These Homemade Protein Bars are easy to make—no baking or stove needed! Made with everyday ingredients, no special shopping required.
author’s note
Homemade Bars > Store-Bought!
Last year, my husband’s trainer told him he needed more protein. He’s never been a fan of protein or granola bars, but he wanted something quick he could snack on or take with him. So, I was determined to make a homemade protein bar he’d actually enjoy—and as a bonus, skip all those store-bought bars with ingredients I can’t even pronounce.
I’ve always loved bars like Perfect Bars, G2G Bars, and Go Macro Bars for their flavor, texture, and more reasonable ingredients, so that’s the kind of vibe I was going for when I started testing. After a few tries, I landed on the most delicious bar—and now I can’t stop making them. I have to double every batch because they disappear so fast.
And the best part? They’re saving my grocery budget too. Homemade wins all around!
How To Make Homemade Protein Bars
- Prep the Pan: Line a bread pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Blend Oats: Pulse oats in a food processor until they resemble coarse flour.
- Mix Ingredients: Add the rest of the bar ingredients. Pulse until it forms a thick dough.
- Press Into Pan: Transfer the dough to the pan. Press it down firmly and evenly.
- Optional Chocolate Drizzle: Melt chocolate chips with oil, then drizzle over the bars.Chill: Refrigerate for about an hour until firm.
- Cut and Serve: Lift out the set bars using the parchment, slice them, and enjoy.
It doesn’t get much easier than that!
Is Making Your Own Protein Bars Cheaper?
Yes, making your own protein bars is almost always cheaper in the long run. The ingredients might cost a bit more upfront, but you can make a big batch—so each bar ends up costing way less.
Store-bought bars usually run between $1.50 to $3.00 each, while homemade ones can be much more budget-friendly depending on what you use.
Plus, you get to control exactly what goes in them—no mystery ingredients—and you can tweak the recipe to match your flavor and texture preferences perfectly!
Ingredients In Homemade Protein Bars
- Old-fashioned oats: Give the bars shape and a chewy texture.
- Peanut butter: Smooth works best. You can also use cashew or almond butter.
- Honey: Sweetens and holds everything together. Add more or less to taste.
- Vanilla extract: Adds flavor but is optional.
- Salt: Makes everything taste better. Skip if using salted peanut butter.
- Vanilla protein powder: If your protein powder is already sweet, use less honey. You can add more later if needed.
- Mini chocolate chips: Use dark chocolate for less sweetness.
- Optional chocolate drizzle: Skip for a simpler bar.
Storage
Storing Homemade Protein Bars
Store the bars in an airtight container or bag in the fridge. They’re best if eaten within a week but can last up to two weeks. These bars get soft and melty if left out in a warm environment.
More Protein-Packed Recipes:
Breakfast
Protein Breakfast Cookies
Shakes And Smoothies
Pumpkin Protein Shake
Snacks
Chocolate Energy Bites
Homemade Protein Bars
Equipment
- Small blender or mini food processor
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup peanut butter stir well if using a natural butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract optional
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup vanilla protein powder see note 1
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 teaspoon melted coconut oil
Instructions
- Line bread pan (8.5 x 4.5-inch) with parchment paper or foil. Leave an overhang for easy removal of bars and set aside.
- Add oats in a small blender or food processor. Pulse for about 15–20 seconds until oats resemble a coarse flour. Add remaining “Protein Bars” ingredients. Pulse until well combined into a thick dough. Scrape edges as needed.
- Press the dough firmly and evenly into the prepared bread pan.
- Combine chocolate chips with coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in bursts of 15 seconds, stirring in between each burst for 10 seconds until the chocolate is smooth. Transfer chocolate to a plastic bag, cut off the tip of the bag, and drizzle chocolate over the bars. If desired, sprinkle a light dusting of sea salt.
- Pop in the fridge until bars are set and firm, about an hour.
- Remove from the fridge and, using the overhang, pull the bars from the pan. Cut into 10 to 12 bars.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
DANGER-these are so good that it’s easy to gobble 600 calories in an instant 😂. Seriously though I made these with almond butter which I far prefer over peanut butter, omitted coconut (for once in my life) and used Orgain vanilla protein powder. Just SO GOOD. I also made some with chocolate powder and they’re almost as good. YUM YUM!
YAY! I’m so happy to hear this! Thanks Stephanie! 🙂
Is there a viedo available on theese bars
Not yet! But here’s a step by step tutorial: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17883403064020029/
Can the bars be used when on KETO
I’m so sorry I’m not familiar enough with the KETO diet to give recommendations; I’d work with a nutritionist on that!
thank you for this recipe, I eat commercial protein bars all the time, but very few measure up for long, just get sick of them and most are loaded with sugar, so really nice to be able to make my own with your recipe