Homemade Perfect Bars

This is a recipe for copycat Perfect Bars. These peanut butter chocolate chip protein bars are healthy and easy to make!

If you are a fan of the store bought Perfect bars, you will love these! These peanut butter chocolate chip protein bars were designed to mimic the taste and flavor of the popular store bought protein bars. They are a high protein snack option that is perfect for an on-the-go snack.

While this is not the exact recipe as the store bought Perfect bar, it does have similar ingredients and flavor. It also has a similar calorie and protein content.

I’m all about finding snacks that are healthy and easy to eat when out and about. And while granola bars are an easy snack option, they don’t always have the protein or nutrition content I’m looking for.

Luckily, these copycat Perfect bars are loaded with protein and clean ingredients! They aren’t your typical homemade protein bar. They are actually higher in protein and lower in sugar than a lot of homemade protein bars.

Ingredients Needed For Chocolate Chip Perfect Bars

• Peanut Butter: use creamy peanut butter. Another alternative that can be used is almond butter.
• Protein Powder: use whey protein powder or an egg white protein powder. If looking for a protein powder that contains a superfood blend, check out the Organ Organic Protein + Superfoods Blend.
• Honey: adds sweetness to the protein bars.
• Oat Flour: This can be purchased at the grocery store. It can also be made by placing oatmeal in a food processor and grinding it until smooth. If you make homemade oat flour, make sure the oatmeal is ground to a very fine texture, similar to flour.
• Canola Oil: adds moisture to the bars. An alternative is coconut oil.
• Non-fat Dried Milk: optional, however make sure it is the dried milk powder.
• Chocolate Chips: semi-sweet chocolate chips, mini-chocolate chips, or dark chocolate chips will all work depending on what you prefer.

Store Bought vs. Homemade Perfect Bars

Here’s a few of the similarities and differences between the homemade versus store bought Perfect bars:

Ingredients:

According to the label, store bought Perfect bars contain dried whole food powders (kale, apple, tomato to name a few). While the homemade recipe for perfect bars does not contain these, there are several protein powders in stores that do contain a superfood blend, and have some of the similar vegetables and fruits in them. An example is Organ Organic Protein + Superfoods blend.

Flavor:

The flavor of the homemade protein bar tastes very similar to the store bought version. In my opinion, I actually like the homemade version better. I think the store bought version has a gritty texture, and these homemade bars do not have that.

The best part about these is you can customize them to meet your flavor preferences. For example, feel free to increase or decrease the amount of chocolate chips used in the recipe.

Nutrition:  

The homemade perfect bars contain 12 grams of protein and 340 calories per serving. The store bough version contains 330 calories and 15 grams of protein per serving. (Nutrition may vary based on type of protein used).

Customize It

These chocolate chip peanut butter protein bars are very customizable. Here’s a few ways to mix it up:

• Add extra chocolate chips
• Use white chocolate chips in place of regular chocolate chips
• Add chopped walnuts or pecans
• Sub the peanut butter with almond butter

Tips For Success

• These bars are very thick and can be difficult to mix. Warm the peanut butter in the microwave for 20 seconds to make it easier to mix with the protein powder.
• Make sure the peanut butter mixture has cooled before adding the chocolate chips. This will prevent the chocolate chips from accidentally melting.
• The mixture will need to be pressed firmly in the pan. Use your hands or use a grease rubber spatula and press the dough so that it is an even thickness across the entire pan.

Storage

It is recommended to store these bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator to maintain best quality. For best results, eat within 4-5 days of making.T

The copycat Perfect bars can also be keep in the freezer. Cut into individual bars and then store in an airtight container or bag. Thaw for about ten minutes before serving.

Type of Protein Powder To Use

• Look for a protein that is neutral flavored, such as vanilla or natural.
• If you are watching calories, select a protein that has a lot of protein for the amount of protein.
• Whey protein: I used a vanilla flavored whey protein. These proteins typically contain lactose, however they are known for being highly digestible.
• Egg protein: this type of protein powder is known as a high quality protein powder. It is listed on the ingredients list for the store brand Perfect bars.

More Healthy Snack Recipes

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls
• Healthy Apple Dip
• The Best Morning Glory Muffins