Chunky Monkey Protein Baked Oat Bars (Printer-Friendly)

Wholesome banana-chocolate protein bars perfect for breakfast or snacking. Ready in 35 minutes.

# 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 Cook:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing 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; avoid overmixing.
05 - Spread mixture evenly in the prepared baking pan using a spatula.
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 Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like a legitimate dessert but won't derail your goals because the protein actually tastes good, not chalky.
  • Zero guilt sneaking one into your bag at 7 AM because bananas and oats mean your brain won't judge you.
  • The recipe works with whatever you've got in the pantry—swap nuts, chocolate, even the sweetener and it still turns out.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step no matter how good they smell—warm bars are a mess, but patient bars are perfect and worth the wait.
  • If your protein powder is super sweet, reduce the honey slightly because the whole thing can tip into dessert-bar territory pretty fast.
03 -
  • Brown your bananas ahead of time if you want them sweeter and starchier—the spots mean maximum banana flavor and better texture in the bars.
  • Don't let the protein powder fool you into thinking these are just a supplement; the ratio is right so they taste like actual food, not a fitness compromise.
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