Brownie Protein Bars – Texanerin Baking

These brownie protein bars are a serious upgrade from overpriced, chewy store-bought bricks. Made with natural peanut butter, Dutch-process cocoa, maple syrup, and protein powder, they’re rich, fudgy, and actually satisfying. Definitely not dry or crumbly!

There’s no baking, no chill time, and no complicated steps. Just stir, press, drizzle, and slice.

I’ve tested them with multiple types of protein powder, and the texture holds up beautifully every time. They’re also easy to make vegan, paleo, or nut-free, depending on the ingredients you choose.

After all the raspberry recipes I’ve been sharing for Valentine’s Day, I wanted to squeeze in one quick, last-minute chocolate recipe that’s on the healthier side.

Ingredients

Please scroll down for the full recipe. These are just some notes on select ingredients.

• Natural peanut butter – use the kind made with just peanuts and salt. No added oils or sugar. If it’s very oily, stir it well before measuring. You can use other nut or seed butters, but the only ingredients should be nuts/seeds + salt.
• Dutch-process cocoa powder – gives a smoother, deeper chocolate flavor than natural cocoa.
• Vanilla protein powder – I tested this with three different brands. If your protein powder is very absorbent, you may need a tiny amount of oat or coconut flour.
• Maple syrup – adds sweetness and helps bind the bars. Honey would probably work if you don’t mind some honey flavor, but granulated sugars won’t work here.
• Oat flour or coconut flour (optional) – only needed if your mixture is unusually wet. Add very sparingly. I’ve never needed this.

For a more dessert-like treat, use the higher end of the protein powder and maple syrup ranges listed in the recipe. For a standard snack-style bar, stick to the lower amounts.

If you’re unsure, you can always use the lower amount, taste the mixture after mixing and stir in the remaining syrup if you’d like a sweeter finish.

Protein Powder

I tested this recipe with these powders, and they came out great. Please note that if you use a protein powder that doesn’t taste good, your bars won’t taste good.

I haven’t had much luck with chocolate protein powder in other recipes (these Protein Brownies are one of the few exceptions!). If it’s all you’ve got, I recommend making a fourth batch and seeing how they come out before doing a full batch.

How to Make Them

Stir together the peanut butter, cocoa powder, protein powder, and maple syrup until completely combined. If the mixture seems dry at first, use your hands. It’ll come together quickly.

If it seems too wet, add 1/4 teaspoon of oat flour or coconut flour at a time until the mixture is firm enough to shape. It should hold its shape well and not slump if stacked.

If you choose the higher amounts of protein powder and maple syrup, avoid overmixing, as this can cause the oils to separate and make the bars greasy. To keep the base firm and prevent oil from pooling at the bottom, place them in the fridge immediately and store them there until you’re ready to serve.

Press the mixture onto a piece of parchment paper and shape it into a rectangle. I made mine about 4″x7″, but the exact size doesn’t matter.

Melt the chopped chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth.

Drizzle the melted chocolate over the rectangle and sprinkle with finely chopped peanuts. Slice into bars.

Make Ahead and Storage

If using the lower amount of protein powder and maple syrup – store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 1 week. Because they’re peanut butter-based, they stay fairly firm even at room temperature but will be slightly softer in a warm kitchen. They can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Let sit at room temperature for a few minutes before eating.

If using the upper amount – immediately put them in the fridge and keep them there. Otherwise, they might get greasy on the bottom.

Vegan, nut-free Paleo options

These bars are vegan as written, as long as you use vegan protein powder and chocolate.

For a nut-free version, use natural sunflower seed butter and a nut-free protein powder. Sunflower seed butter is also paleo-friendly and tastes the closest to peanut butter.

For paleo, almond butter or cashew butter both work well. I wouldn’t recommend macadamia or pistachio butter. They’re way too expensive to mix with protein powder and cocoa. Save those for something where you can actually taste them.

And also be sure your protein powder and chocolate are paleo.

What About Collagen Peptides or Unflavored Protein Powder?

I tested both. They don’t taste good in the recipe as written.

To make them even somewhat acceptable, I needed about 4 extra teaspoons of maple syrup and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Even then, the flavor wasn’t nearly as good as with vanilla protein powder, and the texture was noticeably worse.

If possible, I strongly recommend sticking with vanilla protein powder for this recipe.

Brownie Protein Bars

Servings 12

Fudgy no-bake brownie protein bars made with peanut butter, cocoa powder, vanilla protein powder, and maple syrup. Easy to make paleo and vegan.

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• For a more dessert-like flavor, use the higher range of protein powder and maple syrup. Otherwise, stick to the lower amounts for a snack-style bar. You can always taste the mixture and stir in the extra syrup after mixing if you prefer a sweeter finish, but be careful not to overmix as they’ll become greasy.

• Place all bar ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until totally combined. If the mixture seems too dry, use your hands, and it will instantly come together more easily.

• If it’s too wet, add a tiny bit of protein powder at a time until it’s firm enough to shape into a rectangle. It should be firm enough to hold its shape when stacked.

• Place on a piece of parchment paper. I made a 4”x7” rectangle.

• Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl at 50% power, stirring after every 30 seconds, until melted.

• Drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the rectangle and sprinkle the chopped peanuts over the top.

• Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Because of the peanut butter base, they remain fairly firm at room temperature but may soften slightly in a warm kitchen. They can be frozen for up to 2 months. Just let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften before serving. If you chose the higher amounts, place the bars in the fridge immediately and store them there until you’re ready to serve. This is to keep the base firm and prevent oil from pooling at the bottom.

• Vegan – ensure your protein powder and chocolate are plant-based.
• Nut-free – use natural sunflower seed butter and a nut-free protein powder. This is the closest paleo-friendly swap for peanut butter.
• Paleo – use almond, cashew or sunflower seed butter. Ensure your protein powder and chocolate are paleo-compliant.
• Nutritional information calculated based on a yield of 12 bars. The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator. I calculated the values using the lower amount of protein powder and maple syrup.

Calories: 173.7kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 6.5gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2.7gMonounsaturated Fat: 6.1gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 3.8mgSodium: 9.3mgPotassium: 185mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6.3gVitamin A: 1.9IUCalcium: 28.7mgIron: 0.9mgNet Carbs: 9