Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars are a fudgy, delectable delight boasting 9 grams of plant-based protein without the use of soy. So nutritious they make a great breakfast or snack, but so delicious you’ll want to serve them for dessert!
I love chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans). If you’re familiar with my recipes you know that they are one of those great ingredients that taste delicious in both savory and sweet worlds. My Roasted Chipotle Chickpeas are a great zesty little snack, and my Chocolate Chickpea Bark is a chocolate bar as healthy as it is heavenly! Chickpeas are packed with plant-based protein, fiber, iron, potassium, calcium, and vitamins A, B-6 and C. That’s not even an exhaustive list, just the heavy hitters. Naturally, the next logical step would be to create a recipe with garbanzo bean flour. I did this several years ago and it was a flopper! I made biscuits with this flour and they tasted terrible, too earthy for my palate. Especially for biscuits, which I associate with a flavor that incorporates a creamy, buttery richness. I also found chickpea flour to have a little bit of that bitterness much like in quinoa flour. I was scarred for many years from the biscuit incident. But my desire to incorporate this nutritional powerhouse gave me the courage to overcome my fear and try again. 🙂 I am so happy I did!
The base ingredients for these Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars are almond flour, garbanzo bean flour, cocoa powder and peanut butter. A great compilation of plant-based protein and fiber. Sweetened with unrefined sugars maple syrup and coconut palm sugar, they bake into a creamy, fudgy, brownie-like bar with a balanced-but-not-overwhelming hint of peanut butter. I am pleased to report the chickpea flour was a complete success in this recipe, with no earthiness or bitterness to be found–or tasted!
Hints and Substitutions
You can make these bars with or without the dollop of peanut butter in the middle. If you choose to incorporate the dollop, I have provided directions below on how to use a straw to make the holes. In the dough, I used regular (creamy) jarred peanut butter. For the dollops, I used a peanut butter powder mixed with water to make a consistency that is easier to spoon into the holes. If you want to use jarred peanut butter for the filling dollops, and you find it to be too thick, simply stir it together with a small amount of melted coconut oil.
Although I have not tried it, I believe that almond or cashew butters would be viable substitutions for the peanut butter.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars – Completed Dough
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars – Dough in Pan
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars – Three Steps for Filling
(1) Using a straw, mark sixteen evenly spaced holes. (2) Rotate straw in a circular motion to make each hole about 3/4 inch. (3) Fill each hole with peanut butter.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars – Ready to Bake
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars are a fudgy, delectable delight boasting 9 grams of plant-based protein without the use of soy. So nutritious they make a great breakfast or snack, but so delicious you'll want to serve them for dessert!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons golden flax seed meal
- 1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup nut milk (divided, I use cashew)
- 2 1/2 cups almond meal flour
- 1 cup garbanzo bean flour (chickpea flour)
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (finely ground)
- 1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Ah!laska brand)
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy and salted, plus 3 tablespoons if filling with dollops)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- 1) Combine flax seed meal and 1/3 cup of nut milk and set aside.
- 2) In a food processor or bowl mix together almond flour, garbanzo bean flour, salt, coconut palm sugar and cocoa powder. If using the food processor, you can continue to add ingredients until it is too full to mix well, then transfer to a bowl and mix with a spoon or your hands. Add peanut butter and maple syrup and mix well. Add vanilla and remaining 1/4 cup nut milk to flax mixture and add to dough.
- 3) In a small bowl combine apple cider vinegar and baking soda, then add to dough and mix well.
- 4) Place dough in a greased 8 inch by 8 inch pan. Spread out and flatten until smooth (see pictures in post).
- 5) If adding peanut butter filling, use either 2 tablespoons of peanut butter powder mixed with 2 tablespoons of water, or jarred peanut butter mixed with a small amount of melted coconut oil if too thick. Using a straw, mark sixteen evenly spaced holes. Rotate straw in a circular motion to make each hole about 3/4 inch. Fill each hole with peanut butter (see picture in post). Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 minutes until it tests done by with a clean toothpick. For fudgy moist bars I recommend storing in the refrigerator in a sealed container or wrapped in wax paper. They may also be stored at room temperature.
Notes
Hints and Substitutions
You can make these bars with or without the dollop of peanut butter in the middle. If you choose to incorporate the dollop I have provided directions and pictures in the post on how to use a straw to make the holes. In the dough I used regular (creamy) jarred peanut butter. For the dollops I used a peanut butter powder mixed with water to make a consistency that is easier to spoon into the holes. If you want to use jarred peanut butter for the filling dollops, and you find it to be too thick, simply stir it together with a small amount of melted coconut oil.
Although I have not tried it, I believe that almond or cashew butters would be viable substitutions for the peanut butter.
These homemade protein bars look amazing! I love chocolate and peanut butter together!
Thanks, Bethany! One of my favorite combos too!!