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Smart Nutrition with Jessica Penner, RD

Smart Nutrition with Jessica Penner, RD

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Home / Recipes / No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars

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Chocolate PB No Bake Protein Bars
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If you’ve got 10 minutes, you’ve got enough time to make these rawsome awesome protein bars! All you need to do is soften some dates, stir in some peanut butter, dump it over the dry ingredients, and press into a pan. Easy to make, easy on the wallet.

Chocolate PB No Bake Protein Bars (5 of 10)

The Lowdown on Protein Powders

This recipe contains whey protein isolate. I used to be fairly anti-protein powders. Unless you were an elite athlete, a body builder, or needed a specialized medical diet, I didn’t think they were necessary. I still don’t think they’re necessary, per se. A person can certainly live a healthy happy life without ever touching a protein powder but I also see how they can be a helpful tool.

Protein is a key nutrient in promoting fullness. Recent research has shown that protein at breakfast can have a huge impact on food intake throughout the rest of the day. (for more on why you NEED protein at breakfast, go download my free e-book!)

What I like about whey protein isolate is that it’s simply whey protein leftover from making cheese that has been dried into a powder. Since I eat quite a bit of cheese  I feel as though I’m balancing out my dairy by buying the whey too. If you put them together, they make a whole food, right? šŸ™‚

So whey protein isolate is just that: cow’s milk protein. There aren’t any added flavours, sweeteners, or other ingredients.

One brand that sells a “whey protein only” protein powder is Naked Nutrition.

You can get 10% off your Naked Nutrition order with this code: NAKED10 (affiliate link)

LEARN HOW TO MAKE THESE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER PROTEIN BARS (80 SECONDS):

Chocolate PB No Bake Protein Bars (9 of 10)

Where do I Find This Whey Protein Isolate You Speak Of?

Not sure where to find whey protein isolate? Never fear.. the internet to the rescue!

Also, take note: whey protein concentrate is not the same thing as whey protein isolate.  Both products use the same starting material but the isolate has a higher percentage of protein.

Chocolate PB Protein Bar Collage

Why These Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars Are a Smart Choice

Each bar has nearly 10g of protein and 5g of fibre. This combination is a powerful snack that will keep your stomach full and your mind off food until your next meal. Combine it with a piece of fruit such as an apple or a pear for more fibre, volume, and nutrition!

If you give this recipe a go, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or snap a photo and tag it with #smartnutritionrecipes on Instagram!  I’d love to see your creations! Knowing someone has enjoyed one of my recipes always makes my day brighter.  

5 from 6 votes

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars

Print Recipe
A slightly sweet, chewy DIY protein bar! So quick to make and much cheaper than storebought.
Prep Time:10 minutes mins
Total Time:30 minutes mins
16

Ingredients

  • 16 dates
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 2 cups oats
  • ½ cup isolated whey lightly packed
  • ā…“ cup chia seeds
  • ¼ cup cocoa unsweetened
  • ā…“ cup chocolate chips

Instructions

  • In a glass measuring cup place the dates and the water.
  • Microwave on high for one minute. Mash with a fork.
  • Microwave on high for another minute. Mash with a fork until a paste forms. Return to microwave if they need more softening.
  • Stir in the peanut butter and milk.
  • In a large bowl, place the oats, whey, chia seeds, cocoa, and chocolate chips.
  • Pour in the peanut butter mixture. Stir until well combined.
  • Line a 9×9 pan with plastic wrap.
  • Press the mixture firmly into the pan.
  • Refrigerate for ½ an hour.
  • Cut into 16 bars.
  • Wrap each bar in plastic wrap and store in the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 22.5g | Protein: 9.5g | Fat: 11.5g | Fiber: 4.5g | Sugar: 9g
Keyword: protein bars
Servings: 16
Calories: 216kcal
Author: Jessica Penner, RD
No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars

Want more variety in your protein snack routine? Check out this no-bake Chocolate Sea Salt RX Bar copycat recipe!

chocolate sea salt rx bar

Or this easy, no-fail, no-bake energy ball mix-n-match recipe!

energy balls 15 no-bake flavours

Or these soft baked blueberry almond snack bars!

wooden serving board with soft baked blueberry almond snack bars

Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links

March 5, 2016 · 55 Comments

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Comments

  1. Wendy T says

    August 9, 2024 at 11:33 pm

    5 stars
    Made these in my trailer as we had no oven they were absolutely delicious, moist sweet and decadent! I drizzled melted peanut butter & dark chocolate over them before I put them I the fridge – .. everyone loved them..,

    Reply
  2. Vanessa says

    March 23, 2022 at 12:40 pm

    Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner, RD says

      October 18, 2024 at 8:38 pm

      For a couple of weeks in the fridge!

      Reply
  3. Suzanne says

    March 23, 2022 at 12:38 pm

    This looks so good! What a great healthy treat for the family!

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      January 10, 2023 at 11:04 am

      Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  4. Suzanne says

    March 16, 2022 at 2:08 pm

    This looks so good! What a great healthy, natural snack to have on hand for yourself and the family!

    Reply
  5. Kadi says

    January 28, 2021 at 9:00 pm

    5 stars
    The best bars I’ve ever had!!! So easy to make and I always need to make a double batch, so they last more than 2 days in my house!! 20/10!

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      February 9, 2021 at 9:26 pm

      Thank you for your comment! So glad you enjoy this recipe!

      Reply
  6. Betty says

    September 29, 2020 at 1:05 am

    I followed the recipe exactly and it fell apart. It crumbled when I cut it. It was very dry. It turned to sawdust
    I was so disappointed.

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner, RD says

      October 19, 2020 at 8:56 pm

      Oh no, I’m so sorry Betty. Not sure why that may have happened.

      Reply
  7. Sofie Waters says

    May 12, 2020 at 4:49 pm

    5 stars
    Amazing!

    Reply
  8. Kelly says

    February 29, 2020 at 8:39 pm

    I made these a few times now and the whole family loves them. I used almond milk and added coconut.
    I just made a triple batch and wondering if I can freeze them??

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      March 4, 2020 at 11:53 pm

      I’m sure you could freeze them… I think it would increase the stickiness due to moisture when thawed. As you know they are already pretty sticky, so be prepared for that! They could be quite good in their frozen state though, so if you try it, definitely experiment whether it’s a good idea to thaw or just eat cold. Great adaptations for making them dairy free – glad they turned out so well for you! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
  9. kelly says

    February 16, 2020 at 10:15 pm

    Hi Jessica. I’m trying to eat healthier and these look delicious! I’ve never baked with dates before. Are these medjool dates? And what kind of oats do I use? Quick, rolled…
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      February 20, 2020 at 3:02 pm

      Hi Kelly, all the best in your quest for a healthy relationship with food http://smartnutrition.ca/nutrition-2/how-to-eat-healthy/. I’ve included a link here if you haven’t already checked out some of my other articles, you should find a lot of help here with that goal! Quick oats work great and yes they are medjool dates, hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  10. Lisa says

    December 15, 2019 at 7:41 pm

    I made these as I am looking for a healthier snack that provides a lot of nutritional value during my pregnancy without adding a ton of carbs or calories.

    Reply
  11. Heather says

    December 10, 2019 at 6:22 pm

    Can I use almond or cashew milk instead of cow’s milk? One of my friends has a dairy allergy but is dying to try these!

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner, RD says

      December 13, 2019 at 3:16 pm

      Yup! You could but it would be much lower in protein.

      Reply
  12. Eva says

    September 14, 2019 at 7:53 pm

    These are great. Can a person make a large amount and freeze?

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner, RD says

      October 10, 2019 at 2:03 pm

      For sure!

      Reply
  13. Em says

    April 15, 2019 at 8:55 pm

    I was wondering if I could use a plant based protein powder instead of whey, as I am allergic to dairy?

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      April 18, 2019 at 7:42 pm

      Yes, but if it’s already sweetened it may end up being overly sweet.

      Reply
  14. Sammy says

    April 10, 2019 at 6:26 pm

    I’ve been making these to bring with lunch for about a month now and I love them!!! With this recent batch I added a smashed, ripe banana and it was incredible! Highly recommend it.

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      April 18, 2019 at 7:46 pm

      Mmm, that sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  15. Heather Clarke says

    February 11, 2019 at 4:52 pm

    I made these to take to work for our snack day and they won hands down for anything else I’ve brought in, they are absolutely delicious!! I’m making them again so I can keep some for myself in the freezer.

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      February 16, 2019 at 10:31 pm

      Yay! So happy you and your co-workers enjoyed them!

      Reply
  16. Tracey says

    February 10, 2019 at 7:47 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! Just made for first time and forgot the addition of unsweetened cocoa. Wasn’t missed, still satisfies the sweet tooth without the guilt! I did add pumpkin seed and flax seed! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      February 16, 2019 at 10:31 pm

      Yum! Those sound like great additions!

      Reply
  17. Rose Foran says

    January 31, 2019 at 3:49 pm

    Hi Jessica, I doubled the recipe and used 9 by 13 pan. I substituted some things such as a cup and a half of peanut butter and half a cup of almond butter. Substituted milled flaxseed instead of whey. I also added about a quarter cup of honey after tasting, for extra sweetness, as I’d like to give these to my grandchildren. Would these be okay to give to Children 3 to 7 years old?

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      February 3, 2019 at 8:53 pm

      Barring any allergies or intolerances, these bars are fine for all ages!

      Reply
  18. Jan says

    October 17, 2018 at 2:18 pm

    What type of oats are best to use? I have old fashioned large flake and quick cooking. Thanks in advance!

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      October 17, 2018 at 8:14 pm

      Either one will work! But the quick cooking will soak up the mixture a bit faster.

      Reply
  19. Angela says

    August 20, 2018 at 9:45 am

    Hi Jessica. I’m looking forward to trying these, and am putting my grocery list together right now. Do you use sweetened or unsweetened cocoa? Also, does it matter what type of milk I use, skim or whole? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      August 21, 2018 at 8:17 pm

      I didn’t know there was such a thing as sweetened cocoa! I’ll have to update my recipes to specify. Yes, this is unsweetened cocoa.

      Reply
  20. Bozena says

    July 27, 2018 at 9:19 am

    Another natural form of dried fruit to substitute the dates would be dried non-sulphured apricots. I have used these many times in substitution of dates as I am a B blood type and dates are a no-no!

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      July 27, 2018 at 8:53 pm

      Yes, dried apricots would be great!

      Reply
  21. Viv says

    July 9, 2018 at 7:35 am

    Hi Jessica, are these suitable for children? I have a 5 & 6 yr old and thought these would be great for their energy levels for their swimming lessons after school.

    Many thanks
    Viv

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      July 10, 2018 at 7:34 pm

      Yes, they’re not too high in protein to be a concern. And they’re not made with “protein powders” which could have other ingredients like caffeine and such that are not recommended for children.

      Reply
  22. Amanda says

    June 28, 2018 at 7:41 am

    5 stars
    These are very addictive, soo good I’m nearly finished my second batch. I switched to cocoa powder & cocoa nibs instead of chocolate chips. These sure do hit the spot pre or post workout

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      July 5, 2018 at 9:04 am

      I would love to try them with cocoa nibs! Now I just need to figure out where to buy them šŸ™‚ Thanks for the suggestion!

      Reply
  23. Gaye says

    November 27, 2016 at 9:28 am

    Yum! Thanks Jessica. I love raisins and had some soaked ones left over from another recipe so played around with this one, adding them to 100g dates, used almond butter & almond milk, added maca powder & extra dry ingredients, virtually doubling the end product. Cut them into snack-sized bars meant for between meals and post-workouts but hard to stop at just one! Cheers, Aggy.

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      November 30, 2016 at 9:18 pm

      Awesome! The raisins sound like a great addition.

      Reply
  24. Rukshana says

    August 13, 2016 at 7:30 am

    Hi, I tried this but I didn’t seem to bind, it’s breaking apart as I cut it into pieces. Did I make a mistake? I thought I followed the recipe exactly.. Thanks,

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      August 13, 2016 at 10:13 am

      Oh I’m so sorry it didn’t hold together for you! It really should. Without being there while you made the recipe I can’t really speculate as to why it didn’t!

      Reply
    • Kacie says

      April 15, 2019 at 11:10 pm

      Rukshana,
      I had the same problem. I doubled the amount of dates and that solved the problem. Maybe the dates I have are smaller, and this recipe calls for the larger medjool dates?

      Love the recipe! Thanks!

      Reply
  25. AGUSTINA says

    August 2, 2016 at 3:00 pm

    HI, I WANNA KNOW WHAT THE DATES ARE?

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      August 3, 2016 at 1:10 pm

      Hi Agustina,
      Dates are a dried fruit used as a natural sweetener. You can often find them in the baking section of the grocery store. They are also known as date palms.

      Reply
  26. Doreen says

    April 26, 2016 at 7:09 pm

    Hi Jessica. I do not like dates…what would you recommend for a substitute?

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      April 26, 2016 at 7:15 pm

      Hmm, I haven’t tried it but I imagine raisins could work!

      Reply
  27. Stacey says

    April 21, 2016 at 1:43 pm

    These are great! Easy to make and pretty tasty!!

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      April 22, 2016 at 7:11 am

      Awesome! Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  28. jupo says

    March 20, 2016 at 9:08 pm

    I have never bought protein powder before, but when I see yummy recipes like this one or a smoothie recipe that calls for protein powder, I usually skip the protein or the recipe altogether. So if a newbie like me were to buy only one protein powder, is this the one you would recommend?

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      March 22, 2016 at 2:44 pm

      Yes, this is the protein powder I’d recommend. There isn’t any additional flavourings or artificial sweeteners so it’s a great base that you can flavour/sweeten in whatever way YOU want!

      Reply
  29. Allison C. says

    March 20, 2016 at 6:25 am

    My son & I love these Jessica! I take one when I work night shift and my son eats one on the way out the door to university.
    They are super tasty and filling.

    Reply
    • Jessica Penner says

      March 22, 2016 at 2:46 pm

      Awesome! I created them to be a filling snack so I’m glad they’re living up to my expectations!

      Reply

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