Healthy Breakfast Bars (11g Protein, No Added Sugar)

These Healthy Breakfast Bars are super simple bars made with wholesome ingredients, no added sugar, and plenty of protein from chickpeas, peanut butter, and oats.

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While the whole recipe is just below, don’t miss all my tips further down, including ingredient swaps, my cooking tips, and step-by-step shots!

Healthy Breakfast Bars

These Healthy Breakfast Bars are super simple bars made with wholesome ingredients, no added sugar, and plenty of protein from chickpeas, peanut butter, and oats.

5 from 14 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Cooling: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 55 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 bars

Calories: 308.3 kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

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Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• ▢ 1 ½ cups Mashed Banana - equivalent to 3 large ripe bananas
• ▢ 1 can Canned Chickpeas - drained, rinsed (note 1) (15 ounce can/425g)
• ▢ ¾ cup Peanut Butter - (note 2)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• ▢ 2 ¾ cups Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats - (note 3)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Chia Seeds - (note 4)
• ▢ ½ cup Dark Chocolate Chips - (note 5)
• ▢ ½ cup Pumpkin Seeds - (note 6)
• ▢ ½ cup Almonds - (note 7)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper, making sure some pieces of parchment paper hang on the side to easily remove the bar from the pan later. Slightly oil the pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
• Open the can of chickpea, drain it over a sieve, give a quick rinse and place in a large bowl.
• Use a potato masher to mash the chickpeas into tiny pieces – you can also add them in a food processor and pulse a few times to break them apart. Set aside.
• Mash the ripe bananas, pack in measuring cups to get exactly 1 1/2 cups.
• Place the mashed bananas in a very large mixing bowl, add crushed chickpeas, peanut butter, oats, vanilla extract, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, chopped almonds, and chocolate chips.
• Stir the ingredients very well, pressing them together to form a sticky, thick batter.
• Pour on the prepared baking pan, press evenly, and sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top for extra sweetness, if desired.
• Bake the oat bars for 30-40 minutes at 350°F (180°C) until dry and golden on top and set.
• Let the pan cool down for 15 minutes, then lift the overhanging pieces of parchment paper to release the oats onto a cooling rack.
• Let it cool down completely for 1 hour before slicing into 12 bars.
• Slice and serve on a plate for breakfast with mixed berries, a dollop of your favorite yogurt, or eat plain.

Notes

Note 1: equivalent to 1 1/4 cup of cooked chickpeas. You won’t taste them in the bar. They feel like moist pieces that go very well with the nuts and banana.

Note 2: Make sure you are using natural peanut butter with no added oil and no added sugar. You can make the recipe nut-free using sunflower seed butter or tahini. The recipe works with almond butter or cashew butter as well.

Note 3: Use gluten-free certified rolled oats if needed.

Note 4: Chia seeds act as a binder in the bar. You can’t remove them. But you can swap for 3 tablespoons of flaxmeal.

Note 5: The bars have no added sugar. The chocolate chips add sweetness to the bars. You can swap for dried fruits like dried cranberries, raisins, or finely chopped Medjool dates.

Note 6: The seeds add protein. You can swap hemp seeds for even more protein, or leave them out if you don’t want seeds in your bars.

Note 7: Almonds are for crunch and flavor, swap for any finely chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, or leave out if preferred. 

Oven Mode: I use the fan-forced (convection) mode. If you have to use conventional mode, I recommend increasing the temperature by 25°F (15 °C). The baking time should be the same, but it might take a few more minutes.

Storage: You can store the bars in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can freeze them in Ziploc bags and thaw in the fridge the day before.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 308.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 31.6g | Protein: 10.2g | Fat: 17.1g | Saturated Fat: 4.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.9g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 126.7mg | Potassium: 405.3mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8.2g | Vitamin A: 22.9IU | Vitamin B12: 0.02µg | Vitamin C: 2.6mg | Calcium: 77.6mg | Iron: 2.1mg | Magnesium: 106.5mg | Phosphorus: 238.9mg | Zinc: 2mg

Ingredients and Substitutions

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. Here’s how to pick and swap them.

• Mashed Banana – This ingredient brings natural sweetness and moisture to the bars. You could also use other fruit purees, like apple sauce or pumpkin puree, but bananas create a unique texture and flavor.
• Canned Chickpeas – Chickpeas add plant-based protein and create a wonderfully soft texture in these bars, without adding a noticeable flavor. You will not taste them in the bar, they simply feel like moist pieces that go very well with the nuts and banana.
• Peanut Butter – Peanut butter acts as a binder, contributes healthy fats, and provides a rich, nutty flavor, along with more protein. For a nut-free option, you can use sunflower seed butter or tahini, or try almond butter or cashew butter for different flavors.
• Vanilla Extract – This ingredient enhances the overall flavor profile, bringing a warm, sweet aroma to the bars.
• Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats – Oats form the base of these bars, providing fiber and a satisfying chewiness. You can use gluten-free certified rolled oats if that’s a dietary need.
• Chia Seeds – Chia seeds are crucial as a binder in this recipe, helping to hold the bars together. You can also use flaxmeal as a substitute.
• Dark Chocolate Chips – These add natural sweetness to the bars, which have no added sugar. If you prefer to skip them, or want a different flavor, dried fruits like dried cranberries, raisins, or finely chopped Medjool dates work well.
• Pumpkin Seeds – Pumpkin seeds add a nice crunch and contribute additional protein. Hemp seeds will add even more protein, or sunflower seeds offer a different texture.
• Almonds – Almonds provide a satisfying crunch and nutty flavor. You can swap them for any other finely chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans, or you can leave them out entirely.

How to Make Healthy Breakfast Bars

These bars are super easy to whip up, here’s how in a few pictures.

Mash the bananas and measure the exact amount needed.

Pour all the other ingredients into the bowl.

Stir the batter until it’s sticky and well combined.

Pour the batter into a square baking pan and flatten it with a spatula.

Add chocolate chips and bake the oat bars for 30-40 minutes at 350°F (180°C).

Let the bars cool down in the pan for 15 minutes and on a board for 1 hour.

Carine’s Baking Tips

Let me share a few more tips for a perfect breakfast bars.

• Big Batter – Always use a very large mixing bowl to combine all the ingredients. The batter is quite large, and a large bowl gives you plenty of room to mix everything thoroughly without making a mess.
• Serving Suggestions – While these bars are great on their own for a quick snack, serving them with a dollop of your favorite yogurt, fresh berries, and a drizzle of maple syrup can add an extra layer of flavor and create a more complete breakfast.
• Sweetness Control – The chocolate chips are the main source of sweetness in these no-added-sugar bars. If you decide to omit them, the bars will be much less sweet. Consider adding dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, or finely chopped dates if you want to maintain some sweetness without the chocolate.
• Nut Butter Swaps – Experiment with different nut or seed butters to change the flavors. Sunflower seed butter is a great nut-free option, while crunchy almond butter can add an interesting texture.
• Seed Variations – Don’t be afraid to mix up the seeds! While pumpkin seeds are great, hemp seeds will boost the protein content, and sunflower seeds offer a different kind of crunch.
• Binder Importance – Chia seeds are key for binding these bars together. While flaxmeal is a good substitute, make sure you don’t skip this ingredient, or your bars might not hold their shape.
• Cool Completely – It’s important to let the bars cool down for at least an hour on a cooling rack before slicing. This allows them to firm up properly, making them much easier to cut into neat bars without crumbling.
• Parchment Paper Lift – When lining your baking pan, make sure the parchment paper hangs over the sides. This creates “handles” that make it incredibly easy to lift the entire batch of bars out of the pan once they’ve cooled slightly, preventing sticking and breaking.

More Breakfast Bar Recipes

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Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars

Vegan Blueberry Breakfast Bars