If you are looking for a simple recipe to stock your freezer with that checks all of the “boxes”, this is it! These dark chocolate peanut butter protein bars are AMAZING! Who doesn’t love the chocolate peanut butter combo?
- Gluten Free
- High Protein
- Low Carb
- Simple
- Delicious
- Salty/Sweet…the best part!
Pull up a chair and let’s talk about how difficult it is to keep the house stocked with food that the kids (and husband) will eat and we feel good about feeding them. We go through periods where we eat SOOOOOO many beef sticks. Trying to get protein seems impossible. In order to not get bored with any eating habit, we have to have variety.
These, along with the Fruit and Nut Bar Recipe, are our go to for salty/sweet snacks.
Table of Contents
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As a busy mom, there is a constant struggle to find snacks the kids enjoy but that also contain healthy ingredients. This recipe checks all the boxes and is a crowd pleaser, even for mom and dad!
Ingredients needed for these chocolate peanut butter protein bars
- Nut Butter-Peanut, Almond, Sunflower seed, you pick!
- Flax seed meal
- Vanilla Protein Powder
- Honey
- Coconut Oil
- Vanilla Extract
- Flaky salt
- Dark Chocolate
No crazy equipment needed!
- 9″x13″ straight sided pan. I have a 1/4 sheet cake pan I like to use. You can also use a cookie sheet as long as it is at least 1″ deep. A half batch of this recipe fits in an 8″x8″ pan.
- Parchment paper
- Mixing Bowl
- Measuring Cups
- Liquid Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Weights included if you want to use a scale
- Wooden Spoon or Rubber Spatula
- Cutting Board
- Chef’s Knife
Let’s get started making these dark chocolate peanut butter protein bars
- Add peanut butter, vanilla, honey and melted coconut oil to a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Add protein powder and flax seed meal. Stir until combined. WIll be the texture of cookie dough as it combines.
- Line your 9″x13″ baking dish with parchment paper. Dump peanut butter mixture into the lined pan.
- Using a rubber spatula or your hand, press mixture into the bottom of the pan and to the edges. Work to get it as even as possible.
- Place pan in the freezer for 20 minutes. While this cools, melt your dark chocolate.
- Remove chilled dough from the freezer and pour melted chocolate over the top. Using a rubber spatula, smooth the chocolate to cover the entire top of the dough. Allow the chocolate to set for 2-3 minutes before you sprinkle your flaky chocolate on or it will dissolve.
- Place pan back in the freezer for at least 45 minutes before cutting.
- Pull up on the edges of the parchment paper to remove bars from the pan. Place on a large cutting board.
- Cut bars with a sharp chef knife into 24 squares
- ENJOY!
Cutting your Bars
Some things I have found to make these cut prettier:
Pull the pan from the freezer and allow them to warm up just slightly to prevent the chocolate from cracking.
If they are sticking to your knife, fill a tall glass with HOT water and dip your blade into the water to warm the blade. Dry the knife off before cutting.
Storing your dark chocolate peanut butter protein bars
After you cut the bars, you can wrap them individually in parchment paper squares or just stack them in a sealed glass dish. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
FAQ Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars
Do I need to make any adjustments based on what nut butter I use?
You want to find a nut butter that is just Nuts or Seeds. This recipe has honey and dark chocolate in it, so I do think it is too sweet if you use a peanut butter that is already sweetened.
Can I leave out the Flax Seed Meal
Of course! You may need to add a few extra tablespoons of protein powder to help thicken up your peanut butter mixture if you leave this out. This helps the dough have a firm texture and hold together. It also adds omega-3 fatty acids!
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars
Equipment
- 1 9×13 pan
- 1 Sharp knife Chef knife is easiest
Ingredients
- 380 grams Nut butter (Peanut, almond, sun) 1 1/2 cups
- 80 grams flax seed meal
- 135 grams Vanilla Protein Powder 1 cup
- 170 grams honey 1/2 cup
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 oz Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips
- 1 Tbsp Flaky sea salt for garnish
Instructions
- Add peanut butter, vanilla, honey and melted coconut oil to a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Add protein powder and flax seed meal. Stir until combined. WIll be the texture of cookie dough as it combines.
- Line your 9"x13" baking dish with parchment paper. Dump peanut butter mixture into the lined pan.
- Using a rubber spatula or your hand, press mixture into the bottom of the pan and to the edges. Work to get it as even as possible.
- Place pan in the freezer for 20 minutes. While this cools, melt your dark chocolate.
- Remove chilled dough from the freezer and pour melted chocolate over the top. Using a rubber spatula, smooth the chocolate to cover the entire top of the dough. Allow the chocolate to set for 2-3 minutes before you sprinkle your flaky salt on or it will dissolve.
- Place pan back in the freezer for at least 45 minutes before cutting.
- Pull up on the edges of the parchment paper to remove bars from the pan. Place on a large cutting board. Cut bars with a sharp chef knife into 24 squaresENJOY!
Nutrition
These Decadent Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars are TRULY a must have for anyone trying to keep processed food out of the pantry. We all need a sweet treat every once in a while and you do not have to feel guilty about these!
THANK YOU!
Thank you so much for trying this recipe, I hope you love this Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bar recipe as much as my family does. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram or Facebook! And, please leave a comment or star rating below. I love to see everyone be successful in the journey to a healthier lifestyle with fresh milled flour! Don’t hesitate to contact me with any question, chances are we will both learn something from us working through it together!
Happy Baking!
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