Perfect Bar Recipe

4.66 from 73 votes

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

Total Time 10

Servings bars

Calories 292kcal

Author Kelly Nardo

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