Easy No-Bake Workout Bars

4.67 from 56 votes

No bake, no hassle, with plenty of protein and superfoods to boot!

easy no bake workout bars

 Of course, we know exercise and nutrition are key to good health. But, did you know that the things you eat before and after a workout play a big role in how your body performs during and after your workout?

A pre-workout meal or snack is important because it provides your body with readily available energy that will be utilized during your workout! But once your routine is finished, your energy sources are probably depleted and need to be restored– especially if it was intense exercise! Many people fail to realize how important post-workout nutrition is, but here at Skinny Ms., we know! This is where our Easy No-Bake preworkout bars come in. 

These delicious, easy to make preworkout bars are a great post-workout recovery snack that will help you reach your fitness goals with greater efficiency. After all, faster recovery means you can get another great workout in sooner. Of course, they’re excellent as a pre-workout snack, too!

A Great Workout Needs a Great Post-Workout Snack

Enjoy this tasty recipe for breakfast or as an energy-boosting snack midday.

It’s important to remember that, along with fitness routines that have our hearts racing and our muscles pumping, we need to add meals and snacks to our diet that complement our workouts and make sure we get the most of each lunge, squat, and minute spent on the elliptical. The saying is true, “You can’t outwork a bad diet.” Proper nutrition is extremely important.

Your future workouts could be at risk if you don’t take recovery seriously. Without properly hydrating and fueling your body, you may feel lethargic, sore, weak, and more. These things can compromise your training and slow down your progress (and no one wants that!) That’s why we’re so eager for you to try our tasty and nutritious preworkout bars!

Tasty Ingredients that are Better for Your Health

Fuel up for your workout with these energy-boosting workout bars.

Since we want to keep what goes into our body as pure as possible, we try to stay away from pre-packaged snacks any time that we can. Why? Because many preworkout bars and snacks you’ll find on the grocery store shelves are loaded with unnecessary sugars and unknown ingredients. Your body doesn’t need that extra sugar and those preservatives that help extend the pre-fab snacks’ shelf life.

Our no-bake workout bars, on the other hand, are made with familiar and healthy ingredients. Fiber-rich complex carbohydrates, such as oats and raisins, are combined with protein-rich protein powder and peanut butter. Flax seeds and chia seeds add superfood power, while chocolate gives you a satisfying flavor. These easy preworkout bars will provide you with the perfect combination of post-workout carbs, protein, and fat.

And before you think to yourself, “Nobody has time to make their own preworkout bars!” just look at how easy this recipe is!

An Easy Alternative to Store-Bought Bars

Eat these nutritious bars as a healthy, post-workout snack.

We know you have a busy life and it may sound time-consuming to make your own snack bars. But, we’ve taken away the hassle by coming up with a simple, no-bake workout bar recipe! All you need is 15 minutes is to prepare these amazing preworkout bars. We can all find 15 minutes, can’t we? Especially if it means getting to eat a snack that’s better for our bodies?

Start by grabbing your blender. Pulse 1 ½ cups of the oats (keeping the other ½ cup off to the side) until they’ve reached a flour-like consistency. Add the oat flour, along with the remaining oats, protein powder, chocolate chips, chia or flax seeds, and raisins to a large bowl. Toss the ingredients until they’re evenly combined. 

In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, coconut milk, and honey. Pour this peanut butter mixture into your bowl, over the oat mixture, and stir until the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.

Finally, spread the completed mixture into a 9 x 9-inch square pan or an 11 x 7-inch rectangle pan. (Note that the smaller pan will give you thicker bars.) Press the mixture down evenly and cover with a lid or foil. Refrigerate the bars overnight, or for at least 4 hours. Once hardened, cut the recipe into 12 bars and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready for them. For the best taste, we recommend eating all the bars within 4 to 5 days. If you need to store them longer, wrap them tightly in plastic and freeze. Bars should last for a month, properly packaged.

4.67 from 56 votes

No-Bake Workout Bars

Chocolate chips, peanut butter, rolled oats, and more! These deliciously satisfying workout bars will keep you from ever purchasing store bought snacks again!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Refrigeration Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Yield 12 people
Serving Size 1 bar
Course Snack
Cuisine American

Ingredients

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup clean protein powder
  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup chia seeds or ground flax seeds
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1 cup peanut butter natural
  • 1/2 cup lite coconut milk more or less as needed to reach desired consistency
  • 1/4 cup honey raw

Instructions

  • In a blender, pulse 1 1/2 cups of the oats until a flour like consistency. In a large bowl, toss to combine oat flour, remaining 1/2 cup oats, protein powder, chocolate chips, chia or flax seeds, and raisins.
  • Stir together in a medium bowl the coconut milk, peanut butter, and honey. Pour peanut butter mixture over oat mixture and stir until thoroughly incorporated.
  • Spread mixture into a 9 x 9-Inch square pan or an 11 x 7-inch pan. Press mixture down and cover with a lid or foil and refrigerate overnight, or until they harden some. Slice into 12 bars and keep stored in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 108mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 21IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 2mg |
SmartPoints (Freestyle): 13
Keywords Quick and Easy, Vegetarian

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If you enjoyed these easy no-bake workout bars, we think you’ll also want to try our Quinoa Protein Bars

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Editors Note: This post was originally published June 13, 2015 and has been updated. 

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Gale Compton

Gale co-founded SkinnyMs. with a goal to provide women with delicious recipes, fitness routines, and ways to reach their ideal weight. Gale has been featured on the Today Show in which she won a cook off for the best Lasagna. Be sure to search for her winning recipe, Skinny Lasagna Rolls.

Guided by her firm belief in healthy eating and the power of exercise, Gale has written two cookbooks and several fitness ebooks. She earned her Fitness Training Certification from, National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association. Gale loves to run with her dog Maggie and has completed numerous half-marathons.

More by Gale

108 Comments

    1. The nutritional data is listed just above the recipe. Each bar contains 333 calories and 11 g of protein.

      1. Almond milk will work, right? Vegan so there won’t be honey in these when I make them. Agave or maple syrup

          1. Hi. I am just confused where the trans fat would come from in the recipe? The chocolate chips?

            I made the quinoa bars but found them a bit sweet for me, so hoping these might be a bit less so. :O)

  1. Would you mind posting the name of the protein powder used in this recipe? The link doesn't work. Thanks!

    1. We used Tera's Whey rBGH Free Fair Trade Dark Chocolate Whey Protein Powder. The link has been corrected now. Thank you!

    1. Anne, Definitely! I have used both almond and cashew butter. It really just depends on your personal preference. Those with a nut allergy can use Sun Butter. 🙂

  2. Can you make this without protein powder? Would you need to replace it with anything? I have a major problem with articifcial sweetners :/

    1. We use clean protein powder made with only natural ingredients, but you could omit it without replacing it with anything. The raw honey, coconut milk, and dark chocolate offer plenty of sweetness.

  3. What database did you use to calculate nutr. analysis? There is no way only 5 grams of sugar are in each bar, not for that amount for honey and raisins for each serving.

    1. Sara, It should be 12 bars or squares. That is what the nutrition data is calculated for. Thanks for checking! 🙂

    1. Marcy, I’m so sorry. We’re having an issue with some of the recipes not showing up. We’re working nonstop to get it fixed. Please be patient, we would really apprecite it. Thanks so much for being a loyal reader. Check back in a little bit and everything should be back to normal. We won’t stop until it is. 🙂

    1. Rachelle, Please read the first paragraph of the directions. You make the flour with 1 1/2 cups of the rolled oats. 🙂

      In a blender, pulse 1 1/2 cups of the oats until a flour like consistency. In a large bowl, toss to combine oat flour, remaining 1/2 cup oats, protein powder, chocolate chips, chia or flax seeds, and raisins.

  4. As is, one bar calculates to 11 SmartPoints. Is there anything that can be swapped or cut out to make it more “affordable” in my SmartPoints budget?? I took out the raisins, which I don’t like much anyway, but it’s still 10 points. I can cut it in half; still a lot of points.

    Thanks! I DO love your recipes!

    1. Kris, Thank you! Here’s my suggestion if you want to get the SmartPoints down: remove the raisins as you mentioned, use only 1/4 cup chocolate chips, and use water in place of coconut milk. This should get the points down considerably and you’ll still have a tasty bar for energy.

  5. I can’t believe I didn’t write a review when our daughter made us a batch of these a few months ago! I’ve been craving these little beauties ever since. I just put a batch in the fridge for us.
    So, for my daughter and myself, we’d love to give you 10 stars for these great bars:)

    1. The peanut butter helps the bars stick together. If you are adverse to peanut butter, you can substitute almond butter.

  6. Is there something that could be in the place of peanut butter to make it nut free for school?
    Thanks for all the earlier comments! Can’t wait to try these!

    1. Marilyn, You can’t taste the coocnut milk. But, you can sub with almond milk. I recommend “SO Delicious” brand, it has 2 ingredients: Almonds and filtered water. 🙂

  7. I made these and substituted a nut and fruit trail mix for the raisins. Turned out great and lasted for a little over 2 Weeks! Love these bars for breakfast!

  8. When i try to cut them to be in a ‘bar’ form, it doesnt stick together.. Anything i do wrong? I followed the recipe very precisely.. How can i i adjust this?

    1. Once they have been refrigerated over night, you should be able to cut them into slices without them breaking apart. If not, it could be that the peanut butter you are using has excess oil in it. If that is the case, you should be able to adjust the texture by decreasing the amount of coconut oil.

    1. We haven’t tried using quinoa with this recipe, but imagine that it is possible. The quinoa will increase in size much more than the chia will when liquid is absorbed, so that would have to be accounted for. Let us know if you give it a try!

    1. Faith, Oh good! I’m with you…love them and make almost weekly. I take one in my gym bag and eat before most workouts.

  9. I am going to make these bars today. love the recipe and all the feedback. Using them for a snack and/or before I workout.?

  10. I have subscribed to many sites with recipes and I’m seriously considering unsubscribing to all except for skinnyms. Your recipes make so much sense, healthy and yet sound delicious with mostly everyday ingredients. Thank you.

    1. Hi, Sara. You’ll stir up the coconut mixture (coconut milk, peanut butter, and honey) separately then pour it over the oat mixture — then stir everything together before adding to the pan.

    2. Usually lite coconut milk does not separate. Full fat coconut milk tends to separate in the can. Just stir it up and keep going with the recipe.

  11. These are really good! Will be making them regularly for a great snack, breakfast or even dessert. Although I think they are sweet enough without the honey – I might skip that part.

  12. Instead of natural PB can I just use regular PB with this recipe? I use that at home usually, so trying to keep to the ingredients I already have if possible.

  13. OK. So I have tried several online healthy recipes for bars like these. Most of them leave a little to be desired re: flavor, texture, etc. I stumbled across your site and found this recipe. At the risk of sounding like a teenager…OMG! Hands down the best recipe I have found to date. I made them last week and it was all I could do not to eat the whole pan in one sitting. So good. Getting ready to make another batch for the upcoming week. Also chose 2 other recipes off your site for dinners this week simply based on how great these bars are. So glad I found you!

    1. Ashley, The Peanut Butter is needed, otherwise the bars will be too dry. You could add PB2 but will need to add a little more liquid. Add the extra liquid (coconut milk or water) until mixture can be shaped into bars. 🙂

  14. I’ve made this recipe several times with different variations and it’s a hit every time! I was wondering though, could maple syrup be used instead of honey?

  15. These are amazing and easy! I used 1/2 cup chopped nuts in place of choco chips for less sugar. I also used 1/2 cup chia AND 1/2 cup flax. I added 2 TBS cocoa powder. I didn’t have coconut milk and didn’t want to use regular milk in case they would spoil faster so I just used water and it worked great!

    1. Thanks Suzanne! 😀 Having healthy snacks on hand certainly makes it easier to make healthy choices, doesn’t it?!

  16. Love this recipe. I would like to mail these to my daughter in college. Do they really need to be refrigerated?

    1. The refrigeration is due to the coconut milk and to help keep the bars together. You could try to send them two day priority mail, but I can’t guarantee what they would be like upon delivery!

    1. For this recipe it’s best to stick with the chia seeds as it also acts as a binder to hold the bars together.

  17. Can you use almond milk instead of coconut milk? Also, how would the nutritional info change if you left out the raisins?

  18. These bars are so good and easy to make! I’ve made a lot of different types of bars, and these are some of my favorite! Thank you for this amazing recipe!5 stars

      1. I just posted these as a great alternative to expensive, individually packaged protein bars for post-roller derby on our Facebook site. I appreciate your investment in our bodies…and our team. Go go rollergirls!5 stars

  19. You used kcal. What’s the difference between kcal and calories? How many calories? Amazing bars. My whole family goes crazy for them.

    1. The calories listed are the calories you are familiar with. So happy your family enjoys the bars. 🙂

  20. I would love to try these… I don’t necessarily need the extra protein though… is there something else I can substitute for the protein powder? Maybe a combination of collagen peptides and cocoa powder? I’m over buying “natural “ granola bars with
    bio-engineered ingredients

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