Chunky Monkey Protein Baked Oat Bars (Printable Version)

Hearty baked oat bars with banana, chocolate chips, and walnuts. Protein-packed and perfect for grab-and-go breakfasts.

# 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

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, mash the bananas thoroughly. Whisk in the applesauce, maple syrup, almond milk, egg, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine the oats, protein powder, walnuts, chocolate chips, coconut if using, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.
04 - Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
05 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with extra chocolate chips and walnuts if desired.
06 - Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until golden and set. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean.
07 - Cool completely in the pan. Lift out using the parchment paper, then slice into 12 bars.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like dessert but pack enough protein and fiber to keep you actually full until lunch.
  • Fifteen minutes of prep means these fit into even the most chaotic morning routines.
  • One batch gives you grab-and-go breakfasts for nearly two weeks if you freeze them right.
02 -
  • The banana ripeness matters more than you'd think—green bananas won't mash smoothly and won't sweeten properly, so wait for those brown spots.
  • Don't skip the cooling step, no matter how impatient you are, or your beautiful bars will crumble and become more like oat crumbles with attitude.
03 -
  • Line your measuring cup with plastic wrap before measuring sticky ingredients like applesauce or honey—everything slides right out and cleanup is instant.
  • Make these on a Sunday and you've basically solved breakfast and snacks for the entire week, which is the kind of small decision that genuinely improves your day-to-day life.
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