Protein Granola Bars
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
This 4-ingredient protein granola bar recipe takes 10 minutes to make and yield thick, chewy and satisfying bars. 20 grams of protein each.
Looking for more recipes with protein powder? Try these peanut butter protein balls, homemade protein bars, protein balls, and protein popcorn next.
If you enjoy my healthy granola bars but want to amp up the protein, then my protein granola bar recipe fixes those issues.
Don’t get me wrong, most granola bars do a good job of providing whole grains and fiber, but they often miss the mark on protein. Not anymore!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Easy to customize. I’ll give you the base recipe (my favorite!) plus a handful of flavor combos so you can make them your own.
- 20 grams of protein per bar. Making them the perfect morning, midday, or post-workout snack.
- A no-bake recipe. These bars come together in minutes and have the perfect chewy yet soft texture.
- 4 key ingredients. Each one can be customized depending on what you have on hand.
Ingredients needed
- Rolled oats. Also known as old-fashioned oats. These give the protein granola bars an extra chewy texture and are much more satisfying.
- Protein powder. Vanilla or unflavored protein powder is preferred. I used a vanilla brown rice protein powder, which also provided extra sweetness.
- Peanut butter OR alternative. Smooth and creamy peanut butter with no added sugar. Depending on which protein powder you use, you may also want to choose peanut butter with no added salt, as some protein powder brands have tons of sodium in them.
- Honey or brown rice syrup. I prefer these to other sticky sweeteners (like maple syrup or agave) since they’re super sticky and will help bind the bar batter the best.
- Chocolate chips. Optional, but what’s the harm?!
How to make protein granola bars
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep work. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper.
Step 2- Mix the wet and dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats and protein powder. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the peanut butter and honey and whisk until smooth.
Step 3- Combine the ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and combine. Stir in chocolate chips if using.
Step 4- Shape and chill. Transfer the bar mixture to the pan and press until smooth. Refrigerate the bars for an hour, then slice.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Leave some parchment paper sticking out. So they’re easier to pop out of the pan when it’s time to slice.
- Swap the nut butter. Use almond butter, cashew butter, or even protein cookie butter.
- Make the nut-free. Swap the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter or tahini, or make these nut-free granola bars.
- Adjust the consistency. Sometimes, the bars turn out a bit dry for my liking. If this happens, add a splash of almond milk to thin out the batter until it reaches a moldable consistency.
- Slice with a warm, sharp knife. My #1 tip for dealing with sticky bars is to use a sharp knife that’s been run under hot water. It’s the only way I’ve found to guarantee clean, even cuts.
- Instead of rolled oats, use equal parts of my protein granola.
Flavor variations
- Dark chocolate. Dip the prepared bars in melted dark chocolate. Refrigerate them until the chocolate has firmed up.
- Coconut chocolate chip. Fold through 1/4 cup of shredded coconut flakes and 1/4 cup of mini chocolate chips.
- Monster cookie. Fold through 1/2 cup of mini M&M candies, along with the chocolate chips.
- Salted caramel. Drizzle 1/2 cup of vegan caramel on top and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
- Cherry almond. Fold through 1/4 cup of dried cherries and 2 tablespoons of chopped almonds. For a more intense almond flavor, use almond butter.
- Cinnamon raisin. Fold through 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and ¼ cup of raisins.
- White chocolate cranberry. Fold through ¼ cup of white chocolate chips and ¼ cup of dried cranberries.
Storage instructions
To store: High protein granola bars are best stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 weeks.
To freeze: Place individually wrapped bars in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More granola bar recipes to try
Protein Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups protein powder * See notes
- 1 cup peanut butter smooth and creamy ** See notes
- 1/2 cup honey or brown rice syrup *** See notes
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Line an 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine your rolled oats and protein powder and mix well. In a microwave safe bowl, add your peanut butter and honey and microwave in 20-second spurts until the peanut butter has softened. Whisk together until smooth and thick.
- Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until combined. If using chocolate chips, fold them through at the end.
- Transfer the mixture into the lined pan and press down on top until smooth. Refrigerate the bars for at least an hour to firm up. Once firm, slice into 20 bars.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published September 2021, updated and republished May 2024
I really like this recipe but I would like to know the metric amounts of the ingredients so that I don’t need to guess everything. Thank you.
Hi! We are slowly adding metric measurements for our recipes so stay tuned. For these bars- 270 grams oats, 180 grams protein, 250 grams peanut butter, 170 grams syrup, and about 75 to 85 grams chocolate chips.
i make these every week as part of my meal prep and it’s so tasty.
Thanks for the feedback, Elliot- so glad to hear it!
This didn’t come together at all. Once the wet ingredients hit the dry ingredients, the protein powder started to clump up and it ended up being really crumbly. I blame it partly on the difference in protein powder, but mainly on the fact that Americans don’t own kitchen scales and cup measurements are not very accurate.
Hi Michael- I’m sorry to hear that it didn’t work out for you. It’s sounding like its the protein powder you used, and its one that absorbs liquids greater than the ones I suggested. We are slowly working on adding metric measurements to all our recipes. You can rectify it in the future by adding a little extra syrup or some water.
Confused how you get 20 bars out of an 8×8 size panel
Hi Monica- sorry for the confusion. They make granola bar shaped bars, which are on the smaller side for about 150 calories each 🙂
Chewy! I used dried cranberries instead of chocolate. I feel these would be better with some extra salt (my natural PB didn’t have any), maybe 1/8 to 1/4 tsp in the batter. I’ll use this as a base to make custom ones!
Love the addition of dried cranberries! Thanks for the feedback for that- I’ll make a note in the recipe card as that is super handy to know 🙂 Cheers Andrew!
Hello Arman
What is an alternative to Protein Powder ?
Could I use powdered milk instead?
I live remotely and have no protein powder.
Thanks so much.
I love your recipes
Lee
Hi Lee! No need to replace it- just leave it out 🙂 If the mixture it too wet, add a sprinkling more of oats. Let me know how you go 🙂
Thank you
Easy to make and a fun snack for kids. They gobbled them up!
Thanks so much, Jesminda- so glad the little ones enjoyed it!
5 stars with my modification 🙂
It was super thick and crumbly so I added 12 oz of homemade unsweetened soy yogurt to pull it all together. They live in the freezer. So delicious – everyone in the house is raving about them.
I agree it’s a little crumbly but I would say 5 stars with no mods
Thank you, Wyatt! 🙂
Arman! I love these and will cover them in chocolate next time. Any idea how much to coat?
Hi Elise- I do this with my homemade protein bars. I’d suggest about two cups of chocolate or chocolate chips, melted, then dip each one in them. if you have any leftovers, just cool it, chill it, then re-use next time!
Including the weights of the ingredients would be incredibly helpful IMO. I would much rather weigh out peanut butter and honey into my mixing bowl than try to measure it in a cup and transfer it.
Hi Daniel- I appreciate that feedback. My team and I are working through every recipe to provide metric measurements. You’ll see all new recipes including it, and also updated recipes will show this too. Thanks for your patience!
Could you use peanut butter powder instead of creamy peanut butter?
Hi Julie- I’ve had several readers successfully make it, but they did have to add extra syrup and liquid to compensate. They said they used the powdered form instead of converting it into a paste first 🙂
Man these are delicious!
Can you verify the quantity of oats to wet ingredients? The recipe ratio or 3cups oats to 1.5 of wet seems a little high? My mix came out like apple crumble pie topping (which would be an interesting experiment if I had any apples in the house!). I have added milk, and more wet ingredients (about an extra cup and a half!) and that felt like a better consistency but after 3 hours in fridge it is still too crumbly to hold when cut. 4 stars as tasty, but disappointed with result. Perhaps I am missing something.?
Hi Rebecca- I’m wondering if you used whey protein powder? That is the only reason why I would imagine this mixture to come out crumbly. I do recommend adding extra liquid if needed, but shouldn’t be anywhere near half a cup. I’d love to troubleshoot for you!
If I only have chocolate flavored protein powder, would that work? Thank you!
Yeah, absolutely!
i love homemade granola bars, they’re so much cheaper than buying decent ones from the store.
These are so delicious!
Thanks so much, Jessi- I appreciate you making these!
These are super chewy and helped keep me fueled on my hiking with friends. I sometimes roll them into balls.
Hi Newton! Thanks for the feedback and lovely review. They are great to roll into balls, too. I have a protein balls recipe that you might also enjoy next time!
These are such a hit with my picky teenagers who live on Clif bars, but I don’t think they are super healthy!
Hi Renee- I’m so glad to hear that! Oh I hear you- I used to enjoy Clif bars when I was training for a marathon because they are slightly glorified candy bars- great for long distance runs but not for everyday snacking!
Protein granola bars are so good! My husband loves them, I make them almost weekly! I use Xendurance plant protein+greens and sometimes add chia seeds and hemp hearts.
Great recipe and so easy to make
I make these weekly, so good!
Great recipes
These are quick, easy, and satisfying. I like how the bars are smaller, so I can enjoy a couple as a solid snack or just one when I’m peckish!
Thanks for the feedback and review, Emily- yes, I’m like you. Although I have had 3-4 for breakfast on many occasions lol!
Is there anything to use as a substitute for protein powder as I cant get it where I live.
Just leave it out 🙂
I make these all the time for my toddler. Great healthy protein snack that he actually wants to eat!
Question please, how would you increase the fiber content and not ruin the recipe?
Thank you, Yvette
I’d add some chia seeds or some ground flaxseed 🙂
These are my favorite protein granola bars!
LOVE these protein granola bars so much- They have the best texture ever!
These are my favorite high protein granola bars!
Can’t wait to try these. Can you recommend a specific brand of protein powder to use?
Love optimum Casein protein powder 🙂
My favorite high protein snack from your website- Thank you Arman!
I like that these bars have 20g of protein. I made them and the taste is great but they don’t hold together very well. Any suggestions?
Hi Cita! It sounds like your protein powder is super thick! I’d add some liquid or even extra maple syrup/honeyt.
I love this protein granola!!
Can you use Raw Honey in this recipe? I accidentally bought a bottle of raw honey instead of just honey.
yes I don’t see why not!
This recipe tastes great and makes a fabulous snack!
Can’t wait to make these. If I’m adding a tablespoon of ground flax seed and a tablespoon of chia seeds, do I need to add more peanut butter or honey to help hold the bars together better?
Hmm, yes maybe a little extra honey.
These are delicious and so easy!
great and versatile recipe! I wanted to substitute the honey because the protein powder in using is already very sweet to me so I subbed melted coconut oil for honey. the boats were definitely drier that way compared to the original recipe so I may moisten the oats with some water
Ive notice it a bit rich but we like to mix our choc chips in with our warm PB and honey, but I wanted to bring down the sugar as we have a Type 1 in the house.
Theses are an amazing pre-workout snack!!!
I love these. They are a staple in my house. I make them 2-3 a month. They are with me on my hikes and I eat them as snacks at home (instead of cookies – etc…) too. Wonderful recipe!
Love this recipe so much
I love you recipes easy simple and can add protein power I love it.
Hello Arman!
I am looking forward to making this simple and straightforward recipe. One question – how much saturated fat is in each bar?
Thank you!
Hi Morgan! I’m not sure- the recipe card doesn’t include that 🙂 However, if you use myfitnesspal or similar it should provide those details for you
What ratio of whey and casein powder do you recommend? Can’t wait to try this recipe out!
As long as casein is the more dominant protein, it will be fine 🙂
Does the cook time change if I put these into molds vs a sheet pan?
Hi Medley- there isn’t a cook time per-se, but chilling time to firm up. If put into molds, it should actually be much quicker 🙂
Yum definitely making these
What great posts. Your pictures made me drool. I will definitely try this delicious recipe. I have tried peanut butter and other healthy snacks, but this one is new on the bucket list. It seems an exciting and straightforward recipe, and all the ingredients seem so healthy. You have well-explained everything in detail. Keep updating these yummy recipes. Being a food lover, I will definitely try.
great, enjoy!!
I love this recipe so much. I use sunflower seed butter to make them nut-free, which makes them even more kid-friendly.
Thanks, Aliya- using sunflower seed butter is a great alternative to peanut or almond butter without changing the texture. I’ve recently been really enjoying using tahini as another alternative too 🙂
Hi I made these granola bars today and followed the instructions. However the mixture is really dry and even after putting it in the fridge it crumbles apart. What can I do to rescue this and help it bind so I can cut them into bars? The mixture tastes incredible though thank you!
Hi Narinder- Would you mind telling us what protein powder you used? If it is a mixed or blended one, they are generally thicker, and sometimes need some water or milk to smooth them out.
Do you think it would work to sub almond flour or coconut flour for the oat flour?
Not for this recipe 🙂 Make keto granola bars instead.
These are SO GOOD! I’ve been looking for a recipe with more natural ingredients than a CLIF bar and more calories than a granola bar, and man, you hit the nail on the head. I used peanut butter, honey, and a little whipping cream, and man. I’ll be making more as soon as this batch is gone. Thanks for a great recipe!
Iv actually made these and they are really good! I was wondering how many calories are in the whole batch? Thanks.
Hi! Sure, feel free to calculate it using myfitnesspal or similar! 🙂
Hi there! My son is allergic to nuts… any options for replacing the nut butter?
Hi Laura! Absolutely- I’d recommend using a slightly sweetened sunflower seed or soy nut butter 🙂
Is the taste of honey or agave or maple overpowering with their tastes? My son is picky and isn’t really a fan of either in strong tastes. Thanks!
it really isn’t 🙂 Quite mild!
These look yummy! I love monster cookies and these are so much healthier than them! I can’t wait to try these. Thanks for sharing!
🙂 Please do- Thanks for your kind words! 🙂
Is it Summer in Melbourne…? 😉
Love that you got on at least ONE hike, or was that just putting on your shoes?
These look delicious as always sunshine!! Looking forward to hearing/reading what changes you are going to make. If you feel overwhelmed, just take a trip to Sydney to see my lovely face, that will totallllly calm you down… ha.
It’s Summer for my audience so absolutely! 🙂
Thank you! Can’t wait to share more!
These look so yummy! My daughter would love them.. mainly because of the chocolate candy M&ms 🙂 Great recipe!
Haha anything with candy buttons would win anyone over- Thanks Kelly! 🙂
Yum! Can’t wait to make these. I can always find the best treats here! I just made monster cookies last week and was looking for a healthy alternative.
Please do, I think you’d really enjoy these!
My brother in law eats a huge m&m cookie everyday for breakfast and won’t stop. Might have to forward this recipe to his wife 🙂
Your brother in law is my spirit animal 😀
Thanks, Michele!
Those granola bars look so good! I’ll have to try them out 🙂 My favourite snack for outdoor activities is fruit or some sort of trail mix.
Please do! 🙂 Trail mix is a great choice!
I didn’t know they make dairy free m’n’m’s… Anything with nuts or really good/sweet/nutritious energy bars are some of my go-to snacks when hiking (aka: walking around). Also, I can’t wait to read how you’re changing the blog. I love watching blog changes, because they change as the person changes.
YES!!! It’s a different brand and they taste just as good!
Mini sweet potatoes, nuts, fruits and raw vegetables are my snacks if I’m going on a super long hike for sure! And I definitely use food to motivate myself up to the top, haha!
Haha, or an Indian buffet 😉
Hahahaha “edible motivation”. I could always use a little of that 🙂 These are so fun – monster cookies are some of my favorites!
They are seriously so good!!!
I’ve never been big on rice snacks, except cocoa Rice Krispies. I keep meaning to buy rice cakes because people really like them, but everytime I think about it in the grocery store, I am like “why am I about to buy a snack food specifically designed for 3 year olds without teeth?”
I’ll stick to Cocoa Krispies 🙂
Cocoa rice krispies are delicious, I use them in my recipes all the time- Although as a post dinner snack are a top choice!
The Soy Vay ones are delicious- I reckon you’d enjoy them!
Ha, this just reminded me of when my friend came to visit me in Italy last year and we went to the Cinque Terre. We planned to hike between all five towns (which would take about 6 hours total) so we loaded up on snacks (aka biscotti and croissants). Armed and ready, we were then told that all the trails were closed except one. Whoops. At least we had no danger of starving to death if we got lost.
Hahahaha that is the best!
So I’ve gotta know…did you make it to the top of the mountain? I’m sure Harry Potter would have made it to the top of the mountain. Haha! Great granola bar idea…looks delicious!
Hahaha it took a lot of (edible) motivation!
Mmmm monster cookies, so good! Considering I haven’t gone for a hike in…..forever, I can’t say what my go-to snack would be. I’d probably save my eating for a good post-hike pizza and wine. 😉
Ahhhhh the post hike noshing- Love it!
I love the hunger created by a serious hike! It’s so fun to feed it, haha.
Granola bars are a must for an outdoor trip!
Yes! Totally!
These remind me of M&M monster cookies and I swear those were my magic dust when I was a kid. I hardly ever had the chance to have one but man they were my favorite. I also think I’ll only eat trail mix IF it has smarties or M&Ms in them.
Ohhh I always enjoy those first out of them!
I love trail mix and easy to grab snacks when I’m doing something outside. If I can have fresh fruit available, even better! Puffed rice sounds good, I’ve never had anything like the kind you share here before though.
You need to try it- Soy Vay’s range is amazing!
love monster cookies! I think I told you this one before – I made them last summer using pretzel m&m’s and I always think about them because they were SO GOOD!
omg I need to come visit you when you bake cookies 🙂