Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars (2024)

Home » Recipes » Desserts » Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars

by Miranda Galati, MHSc, RD on April 17, 2024

Who can say no to a decadent dessert with 10 grams of protein? These chocolate peanut butter protein bars will become your new favorite healthy snack.

I’m a dietitian and I LOVE sweets.

A lot of the time, I just serve myself a regular Oreo or Reese’s and call it a day. But I also love to keep better-for-me sweets on hand so when I want a treat that’s good for my body, I have the option available.

These chocolate peanut butter protein bars satisfy my sweet tooth and nourish my body. They’re incredibly tasty (my picky husband agrees), and yet, they’re rich in protein, healthy fats, fiber, and they’re super filling, too.

These easy protein bars are healthy but they don’t taste healthy, and I know you’ll love them!

Why you’ll love this recipe

High protein: Each bar contains 10 grams of protein to keep you full.

Healthy fats: The peanut butter and ground flaxseeds offer good-for-you fats to support your heart and health.

Lower sugar: These delicious bars are lightly sweetened with maple syrup and are much lower in sugar than your typical candy bar.

So delicious: These absolutely rival Reese’s cups. They have the PERFECT sweet and salty balance but they’re way more nutritious and balanced.

Super easy: Stir, cool, and slice. That’s all you need to do to make this incredible sweet snack!

Ingredient notes

Here’s what you’ll need to make these high protein chocolate peanut butter bars:

• Natural peanut butter — look for one where peanuts is the only ingredient
• Vanilla protein powder — don’t use unflavored here
• Powdered peanut butter — PB&Me and PB2 are popular brands
• Ground flaxseeds — golden roasted flaxseeds are my favorite, but use what you can find
• Maple syrup — sub honey or agave
• Salt
• Chocolate chips — feel free to use low sugar chocolate chips or dairy-free if needed
• Flakey salt — technically optional, but I wouldn’t recommend skipping this

How to make them

Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter, protein powder, peanut powder, flaxseeds, maple syrup, and salt. Mix together with a spoon or spatula until well-combined. The texture should resemble a thick cookie dough and should form a ball when pressed together.

Transfer the dough to your loaf pan.

Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, press it onto parchment paper until it forms an even layer covering the pan. Make it as flat as you can.

In a microwave safe dish, microwave chocolate chips in 30-second intervals. Stir between each interval to avoid burning. Microwave until the chocolate chips are just melted and smooth.

Pour the melted chocolate over the protein bars and use the back of a spoon to spread it in an even layer. Immediately top chocolate with sea salt and transfer to the fridge. Cool for at least 1 hour.

Remove the parchment paper and chocolate peanut butter protein bars from the fridge and slice into squares. Keep stored in a covered container in the fridge and enjoy!

Tips and tricks

• Make sure your natural peanut butter is fresh runny
• Don’t overpack the protein powder or ground flaxseed when measuring
• If the dough looks too dry, add an extra scoop of peanut butter
• If the dough looks too runny, add an extra scoop of protein powder

Products I used

• Vanilla whey protein powder
• Ground flaxseeds (this is the BEST brand and tastes so nutty)
• Peanut powder (any brand works)
• Flakey sea salt

How to store

Once your protein bars have cooled and the chocolate has set, slice into 10 squares.

Transfer to a large food container with a lid and store in the fridge for up to one week.

Chocolate peanut butter protein bars can also be frozen and defrosted in the fridge overnight.

Frequently asked questions

published on Apr 17, 2024

13 comments Leave a comment »