These no bake pumpkin protein bars are a vegan and gluten-free. They are lightly sweetened and packed with protein and energy making them the perfect balanced snack for anytime during the day.
As a Dietitian I take my snacks SERIOUSLY. When that hunger strikes I need a snack and I need it as soon as possible. Which is why I love having grab and go snacks on hand like my gluten free granola bars, peanut butter crunch energy balls or even a good dip such as my spicy kale dip!
The seocnd the leaves start changing colour I am ready for anything pupkin spice flavoured or apple cinnamon flavour. Which is why these pumpkin protein bars are the perfect, easy, no bake option for when I'm in a time crunch.
No Bake Pumpkin Protein Bars
Why you need these protein pumpkin bars
- They are the perfect balanced snack- With carbohydrates and fibre from the pumpkin and oats, some healthy fat from the peanut butter and high quality protein from the protein powder,these pumpkin protein bars are the perfect balanced snack to manage blood sugar spikes and ensure you stay full for a few hours!
- They taste like fall- These little bars not only are packed with nutritional benefits but they also taste exactly like your favourite pumpkin pie. Filled with warm spices like ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg these are about to be your new go-to fall snack.
- They are SO easy to make (and no-bake)- Have I mentioned my love of no-bake recipes yet? Who doesn't love a recipe that requires only one bowl, less than 8 ingredients and takes only 5 minutes to make? If you're looking for an easy high protein snack recipe you've found it.
Bonus: They are also gluten free dairy free protein bars for anyone with allergies, intolerances or lifestyle choices!
Ingredients
Pumpkin puree- Make sure you use pumpkin PUREE not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling comes with the spices and sugar already mixed into the can, whereas pumpkin puree is just pumpkin! I've made this mistake before (and currently have 2 cans of pumpkin pie filling in the cupboard)!
Peanut butter- The glue that holds these pumpkin protein bars together. I typically use natural peanut butter (look for one with the only ingredients being peanuts and salt). I just find I like how it tastes better! However any peanut butter or more neutral-tasting nut butter (ie. cashew, almond etc.) will work! I also love that it adds a source of healthy fats making these the perfect snack!
Protein powder- This helps give these protein bars the protein aspect haha! I like using my favourite protein (I love the vanilla flavour in these!). If you don't have protein powder on hand you can substitute this for additional oat flour or even collagen powder if you are not vegan!
Maple syrup- For some natural sweetness! I have only ever used maple syrup for these protein pumpkin bars. If you do try to substitute with honey or any other liquid sweeter let me know how it goes in the comments! You can also use sugar free maple syrup like this one!
Oat flour- I love using oat flour in these for some added whole grains and fibre to these gluten free protein bars! It really helps make them the perfect snack and gives that long lasting energy I look for in a energy bar. To make my oat flour I just blend an equal amount of oats in a high powered blender or food processor. Note: if you are gluten free make sure your oats are certified gluten free!
Pumpkin pie spice- For convenience I used a pumpkin pie spice blend for these protein pumpkin bars. If you do not have a pre-mixed spice blend on hand you can make your own super easily by just combining ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves (this recipe is great) and setting it aside for the whole season!
Chocolate- totally optional (but HIGHLY recommended because chocolate makes everything better in my opinion). To keep these plant-based try these dairy-free chocolate chips! White chocolate chips would also be amazing in these pumpkin protein bars.
Please note a full ingredient list including all measurments can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post
How to make gluten free protein bars
- Step 1: In a large bowl, mix together wet ingredients (pumpkin, peanut butter and maple syrup).
- Step 2: To the bowl, add dry ingredients (oat flour, protein powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt).
- Step 3: Combine all ingredients until a dough forms (you may need to get your hands dirty to ensure dough is fully mixed).
- Step 4: Once combined, press protein dough mixture into a parchment paper lined 8x8 square baking pan. Note: the harder you pack down your dough the more likely the bars will be to stick together!
- Step 5: If using chocolate coating- melt your chocolate chips with coconut oil in a double boiler over low heat, OR place in a microwave safe bowl and melt in increments of 30 seconds, stirring between.Drizzle or spread chocolate over the dough.
- Step 6: Freeze until the chocolate hardens or the dough sets (about 2 hours). Cut into 12 equal sized bars and store in the freezer.
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: Good news! These pumpkin protein bars are already gluten free (just make sure you are using certified gluten free oats- I like to use Bob's Red Mill).
To make dairy-free: The only dairy-based ingredients in these are the chocolate- so make sure you are using a dairy free chocoalte option.
For a non-chocolate substitution: Lightly sprinkle the bars with some cinnamon and sugar!
Make them your own! Feel free to mix in any additional mix-ins you would like! My personal favourites include chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, chopped pecans or even butterscotch chips.
Equipment
Storage
I personally like to store my protein bars in the freezer! The coconut oil and peanut butter ensure the bars don't turn rock solid so they are still easy to eat straight out of the freezer!
For best results: store in an airtight container with the layers separated by parchment paper
They also store well in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 7 days however please note they will be much softer if stored this way!
Want more? Try this pumpkin protein ball recipe!
Top Tips for Success
If you're going to make this recipe, make sure to follow this top tip!
I HIGHLY recommend using a silicone muffin tray. I have tested this recipe using a metal non-stick muffin tray and find the egg cups will stick to the edges of the tray, making them very hard to remove.
Keep in mind the cook time may vary slightly depending on the mix-ins/ toppings you decide to use. Vegetables with more moisture may increase the cook time slightly!
Frequently asked questions
I have not personally tested this recipe with any flour other than oat flour. However almond flour should work you may just need to slightly adjust the liquid measurements to accommodate for the highly absorbent almond flour
I personally recommend sticking with oat flour. If you don't have any oat flour on hand you can easily make your own by just blending oats in the blender until smooth. I THINK using non-blended oats would work, I just am unsure how well they will stick together! If you decide to try let me know how it turned out in the comments!
This may happen if you are using nut butter that isn't runny enough! Just add in a little additional coconut oil or a few tablespoons of water and you should be good to go!
Nope! You definitely don't need to. Although I like adding protein powder to my pumpkin energy bars for some added protein, you can leave it out by just adding an equal amount of additional oat flour and a bit more maple syrup for added sweetness! Another alternative is using collagen powder if you are not vegan!
More high protein snack ideas
If you loved these protein pumpkin bars you NEED to try more of my high protein snack ideas. Some of my favourites include:
- no bake protein bars
- herb and garlic cottage cheese dip
- cheesecake dip
- black bean brownie bites
- oatmeal cookie energy balls
- confetti cake energy balls
See you in the kitchen!
I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make these pumpkin protein bars, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Protein Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 4 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1.5 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ cup vanilla protein powder
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 pinch salt
Optional
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together wet ingredients (pumpkin, peanut butter and maple syrup).
- To the bowl, add dry ingredients (oat flour, protein powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt).
- Combine all ingredients until a dough forms (you may need to get your hands dirty to ensure dough is fully mixed).
- Once combined, press protein dough mixture into a parchment paper lined 8x8 square baking pan. Note: the harder you pack down your dough the more likely the bars will be to stick together!
- If using chocolate coating- melt your chocolate chips with coconut oil in a double boiler over low heat, OR place in a microwave safe bowl and melt in increments of 30 seconds, stirring between.
- Drizzle or spread chocolate over the dough. Freeze until the chocolate hardens or the dough sets (about 2 hours). Cut into 12 equal sized bars and store in the freezer.
Kim says
Love this recipe. Combining the fibre with high protein and carbs is a great combo!!! Really great snack. Thank you.
MS says
Has to be eaten right out of freezer or it’s way too gooey (that’s tut peanut butter I guess). I was hopeful it would be a new protein snack for me and kids but isn’t not getting much love.
Nicole Addison says
Hi MS! I do mention in the recipe card these should be stored in the freezer! Unfortunately due to the nature of the pumpkin and peanut butter being more moist ingredients these are not able to harden on their own! The good thing is, if you leave them out of the freezer for about 2 minutes they thaw perfectly for an easy sweet treat!
MS says
Do you think almond flour would be a good substitute for oat flour in this instance?
Nicole Addison says
Yes! You may just need to add a little bit more!
Nicole Addison says
The easiest recipe for a fall snack!