These Chewy Choc Chip Oat Protein Bars are gluten-free, no-bake, and taste like dessert. Made with wholesome ingredients, they make a delicious snack or after dinner treat. Plus, they are boosted with protein powder.
Since these are no-bake oat bars, you can set the mixture in your choice of container. I use a loaf tin, then cut the slab into six bars. You can also roll the mixture into balls. Or make individual portions by pressing the mixture into a silicone muffin tray.
Do oats contain gluten
Oats naturally do not contain gluten. However, they are often processed on the same equipment as wheat and other grains that contain gluten. This means that traces of gluten can sometimes be found on oats.
In many countries, you can buy gluten-free oats. If oats are labelled and marketed as ‘gluten-free’, it usually means that they have been processed in a gluten-free facility and show no measurable trace of gluten when tested.
Ingredients for choc chip oat protein bars
- Rolled oats: I use old fashioned rolled oats, which are processed into a flour before adding to the mixture. Quick oats would also work if that’s what you have at home.
- Cashew or almond butter: This stops the bars from drying out and provides some healthy fats. You could use another natural nut butter, like peanut butter, if you prefer.
- Protein powder: I use unflavoured whey protein isolate to boost the protein content of the bars. I haven’t tested the recipe with other types of protein powder, but I imagine the recipe would work with most varieties since not a large amount of protein powder is used.
- Coconut flour: Combined with the oats, coconut flour gives the bars a chewy texture. It also gives the bars structure and helps to hold them together.
- Maple syrup: Used to sweeten the bars, since I use unflavoured protein powder. You could also use honey or brown rice syrup.
- Almond milk: Just a small amount of almond milk is used to bring the mixture to a dough consistency. I use unsweetened almond milk. However, you can use your milk of choice, or water, as a substitute.
- Chocolate chips: Feel free to use any chocolate chips that you like. I also enjoy using a chopped up chocolate bar. For more mix-in ideas, see below.
- Salt: A small amount of salt helps to enhance the flavor of the bars.
What else can I mix into these oat bars
I love to mix chocolate chips or a chopped up chocolate bar into these oat bars. However, feel free to get creative and add whatever you enjoy. Here are some more ideas:
- Nuts: Walnuts or almonds would pair nicely with the chocolate. I would roughly chop the nuts before adding to the mixture to ensure that the nut pieces are evenly distributed throughout the bars.
- Dried fruit: You could add some dried cranberries, dried sour cherries, chopped dried figs or apricots. If you enjoy raisins with oatmeal, why not add some into these oat bars.
- Coconut: Shredded coconut or coconut flakes would also work well as a mix-in.
- Cookie crumble: Roughly crumble up some cookies in your hands and mix the pieces into the dough for added crunch.
- Sugar-free chocolate: If you want to reduce the sugar content of the bars, you can use sugar-free chocolate chips or a chopped up sugar-free chocolate bar.
How to store these choc chip oat protein bars
Since these oat protein bars contain water-based liquid, they are best stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. If you won’t eat them all within this time frame, you can freeze them.
The bars can be enjoyed straight from the freezer if you don’t mind a firmer texture. Otherwise, you can let them soften at room temperature for a few minutes before eating or defrost them in the fridge overnight as needed.
Chewy Choc Chip Oat Protein Bars Recipe
Recipe video below. These chewy chocolate chip protein bars with oats are gluten-free, no-bake, and taste like a sweet treat. Made with wholesome ingredients and a boost of protein powder, they’re perfect as a snack or after-dinner dessert.
- Serves: 6 bars
- Prep time: 10 mins
- Chill time: 20 mins
Ingredients
- 1 cup (90 g) rolled oats
- 1/4 cup (60 g) almond butter (see Note 1)
- 1/4 cup (80 g) maple syrup
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 cup (25 g) unflavored whey protein isolate (see Note 2)
- 1/4 cup (28 g) coconut flour
- 4 teaspoons (20 g) unsweetened almond milk, or as needed
- 1/4 cup (45 g) chocolate chips (see Note 3)
Instructions
- Line loaf pan
Line an 8×4 inch (20×10 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Blend oats
Process the oats in a food processor or blender to turn them into a flour.
- Mix dough
In a medium bowl, mix the almond butter, maple syrup, and salt together until smooth. Add the oat flour, protein powder, and coconut flour and mix well. Gradually add almond milk, continuing to mix until you get a smooth dough. If it gets too sticky, add a little extra coconut flour.
- Add chocolate chips
Press the dough into the lined loaf pan. Sprinkle over the chocolate chips and press them into the surface of the mixture.
- Chill and slice
Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes until firm. Once firm, remove from the pan and slice into bars.
Notes
- Almond butter – Cashew butter or natural peanut butter work well as substitutes. If using salted nut butter, you can reduce the added salt to taste.
- Protein powder – Most whey or plant-based protein powders should work. If using a flavored powder, make sure it’s one you enjoy, as the flavor will come through in the final result. Plant-based powders may need extra almond milk to form a smooth dough, as they tend to be drier than whey.
- Chocolate chips – You can use chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. Sugar-free chocolate works well for a lower-sugar option. You can also substitute other mix-ins, such as chopped nuts, dried fruit, coconut flakes, or crumbled cookies.
- Storage – Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months and defrost in the fridge as needed.
Recipe video
Watch the recipe video to see how to make Chewy Choc Chip Oat Protein Bars.
