These strawberry protein bars are soft, tender, and taste like a cross between a strawberry snack cake and a brownie bar. They’re made with oat flour, vanilla protein powder, and fresh strawberries for an easy treat that's healthy enough for breakfast or a post-workout snack.
I’ve been wanting to make a strawberry version of my lemon protein bars for a while now, and these turned out even better than I hoped. They have a soft, almost brownie-like texture with strawberry flavor in every bite.
If you loved my healthy lemon protein bars, these have a similar easy snack-bar vibe but with a sweeter, more summery strawberry flavor.
Why You’ll Love These Strawberry Protein Bars
- Soft, tender texture
- Made with fresh strawberries
- Higher in protein than traditional dessert bars
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
- Made with oat flour
- Healthy enough to enjoy for breakfast
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Strawberries- Fresh strawberries give these bars the best flavor and texture. Make sure to pat them dry before blending so the batter doesn’t get too wet.
- Oat Flour- You can buy oat flour at most supermarkets, or you can make your own by blending old-fashioned oats in a blender until the oats become a fine powder (about 30 seconds to a minute). Store it in an airtight container for up to six months. If you’re new to oat flour, check out my Ultimate Guide to Baking with Oat Flour for tips and substitutions.
- Vanilla Protein Powder- Vanilla whey protein powder works best in this recipe. You can use a plant-based protein powder, but expect a slightly denser texture, and keep an eye on the bars while baking since they may bake a bit faster depending on the brand.
- Banana- The banana adds natural sweetness and moisture while helping create the soft cake-meets-brownie texture.
- Egg- The egg helps bind the bars together and adds protein. If needed, you can also use a flax egg for an egg-free version.
- Butter + Olive Oil- Using both butter and olive oil gives these bars the best texture. The butter adds flavor while the olive oil helps keep the bars soft and moist for days.
- Maple Syrup- I use a touch of maple syrup to sweeten. You can swap it with another liquid sweetener like honey. A sugar-free liquid sweetener works too.
- Strawberry Extract- This helps boost the strawberry flavor since fresh strawberries can mellow a bit during baking.
- Pink Gel Food Coloring- Totally optional, but it gives the bars a prettier pink color after baking.
Step-by-Step Photos
Dry ingredients whisked together.
Wet ingredients blended and ready to mix.
Finished batter. Smooth and slightly thick.
Batter poured into the prepared pan before baking.
The bars are done when the center looks set and a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
Let the bars cool completely before slicing into squares. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
FAQs
Fresh strawberries work best in this recipe, but frozen strawberries can work if needed. Thaw them completely and pat them very dry before blending to avoid adding too much extra moisture to the batter.
Yes, but the texture may be slightly denser, and the bars may bake a little faster depending on the brand. Keep a close watch during the last few minutes of baking time.
Yes. These bars freeze well in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Yes. Just make sure to use certified gluten-free oat flour.
Yes. They are made with oat flour, fresh strawberries, banana, and protein powder. I use a touch of maple syrup but feel free to use a sugar-free liquid sweetener if you would like.
More Protein Desserts You’ll Love
The Best Healthy Protein Cupcakes
Healthy Cosmic Protein Brownies
Peanut Butter Protein Cookies
Protein Cake (Moist & Fluffy!) with 2-Ingredient Fudge Frosting
Happy baking! If you make these strawberry protein bars, I’d love for you to leave a rating below. It really helps and means so much.
— Crystal
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Protein Bars
Ingredients
- 6 ounces Strawberries* Makes ⅔ cup puree
- 1 small banana
- 1 and ¼ cups oat flour*
- ¾ cups vanilla whey protein powder*
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup maple syrup*
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 and ¾ teaspoons strawberry extract
- ¼ teaspoon pink gel food coloring optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and line it with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper and set it aside. Here is a quick tutorial on how to line your pan with parchment paper.
- Whisk the oat flour, protein powder, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Wash and hull the strawberries, then pat them dry. Add them to a food processor or blender with the banana and blend until completely smooth, with no chunks remaining. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the strawberry-banana mixture, egg, maple syrup, butter, olive oil, strawberry extract, and pink gel color.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until everything is well incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (or with a few moist crumbs).
- Allow the bars to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer the bars to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired, and cut into 12 squares. Enjoy!
Notes
- Strawberries- Fresh strawberries work best in this recipe, but frozen strawberries can work if needed. Thaw them completely and pat them very dry before blending to avoid adding too much extra moisture to the batter.
- Oat Flour- You can buy oat flour at most supermarkets, or you can make your own by blending old-fashioned oats in a blender until the oats become a fine powder (about 30 seconds to a minute). Store it in an air-tight container for up to six months. If you’re new to oat flour, check out my Ultimate Guide to Baking with Oat Flour for tips and substitutions.
- Vanilla Whey Protein Powder- Vanilla whey protein powder works best in this recipe. You can use a plant-based protein powder, but expect a slightly denser texture, and keep an eye on the bars while baking since they may bake a bit faster depending on the brand.
- Maple Syrup- I use a touch of maple syrup to sweeten. You can swap it with another liquid sweetener like honey. A sugar-free liquid sweetener works too.
- Store the strawberry protein bars covered at room temperature for one day or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
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