Have you ever tried a Perfect Bar before? We are big fans of them over here! Our favorite flavor is Dark Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter. However, we can’t always justify spending over $2.50 for an individual bar, especially when we can make 12 on our own at home for much cheaper! Here you’ll find our version of Homemade Perfect Bars that are quick and easy to make, don’t require any baking, store well in the fridge and freezer, and are of course, delicious. What more could we ask for?
What ingredients do I need to make homemade perfect bars?
Natural peanut butter
We prefer to use natural peanut butter (made only with peanuts and salt) as it has yielded the best results for us when making these bars. Our favorite natural peanut butter is the Kirkland brand from Costco! If you don’t have access to Costco, we also love the Teddie brand. Many grocery stores also carry their own brand of natural peanut butter.
Honey
If you’ve had a perfect bar, you know that honey is one of the main contributors to the delicious flavor! Its sweetness pairs perfectly with the slightly salty peanut butter and helps to bind all of the ingredients together.
Vanilla
The vanilla here definitely enhances all of the other flavors in these homemade perfect bars. Don’t forget it!
Protein powder
We recommend using a vanilla protein powder to get results most similar to the Perfect Bars you can find in the store. Pick your favorite protein powder to include here! If you like the protein powder in other things like smoothies or protein bites, then you’re sure to like it here too! If you need a dairy-free option, we love the Truvani protein powder. Since the protein powder is a main component of these protein bars, we recommend using a quality protein powder that you like the taste of. Clean and Simple Eats and Just Ingredients also offer a great protein powder.
Oat flour
If you haven’t used oat flour before, we know it can sound kind of intimidating to venture outside of the good old basic all-purpose flour. However, we love using oat flour and the good news is, you can make it on your own at home very easily! All you have to do is blend up some oats in a blender or food processor until they are in the form of a fine powder. We like to make extra, store it in an airtight container, and have it ready to go for other recipes like our Banana Coconut Chocolate Chip Muffins and our Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins.
Salt
Of course, we must add salt to enhance the flavors and balance out the sweetness from the honey and protein powder.
Mini chocolate chips
We love to use mini chocolate chips in these homemade perfect bars to help distribute the chocolate easily throughout the bar. You’re sure to get chocolate in every bite which is a big win in our book!
What equipment do you need?
All you will need to make these Homemade Perfect Bars is:
- An 8x8 pan lined with parchment paper
- A large mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- A spatula (optional)
How do I make homemade perfect bars?
We think you’ll be a fan of how easy it is to make these bars!
- Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the protein powder, oat flour, and salt. Mix until well combined.
- Place the mixture into the 8x8 pan and press it into an even layer with a spatula or your hands.
- Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips on top. Press them into the protein bar with a spatula or your hands.
- Cut into 12 even bars. Store the bars for 2 weeks in the fridge, or 2 months in the freezer.
Anything else to consider?
As mentioned above, these bars store very well in both the fridge and the freezer. If you know you’ll be eating them right away, the fridge is an easy and convenient way to store them. We like to store them in the freezer in an airtight container to help them stay as fresh as possible for as long as possible. Just make sure you pull them out of the freezer and let them soften for 10-15 minutes before taking a bite!
Are homemade perfect bars (GF/DF/VEG)?
These homemade perfect bars are vegetarian and gluten-free. They can easily be made dairy-free by selecting a dairy-free protein powder and dairy-free chocolate chips. Our favorite dairy-free protein powder is Truvani and our favorite dairy-free mini chocolate chips are made by Enjoy Life.
Are you looking for other ways to use your protein powder? Try some of our other favorite recipes!
- Tropical Green Protein Smoothie
- Protein Berry Smoothie Bowl
- Protein Chia Pudding
- Cadbury Egg Protein Bites
- Monster Protein Bites
If you make these Homemade Perfect Bars, please let us know how they turn out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!
Homemade Perfect Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup natural peanut butter
- ⅓ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup protein powder
- ½ cup oat flour (see notes for details)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the protein powder, oat flour, and salt. Mix until well combined.
- Place the mixture into the 8x8 pan and press it into an even layer with a spatula or your hands.
- Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips on top. Press them into the protein bar with a spatula or your hands.
- Cut into 12 even bars. Store the bars for 2 weeks in the fridge, or 2 months in the freezer.
Notes
NUTRITION
The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Homemade Perfect Bars."
The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.
Angie C.
These are fantastic. I actually like them better than effect bars. I made my own oat flour by using oats in a processor, was almost out of honey - so only added about 1/4 cup (still worked out and were sweet enough for me), and I used cocoa nibs because I was out of chocolate chips. I also really love the crunch and toasty flavor of the nibs.
My protein powder was Aldi’s brand in vanilla. I also used Aldi brand natural organic creamy peanut butter.
Begin With Balance
We're so glad to hear these bars turned out well for you Angie! Thank you for trying and for sharing how the modifications worked out as well!
Mac
Do you think almond flour would work instead of oat flour?
Begin With Balance
Hi Mac! We unfortunately haven't tried this recipe with almond flour. The consistency and flavor of the bar may differ slightly with the use of almond flour, but it may still be a successful substitute. Let us know if you give it a try!
Lexy Halladay
So good and easy to make!
Begin With Balance
So glad to hear it Lex! Thanks for trying them!!