Protein Bars Without Protein Powder (11g Protein, 9g Fiber)

These Protein Bars Without Protein Powder are simple post-workout snacks loaded with over 11g of natural protein, 9 grams of fiber, and almost 3mg of iron.

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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!

Protein Bars without Protein Powder

These Protein Bars With Protein Powder are simple post-workout snacks loaded with over 11g of natural protein, 9 grams of fiber, and almost 3mg of iron.

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Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Freezer: 12 minutes mins

Total Time: 22 minutes mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6 bars

Calories: 251.3 kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

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Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• ▢ 1 can Black Beans - 15-oz can (425g) drained, rinsed (note 1)
• ▢ ¼ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• ▢ ¼ cup Peanut Butter - (note 2)
• ▢ ⅓ cup Maple Syrup - (note 3)
• ▢ 1 cup Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats - (note 4)

Chocolate Layer – optional

• ▢ ¼ cup Chocolate Chips - (note 5)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Coconut Oil - (note 6)

Instructions

• In a food processor, add drained, rinsed black beans, cocoa powder, peanut butter, maple syrup, and oats.
• Process at medium to high speed until it forms a chocolate paste. You will have to stop the food processor 2-3 times, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, and process again. You want all the black beans to be puree, but you will still see pieces of oats; that's normal.
• If the batter is too wet – you should be able to squeeze the batter into a ball. If it's too wet, add a bit more oats, and process to incorporate.
• Press the batter onto a pieces of lightly oiled parchment paper, place another piece of parchment paper on top, and press to form a flat top. Shape into a rectangle.
• In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stir between, until it's fully melted.
• Pour the melted chocolate on top of the bar, leaving the sides free from melted chocolate to make it easier to cut.
• Place the bar 12 minutes in the freezer to set the chocolate layer.
• Place the bar on a chopping board, cut into 6 even bars.

Notes

Note 1: The recipe works with any canned, drained beans like chickpeas, lentils, or navy beans. However, black beans are the best option to add the most protein to the bars.

Note 2: Or almond butter or cashew butter. If nut-free, use sunflower seed butter.

Note 3: You can also use agave syrup or date syrup.

Note 4: Use gluten-free certified oats if needed, or toasted quinoa flakes. If you don’t digest raw oats very well, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the oats in a single layer on a large baking sheet and bake on the center rack for 12 minutes. Cool down completely before using in the recipe.

Note 5: It’s optional. This adds crunchy chocolate bites and pieces to the bars. Use sugar-free chocolate or 85% chocolate to decrease sugar, if needed.

Note 6: The oil helps melt the chocolate, but it’s optional to use it. Other oil options are light olive oil, avocado oil.

Storage: Store the bars in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge the day before.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1bar (no optional chocolate layer) | Calories: 251.3kcal | Kilojoules: 1051KJ | Carbohydrates: 36.1g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 9.4g | Saturated Fat: 3.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3.2g | Sodium: 50mg | Potassium: 474.2mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 16.3g | Vitamin A: 4.2IU | Calcium: 60.6mg | Iron: 2.8mg | Magnesium: 107.5mg | Phosphorus: 216.1mg | Zinc: 1.9mg

Ingredients and Substitutions

You only need 5 simple ingredients to make this recipe. Here’s how to pick and swap them.

• Black Beans – These are the base for the bars, providing a good source of plant-based protein and fiber, and they also give the bars a fudge-like texture. You can also use chickpeas, lentils, or navy beans.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – This gives the bars their rich chocolate flavor and a beautiful dark color.
• Peanut Butter – This helps bind the ingredients together, adds healthy fats, and contributes to the protein content. Almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter are fine if you prefer.
• Maple Syrup – This is a natural sweetener for the bars. Agave syrup or date syrup also work well here.
• Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats – These add structure and fiber to the bars. If you’re looking for a gluten-free option, use certified gluten-free oats or toasted quinoa flakes.
• Chocolate Chips – These are optional and add a lovely crunchy chocolate topping. You can use sugar-free or 85% chocolate if you want to reduce the sugar.
• Coconut Oil – This helps the chocolate chips melt smoothly for the topping. Light olive oil or avocado oil also work.

How to Make Protein Bars Without Protein Powder

This recipe is super simple to whip up in just a few minutes.

Pour the black beans into the bowl of a food processor.

Add the rest of the base ingredient and process for a few minutes.

Combine the batter into a large dough block.

Melt the chocolate chips with coconut oil and pour on top of the bar.

Carine’s Tips

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

• Prep Your Beans – Make sure your black beans are really well-drained and rinsed before adding them to the food processor. Too much moisture can make the batter too wet and harder to shape.
• Achieve Smoothness – When processing the mixture, be patient and scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl multiple times. You want a very smooth paste from the beans, even if the oats still have some texture.
• Adjust Consistency – If your batter feels too sticky or wet after processing, don’t worry! Just add a tablespoon more of rolled oats at a time and process again until it’s easier to handle and you can form a ball.
• Quick Set – For a faster set on the chocolate layer, you can place the bars in the freezer. Just don’t forget them in there!

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