Chunky Monkey Protein Baked Oat Bars (Print version)

Wholesome banana-chocolate oat bars with protein powder, peanut butter, and walnuts. Easy, portable breakfast or snack.

# What You Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
03 - 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
04 - 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
05 - 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

07 - 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
08 - 1/2 cup vanilla or chocolate protein powder
09 - 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
10 - 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
13 - 1 teaspoon baking powder

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, mash bananas until smooth. Stir in applesauce, honey or maple syrup, almond milk, peanut butter, and vanilla extract until well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine oats, protein powder, walnuts, chocolate chips, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder.
04 - Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
05 - Spread mixture evenly in the prepared baking pan.
06 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until bars are set and golden around the edges.
07 - Allow to cool completely in the pan before slicing into 12 bars.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • They taste like a treat but actually pack protein and whole grains, so you're not pretending these are healthy while eating cake.
  • One batch feeds you for days, and they're sturdy enough to toss in a bag without crumbling into regret.
  • The chocolate and banana combination is comforting in a way that makes 6 AM feel manageable.
02 -
  • Don't skimp on cooling time or you'll end up with bars that taste good but fall apart the moment you pick them up, which is frustrating in a petty way.
  • If your protein powder is sweetened, dial back the honey because these bars can tip from tasty to cloyingly sweet faster than you'd think.
  • Mashing your bananas by hand instead of using a food processor keeps the texture chunky and interesting rather than baby-food smooth.
03 -
  • Use a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion rather than pressing down hard; it keeps the bars from crumbling and actually looks nice when you pull them out.
  • If your bars turn out too dense, your protein powder might be too heavy; try a lighter brand next time or add an extra tablespoon of almond milk to loosen things up.
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