Chunky Monkey Protein Baked Oat Bars (Print View)

Energy-boosting banana chocolate walnut oat bars with protein powder. Ideal breakfast or snack.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
03 - 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey
04 - 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
05 - 1 large egg or flax egg for vegan option
06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

07 - 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
08 - 1/2 cup vanilla or chocolate protein powder
09 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
10 - 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
11 - 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, optional
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
13 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
14 - 1 teaspoon baking powder

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, mash bananas thoroughly. Whisk in applesauce, maple syrup, almond milk, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine oats, protein powder, walnuts, chocolate chips, coconut if using, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.
04 - Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and stir until just combined.
05 - Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with extra chocolate chips and walnuts if desired.
06 - Bake for 25 to 28 minutes until golden and set. A toothpick inserted in center should come out mostly clean.
07 - Cool completely in pan. Lift out using parchment and slice into 12 bars.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • No mixing fancy equipment or babying temperamental doughs—these bars come together in under 40 minutes start to finish.
  • They taste like a treat but actually fuel you through a morning or afternoon slump without the sugar crash.
  • One batch makes 12 bars, so meal prep becomes the kind of win that means you're never scrambling for breakfast again.
02 -
  • Don't underbake thinking they'll firm up more—they won't, and you'll end up with bars that taste amazing but crumble when you try to eat them.
  • The banana flavor gets more pronounced as these bars sit in the fridge for a day or two, so if you love banana, they actually improve with a little rest.
03 -
  • If your protein powder has a strong flavor, start with half the amount and taste a tiny bite of batter before committing—some brands can overpower the banana and chocolate.
  • Mashing the bananas with a fork instead of a blender gives you a thicker batter that holds more texture instead of turning into banana soup.
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