Pumpkin Protein Bars
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These pumpkin protein bars are vegan, gluten-free and oil-free. They make for a perfect pre or post-workout snack or grab-and-go breakfast. Each bar has less than 80 calories, 7 grams of protein and only 4 grams of sugar!
I have another pumpkin recipe for ya (shocker, I know!). Today we’re making pumpkin protein bars!
These bars have the perfect amount of pumpkin pie flavor and a good protein to carb ratio — perfect for munching on before or after your workout or as a grab-and-go breakfast bar. I hope you love them as much as I do. Seriously, they are so good!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Pumpkin Protein Bar Recipe
There’s something about these bars that keeps me coming back to them every fall. Here’s why they’ve earned a permanent spot in my snack rotation:
- Perfect texture – Soft, chewy, and just the right amount of dense without being dry or crumbly.
- Naturally sweetened – The entire batch is sweetened with just 1/4 cup of maple syrup and some dairy-free dark chocolate chips on top because chocolate makes everything better, am I right?!
- Diet-friendly – They’re gluten free, vegan (as long as you use vegan protein powder) and completely oil free.
- Fuel that lasts – Each bar is packed with 7 grams of protein so they actually keep you full between meals.
- Freezer-friendly – I love keeping a batch in the freezer so I can grab one whenever I need a quick snack or breakfast on the go.
“I make a double batch of these bars almost every other day…so good and the Macros are perfect for a balanced snack without the guilt!! Thank you for the recipe 🙂”
Ingredients Needed
- rolled or quick oats – oats are naturally gluten-free but are often cross-contaminated during processing. If you need these bars to be gluten-free, make sure you look for oats that say “gluten-free” on the package! I like to use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Whole Grain Rolled Oats.
- vanilla protein powder – you can use your favorite protein powder, but if you want to keep these bars vegan, make sure you use vegan protein powder. My go-to brand is Nuzest (use the code eatingbirdfood for 15% off your order).
- pumpkin pie spice – use store-bought or make homemade pumpkin pie spice.
- maple syrup – for just a touch of sweetness! Feel free to sub in your favorite liquid sweetener like honey, agave or stevia.
- pumpkin puree – either canned pumpkin or homemade pumpkin puree works. If you’re using store-bought, make sure you pick up canned pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie mix has added sugar!
- unsweetened dairy-free milk – I like to use unsweetened oat milk, so I can control the amount of sweetness I add to the recipe. If you don’t have oat milk, feel free to use almond milk or your favorite milk instead.
- chocolate chips – I like dark chocolate chips, but any type of chocolate chip works. For a low-sugar version, use Lily’s stevia-sweetened chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark chocolate). For a vegan version, use Enjoy Life’s dairy-free chocolate chips.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Pumpkin Protein Bars
These pumpkin protein bars come together in just a few easy steps. You’ll mix, press, bake and before you know it, you’ve got a cozy fall snack ready to go.
Step 1: Start by mixing your dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, mix together your wet ingredients.
Step 3: Combine both the wet and dry ingredients.
Step 4: Pour the batter into a prepared dish, top it off with chocolate chips, and bake.
Brittany’s Tips
- Adjust the batter texture: Different protein powders and oat varieties absorb liquid differently. If the batter feels too thick or dry, stir in 1–2 extra tablespoons of milk before baking.
- Let the bars cool completely: These bars firm up as they cool, so resist cutting them right out of the oven. Letting them rest helps them set properly and gives you clean, soft slices.
- Skip the protein powder: If you’re not a protein powder fan, I recommend making these healthy pumpkin bars instead. They have a similar cozy flavor without the added protein.
Storing Pumpkin Protein Bars
After letting your bars cool completely, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. They can be stored at room temp for up to three days, but they do keep best if stored in the fridge. You can also store them in the freezer for up to three months!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Any vanilla protein powder will work, but the texture may vary slightly. I prefer a plant-based protein for this recipe to keep it vegan.
They are if you use certified gluten-free oats. Regular oats are often cross-contaminated, so double-check the label if you need them to be gluten-free.
Definitely. Any milk works here — almond, soy, dairy, or whatever you have on hand.
More Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Pumpkin Protein Bars (Vegan + Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats, or quick oats
- 1 cup vanilla protein powder, vegan if needed
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 cup canned pumpkin or homemade pumpkin puree
- ½ cup oat milk, or other non-dairy milk
- 1-2 Tablespoons dairy-free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 8×8 baking dish with non-stick spray or line with parchment paper.
- Stir together the dry ingredients including oats, protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
- In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients including the maple syrup, pumpkin and oat milk.
- Gently add the dry mixture into the wet ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Spread batter evenly into the prepared dish, sprinkle on a few dark chocolate chips and bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick come out clean. Let bars cool, cut into 16 bars and enjoy.
- Store bars in the refrigerator for up to one week or freezer for up to three months.
Video
Notes
- Maple syrup: Feel free to sub in your favorite liquid sweetener like honey, agave or stevia.
- Storage: Store cooled bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
Great flavor! It feels indulgent but totally guilt free. My mixture turned out a little more liquid / less firm ghan your photos so I added more oats. Do you know why that would happen?
Hi Abby! I am so glad you loved these bars and they turned out great for you. Was the final result softer or just the mixture? What type of protein powder did you use?
These look fabulous, I can’t wait to make them. Please tell me the measurement for the pumpkin purée. I have various size of cans , not sure which to use. Thank you
Hi Deborah! You’ll want to use 1 cup of pumpkin puree. Enjoy!
Can you add eggs without changing the consistency? If so, how many? It’s a good way to boost the protein.
Hi Julie – I haven’t tried adding eggs to this recipe so I cannot say for sure how that would change the consistency/texture/bake time etc of the recipe. So sorry.
Hi Brittany,
These bars sound delicious. I’m unable to eat oats. Do you think I could substitute almond flour in place of the oats?
Hi Laura – Unfortunately you really need the oats in this recipe. Are you unable to have oats in general or could you have GF oats?
Brittany,
I wonder about the post Nutritional Information. I am looking for a bar that has at least 6 grams of Protein and I was excited to find this recipe. Because I have looked at tons of Protein Protein bar recipes, your recipe caught my attention so checked out the ingredients (using: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076) and found, (according to “Very Well Fit”), the following Nutrional information which shows each bar to have only 3.7 grams of Protein, not 7 grams. Can you assure me that the Protein content of 7 grams is correct. Thank you so much! I am impressed with your website and recipes, and I will check them out.
Very Well Fit Nutritional Information:
Fat: 4.2
Carbs: 16.4 gr
Protein: 3.7 gr
Hi Althea. The about of protein will depend on the type of protein powder you use, each protein powder contains a different amount of protein. Hope that helps!
Thank you Brittany! Of course! That explains it!
So delicous! We used Truvani Pumpkin Spice Protein Powder – perfect fit. Love love love!!
Oh amazing! This sounds delicious! I am so glad you are loving this recipe and it turned out great for you, Renee. Thanks for coming back and sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
These were interesting for me. Mine also had a really thick, dense consistence of batter. I will say, I realized that I didn’t have pumpkin puree after I had started making it, so I subbed with 1 cup of butternut squash puree. Maybe it made a difference in the consistency. They are good, but for me, they have an aftertaste because of the protein power. Again, perhaps a different brand of protein powder would make a difference.
Hi Heather – Glad these worked with butternut squash puree. I definitely could be your brand of Protein powder. I would recommend, Nuzest, it is one of my favorites and there is no aftertaste!
LOVE these! Great fluffy texture and appreciate a protein bar recipe without the fat of nut butter.
WOO! So glad you are loving this recipe, Alina. Thank you for your review + star rating, it means so much to me!
Hi I made these yesterday and the finished batter did not look like the consistency of yours in the video. Mine was much thicker and didn’t pour out like yours. I am trying again today and same consistency as yesterday. do you think i should add a little more pumpkin or milk?
The taste is delicious I’m just not getting the right consistency.
Hi Teresa – What type of milk did you use? Have you changed anything about the recipe?
You nailed the flavor profile on these.
I did use dairy milk, and Just Ingredients vanilla bean protein, which has a pretty strong flavor, so I only used two scoops instead of one cup. Not sure if these swaps affected the texture but mine came out more cake-like and crumbly than I anticipated. I’m going to try with an egg next time to see if it helps them bind together a little better. Again, highlight for me is the flavor profile. And they’re so easy to make.
YAY! I am so glad these turned out amazing for you, Laura. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your review & star rating, I truly appreciaet it. Was the protein you used, Whey or Plant Based? I am curious if that might have had something to do with texture of the bars.
Just ingredients is whey based, but there is also some pea and chia seed proteins too. That didn’t even cross my mind!
I think that’s probably why the texture was different. I’ve only ever tested this recipe with plant-based protein powders which definitely soak up more liquid and give baked goods a different texture than whey.
I made these today with the intention of freezing and bringing them to share with family next week – I ate 3 immediately and froze the rest in sets of 2 bars for an easy grab breakfast. I will perhaps make another batch to share, but so so good! I mixed the chocolate chips in and put fall sprinkles on the top. Other than that followed instructions exactly and they came out perfect!
WOO! This makes me so happy to hear, Allyssa. I am so glad you gave these a try and they turned out amazing of you. Thank you for sharing your review + star rating, it means so much to me!