Recipe: Healthy Protein Bars with Peanut Butter

Need a healthy snack to keep on hand at home? We make these healthy cereal bars with peanut butter on the regular because our family gobbles them up! Packed with fiber and healthy fats – these are sure to keep you fueled.

These healthy cereal bars with chocolate are our new favorite snack – a sweet treat made with simple ingredients that makes the perfect mid-afternoon pick me up. Made from natural ingredients that taste amazing you will really taste the homemade difference from those high priced bars you buy in the store. 

Perfect for an on the go healthy snack for school, the office, or even in the car.

The oats, peanut butter, and seeds provide protein and sustained energy so they can be ideal for pre- or post-workout. We know the whole family is going to love these!

What is a Cereal Protein Bar?

What’s the difference between a cereal bar and a granola bar? They are both cereal based, but instead of using granola – these bars are made from puffed wheat cereal. We like to think of them as a healthier alternative to rice krispie treats.

Instead of marshmallows, these are held together with peanut butter, agave nectar, and ground flaxseeds.

Ingredients You’ll Need

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• Puffed Wheat Cereal: use any puffed wheat or puffed whole grain cereal that you prefer. We usually make this healthy cereal bars recipe with puffed wheat cereal, but you can also use puffed rice or puffed kamut.
• Rolled Oats: we like to add some old-fashioned oats to our cereal bars to increase the fiber content. Use old fashioned rolled oats for these as steel cut oats are too chewy.
• Nuts & Seeds: add lots of crunch as well as protein and healthy fats by adding a variety of nuts and seeds to these bars. We like to add walnuts, almonds, and pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds. However, you can mix it up and use other nuts like pistachios, pecans, or chopped peanuts.
• Flaxseeds: these mighty little seeds help bind these bars together as well as provide extra fiber and healthy fats. 
• Chocolate Chips: who doesn’t love the class1ic combination of chocolate and peanut butter? We add a few chocolate chips to these bars for some chocolatey flavor. Want to switch it up? Use peanut butter chips or butterscotch chips instead.
• Peanut Butter: we recommend a creamy, no-stir peanut butter for this recipe. However, you can still use crunchy peanut butter if that is what you have on hand. Don’t like peanut butter? You can use almond butter or sunflower seed butter instead.
• Agave Nectar: add natural sweetness and help these bars stick together by using agave nectar. You can substitute with maple syrup or brown rice syrup if you don’t have agave. 
• Brown Sugar: agave nectar adds most of the sweetness for these bars, but we also add a little bit of brown sugar too.

Healthy Protein Bar Variations

• Can I make these vegan? These easy homemade cereal bars are easy to make vegan-friendly – just use vegan chocolate chips. 
• Can I make these gluten free? To make these bars gluten free, use gluten free certified rolled oats and a gluten free puffed cereal like puffed rice.

How to Make No Bake Protein Bars

Mix the dry ingredients together: start by mixing all of the dry ingredients (oats, puffed cereal, almonds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and chocolate chips) together in a large bowl. 

Make the Filling: add the butter, peanut butter, agave syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla extract to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. 

Mix the Base: add the melted peanut butter mixture to the large mixing bowl with the cereal mixture and stir well. The chocolate chips should melt as you stir everything together. 

Press into Pan: Use a spatula or wet your hands (to prevent them from sticking) to firmly press the bars in an even layer into the prepared 9×13 inch baking dish lined with parchment paper. Make sure that there are no loose pieces around the edges. 

Chill & Serve: Allow the bars to chill in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before cutting. They should be firm when you try to cut them. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Tools You’ll Need for this Recipe

• Small saucepan
• 9×13 inch baking dish 
• Parchment paper
• Airtight storage container

How to Store these Easy Homemade Healthy Protein Bars

• In the Fridge: store cut bars in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator for up to a week. Wrap each bar in parchment paper or plastic wrap to make them easy for kids to grab and go.
• In the Freezer: you can also store these bars in the freezer for up to 6 months. Store bars in an airtight container wrapped with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together. Allow to thaw for a couple minutes out of the freezer to allow them to soften.

Are Protein Bars Healthy?

Yes! Making cereal bars or granola bars at home rather than buying them at the store allows you to control the added sugar content. We love that these are naturally sweetened with agave nectar and loaded with healthy nuts and fiber.

There are loads of health benefits associated with incorporating more whole grains and nuts into your diet – and these cereal bars have both!

Other Protein Packed Recipes to Try

• Blueberry Walnut Protein Pancakes
• Green Protein Smoothie
• Strawberry Peanut Butter Smoothie
• No-Bake Peanut Butter Energy Bites
• Peanut Butter Cup Protein Smoothie