Pumpkin Protein Bars

Pumpkin protein bars are chewy, healthy, and absolutely delicious homemade protein bars that taste like pumpkin pie!

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Pumpkin protein bars

These pumpkin protein bars are nut butter, chocolate chip, and pumpkin spice protein bars that are PERFECT for a healthy fall treat. Made with fewer than 10 ingredients, these no-bake protein bars are quick and easy to make. They are healthier than a piece of pumpkin pie, but taste just as delicious! These pumpkin protein bars are chewy, thick, and taste incredible paired with your favorite pumpkin spice latte.

My love for the pumpkin flavor is strong, so I fully embrace all of the baked pumpkin goods that the fall season welcomes. In an effort to create a dessert with more nutrients but with the same delicious flavors, I did some experimenting. It wasn’t long before I came up with my new favorite easy, delicious treat: pumpkin protein bars.

What ingredients do I need?

I try to make all of my recipes as easy and simple as possible. That means there will be fewer than 10 ingredients, each of which are a pantry staple. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Oats – For this recipe, you’ll need to to use oats to make an oat flour. Don’t let that intimidate you: to do this, all you need to do is put the oats in a blender or food processor for a few seconds. Oat flour will help create a thick and chewy texture for your protein bar. I use standard old-fashioned or quick oats, just like I use for my easy protein oatmeal!
• Cashew butter – Cashew butter is one of the most important ingredients for this recipe because it is creamy and serves as a binder to hold everything together. Cashew butter is similar to peanut butter in terms of nutrients (both nut butters have about the same number of calories and have protein and healthy fats), but they differ in flavor. This nut butter is still creamy, but the nutty flavor isn’t as strong, which is helpful for this recipe so the pumpkin flavor can come through.
• Vanilla Protein Powder – One serving of vanilla protein powder will add protein and some sweet vanilla flavors to these protein bars.
• Honey – Adding honey will make these bars sweet and also serve as a binder to help hold these bars together.
• Vanilla – I like to add vanilla to everything because I think it can make everything taste that much better. Plus, we’re basically making cookie dough and this will help get us to that flavor.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice - Any pumpkin pie recipe will call for a little bit of pumpkin pie spice, which is why we're adding a little to this recipe!
• Cinnamon - Similar to the pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon will add some delicious flavor to this recipe.
• Pumpkin – Pumpkin puree straight from the can is key for the pumpkin flavor in this recipe. It will also make the bars thick and chewy.
• Mini Chocolate Chips – It only makes sense to include chocolate chips as an ingredient for these pumpkin protein bars. Half of these will be mixed in and the remainder sprinkled on top.

Can I make substitutions to this recipe?

I haven’t tested many of the ingredient swaps, but I would bet you can make the necessary changes based on your dietary needs and available ingredients.

• Oats – I use old-fashioned oats for this recipe, but you can use gluten-free or any kind of oats that match your dietary needs.
• Cashew butter – Cashew butter is an important ingredient to the FLAVOR of this recipe. However, any kind of creamy nut butter would work to get the correct consistency. Just beware if you use another ingredient like peanut butter, the pumpkin flavor won't be as strong, but it'll still taste great!
• Vanilla Protein Powder – The protein powder is optional, so you can leave it out if you don’t have any. However, you could use a vanilla, chocolate, or even cookies and cream flavor protein powder if you have one!
• Pumpkin & Pumpkin Pie Spice – These two ingredients are going to help create the pumpkin pie flavor we’re looking for, so I would recommend keeping them!

What makes these bars nutritious?

These pumpkin protein bars are made with simple ingredients that taste delicious! The oats will add healthy carbohydrates and fiber to the bar. Cashew butter will add healthy fats and protein, and one serving of protein powder can add extra protein. Combining these ingredients with honey and toppings will create a bar that is packed with a balance of nutrients, potassium and calcium. Plus, each bar is only 104 calories (or 52 if you cut them in half)! This bar is a great pre-run, post-workout, afternoon, or late-night treat.

How long does it take to make this recipe?

This recipe takes about 10 minutes to make. This is a one-bowl recipe so you’ll need to dump all of your ingredients into one large bowl and stir! The hardest part of this recipe will be stirring everything until it’s completely mixed. This recipe is also no-bake, so no oven required. The only “cooking” is the time when these bars will sit in the freezer to firm up. Trust me, this recipe is so quick and easy!

What is the process to make this recipe?

• Gather all ingredients.
• Place the oats into a blender or food processor and process until finely ground.
• Place cashew butter and honey in a large bowl and melt in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir together.
• Add remaining ingredients to the bowl.
• Mix very well until everything is combined.
• Place a piece of parchment paper onto a baking sheet.
• Firmly press the batter onto the baking sheet and spread so that it is all one layer and covers the baking sheet.
• Place the baking sheet in the freezer for at least one hour.
• Cut into bars and enjoy!

Looking for something similar?

If you’re looking for more healthy no-bake dessert bars, try these:

• Monster Cookie Protein Bars
• Cookies and Cream Protein Bars
• Coconut Chocolate Chip Bliss Bars

If you're looking for more pumpkin recipes:

• Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
• Healthy Pumpkin Dip
• Pumpkin Mug Cake

Can I have the recipe?

If you try this recipe and love it, please rate it and me know your thoughts! I hope you enjoy these pumpkin protein bars as much as me!