Homemade Protein Granola Bars

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: protein granola bars

Prep Time: 14

Cook Time: 1

Chill Time:: 1

Total Time: 1 15

Servings:

Calories: 210kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

The next time you need a high-protein snack, try these granola bars made with protein powder. I did the math, and they are more affordable than store-bought bars and take just minutes to stir together! (You can't taste the protein powder at all.)

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Ingredients

1 ¼ cup rolled oats
½ cup unsweetened protein powder
¼ cup hemp hearts
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup honey
⅔ cup all-natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon coconut oil

Instructions

Prepare an 8-inch square pan by lightly spraying it with oil. Then, press a piece of parchment paper into the bottom of the pan. This will guarantee easy removal of your granola bars later.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, protein powder, hemp hearts, and salt. Stir well to combine. You'll want to keep this bowl nearby because the recipe moves quickly.
Add the honey to a small saucepan, and measure the peanut butter and coconut oil so they are ready to go. Bring the honey to a boil over high heat on the stove top. Once it starts to boil, set a timer for 1 minute.
When the timer goes off, immediately turn off the heat and add the peanut butter and coconut oil to the boiled honey. Stir well, until the mixture looks smooth and creamy. Quickly pour it into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir well. The mixture may thicken as it cools, but continue to stir until all of the dry ingredients have been coated in the peanut butter mixture.
Transfer the granola bar mixture to the prepared pan and use a spatula to flatten it evenly. Place the pan in the fridge to chill until firm, about 1 hour. Then use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan. Use a sharp knife to slice 12 full-size granola bars. For a bite-sized snack, you can cut the bars in half again to create 24 smaller pieces. (See photos for reference.)
Serve these granola bars at room temperature or chilled. They will keep well for up to 5 days at room temperature, but have a firmer texture when chilled. You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 12 bars. This information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients from a database, so it's just an estimate and not a guarantee.

Oil-Free Note: I originally tested this recipe without the coconut oil, and the bars do hold together without it. The dough is a little drier in that case, and so are the cooled granola bars, but my family enjoyed that version just as much. Feel free to omit the oil if you'd like to reduce the fat and calories slightly.

Honey Note: I tested these bars with only 1/3 cup of honey, and the bars were slightly drier and crumblier with that amount. If you need to reduce the sweetener, you can, but keep in mind that it will also change the texture. I haven't tested these with maple syrup yet; in my experience, it can make granola bars a little crispier, rather than chewy in texture.

Gluten-Free Note: Oats are naturally gluten-free, but can be contaminated during the manufacturing process. Shop for "certified gluten-free" oats if you need to.

Protein Powder Note: I tested this recipe with Garden of Life unsweetened protein powder (affiliate link). It doesn't taste good on its own, but it works well in this recipe. I imagine other protein powders could work in this recipe as well, so let me know what you experiment with.

Topping Ideas: You can drizzle these bars with melted dark chocolate, if desired. Or, replace a 1/4 cup of oats with any other mix-ins you like, such as sliced almonds, raisins, or pecans.

Pricing Math: In case you're curious, I priced out the ingredients to see how much these cost to prepare at 2025 pricing. It's $3.57 (1/2 cup protein powder) + $0.52 (1 1/4 cups oats) + $2.50 (1/2 cup honey) + $1.48 (2/3 cup peanut butter) + $1.38 (1/4 cup hemp hearts) = $9.45 per pan. Divided by 12, that makes each full-size bar approximately $0.79.

Nutrition