Easy no-bake Banana Bread Protein Bars naturally sweetened with banana make the perfect nourishing snack to fuel you all all week!
Hi, I’m a new mom and now I can never have enough bars.
I go to pump and I MUST HAVE thirty seven snacks. The bedside table is bursting at the seams with portable sustenance.
The breast feeding hunger is so real. And the thirst…Woah, Nelly! I’d heard that these feelings came on strong and that is indeed the truth.
If you’re a Hummusapien regular, you may already love my Matcha Cookie Bites, Mint Chocolate Protein Bites, Cookie Dough Protein Bars, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars. There is no shortage of snack recipes around here.
Oy, so much goodness!
I originally posted these banana bread protein bars in 2014 (who remembers??) and the recipe was a bit different. In an effort to simplify and make them a bit better the second time around, I messed with the ingredients to make an all new, equally delish bar.
She’s packed with nutrients for super easy, handheld nourishment. Walnuts, oats (hooray for foods that boost breast milk production!), hemp seeds, coconut flour, a smidge of plant protein, and a bit of chocolate for good measure. Never a bad call, that last one.
The “dough” tastes quite a lot like banana bread batter, and there’s no baking required. You do have to whip out the ol’ food processor but hey, no turning on the oven. Small wins!
I love that these bad boys aren’t super sweet. Cuz you know a brownie or three is happening later.
With almost five grams of fiber, eight grams of protein, and less than ten grams of protein per bar, we’re killin’ the nutrition game!
Ingredient tips and substitutions
Ingredient tips and substitutionsOld fashioned oats: Lotsa oats for texture, nutrition, and toasty flavor. Use certified gluten free if needed. Don’t use instant or steel cut here!
Walnuts: Super nutty and loaded with brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids. Here for it!
Vanilla plant protein: For a protein boost and extra sweetness. My favorites are blends of brown rice and pea protein like this or this. I have not tried these with whey. If you don’t have protein powder, you should be able to sub any combo of oats, ground flax or almond flour, but they will be a lot less sweet. These bars are not super sweet as it is!
Coconut flour: I love this stuff because it’s so high in fiber. It’s crazy absorbent, like a sponge. Since it’s so unlike any other flour, I don’t recommend subbing it out. Readers have said ground flax works, too!
Hemp seeds: A complete protein with all nine essential amino acids. Booya! If you don’t have hemp seeds, you could try chia seeds or coconut.
Honey: For a hint of extra sweetness. Maple syrup or agave will also work, but I like that honey is thicker and a bit sticky. Totally optional.
Banana: Very necessary for banana bread protein bars! Use extra ripe ones since they’re the main sweetening agent.
Vanilla extract + cinnamon: For authentic banana bread flavor!
Chocolate chips: I never make banana bread without chocolate chips. Do you?? Chocolate is a must. You can drizzle or just dot with the chips if you’re going for easy breezy.
Which protein powder is best?
Which protein powder is best?I always go with plant-based protein powder so I can’t vouch for how they’d taste with whey. If you try it, holler in the comments! This and this are my favorite plant-based protein powders.
You want one that’s sweetened versus unflavored, as that contributes to the overall taste of these bars. If less sweet bars are your jam, feel free to try unsweetened protein.
If you don’t have protein powder, you can try swapping it out for more oats, or even throw some ground flaxseed in there!
Fancy pants.
How to store bars
I like to store my bars in the freezer because I think the texture is amazing. If they’re too hard right out of the freezer, let them sit for a bit at room temp to soften up.
You can store a few at a time in the fridge, but know that they’ll get more brown since the banana will oxidize.
You can also roll these into balls if ya like! The sky is the limit, frands.
Craving more snack greatness? Don’t miss my other go-to recipes:
- Cookie Dough Protein Bars
- Matcha Cookie Bites
- Salted Chocolate Covered Oatmeal Bites
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars
- Mint Chocolate Protein Bites
Banana Bread Protein Bars
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 bars 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Easy no-bake Banana Bread Protein Bars naturally sweetened with banana and a bit of honey make the perfect nourishing snack to fuel you all all week. Like banana bread in bar form, with almost 5g of fiber and 8g of protein!
Ingredients
- 1 cup walnuts (can sub almonds, pecans, or cashews)
- 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1/3 cup vanilla plant protein powder
- 1/4 cup coconut flour* (can sub ground flax)
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- heaping 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup mashed overripe banana (2 medium bananas)
- 2 tbsp honey (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional topping:
- 2 tbsp chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper hanging over the sides and set aside. To help the parchment paper stick, you can spray the pan with cooking spray first.
- Place walnuts, oats, protein, coconut flour, hemp seeds, cinnamon and salt in the food processor and blend until the walnuts are broken down into small pieces. Add banana, honey and vanilla and process until a dough forms, scraping down the sides as needed. It will be very thick and slightly sticky and may seem wet at first but the coconut flour and oats will quickly thicken it. Press mixture evenly into prepared pan.
- If desired, you can press a handful of chocolate chips into the bars like the photos, or make a chocolate drizzle. Make drizzle by placing chocolate chips and oil in a small bowl. Melt in 20 second increments, stirring in between, until smooth. Use a fork to drizzle chocolate on top of bars.
- Freeze for 1-2 hours, or until set, before slicing into 8-10bars. Store in the freezer and let them sit a bit at room temperature before eating to soften up if needed.
Notes
*Do not substitute coconut flour for another flour—it is very unique and absorbent and not a 1:1 sub. This is what helps thicken the bars. If you don’t have coconut flour, readers have said ground flaxseed works. I have not tested this recipe with whey protein.
This recipe was originally posted on April 6, 2014 and updated on March 2, 2021. Original recipe: 1/2 cup pitted dates, 1/2 cup mashed banana, 1/2 cup walnuts, 1/2 cup almonds, 1 cup oats, 1/2 cup protein powder, 2 tbsp ground flaxseed, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cinnamon. Directions: Blend dates, banana, and vanilla in food processor until very smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and proceed with the directions above.
Keywords: banana protein bars, banana bread protein bars
Oh my gosh — my husband would love these!!
They’re awesome! I need to make another batch because the first one was gone in like three days…eeeek!
Do you eat these frozen? Or do you thaw when you want one?
Yep–I eat them straight from the freezer, no need to thaw! They’re pretty soft so they don’t taste frozen.
THX that’s a great anrsew!
These totally remind me of Lara bars, but better because they’re homemade. Nice work!
They’re way better than larabars…I think because of the oats and bananas!
These bars look so good! I love that they’re no-bake. =)
No-bake is my jam these days!
I’ve been looking at different bar recipes for about a week now and this is my new favorite! I love that these are no-bake and I always have overripe bananas that are looking for a new home. I’m the ultimate hangry type and have learned that not having a healthy option on me at all times can lead to bad decisions!! Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome! Hope you love them.
gah! these look so good! banana, oats & cinnamon! can’t wait to make these.
Alllll the best foods 🙂
Drool! I need to make this with my SFH whey (the best).
Passed this along to my client, who is about to start making her own bars, because she is looking for new snack options. This will be perfect for her and really hoping she’ll share some with me. 😉 Thanks for sharing! XOXO
That’s so sweet of you, girl! Thanks!
these look delicious I definitely want to give them a try. Overall i’m not a huge fan of protein powder either but these look like they are mainly made up of yummy whole foods! yay for no boyfriends..definitely in that club with ya 🙂 I was also laughing at people at work commenting on you eating weird stuff because at my job this summer as a waitress that happened to me all the time haha girls gotta eat!
Single ladies and protein bars unite!!!
I’m so excited to make these! Could I use vanilla Vega One? Or would it change the taste too much? Thanks!! 🙂
Definitely! I think any vanilla protein powder (sweetened) would be just fine!
These sound fantastic and I LOVE that they are no-bake. These truly will be perfect once the 100 degree weather hits…if it ever does 😉
I want 100 degree weather right now!!!
I’ve already made the decision that men are easily replaced by food (<- does that make me sound jaded), so I'm WAAAAAY on board with these naner nut bars! I've never made a protein bar but have been meaning to, considering I'm in the same banana boat as you when it comes to getting ravenous mid-day. LOVE these! They look absolutely perfect.
★★★★★
Food > men. 100%. Thanks my sweet 🙂
YES PUHHHHLEASE. I am on my third batch of the cinnamon roll bars but these will be next! One benefit to Curt being kidnapped by work is he isn’t home to eat all my food. Not that the bars last longer than 2 days anyway.
P.s. have you ever tried sundried red bananas? If not I WILL SEND YOU SOME. we use them in Kewaza and I legit have an O when I eat them.
Sundried red nanners?? Whaaaa? I’m a nanner virgin!!!!
My only beef with this recipe is that chocolate chips are NEVER optional 😛 Banana bread anything is amazing, but chocolate chip banana bread anything is even more win 😀
You’re so right. When is chocolate ever optional?! I should have written “required.” And doubled the amount.
These so remind me of larabars, but I’m sure they’re much better! They look amazing and I’d love them to bring to work for a morning snack.
The oats and nanner make them WAY yummier than larabars 🙂
What is with you and Davs whipping the damn food processor for everything? I NEED ONE.
Also the cinnamon roll bars AND these ones too. Banana bread- Have you ever tried the GNU bars? I tried one in america which claimed to taste like banana bread in a bar. It tasted like lies.
you taste like LIES.
Now I want to make both of these bars and am also without a food processor. Wahhhhhh. Next paycheck, I know what I’m getting.
OMG you need a food processor. Life changing. Get a big one, not the mini one!
Can I used pecan instead of walnut for this recipe?
Liez with burgerz and friez.
Ya they’re alright…kinda weird and crunchy-ish. You NEED a food processor. Life changing purchase, mah dude.