Healthy Monster Cookie Bars - One Bowl, Double Protein!

One-bowl Healthy Monster Cookie Bars packed with protein! These monster cookie baked oats are lower sugar and lower fat and perfect for a breakfast or post-workout snack.

I'd bought some of those festive Halloween M&Ms and really wanted to make some recipe with them before the Halloween season ended, so here we are.

Also a really good opportunity to finish up that bag of rolled oats I had in my pantry for way too long.

Anyway… This recipe came together so quickly that I'd totally recommend it again!

Ingredients for Healthy Monster Cookie Bars

This healthy, high protein monster cookie bar recipe is made with protein oats, protein powder and peanut butter powder too for a higher protein, low sugar recipe.

• Rolled Oats - I used this high protein oats from Zego.
  I wouldn't recommend Instant or Quick since they'd get too soggy
• Vanilla Protein Powder: For high protein monster cookie baked oats; I used Quest Nutrition Vanilla protein powder.
• Unflavored Protein Powder: To add extra protein and remove some of the carbs. I recommend KOS Unflavored protein powder.
• Peanut Butter Powder like this powdered peanut butter from PbFit or PB2.

• Unsweetened Applesauce
• Unsweetened Almond Milk
• Baking powder

For the OG Monster Cookie Vibe:

• Peanut Butter: I really recommend a creamy one here so it mixes well with rest of the ingredients.
  To make it better, I recommend a high protein peanut butter; This Monster Cookie PB from American Dream Nut Butter would be perfect here. Use my code HAYLSKITCHEN for a discount on your order.
• Chocolate Chips - I recommend sugar-free chocolate chips from Lily's here.
• M&Ms

How to make Monster Cookie Protein Baked Oats

This monster cookie protein baked oats recipe comes together in just one bowl - and that's what makes it a really easy recipe!

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Whisk all the dry ingredients in one bowl - oats, vanilla and unflavored protein powder, peanut butter powder and baking powder.
   Make sure you use Rolled Oats and NOT instant or quick oats! The latter are too fine and will make the mix to soggy.
3. Add in the wet ingredients: applesauce, milk and peanut butter.
4. Whisk everything together.
5. Add most M&Ms and Chocolate Chips and gently fold.
6. Grease the baking pan before putting in the mixture. You want to make sure the baked monster cookie oats comes off easily. 
7. Pour mixture into baking pan; Top with remaining chocolate chips & M&Ms.
8. Bake for 25-27 minutes.
   Remove when the center is still slightly soft; It will cook completely when it cools; Don't over-bake or the monster cookie baked oatmeal will be too tough.

How to Store Low Calorie Monster Cookie Bars

These low calorie monster cookie bars are great for a meal prep snack or post workout, and here's what you can do to keep them longer:

Store these monster cookie baked oats bars in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days; This recipe is great for a meal-prep breakfast too, haha.

To freeze baked monster cookie oatmeal bars, keep in the freezer in zipper bags or airtight containers. They should last 2-3 months. 

Alternatives for Healthy Monster Cookie Oat Bars

Make these healthy monster cookie oat bars your own by customizing some of the ingredients you use:

Unflavored Protein Powder?

Use unflavored collagen or a bit of oat flour instead. The same ⅓ cup as the recipe says.

Milk Options:

Instead of almond milk, you can use regular milk or any other dairy free milk alternative.

Options for Applesauce

If you don't have access to applesauce, use mashed banana or pumpkin puree (but this will change the flavor a little)

Monster Cookie Bars without Peanut Butter

If you're not a fan of peanut butter, use almond butter and almond butter powder (like this one)!
Perfect for an allergy-friendly option.

Dairy Free Chocolate?

You can replace the M&Ms and chocolate in this recipe for a dairy free and sugar free chocolate if you'd like!

More Healthy Protein Baked Oats Recipes

• Protein Baklava Baked Oats
• Chocolate Tahini Protein Oat Bars
• Pumpkin Kefir Baked Oatmeal
• Banana Protein Baked Oatmeal Bars