No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars (Gluten-free, Low-Carb)

These chocolate peanut butter protein bars are made with only 5 (very healthy) ingredients. They are also very simple to make when done the right way. This clean eating snack can be enjoyed as a delicious dessert or even for breakfast! It is gluten-free, grain-free, keto, egg-free, low-carb and flourless. Dairy-free / vegan version also available in the recipe section.

Chocolate coated snacks might seem intimidating at first, but trust me, they aren't so hard to make! You'll just have to spend a little more time in the kitchen, that's all.

Plus, in case you'd prefer not to give it a shot, you can always pour the chocolate over the peanut butter flavored base for an easier, foolproof version.

BUT. If on the other hand, you want to look like a genius self-taught master confectioner, who makes healthy & delicious protein-packed chocolate coated snacks during his/her spare time, then read on!

Ingredients for Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars

1. Almond Flour. A very healthy, low-carb alternative to traditional all-purpose flour. It has a very subtle flavor and it is one of the most used flours for gluten-free/low-carb cooking. (if not the most used)
2. Whey Protein Powder. Use isolate whey protein powder for the low-carb/keto version. If low-carb is not your thing though, any type of whey will do the trick. The texture "might" be slightly different from one type to another, but not enough to make a real difference. Please refer to the recipe section for the plant-based version.
3. Peanut Butter. A cheap and reliable source of high-quality fats and protein. I just love peanut butter!
4. Coconut Flour. Another very popular low-carb flour. This one is more tricky to work with as it absorbs much more moisture than most other types of flour. I typically use it when I want to absorb as much liquid as possible in a recipe. For this particular recipe, I wanted the inside to be thick and firm, coconut flour was the perfect addition.
5. Coating Chocolate. For my sugar-free, low-carb and keto crowd, you will want to use sugar-free coating chocolate. If you can't find it locally, a quick google search will allow you to either buy some online or make your own. Additionally, this recipe for sugar-free coating chocolate from Dessert with Benefits will certainly do the trick.

How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars from Scratch

1. Prepare the base. In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the ingredients (except for chocolate) until they turn into a semi-hard ball of dough. Press the dough evenly into a 10X10 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper.

2. Freeze. Place the baking pan in the freezer overnight, or for about 4 hours.

3. Melt chocolate. Melt the coating chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat. (Don't overheat!)

4. Cut the base into bars. Use a long sharp knife and a good cutting board.

5. Coat the bars in chocolate. Remove saucepan from heat. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place it near the saucepan. Hold one of the bars over the saucepan using a fork (place the fork under the bar). Pour some melted chocolate on top of the bar until it is entirely coated. Place the bar on the baking sheet. Repeat this step for every bar.

6. Freeze the bars. You can now either place the bars in the freezer or in the fridge, for about 30 minutes or until the chocolate is completely solid.

7. Store. Altough these bars are stable at room temperature, my advice is to store them either in the fridge or in the freezer, in a sealed container. They will not only last longer this way, but they will also taste better! These can be kept up to 3 days at room temperature, 7 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are homemade protein bars healthy? Most of the time, I would say yes! In fact, most protein bar recipes are healthier than their store-bought counterpart, for the simple reason that you know exactly what you put into them. Plus, people who eat protein bars generally are health-conscious, so most protein bar recipes you will find online will be relatively healthy. One thing to watch for though is the amount of sugar which is used in any particular recipe (and which type!), as some recipes will call for way too much sweet. Look for recipes which call for reasonable amounts of natural sweeteners ( For example, ¼ to ⅓ cup maple syrup, for the whole recipe, is what I would consider reasonable). A quick look at the nutrition information label (on websites which offer them) is also, usually, a good way to know if you should skip, or make the recipe.

2. How do you wrap homemade protein bars? What I usually do is I simply wrap them in plastic wrap. If you plan on bringing more than one, place a layer of parchment paper between the bars.

3. How do you store homemade protein bars? I simply place them in a sealed container either on the counter (up to 3 days) or in the fridge (up to 7 days.). You can also keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months, but if you plan on keeping them this long, wrap them in plastic first.

4. How long do homemade protein bars last? In a sealed container: 3 days on the counter, 7 days in the fridge and up to three months in the freezer.

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Recipe

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No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars

These healthy chocolate peanut butter protein bars are the perfect post-workout reward.

Course Dessert, Snacks

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes

Servings 12 Bars

Calories 223 kcal

Ingredients

Whey Version

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 cup vanilla whey protein powder Use ISO for low-carb version
• 1 cup peanut butter natural, smooth
• ⅓ cup coconut flour
• 2 cups sugar-free chocolate or any other type of coating chocolate

Plant-Based Version

• 1 ½ cup almond flour
• ¼ cup vanilla plant-based protein powder I used the brand VEGA
• 1 cup peanut butter
• ½ cup coconut flour
• 2 cups sugar-free chocolate (plant-based) or any other type of vegan chocolate

Instructions

1. Line a 10X10 inch baking pan with parchment paper.

2. Place all of the ingredients, except for chocolate, in a large mixing bowl, stir until well combined using a fork, then use your hands to finish mixing the dough into a semi-hard ball.

3. Press the dough evenly into the baking pan using your hands.

4. Transfer the baking pan to the freezer. Freeze overnight or for more than 4 hours.

5. When you are ready to finish the bars, melt the chocolate over low heat in a small saucepan. 

6. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and place it near your saucepan. (Make sure there is no heat coming from underneath the cookie sheet if you decide to place it directly on the oven aside the saucepan. I know, available counter space can get sparse, sometimes!)

7. Take the baking pan out of the freezer and place the frozen slab of dough on a large cutting board, removing the parchment paper. Cut the slab into bars using a long, sharp knife. The number of bars you make is up to you. (This recipe's nutritional information was calculated for 12 bars)

8. Wait until your chocolate is completely liquid, then hold a bar over the melted chocolate. (Use a fork or any other similar tool and place it under the bar to hold it.) Using a spoon, slowly pour some liquid chocolate over the bar making sure to coat it entirely and as evenly as possible. Place the bar on the cookie sheet

9. Repeat the previous step for every single bar.

10. Transfer the cookie sheet to the refrigerator or freezer to solidify the chocolate coating for about 30 minutes.

11. These bars are shelf-stable and can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days in a sealed container. 7 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer.

    * See notes for additional storing instructions.

Recipe Notes

*I store my bars in the fridge, they just taste better this way! If you plan on freezing them for several weeks, you can wrap them in plastic individually or in stacks of 2-3 with a layer of parchment paper between each bar. Allow the bars to thaw for a good 30 minutes at room temp before eating. (I don't want you to break a tooth!)

Note: Nutrition information was calculated using the whey version of this recipe only.

Nutrition Facts

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars

Amount Per Serving

Calories 223 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 134mg6%

Potassium 237mg7%

Carbohydrates 7g2%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 215IU4%

Vitamin C 2.6mg3%

Calcium 72mg7%

Iron 1.6mg9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.