These healthy no bake peanut butter protein bars made with oatmeal contain only four simple ingredients, are packed full of protein and are super easy to prepare! Made in less than 15 minutes, these low sugar protein bars are the perfect healthy snack for on-the-go. Ditch the store-bought bars and make your own! {Gluten-free & vegan-friendly}
Table of Contents
Low Sugar Protein Bars
Have you ever gone on a hunt for pre-made convenient snacks to throw into your lunch bag or take with you on the go that aren’t full of a bunch of sugar and other highly processed ingredients?
I know that I’m often on a mission to find these types of snacks. But they’re tough to find!
That’s why I LOVE these homemade peanut butter protein bars. They’re no-bake, yummy, low sugar, unprocessed and so easy to make!
Made with peanut butter, oatmeal, protein powder and almond milk (yes, just 4 wholesome ingredients!), these protein oat bars are soft, chewy and lightly sweetened for an energy-packed snack or breakfast.
So much better than the store-bought bars and easily customizable too!
For more healthy bar recipes, check out these healthy oatmeal bars and this healthy granola bar recipe!
Benefits of these No-Bake Peanut Butter Protein Bars
- Quick & easy: You can make these bars in less than 10 minutes, and they’ll last the entire week. Win win!
- Great for meal prep: Usually, I like to whip up a batch of these oatmeal protein bars on the weekend and store them in the freezer in individual snack bags so that they’re all ready to just grab and go during the week. This is one of my strategies for having ready-made healthy snacks so that I’m less likely to grab for those not-so-healthy convenience foods.
- Low sugar: These bars only contain 2 grams of sugar if you choose to skip the maple syrup. Not many protein bars meet that criteria!
Ingredient Notes
- Oats: I typically use large flake oats (also known as rolled oats) for a chewier consistency. You can also use quick oats if that’s what you have.
- Peanut butter: Helps to bind the protein bar together and incorporate healthy fats and extra protein. Use natural peanut butter for best results. The only ingredient on the list should be “peanuts.” You can also sub in almond butter or cashew butter.
- Vanilla protein powder: Contributes protein and natural sweetness. You can use whey or a plant based vanilla protein powder.
- Almond milk: Helps add moisture to the bars so they aren’t too dry. Use unsweetened almond milk or sub in regular cow’s milk or another milk alternative, if preferred.
- Maple syrup (optional): If you prefer sweeter bars, you can add in 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup. Honey or brown rice syrup can also be used if preferred.
How to Make Healthy Protein Bars – Step by Step Instructions
- To start, in a large bowl, mix together the oats and vanilla protein powder.
- Next, add the peanut butter, almond milk, and maple syrup, if desired. Stir until well combined and slightly sticky.
TIP: The mixture should be sticky enough that it binds together, but not so sticky that it becomes gooey. Add one tablespoon of additional almond milk at a time if you feel that mixture requires more moisture or a bit more oatmeal if it’s too sticky.
- Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper and press the mixture into the pan with a spatula or your fingers until equally distributed, ensuring that you’re pressing it into the corners of the pan. Place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Remove from freezer and cut the mixture into 8 equal-sized bars. You may need to let it thaw out for a few minutes before you can cut through the bars.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full homemade protein bar recipe!
Recipe Tips for the Best Protein Bars
- Adjust milk as necessary: You may need to adjust how much almond milk you add based on the type of protein powder used. Generally, I find that vegan protein powders produce a thicker consistency and usually require slightly more liquid than a whey protein powder.
- Wet the spatula with a bit of water before pressing down the mixture in the baking dish to prevent it from sticking to the spatula.
- Experiment with add-ins: Feel free to play around with these bars and customize them with chocolate, dried fruit or other tasty add-ins (see below for some suggestions)!
Storage Guidelines
- Room temperature: You can store these bars at room temperature for up to 24 hours.
- Refrigerator: Store the bars individually wrapped in saran wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezer: You can store them in the freezer for up to three months. If storing them stacked, be sure to separate them with some parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together.
Recipe FAQs
You can use a whey or plant based vanilla protein powder for this recipe. I typically look for one with the least amount of processed ingredients and no artificial sweeteners.
The key to making good tasting protein bars is using a protein powder that you actually ENJOY. Because if you don’t like the taste of the protein powder, you probably won’t like the taste of the bars.
You can use large flake oats or quick oats. The primary difference will be the consistency of the bars.
With large flake, the bars will be a little bit more chewy, whereas the quick will produce a smoother, less chewy consistency. I’ve used both kinds and had good results with each.
This really is a personal preference. If you choose to omit it, the bars will be only lightly sweetened by the protein powder. This option is especially good if you’re looking to reduce the added sugars in your diet. Some individuals, however, may wish to have a sweeter bar so in that case, I would recommend adding the maple syrup.
Keep in mind that the maple syrup will add a few extra grams of sugar to each bar. Even with the addition of the maple syrup though, these bars will still be lower in sugar than your typical store-bought bar.
Protein bars are a good option for a pre or post-workout snack to aid recovery and rebuild muscle, while replenishing your energy storage units. Additionally, you can eat them as a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack to keep those energy levels up throughout the day and bridge the gap between meal times. Finally, you can eat protein bars as a quick breakfast on the go, however I recommend pairing them with some fruit or veggies for a more balanced meal.
Not all protein bars are created equally, as many of them are loaded with sugar and other processed ingredients.
These homemade protein bars are a healthier option since they contain 4 grams of fibre per serving, and are low in sugar since the sweetness is primarily coming from the protein powder. I always recommend looking for a bar with at least 4 grams of fibre and less than 8 grams of sugar, so these bars meet that criteria.
They also have the perfect balance of healthy fats, complex carbohydrates and contain 14 grams of protein for a power-packed snack!
Optional Add-Ins:
This peanut butter protein bar recipe is designed to be very basic, so you can jazz it up any way that you please! You can either eat the bars as is, or feel free to add in the following options:
- Mini dark chocolate chips
- Pumpkin seeds
- Flax seed
- Hemp hearts
- Chia seeds
- Flaked coconut
- Dried fruit
- Drizzle or layer of melted chocolate on top
- Vanilla extract
- Sprinkle of sea salt
Recipe Variations & Substitutions
- To make these gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free rolled oats to ensure there is no cross-contamination with gluten.
- To make vegan: For plant based protein bars, use a vegan vanilla protein powder.
- To make nut-free: Sub in wow butter, sunflower seed or pumpkin seed butter instead of the peanut butter and use a rice milk or soy milk instead of almond milk.
At the end of the day, I recommend clearing the cupboard of those packaged granola bars and making your own protein-infused bars.
It’s SO easy and so much better for you in the long run!
What Readers Are Saying
“Great recipe! For kids and adults post workout!” – Ceci
“Thank you so much for this quick recipe. I love protein bars and I hate all the additives they put in store bought ones. These are so quick and delicious. I did add dark chocolate chips too…. YUMMY!!!” – Lauren
“Added some choc chips and coconut flakes :)” – Jess
“I loved this recipe; I might use a different protein powder or 1/4 cup Natural PB and 1/4 cup sweetened PB for a better flavor. I loved the texture!” – Tierra
More healthy bars & bites
- 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls
- 3-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Bars
- Healthy Rice Krispie Treats
- No Bake Oatmeal Balls
- Homemade Larabars
- Lemon Larabar Recipe
- Key Lime Protein Bars
- Sweet Potato Bars
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Protein Bars {Low Sugar}
Ingredients
- 2 cups large flake oats use gluten-free if necessary
- 2 scoops vanilla protein powder (about 1/2 cup)
- ½ cup natural peanut butter
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk or a little more if the mixture still seems dry. You want it to be slightly sticky so that it all binds together
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the oats and vanilla protein powder.
- Next, add the peanut butter, almond milk, and maple syrup, if desired. Stir until well combined and slightly sticky. The mixture should bind together but not be gooey.
- Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and press the mixture into the pan with a spatula until equally distributed. Place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Remove from freezer and cut the mixture into 8 equal-sized bars using a sharp knife. You may need to allow mixture to thaw out for a few minutes before you can cut through the bars.
- Place each bar in a little Ziploc bag or saran wrap and store in fridge or freezer.
Video
Notes
- Adjust milk as necessary: You may need to adjust how much almond milk you add based on the type of protein powder used. Generally, I find that vegan protein powders produce a thicker consistency and usually require slightly more liquid than a whey protein powder.
- Wet the spatula with a bit of water before pressing down the mixture in the baking dish to prevent it from sticking to the spatula.
- Experiment with add-ins: Feel free to play around with these bars and customize them with chocolate, dried fruit or other tasty add-ins (see below for some suggestions)!
- To store: You can store these bars in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months.
Nutrition
UPDATED: This recipe was originally posted in January 2016, and was updated with helpful tips in June 2022.
I followed the recipe as posted. They taste great but are really soft and sticky. I did add a small amount of extra almond milk because the mixture was too dry to combine the ingredients properly. Could that extra milk cause the bars to not firm up? Or maybe the type or consistency of peanut butter?
There could be a few different factors involved. Did you add any type of liquid sweetener? That could result in some extra stickiness especially if you added more milk. It’s possible that you might have added a bit too much almond milk as well, which might have caused them to become more sticky. Like you said, it could also be the consistency of the peanut butter since some peanut butters are runnier than others. Or, it may have to do with the protein powder that you used since different types of protein powders tend to absorb liquid differently. It might require a bit of experimentation to get the consistency right based on all of these factors. Next time, I would follow the recipe, and if it’s too dry, add a teaspoon of extra almond milk and mix again to see if the consistency is right. If still too dry, add another teaspoon and mix again. It should have just enough liquid that you can press the mixture into bars, but not to the point where the bars are super sticky. Hope that helps!
Super easy, tasty, and a great alternative to unhealthier snacks. :) The only changes I made were swapping out the almond milk for Fairlife (that’s all we had!) and adding a drizzle of melted choc. chips on top. Delish!
So glad you enjoyed them! I bet they were delicious with the drizzle of melted chocolate! Thanks for taking the time to leave a rating and review :)
Almond milk has 1 gram of protein per cup. Soy milk has 8 grams per cup. Why, in a recipe for protein bars, would you recommend almond milk instead of soy? More people have nut allergies than soy allergies so that is not a valid reason.
In the post it says that you can use any type of milk that you prefer. I use almond milk because that’s typically what I have on hand. At the end of the day, the milk isn’t going to contribute that much extra protein anyways. Half a cup of milk, whether it be cow’s milk or soy, has 4 grams of protein which would contribute half a gram of extra protein per bar since the recipe makes 8 bars. Feel free to sub in soy for almond milk if you wish!
first time making homemade protein bars, I followed the recipe besides the maple syrup. my boyfriend prefers the least amount of sugar. they seem to be falling apart though, any suggestions on why this might be happening? I read through the comments and didn’t see anyone else having that issue.
Hmmm..you may need to add a bit of extra almond milk if the mixture seems too dry. That’s probably what’s causing them to fall apart. Since brands of peanut butter and protein powder vary in their consistency, you’ll have to adjust the amount of liquid added according to how dry the mixture is. Hope that helps!
Great recipe! I wanted something very simple with the ingredients I had at hand, so this fit the bill. I only had banana-flavoured protein powder and coconut milk, and it still turned out fine. Can’t taste the milk, can taste the banana a bit, of course, but it’s not overpowering. Thanks!
Ooh love the use of banana protein powder and coconut milk…way to be creative!! Now I want to try that flavor combo ;) Thanks so much for returning to leave a rating and review!
Hi, do you think the recipe would work if I didn’t add protein powder?
You could probably make it work without the protein powder! You may need to add some additional oats to help absorb some of the excess moisture so that the bars aren’t too sticky. You’ll also probably have to add some honey/maple syrup since the vanilla protein powder provides some sweetness. Hope it works out for you!
They tasted good!:)
So glad you enjoyed them!
I only have chocolate protein powder – do you think this would work ok with the recipe?
Yes, that should work fine, especially if like that chocolate peanut butter combo :)
I just made your recipe and I have to tell you this is the tastiest no bake protein peanut butter bar that I have ever tasted. Especially with a cup of coffee. I also drizzled some dark chocolate on top but honestly it doesn’t need it. Thank you!!
My pleasure! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
These look delicious! Are the nutritional value numbers based per bar? I just wanted to make sure :)
Yes, the nutritional information is for one bar :)
Hi there the recipe looks super. I normally drink regular milk and likely wouldn’t want to buy and entire carton of almond milk for these …is it ok to substitute cows milk in this.
Thanks :)
Yes, for sure! Regular cow’s milk works just fine :)
Loved these! Perfect for a low sugar snack that is sweet enough to curb cravings! I do enjoy them cold from frig and chewy but could there be a way to bake them to make them crunchy w/o drying out? Sometimes I just like a crunch but don’t know if I’d need to add something to throw in oven? Thanks!
So happy you enjoyed them! Hmmm..I haven’t tried baking them so I’m not quite sure what the outcome would be. I’m not sure if adding a bit of oil would help prevent them from drying out? Keep me posted if you decide to experiment!
In the article, it says there are 14 grams of protein in a serving, but the nutrition information shows only 7 grams of protein? Which is correct?
I apologize, there was an error with the calculation in the recipe card! It should be around 14 grams, but it will depend on the protein powder that you use. Hope that helps!
These are delish! I spread stevia sweetened melted chocolate chips over the top and they taste almost like a peanut butter cup. They are good right out of the freezer!
Oh YUM! I bet these bars were delicious with the melted chocolate chips!! Can’t go wrong with anything that tastes like a peanut butter cup! And I agree, I also love eating them straight out of the freezer too :)
Thanks for the recipe.. really enjoyed making the bars. Did not add any honey or maple syrup it was sweet enough for me from the peanut butter as I used the regular kind… next time I will
Use crunchy one instead .. I added some hemp Hearts and semi sweet chocolate chips to the mix.
I froze them all and will be taking them as a breakfast or after workout as a post workout protein intake
Thanks again
So happy that you enjoyed the bars Snezana! Love the addition of the Hemp hearts and chocolate chips! They freeze really well and definitely make a great on the go snack! Thanks for taking the time to comment :)
I will be making these tomorrow after I grab some protein powder. Thank you for the recipe and all your recommendations. FYI, your link for the SunWarrior Protein powder is currently unavailable on Amazon and they do not know when it will or if it will be back in stock.
Hope you enjoy the bars Christinna! Thanks for stopping by to comment and for the heads up about the link! :)
can I use skimmed (cows) milk instead of almond? and if so will I need to use more or less?
Yes, for sure! You can use the same quantity of skim milk as the almond milk. Hope that helps!