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If you are looking for a post workout snack or a mid-afternoon energy boost, these vegan protein bars are so perfect! Quick to make with just a handful of ingredients, they are gluten-free, dairy free and loaded with plant-based protein.
Ingredients to make your own protein bars
- Rolled oats: Oats are naturally gluten-free and a great source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Use rolled oats for the best texture. Quick oats will also work well, but it’s best to avoid steel cut oats as they will be tougher to eat.
- Natural peanut butter: I prefer to use natural peanut butter as it doesn’t contain any added salt, sugar or oils. You can use peanut butter with oil and cane sugar though. It’s also easy to make your own peanut butter.
- Dates: Dates provide natural sweetness, eliminating the need for refined sugar and also help to make the mixture sticky and bind well.
- Almond milk: To keep these bars vegan, I op to make them with almond milk. If you are not vegan, you can use dairy milk. Alternatively other plant based milks like oat or soy will also work well or even just water!
- Vanilla extract: For a little extra sweetness and to help bring all of the flavors together. Use pure vanilla rather than imitation if you can.
- Protein powder: I add vegan protein powder to boost each bar to a whopping 13g of protein. I use a plain flavored powder.
- Ground Flaxseed: I use flaxseeds wherever I can! They are loaded with healthy essential fats as well as a good amount of protein. When ground, flaxseed can actually help bind the way egg whites would.
- Salt: A little salt helps to balance out the sweetness of the other ingredients.
- Dark chocolate chips: Because everything is better with a little chocolate! Dark chocolate is also a great source of antioxidants.
How do you make homemade protein bars
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the peanut butter, dates, almond milk and vanilla extract. These are the wet ingredients that I like to blend together first.
- Blend until the mixture is smooth and consistent. It will look like a super thick nut butter.
- Add the oats, protein powder, ground flaxseed and salt.
- Pulse a few times until the ingredients are well combined
Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula or your hands. I find it easier to just use my hands.
Press the mixture into the prepared pan and flatten out the top with your hands or the back of a spoon. Place in the freezer until it sets, about 15 minutes.
Remove from the pan and slice into 10 equal bars.
Tips for making homemade protein bars
- Wet your hands with water or oil when handling the batter. Because of the sticky nature of using dates to sweeten the recipe, it will be very sticky so this tip will help you manage the dough.
- Use your hands for mixing the chocolate chips into the batter. Once you pulse everything in the food processor, it helps to use your hands for folding in the chocolate chips because it’s much easier. It also allows you to mix in anything the food processor missed.
- Set the batter in an 8×8 baking pan with straight edges. This size and the straight edges will help you form the best looking protein bars that look like the packaged ones.
- Soften dates with warm water if necessary. If you have very fresh dates that feel soft, you won’t need to do this. However, if the dates are older or feel more tough, softening them will help them more easily blend and bind to the other ingredients.
Popular substitutions & additions
- Make with Oath Overnight Oats: This is a brand I launched to create convenient packages of my oatmeal recipes. Try substituting equal parts of the Mountain Wild Blueberry mix in this recipe instead of rolled oats.
- Add shredded coconut. Mix in about a cup of shredded coconut to make these oat bars extra chewy and delicious!
- Add chopped nuts. You can’t go wrong with a handful of walnuts, almonds, or pecans mixed into these bars. Toast them first for an extra nutty flavor and crunch.
Frequently asked questions
These bars will last for up to 7 days. Store the bars in the fridge in an airtight container. Don’t store them at room temperature as the natural peanut butter will soften too much.
It’s so easy to make a batch of protein bars that you can enjoy all week. It is considerably cheaper to make your own, and it takes no more than 10 minutes to make a batch. You know exactly what goes in to each bite.
I like to have a protein bar either 30 minutes before a workout or directly after it to replenish my energy. They are also far better option than reaching for a chocolate bar when you are experiencing a mid day slump in energy. I’ve also been known to grab one of these when I run out the door early in the morning.
These vegan protein bars are so great for a quick energy boost, whether it’s post workout or for a mid afternoon pick me up. It’s so quick and easy to make a batch and have on hand throughout the week to keep those cravings at bay.
More vegan treats
- No Bake Energy Bites
- Chocolate Coconut Balls
- No Bake Pumpkin Balls
- Oatmeal Banana Cups
- Almond Joy Bites
- Cookie Dough Bars
- Caramel Apple Granola Bars
- DIY Hot Cocoa Bombs
- Edible Cookie Dough
- Matcha Chia Pudding
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Vegan Protein Bars recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
Vegan Protein Bars
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 8 large pitted dates
- ¼ cup almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- ½ cup vegan protein powder
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup mini dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhanging paper on the sides. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the peanut butter, dates, almond milk and vanilla extract. Blend until the mixture is smooth and consistent, about 1 minute.
- Stop the food processor to scrape down the sides, then add the oats, protein powder, ground flaxseed and salt. Pulse a few times until the ingredients are well combined. The mixture should have a cookie dough-like texture. If it’s too dry, add a splash of milk. If it’s too wet, add more protein powder and pulse again.
- Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula or your hands.
- Press the mixture into the prepared pan and flatten out the top with your hands or the back of a spoon. It helps to spray your hands with oil when pressing down. Place in the freezer until it sets, about 15 minutes.
- Use the overhanging parchment paper to lift from the baking pan, and slice into 8 bars. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Equal amounts chia seeds instead of ground flaxseed
- Any liquid instead of almond milk
- ½ maple syrup instead of the dates
- Quick oats instead of rolled oats
- Any nut butter or sunflower butter instead of peanut butter
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Have made these several times… making them again now!! Thank YOU!!!
You’re so welcome!! Thank you for making them!
So good! I followed the recipe pretty much as written, except I used soy milk instead of almond milk since that’s what I keep on hand. I also soaked my dates in warm water as suggested, and ended up adding a little of the warm water to my wet ingredients. These taste almost exactly like the RXBAR A.M. Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars that I was trying to find a cheaper replacement for (maybe a little less sweet)! When I compared nutrition facts using My Fitness Pal, these end up having less salt, 2g more fiber, 2g more protein, less sugar, and more healthy fats (they both have 2 g saturated fat) than the RX Bars.
For nutrition reference, I used Teddie All Natural Peanut Butter, Silk Organic Unsweet Soy Milk, and Hemp Yeah! Unsweetened Max Protein Powder.
Super easy to make, so glad I found this post-workout alternative! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much for sharing all the info and your variations!
Hi!
Thanks for the recipe! I need a healthy protein bar for my quick work lunches.
Unfortunately, mine mostly crumbled apart. I’m thinking I’ll try again with more pb and maybe mixing the flax and “milk” together first? I thought I had the correct texture, but I guess not. Any advice you can offer I would appreciate!
Thanks again,
Brooke
Hi there! So sorry to hear these didn’t come out as you expected. For the dates you used, did you soften them first? Sometimes if the dates are too firm the mixture won’t come together as it’s meant to. If you have dates that are on the firmer side, you can soften them in warm water for about 10 minutes, then drain them and proceed with the recipe as written. Hope this helps!
Thank you! The dates were on the dry side. I didn’t realize. I haven’t used dates before. I will try softening them. Do you cut them up before you put them in? Thanks again!
These are excellent!! Easy to make with a big enough food processor!! Love your recipes!!! So good… and so good for you!!!
Hi! Has anyone tried making these without dates (or any other sweetener like agave/maple etc.). I unfortunately have some intolerances and need to stay clear of any sweetener for the time being but looking for a healthy, protein-rich snack. The other ingredients are right up my alley. Maybe I could increase the amount of peanut butter to achieve a better texture? Appreciate that the bars may not taste sweet enough without the dates or sweetener but I’m willing to try :))
You can make these without the dates, they just won’t be sweet, but they should still be good! I hope you enjoy!
Thanks so much – they turned out pretty well and I like the taste. Had to add a lot more almond milk (naturally) to make adjust the texture but super pleased with the outcome. Thank you for the recipe!
Hi, I don’t have protein powder. What can replace it with in this recipe?
I don’t think there is anything you can really replace it with, you can leave it out though if you want.
Easy to make and tasty. Great knowing exactly what I am eating
Right! So many of the things they hide in protein bars these days are scary. So glad you liked them!
I’ve made this twice & ❤️ them!!!
I made my own almond milk, used Nuttzo
Power Fuel, 7 Nut & Seed Butter & Evolved Chocolate Dark Chocolate Chips. OMG….Soooo Delicious!
Wow!! That sounds amazing!! So glad you liked them!
Great protein bars . They are delicious .
Thank you so much, Douglas!
I just finished making these. Very delicious!!!! I changed the recipe a bit by using some ground pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and ground hemp seeds for the protein and added some desiccated coconut. I omitted the chocolate as did not have any. As they were very sticky I used half of the mixture and rolled them into balls and coated with desiccated coconut to dry them out. The other half remain bars for now! Very lovely flavour. Thank you so much. Will be making again! Next time might add some carob powder 🙂
Thank you! That sounds like a delicious way to switch it up. You’re so welcome! Hope you continue to enjoy it!