These no bake dark Chocolate Cashew Protein Bars recipe are so easy to make for a snack. An easy protein bar recipe that is made with wholesome ingredients!

These protein bars are so delicious!

These chocolate cashew protein bars are an easy no bake snack that I find myself making on repeat because they are just so good I crave them!

One thing about me is that I will always prefer a homemade protein bar or protein ball over a packaged one.

They taste so much better, are made with a short list of easy to recognize ingredients, and most importantly they taste better! They are my go to snack along with my homemade Trail Mix Recipe.

After I made my homemade no bake protein bars, I couldn’t wait to try out more flavors! It’s really so easy to make your own protein bars at home.

Ingredients Needed

All you need are a few staples and you can make your own protein bars at home easily. I like to keep most of these ingredients on hand in my pantry for quick snack making!

Natural creamy peanut butter: the only ingredients should be peanuts and salt.
Rolled oats: also known as old fashioned oats.
Roasted salted cashews: these add a delicious texture to these bars!
Cocoa powder: or raw cacao powder.
Honey: the sticky sweetener that holds it all together.
Chocolate protein powder: to really amp up that chocolate flavor!
Salt: make sure to check the recipe notes for how much salt to add based on whether or not your peanut butter contains added salt.
Dark chocolate chips: the rich flavor of bold dark chocolate gives these bars so much flavor!

ingredients needed to make chocolate cashew protein bars

How to make chocolate cashew protein bars

Step one: Add the dark chocolate chips and cashews to a food process. Pulse them into small pieces. This step is a must because it evenly distributes the salty rich chocolate flavor into the bars, as well as adds a nice texture!

Step two: Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix it all together until a thick batter forms.

dark chocolate chips and cashews in a food processor

dark chocolate chips and cashews pulsed into small pieces in a food processor

Kitchen tips

I have found that the best tool for mixing protein bar batter is a rubber spatula. Nothing sticks to it! Try this for making your protein bars and protein balls at home.

Step three: Line an 8 X 8 pan with wax paper. Make sure to leave enough overhang on the edges of the pan to make it easy to lift the bars out once they are done chilling. Press the batter down into the pan and smooth it out on top.

Step four: Place the protein bars in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours, or until they have firmed up.

Step five: Pull the wax paper on the edges to remove the bars from the pan. Place them on a cutting board and cut the block into 12 protein bars.

If you want kid sized bars, you could then cut each bar in half and you would have 24 mini protein bars!

These bars last maybe 2-3 days max in our house. Everyone loves them!

My favorite part about these bars is the rich deep flavor that you get from the double chocolate flavor combined with the dark chocolate chips and the saltiness from the cashews.

They are so rich and satisfying! I stay full for hours after eating one. These protein bars are so tasty that I will eat them for dessert!

If you have never tried making your own protein snack at home, it’s really so easy and only takes a few minutes to prep.

protein bar ingredients in a mixing bowl

Storing

Store leftover protein bars in an airtight storage container between pieces of wax paper so that they do not stick together.

These bars will keep 5-7 days in the refrigerator or around 2 months in the freezer.

chocolate cashew protein bars in a storage container

More Protein Powder Recipes

Chocolate Protein Bars
Chocolate Protein Mug Cake
Protein Overnight Oats
Monster Cookie Protein Bars
Protein Granola Bars
Oatmeal Cookie Energy Balls
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Bars
Strawberries & Cream Energy Bites
Cinnamon Roll Protein Balls
Chocolate Protein Balls
M&M Cashew Crunch Energy Bites
Banana Bread Energy Bites
Almond Butter Protein Balls
Birthday Cake Protein Balls
Pecan Pie Energy Bites
Mint Chocolate Energy Bites

p.s. If you love this recipe be sure to check it out in bites sized form: these Chocolate Cashew Energy Bites are so yummy too!

Chocolate Cashew Energy Bites

Notes

Natural peanut butter does not have added sweetener. The only ingredients should be peanuts and salt. If your peanut butter does not contain added salt, use 1 and ½ teaspoons of salt. If it does have salt in the ingredients, use only the ¼ teaspoon of salt listed in the recipe.