Copycat Homemade Perfect Bars

Everything tastes better when you know it’s good for you! These Copycat Homemade Perfect Bars are a great way to fill your body with extra protein and make your taste buds do the happy dance. Topped with chocolate chips, they’re the perfect treat.

How to make copycat perfect bars

Healthy protein bars right at home

There’s no denying it: granola-style bars are just better when they’re made at home! Maybe it’s the fresh ingredients, or maybe it’s the satisfaction of making your own, but something about them just tastes better.

For me, I’m all about grab-and-go style bars. Granola bars, protein bars, Perfect Bars, Clif Bars… I love them all. But when I started becoming more conscious of what I was eating and made the transition to a whole foods approach, I knew processed granola bars had to go.

Enter: My own copycat homemade perfect bars! If you’re unfamiliar, Perfect Bars are protein bars that come in a wide variety of flavors. The options are endless, and over time I’ve built up my stock pile of bar recipes to be pretty endless too!

On my website you’ll find all types of bars ranging from millionaire and s’mores bars to cookie dough and pumpkin oat bars. When you set your mind to it, you can make any recipe right at home!

So, let’s dive into creating copycat homemade perfect bars. It’s a no-bake recipe that won’t take much time at all!

Peanut butter protein bar ingredients

This recipe uses 8 different ingredients, many of which you probably already have at home. We’ll be using healthier ingredient options, which you can read more about down below!

• Oat flour (store bought is best for ultra fine texture)
• Vanilla protein powder
• Salt
• Natural peanut butter
• Honey
• Vanilla extract
• Coconut oil
• Mini chocolate chips

Tools used to create this recipe

This recipe couldn’t be simpler. And with that, we’ll only need three tools plus various measuring cups!

• Large mixing bowl
• Mixing utensil
• Bread pan
• Measuring cups: 1/4 tsp, 1 tbsp, 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, and 3/4 cup.

How to make copycat homemade perfect bars

These bars are incredibly simple to make. You’ll start by mixing the ingredients together, and then you’ll throw them in the fridge! This is a no-bake recipe that requires less than 10 minutes of prep time.

To make your own homemade perfect bars, we’re going to start by mixing the oat flour, protein powder, and salt in a large mixing owl.

Then, add the peanut butter, honey, vanilla extract, and 1 tbsp of the coconut oil.

Mix everything together. It will be very thick, so I suggest using your hands to ensure that everything incorporates well.

Eventually, the mix should come together like playdough. If it’s still too dry, add more coconut oil. However, don’t overdo the coconut oil as we want the bars to be firm and not too soft.

Next, mix in the chocolate chips using your hands or a spoon.

Once everything is mixed, press it into a bread pan and add more chocolate chips on top if desired. Press them into the top.

Let sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour before cutting into the batter. Enjoy!

A healthier granola bar option

Just because thees bars are homemade doesn’t mean they can’t be protein-rich! We’re revving up the protein in these bars by including Vanilla protein powder (as well as oat flour and peanut butter). Any brand will do!

Throughout this recipe we also made some ingredient swaps to make this bar overall more whole and nutrient-rich than the processed versions you’d find in the grocery store.

Oat flour
Oat flour is a wonderful alternative to white flour. It includes more protein and fiber and comes with a lower carbohydrate count.

Natural peanut butter
Whenever I use nut butters, I always go for the all-natural options. The chemicals and preservatives present in processed versions are simply not worth it. If your grocery store carries it, all-natural is the way to go!

Honey
Honey is used as the sweetener in this recipe because it’s an all-natural option that tastes delicious and doesn’t contribute any unnecessary sugars. It’s a wonderfully sweet option!

Coconut oil
I used coconut oil in this recipe in place of alternatives like canola and vegetable oil. Coconut oil is known to be more nutrient-rich and a healthier fat than the former.

Peanut butter chocolate chip perfect bar tips

When it comes time to make your bars, take these tips into account to make the process as smooth and simple as possible!

8×4 bread pan
I like to use an 8×4 sized pan for this recipe, but any size will work! Since it’s no-bake, switching up the pan size is perfectly fine.

Add-ons
In addition to chocolate chips, there are a number of ways that you can add on to these bars! You can use white chocolate chips, nuts (like pecans or walnuts!), dried fruit, or even sprinkles.

Swapping peanut butter
If you’re more a cashew or almond butter person, feel free to use them. The peanut butter can be swapped at a 1:1 ratio with any similar nut butter!

Storage
Keep perfect bars sealed in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Enjoy within 4-5 days.

More bar recipes to try

As I mentioned earlier, my blog is packed to the brim with countless bar recipes. You can choose from basically every flavor under the sun! Below are some of my favorites that I recommend trying ASAP.

• Healthy Cookie Dough Bars
• Pumpkin Oat Bars
• No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
• Healthier Millionaire Bars (Gluten-Free)
• Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

Recipe by Erin Morrissey + Photos by Quarter Soul Crisis