” of your homemade protein bars.

Mix whatever ingredients you’re using in.

Don’t have liquid sweetener? Use your preferred powdered sweetener (start with 1/4 cup).

After choosing those ingredients you’ll want to slowly mix in 4 1/2 scoops of your choice flavor protein powder on low heat until combined. Make sure to choose a flavor protein powder that compliments the rest of the flavors in your homemade protein bars.

Recipe tip? If your mix appears to be too dry you can add in a little bit more milk substitute/milk until it thins out. You want it thick but not thick enough that your mix easily falls apart.

Take out something to put your mix in and evenly press that mix into it. Remember that whatever you use will end up being the shape of your bars.

Top your homemade protein bars with some chocolate chips or anything else you want and let your bars sit in your pan or dish for 10-15 minutes to cool down before you cut them.

Homemade Protein Bars

Looking to change your recipe up? Use some of these ideas or let us know your favorite ways to make these no bake bars in the comments below!

  • Fresh or dried fruit pieces (we used seedless raisins today)
  • Crushed up nuts
  • Other chips (white chocolate or peanut butter)
  • Sugar free syrups
  • Sprinkles (red velvet!)
  • Granola
  • High Protein Frosting topping
  • Cocoa powder instead of ground cinnamon
  • Other extracts

You could also speed up the cool down and put your covered pan or dish into the fridge for a bit to harden up (my preference).

Once your bars have cooled your ready to cut and eat the best homemade protein bars ever! I cut 10 bars today.

Ready for another protein powder dessert!? Try our Protein Cheesecake recipe next!

Homemade Protein Bars Recipe

The Best Homemade Protein Bars

Save your money and make The Best Homemade Protein Bars you'll ever have for cheap! This protein bar recipe is quick, delicious, and easy.
4.67 from 3 votes
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: homemade, no bake, protein bars, the best
Servings: 10 Bars
Calories: 316kcal
Cost: $3.50

The Protein Chef is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Rolled Oats
  • 4 Ounces Milk Substitute - or Milk
  • 2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
  • 3 Tablespoons Honey
  • 1 Cup Peanut Butter - 16 Tablespoons
  • 4 ½ Scoops Protein Powder
  • 15 Drops Liquid Sweetener - or Regular Sweetener
  • 2 Servings Chocolate Chips
  • 1 Box Raisins - 1.5 Ounces Seedless

Instructions

  • Add your Milk, Honey, and Peanut Butter into a stovetop pan
  • Turn your burner on Low Heat
  • Stir until those are mixed together
  • Add in the rest of the ingredients (more Milk if your recipe appears to be too dry)
  • Mix everything together
  • Evenly distribute and press your mix into a pan or dish
  • Top it with whatever you want
  • Let it cool in the fridge for 2-3 hours
  • Cut them

Video

Notes

Calories in the WHOLE recipe:
  • Calories: 3160
  • Fat: 140g
  • Saturated Fat: 31g
  • Sodium: 2351mg
  • Carbs: 293g
  • Fiber: 36g
  • Sugar: 130g
  • Protein: 182g

Nutrition

Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 29.3g | Protein: 18.2g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3.1g | Fiber: 3.6g | Sugar: 13g

19 Comments

  1. Brenda on December 5, 2022 at 4:26 am

    Would PB2 work in this recipe to reduce the calories? If so, how much and what liquid would you add to make the PB2?

    • Derek Howes on January 12, 2023 at 1:52 pm

      It could but I’m not sure that the texture would hold…

  2. Holly Ferrante on April 3, 2018 at 12:00 am

    Do these bars come out sticky?

    • Derek Howes on April 21, 2018 at 12:00 am

      As long as you throw them in the fridge you should be good. I would say 2.5/10 on the sticky scale!

  3. Joe on September 25, 2017 at 12:00 am

    A few changes to make these work:

    1.) Spray that pan with some non-stick spray!
    2.) Don’t ever use a knife on a non-stick pan!
    3.) Put an identical pan on top of the original pan (with the bars in there) and weight the top pan down with a few cans of tomatoes. They will harden with the pressing.

  4. Sacha on February 24, 2016 at 12:00 am

    I traditionally cook/bake things for Christmas, and I know my family (as with most people) want to watch their weight so what good is it giving them cookies?

    I made these, and everyone absolutely LOVED them! Very tasty, great job Derek!

  5. Matt on October 28, 2014 at 12:00 am

    I’m allergic to milk (therefore, do not use whey protein). I’m trying to find some good recipes for making snacks and protein shakes with soy protein. You say to use milk or milk substitute. You think almond milk would be okay? Also, how do you think these would do with soy protein instead of whey? Just wondering. Thanks for the awesome recipes.

    P.S. Nice tattoos!

    • Derek Howes on October 29, 2014 at 12:00 am

      Almond milk is definitely fine (I’ve done it) and soy protein is fine too. Thanks for the kind words and support my friend!

  6. Ajdin on October 11, 2014 at 12:00 am

    Can I use a packet (or however many) of Stevia instead of the liquid drops? Would it make a difference? Thanks!

  7. AMJ on August 3, 2014 at 12:00 am

    These are so delicious …. Added a few almonds …. Will definately make these again and again!!!! The best!!!

  8. Sarah on February 3, 2014 at 12:00 am

    Wowwwwwwwww these are fantastic! I used mostly almond butter because I only had about 1/4C of peanut butter but the exchange seems fine, they turned out super tasty. Thank you for the recipe!

    • Derek Howes on February 4, 2014 at 12:00 am

      Thank you Sarah! Glad you liked them 🙂

  9. Aron on November 29, 2013 at 12:00 am

    I just made my second batch of these, this one just as delicious as the first. I made both batches with some toasted slivered almonds (thanks, Liz!), but otherwise as written, and they’re fantastic. Thanks for the recipe!

    One thing for me is that both times I ended up using about 3/4c to 1c of milk.
    The bars still come out relatively stiff and chewy, so I don’t think they’re over moistened. My guess is that it’s just the different protein powder (ON Gold Whey, in my case). So if you make these and find them dry, don’t be afraid to add as much extra milk as needed.

    • Derek Howes on December 2, 2013 at 12:00 am

      Thanks Aron! Feedback is much appreciated!

  10. Liz on August 4, 2013 at 12:00 am

    Just made a batch of these, added some chopped almonds as well and they turned out great. thank you for the post.:)

    • Derek Howes on August 7, 2013 at 12:00 am

      Thanks for the feedback Liz! Much appreciated

  11. Bob on July 16, 2013 at 12:00 am

    I made this exactly according to the recipe (except without the liquid sweetener, because I don’t have any), and my protein bars never really harden. There always super soft and gooey, which makes eating them with my hands a nightmare. I tried putting them in the fridge, but that only helps for a little bit. Any ideas?

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