Chunky Monkey Protein Baked Oats (Print Version)

Banana-chocolate protein bars with oats, peanut butter, and walnuts—wholesome breakfast or snack in 35 minutes.

# Components:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
03 - 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
04 - 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
05 - 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

07 - 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
08 - 1/2 cup vanilla or chocolate protein powder
09 - 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
10 - 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
13 - 1 teaspoon baking powder

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, mash bananas until smooth. Stir in applesauce, honey or maple syrup, almond milk, peanut butter, and vanilla extract until well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine oats, protein powder, walnuts, chocolate chips, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder.
04 - Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
05 - Spread mixture evenly in the prepared baking pan.
06 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until bars are set and golden around the edges.
07 - Allow to cool completely in the pan before slicing into 12 bars.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • These bars taste like dessert but fuel you like a real meal, no guilt required.
  • You can mix everything in one bowl and have them cooling in under 40 minutes.
  • They stay soft and chewy for days, which means less time cooking and more time doing literally anything else.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step, warm bars fall apart and you'll end up with delicious crumbs instead of clean slices.
  • If your batter looks too thick, add a splash more almond milk, different protein powders absorb liquid differently.
  • Press a few extra chocolate chips on top before baking if you want them to look bakery pretty.
03 -
  • Use a bench scraper or a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts for the neatest bars.
  • If your bananas aren't ripe enough, roast them in their peels at 300°F for 15 minutes to speed up the sweetness.
  • Double the batch and freeze half, future you will be incredibly grateful on a rushed morning.
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