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    Home » Snacks

    Homemade Pumpkin Protein Bars

    September 30, 2022 by Chrissy Carroll Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Pumpkin spice and everything nice – it’s fall, y’all! Enjoy a seasonal spin on snack time by making these six-ingredient pumpkin protein bars. Each bar packs in 17 grams of protein and tastes great.

    Several pumpkin protein bars on a plate next to an orange napkin and a baking dish.

    Ingredients

    You only need six simple ingredients to make this recipe!

    Protein powder, chocolate chips, peanut butter, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, and honey.
    • Peanut butter – You’ll want natural peanut butter for this recipe, as it has a drippier texture that works perfectly. Look for peanut butters that are just peanuts and salt (like Teddie’s). If you buy conventional peanut butter, the mixture will likely be too dry.
    • Honey – Any variety of honey will work here – your standard storebought supermarket bear is just fine, or you can go with a local beekeeper’s brand!
    • Chocolate chips – I don’t know about you, but I’m always a fan of adding chocolate to anything. I used regular chocolate chips in this recipe, but you could also go with a no-added-sugar chocolate chip brand, or you could leave these out completely if you prefer.
    • Protein powder – Vanilla protein powder works well in this recipe – either a whey protein or a plant-based protein is fine. If you prefer, you can use unflavored protein powder instead. If so, I suggest tasting the mixture and possibly adding a little extra sweetener if needed.

    Instructions

    Ready to make it? Luckily, this recipe is super simple – you’ll find the full recipe amounts and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here’s a helpful overview with photos.

    Start by adding all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stirring until well combined.

    I recommend starting with most of the protein powder when you do this – about 1 ¼ cups – mixing it, and then seeing if you need to add the remaining ¼ cup depending on the texture. The texture should be thick and firm, but still moist – like below. You don’t want it to be sticky and you don’t want it to be dry.

    Ingredients mixed together in a blue mixing bowl.

    Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment or wax paper, then pour the mixture into the pan. Use either the back of a spoon or your hands to flatten the mixture down into a large square, filling the pan.

    Protein bar mixture pressed into a parchment-lined 8 by 8 baking dish.

    Pop those in the fridge overnight (or at least a few hours), and then cup ‘em into bars. Super simple, right?

    Pumpkin spice protein bars in the baking dish, cut up.

    Recipe FAQ

    Here are some common questions that may arise as you prepare this recipe:

    How should you store homemade pumpkin protein bars?

    Store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    My protein bar mixture is too dry – what should I do?

    This can happen if the protein powder is packed down into the cup. If that occurs, simply add a little more of your wet ingredients to the recipe (in this case, peanut butter, pumpkin, and honey).

    My protein bar mixture is too wet – what should I do?

    Simply add another few tablespoons of protein powder, then mix again. Repeat as needed until the mixture is firm and still moist, but not sticky.

    Can you use almond butter instead of peanut butter in protein bars?

    Yes. However, almond butter tends to be slightly less drippy than natural peanut butter. As such, you may need to reduce the amount of protein powder that you use.

    Nutrition Benefits

    These bars are great for active women to keep on hand! You can eat them when you’re stuck in traffic and need a bigger snack to tide you over to dinner, or when you want to tame that training hunger that comes along with an intense exercise routine. They have both fat and protein to keep you full and satisfied.

    These bars also pack in some micronutrients, like magnesium and Vitamin E.

    Magnesium is involved in so many processes in the body, from energy production to bone health to exercise recovery, making it a key mineral for athletes. Each bar packs in 11% of your daily needs.

    And Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant in the body, protecting cells from damage. Each bar provides 17% of your daily needs.

    More Snacks with Protein

    If you’re on the hunt for more protein-rich snacks, be sure to look at some of these recipes:

    • Peanut butter protein bars
    • Chocolate coffee protein balls
    • Pumpkin protein muffins
    • Banana protein muffins
    • Peanut butter protein fudge
    • Protein coffee

    I hope you enjoy these pumpkin protein bars. If you get a chance to make ‘em, feel free to leave a recipe rating or comment below.

    Three pumpkin protein bars stacked on top of each other on a white plate.

    Pumpkin Protein Bars

    Snacking in Sneakers
    These pumpkin protein bars are a perfect way to put a seasonal spin on snack time!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 0 minutes mins
    Chill Time 3 hours hrs
    Total Time 3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
    Course Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10 bars
    Calories 303 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup natural peanut butter
    • ⅔ cup canned pumpkin puree
    • ⅓ cup honey (*see notes)
    • 1 ½ tablespoons pumpkin spice
    • ⅓ cup chocolate chips (optional)
    • 1 ½ cups vanilla protein powder divided (see instructions)

    Instructions
     

    • In a large bowl, add the peanut butter, pumpkin puree, honey, pumpkin spice, chocolate chips, and 1 ¼ cups of the protein powder. Stir until well combined. If the mixture is still sticky, stir in the remaining ¼ cup of protein powder, until a firm mixture forms that is moist but not sticky and not dry.
    • Line an 8×8 pan with parchment or wax paper. Pour the protein mixture into the pan. Press down with your hands or the back of a spoon to flatten into a relatively even square.
    • Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 3 hours (the mixture will firm up a bit as it chills). Cut into ten bars. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days, and enjoy as you please!

    Notes

    • *I prefer adding a little extra sweetener with honey, which I find creates good flavor with the standard brand of protein powder that I use. However, if your protein powder is very sweet already, you may be able to reduce or omit the honey. Since the honey is a liquid ingredient, if omitted, you may need to reduce the total amount of protein powder as well (to avoid making the recipe too dry).
    • This recipe can sometimes look too dry or too wet, depending on the type of protein powder you’re using and how packed down into the cup it is. If your mixture is too dry, add more canned pumpkin and peanut butter. If your mixture is too wet, add a little more protein powder.
    • These bars will be softer than a store-bought protein bar – this is normal. Keep refrigerated until ready to eat to keep them firmer.
    • If you prefer, you can roll the mixture to create protein balls instead.
      Specific nutrition facts may vary based on the type of protein powder used. Nutrition facts are an estimate only.
     
    Nutrition analysis (approximate per bar using whey protein powder): 303 calories, 16.5 g fat, 4.5 g saturated fat, 24.5 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 17.5 g sugar, 17 g protein, Vitamin D: 0%, Calcium: 5%, Iron: 6%, Potassium: 6%

    Nutrition

    Calories: 303kcal
    Keyword pumpkin protein bars, pumpkin spice protein bars
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Share: What’s your favorite pumpkin-inspired snack?

    Feel free to pin this post to save for later!

    Several pumpkin protein bars on a plate with a text overlay with the name of the recipe.
    • Author
    • Recent Posts
    Chrissy Carroll
    Chrissy Carroll
    Chrissy Carroll is a Registered Dietitian and USAT Level I Triathlon Coach. She specializes in sharing nutrition and fitness tips, as well as recipes, for runners, triathletes, and active women.Chrissy holds a Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition, a Masters Degree in Public Health, and is also an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer.
    Chrissy Carroll
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    Welcome to Snacking in Sneakers! That's me, Chrissy, and I'm here to share all my favorite fitness, food, & wellness stories & tips. I'm a dietitian, personal trainer, runner, triathlon coach, foodie, not-so-extreme couponer, and all around fun lovin' gal.

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