High-Protein Cranberry Oatmeal Bars
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Diet: High-Protein, Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
- 2 scoops (approx. 60g) Vanilla Protein Powder
- 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 2 Ripe Bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk (or milk of choice)
- 1/4 cup Almond Butter or Peanut Butter
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 tablespoon Honey or Maple Syrup (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides to make it easy to lift the bars out later. Lightly grease the paper with a bit of coconut oil or non-stick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, vanilla protein powder, dried cranberries, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Stir these together until the protein powder is evenly distributed among the oats.
- In a separate medium bowl, mash the bananas until they are smooth. Whisk in the almond milk, nut butter, vanilla extract, and honey. Ensure the nut butter is fully incorporated into the liquid mixture.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl. Use a spatula to fold everything together until all the oats are moistened and no dry pockets of protein powder remain. The batter should be thick and slightly sticky.
- Transfer the mixture to your prepared baking pan. Spread it out evenly and press down firmly with the back of a spoon to ensure the bars hold together. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center feels firm to the touch.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. This step is crucial, as the bars will continue to set as they cool. Once cold, lift the parchment paper out and slice into 12 even bars.