These healthy chocolate workout bars are packed with protein and wholesome ingredients, yet they taste like you’re eating a gooey chocolate fudge brownie!
Plus there’s NO oven required!
If you’re looking for a new go-to healthy chocolate snack or breakfast bar, definitely give these chocolate workout bars a try.
The recipe can be completely vegan, oil free, gluten free, soy free, nut free, low calorie, flourless, dairy free, and egg free.
You may also like: Healthy Banana Bread
The portable healthy snack bars can be packed into a lunchbox or taken on the go.
You can also freeze leftover bars for up to three months, to have on hand and quickly grab for breakfast on a rushed morning, perhaps with a Strawberry Smoothie or a homemade Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie.
For a nut free option, feel free to use sunbutter, wow butter, or coconut butter. And change up the flavor by adding a half teaspoon of instant coffee or pure vanilla extract, or switch out the chocolate chips for peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips.
Still craving chocolate? Make Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Above, watch the chocolate workout bar recipe video
The recipe was adapted from my Workout Brownies and these Black Bean Brownies.
Chocolate Workout Bars
Ingredients
- 1 can black beans (for low carb, try these Keto Protein Bars)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup nut butter of choice or oil
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, honey, agave, or date syrup
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2/3 cup oat flour or almond flour, or 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (not optional)
- optional chocolate coating below
Instructions
- Line an 8-inch pan with parchment or wax paper. Drain and rinse beans very well. Blend all ingredients except chips in a good food processor (a blender works if you must, but you should routinely stop the blender and stir to ensure ingredients blend evenly). Stir in chips. Smooth into prepared pan, and freeze to set. *Optional chocolate coating: Chill bars at least half an hour, then either melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips with 2 tsp oil to form a thin sauce OR whisk 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 2 tbsp melted coconut oil, and 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or agave to form a sauce. Spread over the bars, then freeze to set the chocolate.View Nutrition Facts
Notes
Have you made this recipe?
Tag @chocolatecoveredkatie on Instagram
More Healthy Protein Recipes
(Or these Keto Protein Bars)
Vivian says
I am assuming you are supposed to eat these frozen. I made them about an hour ago and I used maple syrup for the sweetener, almond butter, and almond flour. I blended them in my Vitamix. They are nice and creamy. I stirred in the chocolate chips. After one hour they are very cold but difficult to release from the waxed paper so I would recommend the parchment paper. Also, the Guittard semi-sweet chocolate chips taste like cold hard lumps. If it was a frozen cookie, I would microwave it for one minute on power three and it would heat up the chocolate chips enough to release the delicious flavor. I am guessing I cannot do this with these bars. I look forward to reading what others may do to see if I could improve them.
CCK Media Team says
Hi Vivian, oh no you definitely don’t have to eat them frozen; that’s just to set them. Feel free to thaw them and then store in the fridge instead :).
Vivian says
OK. So I microwaved one for 30 seconds on power 1 and it softened it a bit. It definitely tasted better than frozen solid. I will try one in the frig as you suggest. I may try making them again but swirling some kind of chocolate sauce through them before they set up rather than use chocolate chips. Any suggestions on which recipes Katie has online that might be good for this? It would need to be one that doesn’t get icy when frozen. Thanks.
Mindy says
Can this be made without any nut or seed butters?
CCK Media Team says
Coconut butter works if you can have that 🙂
Annie says
Can i use white beans?
CCK Media Team says
Sorry we haven’t tried it!
Amanda says
Hi! Did you use date paste to make these? Also, would the nutrient facts be similar with date paste?
Lynn says
There is more fat and sugar in this recipe than protein. These are not “healthy.” Maybe better than traditional brownies due to the nutrients found in black beans. The reason they taste like “you’re eating a gooey chocolate fudge brownie,” is because you are.
Shirley Litton says
These are delicious! I was looking for something to take the place of the Builder Bars that my 6yo grandson likes to eat. He’s very slightly on the spectrum and I’ve noticed he gets weird right after eating the BB’s, but not purer forms of chocolate. I thought I’d give them a try. SCORE!! Now there are options. Thank You Katie!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/GLi9E3Tzgv996tLKA
CCK Media Team says
Thank you for making them, and the photo is so cute!
Robynne says
They taste good, but as soon as they thawed, they were too soft, like the dough right out of the food processor. I must have done something wrong. I used freshly-ground oats; maybe I could double it next time, if there is a next time.
Lynda says
What size is the can of beans, please? We have different sizes in Canada.
CCK Media Team says
15 oz 🙂