These healthy cake batter energy bars will rock your face off.
Addictively delicious no-bake energy bars that taste surprisingly like cake batter.
It’s weird, but they really do!
Now that I’ve finally started posting videos (what took me so long?!), I’m going back to some of the most popular recipes of three to four years ago to remake them, add videos, and see if I can make the original recipes even healthier.
In the case of these cake batter bars, I’ve improved upon the original recipe—this new version makes a much bigger batch and is also lower in sugar.
The sprinkles add a fun touch, but it’s actually not the sprinkles that make these bars taste like cake batter, so feel free to omit them if you desire.
The first time I made these cake batter energy bars was on one particular Saturday afternoon when a friend came to visit with her four-year-old daughter.
With the leftover sprinkles, we thought it’d be fun to make sprinkle maracas by pouring the sprinkles into containers (as seen above) and shaking.
But the little girl was more interested in a family of bugs she found in front of the house.
Using leaves and rocks, she spent about an hour constructing a home for “Bobby” the roly poly bug.
Then she decided he needed food, and so she proceeded to dump the entire contents of her sprinkle maraca onto the ground for Bobby to eat.
Obviously Bobby took no interest in this sustenance.
But I think we’ll now be getting ants.
Going back to these cake batter bars.
Just 6 ingredients in these easy-to-make and kid-friendly energy bars that need no refrigeration and can be customizable to fit allergy-friendly diets as well.
My favorite nut butter to use in these bars is cashew butter, but any nut butter—or even Sunbutter or Peabutter—will work here.
As always with my recipes, be sure to use pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla or vanilla flavoring.
And you can replace the sprinkles with raisins or even mini chocolate chips if your heart desires.
Protein powder can also be added if you want a higher-protein snack bar.
Cake Batter Energy Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups rice crispies (brown, white, or gf)
- 1 cup oat flour, or make your own by blending rolled oats then measuring 1 cup
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp roasted cashew butter, or allergy-friendly sub
- 1/2 cup agave or honey
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- handful sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- *If desired, you can replace up to half of the oat flour with your favorite protein powder.Combine all dry ingredients and stir well. In a separate bowl, whisk together liquid ingredients to form a thin paste. (If your nut butter is cold, warm it a little for easier mixing.) Then stir together all ingredients to form a batter. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment or wax, and smooth the batter into the pan. A trick is to use a second sheet of parchment over top to spread the batter and press it firmly into the pan. Really press it down as hard as you can. Refrigerate or freeze to harden, then cut into bars.View Nutrition Facts
Notes
Have you made this recipe?
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More Healthy Dessert Recipes
Homemade Chocolate Bars (3 Ingredients)
Ashley @ My Food 'N' Fitness Diaries says
i’m game for anything that tastes like cake batter! and sprinkles always make everything more fun!
Katie @ Peace Love & Oats says
these sound so good! Clearly I need to get some sprinkles into my pantry ASAP!
Liz @ Tip Top Shape says
Haha that story is adorable!! Great recipe, too!
Sarah the official CCK drooler says
Too bad I’m attached to my face. And too bad for the cute guy across the street, too. I’m pretty sure he LOVES my face.
Claire @ Live and Love to Eat says
I love cashew butter and of course, anything with sprinkles. Can’t wait to try these! 🙂
Stephanie says
Hi Katie, I Love, love your site. I refer and use your recipes often. I am making the cinnamon bun pie for my husbands birthday breakfast this morning:) I am quite a bit older than you and I’m a fitness instructor. I know that you are a runner as I am too but, just wonder if you ever done any strength training. Such as, Yoga or Pilates or weights??? It is so important as a woman to do strength training. Anyway, checkout my site and let me know your thoughts as my site is brand new. I could use some feedback!!! Thank you for helping everyone live a Helathier Happier Life.
Namaste to you!!!
Stephanie
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Hi Stephanie,
Good luck with your blog. I’ll be sure to check it out :).
Yes I do lift weights. I don’t really enjoy it, but I know it’s important.
Samantha says
This made me laugh. 🙂 I ended up finding this really great weights class of all things and it has made all the difference for me.
Lisa C. says
Yes, definitely recommend taking a class!
Suzie says
Yum, these look so delightful and I mean how can you resist sprinkles! 🙂
Tanya says
Katie… do you care about stuff like Carmine in your sprinkles?
(being a vegan, you know. Just wondering. I don’t think bad of you if you don’t, really 😉 )
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Hi Tanya,
My sprinkles don’t actually say “carmine” in the ingredients (although it could fall under the “artificial flavors” I guess). I’m a vegan first-and-foremost for ethical reasons, so my goal is to show others how incredible (and do-able) it can be to live a cruelty-free lifestyle. I try not to worry about artificial flavors, as nit-picking or having to call up a company over trace ingredients will only turn others off from the lifestyle. I wrote more about it awhile ago in a post. If you’re interested, it’s near the bottom of this post: https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2010/07/25/diet-is-not-religion/
That doesn’t mean I have anything against people who DO call companies up and make sure they’re living 100% vegan (or as close to it as possible). I think we’re all just trying to do the best we can.
Tanya says
I totally understand!
If I decorate stuff for others I sometimes use the “regular” sprinkles. Here, they all do have carmine. They also often call it E120. =/ but for me I try to find vegan ones. Even though they are really expensive. But however, I do like your attitude! there is no 100% vegan! 😉
Janae @ Bring-Joy says
Tanya & Katie, I am totally with ya! I’m vegan for ethical & health reasons, but I try to maintain a flexible attitude. The perfect vegan is something I’ve given up years ago–that said I do my very best to buy animal & cruelty free products whenever possible.
Katy says
You can make your own sprinkles! (I’m not vegan, so I don’t know if this recipe fits, but it might be adaptable if it’s not!) http://iambaker.net/homemade-sprinkles
mandda says
Um, If it’s cake-batter flavoured, and it’s solid, wouldn’t it just be cake? Or cake-flavoured? Or y’know, just vanilla-sweet?
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
I guess you’re right! In retrospect, I probably should’ve called then Funfetti Energy Bars. For some reason, I’m conditioned to automatically think “cake batter” whenever I see something with sprinkles.
CJ says
I couldn’t wait to try this recipe, so I’ve already had a taste. They taste like cake batter–not cake. Cake batter has a distinctive flavor that is different from a baked cake. I wouldn’t consider these “vanilla-sweet.” I think Katie’s recipe title is spot on.
Laura says
These are awesome! I didn’t even bother with the sprinkles, and they still taste like… yes, cake batter. Not cooked cake, but really cake batter!
Love love love them, Katie. My happy family thanks you :).
And you look gorgeous as always.
Janice Hernandez says
I’ll have to remember to buy some rice krispies and more cashew butter! These look delicious!
Sarah says
Katie, you mentioned subbing with Better’n Peanut Butter so I thought I’d give my two cents since you don’t use it and your readers may be curious (just trying to help, not step on any toes!). I use it for everything and I LOVE it but when using BPB, it’s important to remember that it is runnier when at room temperature and liquifies easier. So if it is used in something that isn’t baked or frozen, the results are not as good. It does however work well in your cookie dough dips and the peanut butter flavor is not as noticable, I think. Hope this helps some readers! 🙂 Love your site!
Anna Banana says
I think these would be even better with chocolate frosting. 🙂
Laura S. says
Face shmace – that’s what reconstructive surgery is for. Just make sure you get a good picture of yourself before you consume these beauties. I would never voluntarily have surgery (terrified of needles), but these babies might be worth it : )
How about I try them and keep my face, ok? I’ll instead let them knock my socks off. Deal.
Caralyn @ glutenfreehappytummy says
you’ve done it again Katie! These look delicious! and i love the sprinkles poking through:) so cute!!
Alex says
Your hair is prettier than Kate Middleton’s!
Anna @ The Guiltless Life says
Aw that’s an adorable story! I hope you don’t get ants though…
These energy bars sound delish, can’t wait to try! I’ll probably add some butter extract if that’s okay, because I find that makes EVERYTHING taste like cake batter!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Definitely love your idea!
I might have to try that, too… Oddly enough, the butter extract I have at home is, according to the company, vegan!
jaime @ sweet road says
I love cashew butter! I just got some from the nut butter grinding machines at whole foods and it is to die for! I’m glad to find a recipe that uses it.
Maria says
I made these with chocolate rice crispies and almond butter (all i had) and they were delicious!
Kara @Nutritious-n-Delicious says
I really need to buy myself some sprinkle! I’ve made a few cake batter recipes lately, but it’s just not the same without sprinkle! Don’t you agree??
Emily @ Glitz Glam Granola says
Omigosh these look so delicious!! And I actually have all the ingredients at home!! Score! I’ve been really on-the-go lately and having to eat more processed bars, so I can’t wait to eat these instead!
Julie H. of Spinach and Sprinkles says
Interesting! I’m game for giving these a try— except I may become addicted 😉 Oh well!
Lauren says
Wow – I will be making these as soon as humanly possible.
Janae @ Bring-Joy says
I think this is my fave recipe of yours so far. I love cake batter anything–similar to cookie dough, it’s even better when it’s vegan because you can lick & nibble all you want without being scared about food poisoning.
Jen says
I love the pictures you provide of the finished product, theyre great!
Have you ever considered providing some pictures of the process? I know they really help me make sure the recipe is at the right texture during the steps and such.
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
I wrote a post asking about it here: https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/03/31/behind-the-scenes/
But it turns out most people were against it. 😕
Stella says
I just read the first ~20 comments and glanced above the rest and almost all of them said they’d love the idea? Maybe you could make a poll or something. But I don’t get how one could be against the idea anyway, because it’s just so helpful, esp. with vegan baking and consistencies…But I mean, no one needs 10+ pictures of you filling a muffin tin or squishing down the batter of these energy bars, obviously. So step-by-step wouldn’t even be necessary, just 1 or 2 photos!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Included one in today’s post just for you guys ;).
Danielle @ clean food creative fitness says
These look unreal! Something about cake batter in anything always looks so good! It’s the little kid coming out in me 🙂
Ellery says
Katie:
Do you ever use date syrup or date paste in your recipes?
Personally, I think dates are a healthier sweetener than agave, honey, or maple syrup. But when the sugar source is needed to be sticky to bind things together, its hard to substitute…
Samantha says
Hi there –
So I tried working with soaked dates for this one today. Overall it was a fail, but not enough to stop me from continuing trying.
Where I live date paste is hard to find which leaves me trying to create a puree in a food processor and it just isn’t working. I actually like agave and have made the peanut butter version of these multiple times with agave but I think agave might be upsetting my stomach a bit so I have been playing around with other options.
Taste-wise my date “fail” today was less sweet than the agave versions I have done, but I did absolutely no research on substitute quantities and to be honest I still liked how it taste.
Oh! And because there was water in my dates it changed the consistency of the rice crispies. Didn’t see that coming…but that is why I love playing with this stuff. 🙂
Ellery says
Wow! Thanks for letting me know! :)) Yeah I’ve only ever made my own date paste (by soaking dates, then blending the dates and however much soaking liquid is necessary in the blender) and syrup (by first simmering, then blending), but I know buying it commercially would give more consistent results. I have a very sad blender and my food processor just broke, so I definitely need something stronger to make a good quality paste. But YAY for fun attempts!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
I tend not to use it for that reason.
You can’t buy it commercially, and I try to make the recipes as quick and easy as possible. Honestly, I could do so much more (and make the recipes even healthier) by trying out less-common ingredients like spirulina, date paste, homemade fruit purees (as sweetener), etc… But not everyone would be able/willing to find these ingredients or step out of their comfort zones to try something so different.
But I DO use it sometimes… like in the cookie dough dip! 🙂
Alexandria says
Hi Katie!
Just wanted to put my two cents in: I love the ease (no homemade fruit purees) and affordability (no dates) of your recipes.
Thanks!
Nadiya @ Milk and Honey says
These look amazing 😀 Do you think I’d be possible to sub in peanut butter for the cashew butter though?
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
Oh wow! What a treat!
Annie @ Naturally Sweet Recipes says
The pictures alone rocked my face off! I’ve never tried cashew butter.. I’m guessing that is the flavor that contributes to the extra cake batter flavor??
Lexi @ You, Me, & A World to See says
Ooooh yum, I bet coconut butter would make it super cake battery too!
Moni Meals says
Katie,
This is something I would make all the time. Thank you so much for a great recipe! I can’t wait to try it, I have all the ingredients too! as an athlete, i always need snacks like this!
Lisa @ The Raw Serenity says
Its amazing how many raw vegan foods taste like cake! I created a brownie mixture yesterday and everyone thought is tasted just like cake.
These look great and also fun.
She sounds gorgeous!
ann-marie says
The bars look amazing, I’m trying this tonight! I also have a question: does anyone know where I can get sprinkles with natural dyes, since regular food dyes are petroleum based I don’t buy them anymore and my kids would love to have some once in a while 🙂
tiffany says
there’s a recipe somewhere online that shows you how to make your own sprinkles…instead of using normal food colour you could use natural colorants like a few drops of beet juice to make red or pink.
ann-marie says
Thanks, I’ll check it out 🙂
Liz says
Look in the baking section of Whole Foods for Let’s Do Organic brand :).
ann-marie says
Thank you, I’ll see if I can find it 🙂
Connie says
These look sooo good. I’m heading out to the store shortly and you’ve added a few things to my list! LOL Thanks as always for another great recipe. 🙂
B @ Crags and Veggies says
Wow, these look and sound excellent! Can’t wait to try. I love cake batter, but don’t want all the sugar. The sprinkles are cute and will be great for kids! Love the sprinkle shakers too! It seems like what you don’t put time and energy into happen to be a kid’s best friend. I use to love the boxes things came in just as much as the gift. 🙂
Caitliln says
Katie, these are fantastic!!
Thanks for sharing, and for all the substitutions and nutrition info!
Can’t wait to make!!
Amber with Slim Pickin's Kitchen says
Bwahahaahaaahaaaa!!!! That’s story is hilarious! And I will be making these soon!
Lauren @ Chocolate, Cheese and Wine says
These look fabulous – I’m LOVING the color combinations.
Liz says
Oh no! I think you forgot a question of the day :(.
These look fabulous, though. Making them tomorrow, as soon as I get rice crispies!
LOVE YOUR SITE!!!!
Tana says
Katie,
I really enjoy your recipes! It’s nice to find something to satisfy my sweet tooth without the added guilt:) I have a question relating to some of your recipes where the instructions say to press down as hard as you can with something heavy. It seems to me that the contents end up “squeezing out” through the sides when I press hard. Am I doing something wrong?
Tana
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Use a smaller pan, maybe? If it’s in a pan that’s suited for the recipe, it’ll have nowhere to go when you press down hard ;).
Or use a giant piece of wax paper and fold over the side, so it stays put at least on one side.
Molly says
Yummy sounding (and looking!). No cashew butter in the house but I do have sunflower nut butter and also almond butter. Which do you think could come closest to the taste of your recipe? My home is about two weeks away from having a Vitamix and then there can be whatever kind of fresh nut butter my little heart desires and of course, whatever type your delicious recipes are featuring that week! Thanks so much for the food love!!!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Sorry, I haven’t tried this recipe with either of those two butters. I’m sure they’d both be equally delicious, though!
Katie says
I didn’t have cashew butter either! It went into too many other recipes from this AMAZING site! I used a combination of coconut butter (Artisana) and PB2, and they taste JUST like cake batter. My bet is that either one would taste great in this recipe. I suppose you could also try combining the sunflower nut butter and almond butter?
P.S. I also used gluten free rice chex because I couldn’t find rice crispies. BUT, good news, they are still amazing. 🙂
Rachel says
It sure does look pretty there in texas! Has it started to get really hot???
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Well yesterday it got up to 110… Does that answer the question? 😉 😉
Kari @ bite-sized thoughts says
These look amazing. I definitely want mine with sprinkles!!
Jacqueline says
Oh my gosh…those look SO good!!! And the story is so adorable! I remember the days when my brother and I used to play with roly polys and daddy long legs (I can’t believe I thought they were adorable). Awesome recipe!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
lol I was always afraid of Daddy Long Legs!
I didn’t want anyone to kill them, because I read a book called “Be Nice to Spiders” but still they scared me!
Erica { EricaDHouse.com } says
I don’t mind losing a bit of my face for this recipe!
Danielle says
Ummm WHOA totally excited about these! WILL be making them tonight! I only have pb2 in the house, so I’ll give that a try and report back! Yay fun cooking adventures!!!!! (and I was getting tired of certain other energy bars for pre-long runs, so your timing is PERFECT!) 🙂
Danielle says
CCK –
Rave reviews from my running buddies, so this is what I did:
Used half white baking flour (it’s what I had) and half protein powder, 3 T pb2 and 1.5 T water. Made 2 batches: one batch had regular Rice Krispies and vanilla powder (so peanut butter taste was more dominant), second batch had Cocoa Krispies and chocolate powder (so a little chocolate pb twist?). Both tasted good, although I think I prefer the peanut butter version with sprinkles on top!
Also, to get them to set up, I flattened each batch between layers of wax paper and put them in the freezer overnight. When I got up early the next morning, I cut each batch into six pieces and packaged them individually.
Next time, I might increase the flour and decrease the protein powder to get rid of some of the protein powder taste/grit, but, overall, I call it a success (and the ladies I run with all asked for the recipe, so I sent them the link to your site!)
Lauren @ Sugar Coated Sisters says
Hey Katie – just a heads up – pictures aren’t loading in the email for your posts on gmail accounts. The meta tag shows up, but not the picture itself.
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Thanks for the heads up! Annoyingly, I can’t test it because I wasn’t signed up for my emails under my gmail account (which I always forget to use). I signed up today so hopefully I can try and fix it the next time the post goes out. Thanks for letting me know!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Ok it didn’t show up for me either today. It did just what you said. So I googled and found this from gmail’s FAQ:
“When you receive an email that contains externally linked images, Gmail usually doesn’t display the images automatically. This behavior is designed to help protect your privacy; if we displayed the images automatically, it could potentially allow the sender of the email to see that the images are being fetched, and therefore know when you’ve read their message.”
It goes on, but I won’t bore you ;). In any case, there’s a button at the top of the email that says “display images.” Annoying, and I wish I could change it. But apparently it’s a gmail thing.
Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers says
Oh my gosh! These look amazing!! I’m going to make these as soon as I get home from work.
Cheerfully Vegan says
The sprinkles are just so cheery! My 15-year-old would adore them, as he STILL thinks sprinkles make anything better. 😀
Kristen says
Hey Katie! I just made these, and they were absolutely delicious!! I just thought I’d let you know I ran the nutritionals while making them, and it’s more like 160 calories per bar, not 140. Not a big deal though, they’re still great! Love your posts!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Hi Kristin,
Calorie counts are never an exact science, as brands vary (as do numbers on different online calculators). They should always be treated as an estimate (even packaged nutrition labels are allowed to be up to 20% off).
I’m so glad you tried the bars. It always makes me so happy when someone tries one of the recipes with good results :).
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
Sprinkles make everything so much more fun! These look simply delicious 🙂
Tiffany says
Hey Katie!!
I just wanted to let you know that I made your buttery berry crumble bars and they were delicious!! I made them in my muffin tin. They looked like cute berry cups!
I also made the berry filling again to use as jam! I used an extra teaspoon of cornstarch and reduced the maple syrup to 2T. I cooked it on the stove top and let it cool. It is delicious!!
I also made your blueberry pancakes this morning. I used coconut oil as you suggested and it was amazing!
Thank you so much!! 🙂
CCK says
Aw Tiffany, thank you for trying the recipes! That always makes me so happy!
anna says
would coconut butter work in this recipe?
CCK says
Sorry, I haven’t tried it. It would probably work… but you’d need to keep the bars refrigerated or frozen for best results. Let me know if you experiment… it sounds like a really good variation!
Erica @ Cult of Kale says
Oh this looks delicious! I am going to whip up a batch for my husband who is lamenting the loss of his not-so-good for you granola bars.
Deb says
These look awesome..will have to give them a try over the weekend. I love that they can be made gluten free too:) P.S Has anyone ever told you that you resemble Anne Hathaway? Just sayin’ 🙂
Brandie says
I love the comment about Bobby and his sustenance Katie – Cracked me up! This whole thing sounds like something Junior would do, he’s 4 also and Loves roly polies. Bobby, indeed. Ha!
(Oh yeah, and the bars look freaking Uh-MA-ZING, I wish I had the ingredients! Hmm…. you know, I might….. I must go check!)
Stephanie says
Katie, Just made these with peanut butter and half honey and half maple syrup (I didn’t have that much honey and I wanted to make them now!). They are delicious!!! I absolutely love your recipes and make something every week and I always love them-you are a genius!
Crystal Sherard says
I have been following your blog for a month now and have tried about 30 of your recipes. Typically, I follow them as closely as possible to the ingredients posted. However, this time around I just didn’t have everything on hand and I was feeling really lazy. So I took the recipe above and double all quantities. Then, instead of oat flour-I replaced with the same measurements using whole rolled oats. The only other substitution was Peanut Butter for Cashew butter. The result was delicious, it ended up developing into a Peanut Butter Rice Crispie treat. It still needs some refining on the density of the crispie treat. But the taste was yummy. Thank you so much for inspiring this! I really enjoy this blog!!!
Hannah says
Katie! I love your recipes!! They are so creative, original, and fun! Yummyyy! Working on my own healthy blog! 🙂
Bridgit says
I made these last night with my 2 and 3 year old. We had a blast. (and made a mess). we used PB b/c that’s all we had in the house. And this morning they still weren’t set…hopefully, tonight we can have them.
I have to thank you so much for all of this! my girls and I have a blast making all your no bake “treats” I think we made EVERY flavor larabar/fudgy baby lthis week. I love that they can do a lot of the “cooking” and getting them involved in making healthy food is a MAJOR plus. THANK YOU!
Leslie @ FloraFoodie says
I have never been sadder in my life at the lack of rice crispies in my cupboard. 🙁 Must go to the store on my way home from work, cause i need to make this as soon as humanly possible!
Laurie says
I just made these and they are spoiling yummy. I am allergic to oats so I dubbed in brown rice flour. I also dubbed in sunflower butter because I did not have cashew butter. The results were amazing. Thanks for sharing so many great recipes. I am still amazing people with my deep dish cookie pie. No one can believe that the main ingredient is garbanzo beans!
Laurie says
My darn phone changes words…guess I should READ it first. Lol. I meant sooooo good. And subbed not dubbed. Lol.
Cammie says
Rarely do I follow recipes and thought I’d give this one a whirl. Followed it exactly and while the end product was delicious it was also REALLY gooey. Anybody else have this problem??
Paige says
Yes. Really sticky and also way flatter than they turned out in the pictures, and also way floppy. Like you can’t hold it without it folding in your hand. And I’m a professional baker… I followed the recipe to a T. They were REALLY really really good tasting though. I’m planning on trying again tonight. I was just going to add more oat flour and see how that turns out. :\
The Blissful Baker says
These look amazing! I need to try them ASAP!
Check out my latest recipe @ bakingblissful.blogspot.com
Laura says
My step mom, who is the farthest thing from vegan, saw me reading this post and said “mmmm, that looks good. Are you going to make it?”. I think we have a winner. 🙂
Robyn says
Ha! “Say goodbye to your face.” That cracks me up. Going to make these for my little brother’s housewarming party this weekend. Shhh… don’t tell anyone it’s healthy! Actually, y’know what, go ahead and tell them… if they avoid them, that means more for ME! Bwaahaahaahaa. 😉
Thanks, Katie! You’ve done it again.
KaLonny says
Hi Katie,
I enjoy your blog so much! Wanted to let you know that I tried this recipe (with substitutions for what I didn’t have on hand). Here’s what I did: Instead of agave nectar, I used 4 Tbsp stevia (in the raw) and 5 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce. I also substituted peanut butter for the cashew butter. It turned out quite well, although I’ve been eating them frozen, so don’t know the consistency at room temperature. I would venture a guess that the cashew butter would be a milder flavor, as they taste more like peanut butter cookie dough than cake batter! Still great!
Kelsey M. says
Katie!! I made these energy bars yesterday and they’re already gone! I am in LOVE with them. I have been looking for a snack I can bring to work and these are perfect. I have been a vegetarian (also don’t eat eggs or milk) for 7 years and always looking for little ways to sneak protein. If you have any coconutty protein/energy bars please share! You’re the best, keep up the good work!
Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli says
You can put sprinkles on a stick and I’d eat it! These look fantastic Katie! PInned and ready to make!
Susan says
Hi!! I made these last night with the protein powder option and I used PB2. I know that some thought that it might be too crumbly with the PB2, but I had the opposite issue! They were very sticky and never set (even after 24 hours). However, they are VERY yummy. I did use sugar free chocolate chips instead of sprinkles. We just eat them with a spoon!
Danielle says
I made mine with protein powder and pb2 as well, but I froze mine overnight instead – they were very firm in the morning and turned out well! Hope this helps!
Brianne says
This are awesome! However, I do have a question for you. Where do you store them? Mine don’t look nearly as held together as yours (I know, I am still working on the packing thing 😉 ) but they are really melty also. Am I supposed to keep them in the freezer? Thanks so much!
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Freeze for best results 🙂
Brianne says
Thanks a ton! 🙂
Kathleen @ KatsHealthCorner says
Cake batter is the BEST! I love how you made it into energy bars. What a great idea! 🙂
NCRunner says
Hi Katie!
I’m making these for a friend who is allergic to gluten. I’m not totally clear on what is and isn’t gluten-free…you mention that this recipe CAN be gluten-free. What should/shouldn’t I add to accommodate her diet? Thanks a million. LOVE, love, love your recipes.
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
Make sure to buy certified-gf rice crispies (Erowon or Kelloggs gf in the yellow box) and certified-gf oat flour (Bob’s red mill certified-gf).
NCRunner says
Thanks so much
Chelsea says
I just made these today! I didn’t have cashew butter so I used 2 tbsp peanut butter and 1 tbsp coconut butter. Very tasty! I made sure to melt down the butters a bit in the microwave before mixing. Next time I’ll sub the protein powder, since I lost a bit of protein using coconut butter. Thanks for the recipe!
Lori Ann says
Made these over the weekend for the hubs, thinking they would be good for his rides (competitive cyclist). Used coco crispies and PB and they were friggin delicious, like a Reese’s peanutbutter cup…but they would NEVER work on a ride, way to soft, even after being the freezer. I’d say they would be a great recovery snack for him…if I hadn’t eaten them all first 😉
Erica says
Love your site and recipes! I made these tonight and followed directions to the letter. Went to Whole Foods on my lunch break, got ALL the essentials, but even after setting in freezer, then fridge, these are really sticky and melty. I wrapped each sliced bar in wax paper, but as soon as I take out of fridge they start to literally melt in my hand. I read others about have the same problem. What do you suggest I do to make them more firmed up and perhaps a bit dryer? Reduce the agave, and slightly increase the rice crispies? Thanks! Love love love this recipe other wise 🙂
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
They need to be stored in the fridge or freezer for best texture. I’ll edit my post now to say that :).
Erica says
I am storing them in the fridge and freezer, but even a simple 5 minute car ride to work or to the gym leaves them a sticky pliable mess. I am making them for my clients and friends, but need to alter recipe to make them less melty. I am experimenting tonight with stevia and decreasing the agave, Also increasing the gf rice crispies and adding carob chips.
Dina says
sounds good! i will have to try these!
katrina says
This is a great recipe for a classroom of preschoolers. I have a child in my classroom who has peanut allergy. Could I use sunflower butter?
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
I don’t see why not. 🙂
Leila says
Made these (and even doubled the recipe to make more!). So So So So Good!!!! I left out the sprinkles (only cuz I didn’t have them) and they were still delicous, though not as pretty as yours! Oh, and I used chocolate brown rice protein powder so I’m sure the flavor is different than yours.. chocolate cake batter energy bars! 🙂
Ailynn says
This is great! Can’t wait to try it. Thanks for the inspiration and the chuckles!
Sophie says
I no-bake recipe sounds so good with this hot weather! Before I make these, I’d like to know if I could just sub the cashew butter with regular butter (i’m not vegan).
Allyson says
Why do you say to put the dry into the wet, but not the other way around?
Tiffany says
This is an amazing recipe!! Thanks so much for sharing!! My husband, kiddos and I love it! 🙂 I always double it anytime I make it.
Ignace says
Can I substitute honey for the vanilla extract? We ran out and I want to make it NOWW 🙂
Ignace says
Hey it’s me again! I tweaked the recipe to create a DELICIOUS PB&H oatmeal bar recipe <3 Instead of vanilla I used milk, and i used peanut butter. Instead of Riice crispies I used Speacial K original for that extra crunch and you can add sprinkles but for a healthier version I added fruit (your choice of fruit). YUM <3
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
I’m so glad you found a way to make them without the vanilla :).
Lauren says
I made these with chocolate protein powder, better than peanut butter, and chocolate chips. They taste like muddy buddies! Only way healthier!
Anonymous says
I tried these today and substituted the cashew butter with peanut butter and the oat flour with chocolate whey protein powder! They turned out great! My little girl loves them!!
Ms. Chanandler Bong :) says
I tried these with sorghum (aka molasses) for the sticky sweetener and they turned out great! But they did have a “molasses-y” taste, so I wouldn’t try that substitution if you didn’t like molasses.
Anonymous says
do you happen to have a recipie for cashew butter? 🙂
jamie says
LOVED this! I couldn’t find cashew butter at Trader Joe’s, but they had a COOKIE butter!! So of course I tried that and it was AMAZING!!!! My husband said “It tastes like christmas!” haha
Erica says
HOW COME TRADER JOE’S DOESNT SELL ONLINE? THERE IS NOT A STORE NEAR ME, CLOSEST IS 3 HOURS AWAY 🙁 I JUST CALLED CORPORATE AND THE STORE ON THE OTHER COAST OF FL AND NO ONLINE PURCHASE AVAILABLE 🙁 ONLY IN STORE 🙁 I NEED SOME COOKIE BUTTER!!!!!!!
Heather says
Made these tonight! They were delicious but alot darker for some reason. Did you use the lighter agave?? Also – the color ran off my sprinkles and I was left with color smears and while little balls 🙁 still very tasty though!
Jo says
How do these taste like cake batter when the only thing that resembles a cake is the sprinkles?
CA says
I made these for a second time today with some variation. I used kamut puff cereal instead of rice krispies, lots of protein powder, also scaled back the agave to 1/4c and pb to 2 tbsp. I added mini chocolate chips and instead of bars, rolled them into balls. They taste like reese’s, I love them!
Linda says
We made these last night with Almond Butter, Agave Nectar, and ground oats. They were delicious! My five year old son gobbled them up. I promised him we could try them with cocoa krispies and peanut butter for his first day of school. Thanks, Katie. 🙂
Heather says
Hi, I have a nut allergy and was wondering what you would suggest for a substitute for the cashew butter. Would regular butter work?
Christy says
hi Heather!
i dont know if Katie said this in this particilar post but in most of her nut butter she says its fine to use sun butter. hope i helped 🙂
Lucy says
Made these this morning and had one before my morning run.. absolutely divine!
April says
I have never heard of cashew butter before. Can you tell me where I might be able to find it? I really want to make these, they look and sound amazing!!
Amanda says
I made these last night with lots of substitutions (almond butter, protein powder, and a mixture of cereal instead of rice krispies.) The DEFINITELY do taste like cake batter–in a really good way. I had to put them in the freezer because otherwise I would have eaten them all already.
CC says
Hey Amanda, not sure if u’ll c my Q…as I realized posted several months ago…but I was wondering what all u subbed & what kind specifically of cereal u subbed 4? I’m wondering if this would work with flake like cereal….
Brendetta says
Made with Nutella — mmmmmm
Brenda says
Just wanted to say the cake batter energy Bars totatly Gr8!!!! Love them….Im always looking for low fat, fatfree recipes.I work out alot an these was gr8 for sweet tooth. Plus so easy to make Thank you Thank you.
Joni Bishop says
Yum! I made oat flour and cashew butter for the first time for this recipe. Yum! I will definitely be using these ingredients in the future since they were so easy to make! I subbed half of the oat flour with vanilla protein powder – i think that definitely added to the “cake batter” experience”. I used local honey, but ran out after 3 TBSP, so I used *gasp* Hungry Jack syrup for the remaining 2 TBSP. These are absolutely delicious! My kids love them, too!
Jilly Bean says
Great idea- we loved it! Next time I’ll use much less agave, though. Super super sweet.
Amy says
The first time I made these with maple syrup because that’s all I had and I thought they were delicious! Just made them again with honey and love them just the same! The syrup didn’t make mine crumble and more or less than the honey!
Angela says
Hello Katie, I was wondering if you knew of a substitute for Rice Krispies, that is gluten free, rice free, potato free, high protein and soy free, as I don’t eat any of those things. I know I could be asking for the moon, but I thought just MAYBE, there was something I don’t know about. Thanks
Mikhaila says
I made these with pb and they turned out awesome! I have been following your blog for a few months now since I found it and have made alot of your recipes and always get asked for the recipes!
MichelleW says
Hey Katie!! OMG I am your New Biggest Fan! I am so glad I tried this recipee last night. They made the perfect snack to take with me to work (and the boyfriend loved them too!). I made my own oat flour by grinding plain quaker rolled oats and used some cute little colored star sprinkles! For the sweetener I used very scant Tbsps of light agave and they were just perfectly sweet enough! They were also fun to make when it came to the squishing down part lol Oh and I used saran wrap instead of wax paper which worked just fine! Will definitely be making these again sometime soon! 🙂 xXo -Michelle
vanessa says
Have you tried these with RAW cashew butter and do they have the same “cake-batter-flavor” as when the roasted variety is used?
megan says
In the case of a nut (peanut and tree nut) allergy, what do you recommend in lieu of cashew butter?
Jamie says
These bars are amazing!! My girls love them! Thank you so much for posting this recipe!
POUT says
Odd bit of trivia regarding “Bobby”: roly-polies are crustaceans and carry no diseases (among other interesting tidbits). Look them up!
Dee says
Hi! Saw this recipe this morning on Pinterest and literally got in the car within 10 minutes and drove directly to Whole Foods for the ingredients! These are absolutely amazing! I can’t wait to try your other cake batter recipes! And your homemade larabar recipes. I saw on one of your other posts, you mentioned that you were considering are batter oatmeal.. Did that idea ever become a recipe? If so, I’m in!
Menu-planning Mama says
Have you ever tried to combine these with the fudge baby idea? I’ve been debating on testing it out…
Chocolate-Covered Katie says
I haven’t. Let me know if you try it!
Anonymous says
These totally rocked my face off! I used chocolate brown rice crispies and subbed half of the agave with a few drops of liquid stevia. I also threw in a heaping tbs of coconut oil :). So delicious! I’m totally addicted to your site, it started with the cookie dough dip, then coconut crack bars, choc chip blondies (my fav) and on and on! I think I read something about you making a cookbook… I will be needing a few copies!
Jameela says
These totally rocked my face off! I used chocolate brown rice crispies and subbed half of the agave with a few drops of liquid stevia. I also threw in a heaping tbs of coconut oil :). So delicious! I’m totally addicted to your site, it started with the cookie dough dip, then coconut crack bars, choc chip blondies (my fav) and on and on! I think I read something about you making a cookbook… I will be needing a few copies!
Zoya says
Wow I am so making these!
Hilary says
I skipped the sprinkles and added cocoa powder instead! Chocolate makes everything extra wonderful!
Kristall says
I just finished the last one of these. So tasty! I was wondering if anyone had succeeded in using way less honey or agave and had the recipe hold together still? I tried to get away with less but the batter wouldn’t come together properly so I ended up using the full amount. They are so delicious but so sweet! I did sub some whey protein powder for half the oat flour so that could be why but I would like to try these again with less sweetener if it’s possible.
Coleen says
Excellent recipe, as usual! Tonight I made popcorn with olive oil, then added lo salt, unsweetened coconut, and a small handful of semi sweet chocolate bits. With an aged Zinfandel – priceless!
Lesley says
I just made these using coconut nectar as the sweetener. They turned out well, and are yummy!
Katie says
Your blog has given me hope in my ” sweet tooth ” problem where I literally consume mindlessly when sweets are present! I can’t wait to try this recipe! I had given up trying to fast sweets and reduce my consumption of then because of how much I found myself eating! And in addition to being physically active as a housekeeper I have a three year old. Let’s just say this blog might just be my saving grace!
Rachel Frank says
I made these today after drooling over the pictures for a week. My husband skeptically tried one, his eyes bugged out of his head, and he told me to hide them immediately lol. He is officially stealing them for his army buddies tomorrow guess I will have to make more 😉
lexie says
so much food porn…
Mary says
great ideas & motivation. Thanks for the fun place to visit!
Anonymous says
I have recently discovered your website and was immediately (or so I thought) convinced that I found the BEST food site ever. You speak my language with all of these healthy treats and chocolate!!!!! However…..rock my face off!! YES! That just 100% solidified my like and enthusiasm for you and this website 🙂 Thanks for all of the work you put in to this!
Georgegina R Powell says
I have to tell you Ms. Katie these r so yummy awesome!!!!!! Thanks for posting
veganlizzy says
I made these with Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut Butter (which I am obsessed with) for a chocolate version and they were delicious:)
Megan says
These look amazing! Anything that tastes like cake batter with a handful of sprinkles is worth trying. I will put these to the test this week for my family. Thanks for sharing!
Kate says
I made these for a long road trip my family is going on. Usually during those trips I buy chips and other junk food but this year I decided to make some healthy alternatives. My vegan family loved them! Thank you so much
EmilyDail24 says
Thank you! I have made this recipe twice!
Stacy says
What a fabulous website this is, love your recipes! Would really like to feature one of your cakes, the cake batter energy bars on my party blog. I’m writing a post on no bake cakes.
Would you be happy for me to use your photographs I’ll be linking back to you for your recipe of course and will give you and your blog good credit. Look forward to hearing from you!
Morgan says
Will Aalmond butter work instead of cashew butter?
Morgan says
**almond
Unofficial CCK Helper says
Yes, of course.
Gordielle says
I tried this bars with peanut butter and it still tastes like cake batter. They are so GOOD!
Jennifer says
I loved this recipe! I also made some substitutions and made a great chocolate & peanut bitter version with chocolate chips instead of sprinkles!
Sarah Jordan says
That’s acute story! I think the 4 year old will be feeding ants though 🙂 The recipes looks delicious 🙂
Erin J says
Katie, I tried making these with natural peanut butter. They turned out well! As mentioned, they don’t have the “cake-batter” flavour, but instead they taste like peanut butter Rice Krispies. Also, they are a little soft, though I don’t know how sturdy they are supposed to be if made with cashew butter.
Lisa says
Excited to try this recipe for my daughter’s school lunches! I am glad to see lots of positive reviews from people who have substituted PB for Cashew butter. Peanuts are fine in my daughter’s class, but there are no tree nuts allowed! I’m sure a new recipe into the lunch rotation will help spice things up a little.
Lisa says
Just wanted to update – I made these with natural peanut butter and honey, and they are very good! My daughter enjoys them a lot, and they are safe for the tree but free classroom. Don’t be afraid to make the PB and honey substitutions, they will still turn out yummy.
Nancy says
I just made these using crushed up rice Chex & peanut butter with mini chocolate chips. My kids loved them!!!!! Going to make a quadruple batch tonight. I can’t wait to try with cashew butter. I didn’t have enough cashews to make my own. Thanks for a healthy recipe that my kids will eat!!!
Sophie says
I happened to have all these ingredients lying around including multi colored rice crispies!!!(no sprinkles needed! Lol) I used half almond flour, half vanilla whey isolate, raw cashew butter and only 5-6 (eyeballed it) tsp of maple syrup. The rest stayed the same. Oh.my.gawd. Let’s just say I made a good sized bar for my sister and ended up eating the rest of the “batter” right then and there. It was freaking delicious!!! Clearly, I can never make these again, haha! Thanks for the recipe. Your site is awesome 🙂
Joanne says
Instead of rice krispies – can I use corn flakes?
Mike says
Katie, you are absolutely gorgeous. skip the recipes and post your own pics pls.
Brittany says
I make these all the time and eat them like candy! I decided to try about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of butter flavoring to enhance the “cake batter” taste on the last batch I made…oh em gee! It’s amazing!!
Jamie says
Wow, where do I even start?! These are wonderful! So much better than an actual Luna Bar… I don’t even know how to describe them… crispy, and a little creamy, and just the right amount of sweet. They were super easy to make… It maybe took 20 minutes at the most to get the ingredients together and pressed into the pan… And I made my own oat flour using my food processor. It took no time at all, and I have some extra oat flour left over that I’m going to keep in a ziploc for future use… Which I’m sure will be very soon, because it won’t be long before these disappear, and I have to make more. Thank you for sharing this delicious, nutritious snack recipe!
Chelsie says
So I just made these last night put them in the fridge and tried them this morning the rice crisps were soggy I’m not sure what I did wrong. I did add a half teaspoon of butter extract and used almond butter they tasted just like cake batter.
BinngoBenngo says
Hey. do you think they could be made with puffed amaranth instead of Rice Krispies? I wouldn’t know what to do with a whole box of Rice Krispies but I always have puffed amaranth around.
kind regards
bb
Lynn says
I just made this tonight (doubled the oat flour to make thicker) and all three of my teens love it and say it tastes like Cliff bars! I am making more right away but tripling the recipe for the whole family for breakfast!
Brandy says
this sounds SO good! But I was wondering if you knew of a possible substitute for the cashew butter? I have a severe nut allergy which makes eating healthy kind of hard 🙁
Unofficial CCK Helper says
Why not use Sunbutter or coconut butter?
Kari says
WOW!!! These are amazing! I didn’t even get them chilled and my family was asking me if there was more. I proceeded to make a triple batch! I don’t normally have cashew butter, so I subbed with almond butter… It REALLY tastes like cake batter! 😀
Crystal says
What could be used in place of the cashew butter? Our schools are nut free.
Unofficial CCK Helper says
Sunbutter works! Coconut butter also!
Julia says
I love that you post the nutrition facts on the recipes! Most sites don’t.
K says
These are seriously SO good and so easy to make. What I did was double the recipe to fill the whole pan and cut the bars into 12; I just decided that that would be easier for me. The bars are just a hair sweeter than I’d personally prefer but I’d still definitely make them again. My non-vegan friend really liked them, too, and says they taste just like cake batter. Mine kept for about 4 days in the fridge, but the texture was starting to go a bit by then.