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Perfect Bar Recipe

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Save some money and make this Homemade Perfect Bar Recipe! Chocolate chip peanut butter protein bars are made with just 4 ingredients, come together in 10 minutes, and require no baking! Packed with 16 grams of protein per bar, along with healthy fats and carbs, they make a delicious and easy on-the-go snack or dessert everyone will love! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and grain-free.

Pan of peanut butter chocolate chip copycat perfect bar recipe.

It’s my birthday and I’m celebrating the best way I know how…homemade protein bars!! Totally kidding, some kind of delicious dessert will be had tonight that is not protein bars, but I figured this super easy copycat perfect bar recipe would be a fun recipe to share today!

I mean what is not to love about the peanut butter and chocolate chip combo. Add some protein in there and form it into an on-the-go portable snack? Sign me up!

Homemade perfect bar with a bite taken out of it. Behind it is a stack of more peanut butter protein bars and a spoon full of peanut butter.

Have you guys had Perfect Bars before? I was introduced to them a few years ago and they are pretty amazing! They are refrigerated protein bars made of real food ingredients like nut butter, honey, protein, and superfoods. They make lots of different flavors, but the dark chocolate chip peanut butter is probably my favorite!

As much as I love them, I figured it really can’t be too hard to make them at home. And clean them up a little. While the ingredients are pretty good, they do contain dairy and I don’t really see it is necessary to have in there.

But the main reason is to save some money!! Buying store-bought protein bars can quickly add up, especially good quality ones. Making homemade protein bars is so much cheaper – check out the price comparison below!

Stack of 4 chocolate chip peanut butter protein bars on top of each other with a bite taken out of the top one. Two chocolate chips are in front of them.

While I’m not huge on eating protein bars all the time, I love to have some on hand when I’m in an emergency and need food fast. Michael eats a lot of them (a handful of times a week) as they make a great way to add some easy, healthy calories to his diet. He has been on the gain weight plan for as long as I’ve known him haha.

It’s still a work in progress… 😆

Copycat Perfect Bar recipe with a bar pulled away from the other bars after they were pulled out of the pan.

Homemade Perfect Bar Recipe

Just 4 ingredients (plus salt) and only 10 minutes to make these peanut butter protein bars! Full of protein, carbs, and healthy fats, they make a quick and easy snack everyone will love! And they taste exactly like Perfect Bars!

Here is what you need:

  • natural peanut butter – make sure it is runny and drippy (I love Trader Joe’s crunchy)
  • egg white protein powder
  • maple syrup
  • mini chocolate chips – I used dairy-free Enjoy Life
  • flaked sea salt for topping

White marble counter with a bowl of peanut butter, bowl of chocolate chips, bowl of maple syrup, bowl of protein powder, and a bowl of sea salt.

Add the peanut butter, egg white protein powder, and maple syrup to the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attached. Mix to combine until ingredients form into a dough, about 30-60 seconds.

If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can mix it by hand. It takes a little more elbow grease but works the same (I’ve done both). You can also try a food processor.

Next, add in most of the chocolate chips and mix again to combine. It should only take about 5 seconds or so if you are using a stand mixer. Be careful not to over mix it or the dough will become crumbly.

Stand mixer with peanut butter, maple syrup, and protein powder in the bowl.

Line an 8×8 glass baking dish or bread pan with parchment paper (this makes for easy removal) and press mixture into the bottom of the pan until evenly distributed. Finally, press the remaining chocolate chips on top and sprinkle a little bit of sea salt.

You can either eat them as is or place them in the fridge to firm up (about 1 hour). I find both ways are delicious and it just depends on if you want a softer or more firm protein bar.

Stand mixer bowl a peanut butter dough in it.  Stand mixer bowl filled with peanut butter dough with chocolate sprinkled on it.

How to store homemade perfect bars

This copycat perfect bar recipe can be kept refrigerated for up to a week.

Substitutions for perfect bar recipe

This no-bake protein bar recipe is so simple and pretty forgiving – you can change it up to fit your needs. Here are some suggestions:

  • nut butter – try subbing almond or cashew butter for peanut butter. If you do swap out the peanut butter, make sure you are using an all-natural drippy/runny nut butter.
  • seed butter – if you can’t have nuts, try seed butter! I love sunflower seed butter and tahini. Again, just make sure they are runny.
  • honey – I haven’t tried it, but I would think honey would work the same as the maple syrup.
  • protein powder – I like egg white protein powder in this perfect bar recipe because it’s bland and doesn’t add any additional flavor. If you don’t have egg white protein, you can substitute your favorite protein (collagen, whey, plant-based), but just be careful of the ratios. Protein powders vary by consistency and how dense they are, so I would add a little less than the recipe calls for and add as you need for the best consistency. You can always add, but you can never take away! Check out the comments for substitutions others have done!

Baking dish filled with 8 peanut butter chocolate chip protein bars (perfect bar recipe). The pan is on a stripped towel with a spoon with peanut butter and chocolate chips next to it.

Homemade perfect bar vs store bought

Let’s break down the difference between these homemade perfect bars and the real deal store-bought ones. I love the store-bought ones, but I figured this would be fun!

  • ingredients – homemade for the win! While I love the addition of fruits and veggies in Perfect Bars, the bars have around 27 ingredients. This includes dairy (nonfat dry milk) and grains (rice protein powder). Homemade bars have a whopping 4 ingredients and are dairy and grain-free! I am not including the individual ingredients for the chocolate chips in both bars.
  • price – homemade for the win again! Breaking down the ingredients, homemade bars come out to .77 cents per bar! Prices vary at the store, but in most places, they retail for $2.99. Sometimes you’ll be lucky to see them on sale for $2 (I think that is the price at Trader Joe’s), but they are more expensive at other stores.
  • nutrition – calorie and macro breakdown, the bars are pretty similar. Homemade comes in at 292 calories with 16g of protein, 20g of carbs, 19g of fat, and 12g of sugar. Store-bought have 320 calories with 15g of protein, 25g of carbs, 19g of fat, and 18g of sugar. Homemade has a little fewer calories and carbs, a little more protein, and less sugar.
  • convenience – I don’t there is really anything easier than picking these up at the store (although you do have to get to the store), but in terms of making them at home, these aren’t hard at all. They only take about 10 minutes plus some time to sit in the fridge if you want them chilled/firmer.

Due to ingredients, price, and nutrition, homemade wins!

More healthy protein snacks

No Bake Walnut Protein Brownies (Vegan)

Sweet Potato Blueberry Protein Muffins

Protein Chocolate Peppermint Energy Balls

No Bake Carrot Cake Protein Bars (Vegan)

Protein Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Energy Balls

No Bake Protein Cookies (Vegan)

Stack of 4 peanut butter protein bars on top of each other with a bite taken out of the top one. Chocolate chips are in front of them and a spoon with peanut butter is behind them.

Pan of peanut butter chocolate chip copycat perfect bar recipe.
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4.79 from 46 votes

Perfect Bar Recipe

Save some money and make this Homemade Perfect Bar Recipe! Chocolate chip peanut butter protein bars are made with just 4 ingredients, come together in 10 minutes, and require no baking! Packed with 16 grams of protein per bar, along with healthy fats and carbs, they make a delicious and easy on-the-go snack or dessert everyone will love! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and grain-free.
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword No Bake Protein Bars, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Bars, Peanut Butter Protein Bars, Perfect Bar Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 8 bars
Calories 292kcal
Author Kelly

Ingredients

  • 1 cup natural peanut butter (256 grams) (you can use smooth or chunky)
  • 1 cup egg white protein powder (80 grams) - see notes for substitutions
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup (see notes)
  • 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (60 grams)
  • flaked sea salt, for topping

Instructions

  • Add your peanut butter, protein powder, and maple syrup to a stand mixer and use the paddle attachment to mix until a dough forms, about 30 seconds to one minute. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use a food processor or just mix by hand with a fork in a medium-sized bowl.
  • Add in 3 tablespoons of the chocolate chips and mix again until combined, about 5 seconds. Be careful not to overmix as the dough will become crumbly.
  • Line an 8x8 glass baking dish or bread pan (an 8x8 will give you 8 thinner bars and a bread pan will give you 6 thicker bars)* with parchment paper (this makes for easy removal) and press mixture into the bottom of the pan until evenly distributed. Top with the remaining chocolate chips and a little bit of sea salt. Cut into 8 equal-size bars. To firm them up a little, you can place them in the fridge. Store in the fridge for up to a week.

Notes

I suggest using a food scale and weighing your peanut butter and protein powder to help ensure the right texture of the bars.
Make sure your peanut butter is all-natural and is very runny/drippy. I like Trader Joe's brand. You can use smooth or crunchy (my favorite). If your peanut butter isn't runny, the mixture will be crumby. You can add more maple syrup to accommodate.
I like egg white protein powder in this perfect bar recipe because it's bland and doesn't add any additional flavor. If you don't have egg white protein, you can substitute your favorite protein (collagen, whey, plant-based), but I would be careful of the ratios. Protein powders vary by consistency and how dense they are, so I would add a little less than the recipe calls for and add as you need for the best consistency. You can always add, but you can never take away! Check out the comments for substitutions others have done!
I tested this recipe a few times and found that 1/4 cup maple syrup works the best. You can adjust the amount depending on how sweet you like them or how moist. You also might have to adjust the amount depending on how oily your peanut butter is.
*using an 8x8 baking dish will give you 8 1/2-inch thick bars. You can use any kind of baking dish since this is a no-bake recipe, but the thickness will change some. A bread loaf pan works well and will give you thicker bars!

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Perfect Bar Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 bar)
Calories 292 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5g
Monounsaturated Fat 8g
Potassium 380mg11%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 16g32%
Calcium 15mg2%
Iron 8mg44%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe or anything from Eat the Gains, leave a comment and rating to let people know how you liked it! Also, make sure to post it and tag me so I can see all of your creations!! @eatthegains and #eatthegains on Instagram!

This post may contain affiliate links and I may make a little bit of money if you click on and purchase the products that are linked. It doesn’t cost you any extra money. The compensation helps with expenses to keep ETG up and running. I truly appreciate your support!

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Comments

  3. 5 stars
    This took me less than 10 minutes to make! Most of that time was me searching for my rolling pin 😂😂 I also don’t have a mixer so I mixed by hand. I subbed out the egg white protein for collagen powder (only used 40gs) I also cut the bars in half to make 16 servings. Which makes them perfect for right before the gym! Thank you so much for making this recipe!!!

    Reply

  4. 5 stars
    These bars are so deliciously addictive 🙈. I added 100g of quick-dry oats to mine and they turned out perfect. Mine don’t look anywhere as pretty as these but they’re absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply

  5. 5 stars
    I love this recipe! So simple and quick. It was a hit with my family. I also used collagen powder instead of egg white protein and it came out great. I can’t wait to play with the recipe to make different varieties.

    Reply

  6. 5 stars
    Made these on Sunday night, all gone by Monday morning. Quick, easy, tasty high protein snack! I used whey protein powder and followed the directions to add a bit at a time. Ended up using 2 full scoops and it was perfect consistency. Great protein content at 15 grams per serving the way I made it. Definitely Recommend.

    Reply

  7. 5 stars
    Omg! These are amazing! Perfect bars are a little cost prohibitive for me to have ALL the time but now that I have this recipe I can eat them whenever I want! Thank you thank you! I cannot wait to try a million different flavor combos!

    Reply

  8. I have spent so much money on perfect bars because they are SO addicting….my wallet and stomach are ready to give this a try!

    Reply

    • They should last for a week in the fridge! I would suggest using 4 tablespoons of maple syrup if storing in there. I haven’t tried to freeze them, but I would think they would be okay. They might just dry out a little (like when you freeze perfect bars). Let me know if you try them Shadya!

      Reply

  10. 5 stars
    I made these this afternoon for a meal prep snack this week and they are AMAZING and my husband loved them as well. Definitely adding this to our weekly snack rotation. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  11. I made these with amazing grass peanut butter superfood protein powder. They are SO delicious omg. Thank you for the inspiration!

    Reply

  13. 5 stars
    I made these with chocolate whey protein powder and honey, and boy oh boy did they turn out well. Thanks for the simple recipe!

    Reply

  14. 5 stars
    These were SO easy to make and tasted pretty darn close to the real thing!
    I didn’t have any egg white protein powder around the house, so I used a plant-based one that’s coconut flavored (which I LOVE… goes great with peanut butter). I had to play with the ratios a bit to get the right consistency, so I used more peanut butter and more maple syrup than the recipe above calls for (and less protein powder).
    They taste yummy refrigerated or not! Over all, it sure beats paying $2.99+ per Perfect Bar. Give it a go and your tastebuds will thank you! Thanks Kelly!

    Reply

  15. 5 stars
    Love these! My boyfriend love larabars and can’t stop eating these. I had fun and made them with sunflower seed butter and chocolate protein powder with white chocolate chips. I can’t wait to keep making them and changing it up! Thanks for the amazing recipe!

    Reply

  16. 5 stars
    These are just like the perfect bars and have less ingredients! My kids love the peanut butter chocolate chip version but that are pricey so I had to try this. They really enjoyed them!

    Reply

  17. 5 stars
    These are awesome! I used Trader Joe’s Crunchy Almond butter and honey to substitute. Used 5 Tbsps of honey, incredible! Thank you so much for the recipe

    Reply

  20. 2 stars
    Followed the instructions and measurements to a T, used plain egg white protein and the recommended Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter. Mixed as little as possible but immediately came out crumbly. 8×8 pan leaves them less than 1cm thick. Blaming all of this on my girlfriend since she helped by placing it in the pan so the whole thing is her fault.

    Reply

    • So sorry to hear that Heidi. Not sure if you used a food scale or not, but sometimes measuring with measuring cups will not be consistent. I know not everyone has one though. You can always add more liquid (some people have added some almond milk) to help with the consistency. For the thickness, 1 centimeter or 1/2 inch is about right. They aren’t super thick, but about the same thickness as a perfect bar (give or take). Bummed it didn’t work out for you as many people love this recipe!

      Reply

  21. This is hands down one of my absolute favorite recipes and a weekly favorite in our house. I used to spend $20 on perfect bars and these are so easy and quick! I actually don’t have a mixer but still manage to make these! The salt is key too 🙂 Thank you for making this awesome recipe!

    Reply

  22. Im a huge fan of Perfect Bars with my coffee so im definitely gonna try this. I might try this with PB2 peanut powder. Or half PB2 and half egg white powder. Hope it works. Thank you

    Reply

  23. 5 stars
    I buy Perfect Bars all of the time and these are a great, easy to make, CHEAPER version! Those $2-3 bars add up. I didn’t have the egg white protein so I used grass-fed whey protein vanilla flavored and it came out great!

    Reply

  24. Being from Canada I have never tried a Perfect Bar but in my opinion there are perfect!! They taste amazing, simple to make, and make a nice little pre-workout snack!

    Reply

  25. 5 stars
    So easy to make and DELICIOUS!!! I used natural creamy PB and then 50 grams of PEScience cake pop protein powder! They turned out amazing and they are even better out of the freezer! No more wasting my hard earned money if store bought perfect bars!

    Reply

  28. 5 stars
    Finally decided to test these out with PB2 powder for a lower calorie bar! It worked, tasted delicious but it came out so sticky for some reason? Probably because of the lack of fat content, but I basically had to dissolve the remnants off of my bowl with warm water lol. I will probably try a 50/50 blend of real PB and PB powder next time, but the recipe is still amazing for 4 ingredients!

    Reply

    • Hey Katie! I would think that is probably why, but not sure. You may need more protein powder to help them come together more. Let me know if the 50/50 blend works next time! Glad you still enjoyed them!

      Reply

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