Containing 13 grams of protein per bar and made with just a few simple ingredients, these chocolate protein bars are the perfect healthy treat to satisfy your chocolate cravings. Be sure to read the full post for important tips and help with adjusting the recipe to your protein powder.
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It's a sober truth that sometimes what we want and what we need aren't the same thing.
What I want is to be able to eat chocolate for breakfast, lunch and dinner (which I do come close to accomplishing with recipes like chocolate granola to chocolate hummus!).
What I need is a variety of nutrients including adequate protein.
Fortunately, these protein bars are the perfect marriage of the two. Chocolate-y enough to satisfy my wants while also being full of the protein that I need to keep me full and energized.
You'll love them because they are:
- Easy. The recipe comes together in about 10 minutes of prep (plus about 30 minutes for chilling) and you don't need a food processor or oven. Just mix, chill and slice.
- Protein Packed. Each bar contains about 13 grams of protein for a satisfying snack.
- Wholesome Ingredients. Making your own protein snacks means you can use high quality ingredients, like protein isolate powder and know exactly what is in your bar. (I make my own Honey Cinnamon Granola for the same reason).
- Convenient. Whip up a batch and place them in the freezer for whenever you need healthy options to pack along. (Or make some Almond Butter Protein Balls).
- Made for Chocolate Lovers! With a deep cocoa flavor, they will satisfy your most ravenous of cravings (they taste like edible brownie batter).
So let's make some chocolate protein bars!
The Ingredients
- Nut Butter- These protein bars can be made with any type of nut (or seed for nut free) butter. For best results, use a natural, smooth kind that is drippy and well stirred.
- Pure Maple Syrup- Along with sweetening the bars, this adds moisture for structure. Honey can be used instead or check out this post on maple syrup substitutes for more options (stick to liquid sweetener for this recipe). If you prefer to sweeten with dates, check out the chocolate version of these date protein bars instead.
- Protein Powder- I typically use unflavored pea protein isolate, brown rice protein powder or a combination. Different protein powders absorb different amounts of moisture so you may need to play around with the amount of water that you use- the consistency of the mixture should resemble play-dough.
- Cocoa Powder- This provides the chocolate flavor and contributes to structure for binding.
- Cacao Nibs- Along with being rich in antioxidants, cacao nibs add crunch and extra chocolate flavor. You can use mini chocolate chips, another add in or leave them out.
- Espresso Powder (Optional)- I like to include this in recipes with cocoa (like oat flour brownies) as it enhances the chocolate flavor. I promise that it doesn't taste like coffee.
- Fine Sea Salt- A pinch of salt balances the flavor and helps to bring out the chocolate taste but it can be left out if needed.
The Method
1. Mix wet ingredients. In a large bowl, combine nut butter and maple syrup (or honey).
2. Add dry ingredients. Mix the cocoa powder, salt and espresso powder into the nut butter mixture until smooth.
Add the protein powder to the bowl until well combined. If needed, add water 1 teaspoon at a time, to be able to mix. The less water you add though, the better the structure of the bars.
3. Add mix-ins. Stir in the cacao nibs or another add-in of choice, if using.
4. Shape. Line a loaf pan (I used 9x4 inch but 8x4 will work as well) with parchment or a silicone liner. Pour the batter into the pan and press it into an even layer.
5. Chill. Allow the bars to set for a minimum of 2 hours in the refrigerator or 30 minutes in the freezer.
6. Slice. Use the liner to lift the bars onto a cutting board and slice into your desired shape and size.
7. Enjoy! Eat immediately, refrigerate or freeze for later.
Leftovers and Storage
To Store: Place your chocolate protein bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
If you'd like to make them easy to grab and pack along, you can individually wrap them in some reusable plastic wrap.
To Freeze: These balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 5-10 minutes if you prefer them softer or eat them frozen.
Make it Your Own
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars- If you're a peanut butter fan, use peanut butter as your nut butter. Or check out these Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars.
- Use Different Add Ins- In place of the cocoa nibs, use dark chocolate chips (I recommend mini ones), M&Ms, chopped nuts, coconut flakes or another favorite cookie add in.
- Make Protein Balls– Check out this Chocolate Protein Balls recipe.
- Add a Chocolate Topping- After pressing the bars into an even layer, place them in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt 2 ounces of semi-sweet or dark chocolate in a small bowl in 20 second bursts in the microwave, stirring after each, until melted.
- Pour the melted chocolate over the bars and tilt the pan so that the chocolate covers the bars completely.
- Place in the freezer for an additional 20-30 minutes before slicing.
- Sweeten with Dates- Check out this Date Protein Bars recipe instead.
- Skip the Protein Powder- If you would like to make these bars without protein powder, substitute with almond flour or a half cup of rolled oats ground in a blender to make a flour. Keep in mind that this swap will affect the protein content of the balls.
Protein Powder Considerations
Note: For your personal nutrition and digestion, you may decide to use different protein powders. If you need more information on that, it may be best to seek it from a dietitian or nutrition professional.
But let's talk about how the protein powder that you use will affect the recipe and how you can adjust for it.
For reference, I use either pea protein isolate, brown rice protein or a combination and so the recipe is written for that. These two protein powders behave similarly and both absorb a lot of moisture.
If you use anything besides these unflavored proteins, you'll need to consider the following:
- Consistency: Plant-based protein powders absorb a lot more liquid than animal based powders.
- If using an animal based powder, such as whey, you may need to add a bit more to achieve the right consistency or you can add 1-2 tablespoons of almond butter or ground flaxseed as needed.
- Flavor: If you use a flavored powder, ensure that it complements the flavor of the protein balls that you are making.
- Also, you may want to reduce the sweeteners or flavors in the recipe (for example, reduce the cocoa if adding chocolate protein powder).
Troubleshooting and FAQs
- Falling Apart- Your mixture is likely too dry. To fix it, you can try adding 1-2 tablespoons of water. If that doesn't help, you may need something with better binding, so try adding a tablespoon of additional nut butter.
- Sticky- Your mixture is too wet. To fix this, you can either add (start with ½ tablespoon and then continue to add until the consistency is similar to play-dough):
- More protein powder
- Ground flaxseed
- Blended oats (homemade oat flour)
I use either pea protein isolate, brown rice protein or a combination. You can use whatever kind of protein powder you'd like but keep the following in mind:
-Flavor: If you use a flavored protein powder, ensure that it complements the flavor of the protein balls that you are making. Also, you may want to reduce the sweeteners or flavors in the recipe (for example, reduce the vanilla extract is adding vanilla protein powder).
-Consistency: Plant-based protein powders tend to absorb a lot more liquid than animal based powders. If using an animal based powder, such as whey, you may need to add a bit more to achieve the right consistency or you can add 1-2 tablespoons of almond butter or ground flaxseed as needed.
If you'd prefer to make these without protein powder, you can replace the powder with ground almonds (almond flour or meal) or with blended oats (to make oat flour). Keep in mind that this will affect the nutritional values and the protein content.
Tips for the Best Chocolate Protein Bars
- Use Natural, Well-Stirred Nut Butter- For best texture and binding, use a fresh, well-stirred nut butter of choice.
- Adjust for Protein Powder- The protein powder used will affect the consistency so add more or less water as needed to bind the ingredients. The batter's consistency should resemble play-dough. I recommend using unflavored, protein powder isolate so that the flavor doesn't affect the balls.
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Recipe Card
Chocolate Protein Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup nut butter of choice
- ¼ cup maple syrup or honey
- ⅓ cup protein powder I use a combination of pea protein isolate and brown rice protein; see notes for another protein powder
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon espresso powder optional
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- water as needed
- ¼ cup cocoa nibs (optional) or another add in such as dark chocolate chips, chopped nuts or coconut flakes
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the nut butter and maple syrup.
- Stir in the cocoa, espresso powder and salt.Add the protein powder and mix until well combined, adding water 1 teaspoon at a time, as needed. The mixture should resemble play-dough in consistency.
- Stir in the cacao nibs or another add-in if using.
- Line a 9x4 inch (or 8x4 inch) loaf pan with parchment or a silicone liner. Pour the batter into the pan and press it firmly into an even layer.
- Allow the bars to set for a minimum of 2 hours in the refrigerator or 30 minutes in the freezer.
- Use the liner to lift the bars onto a cutting board and slice into your desired shape and size.
- Enjoy immediately or refrigerate for later.
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