No Bake Cookies and Cream Protein Bars

106 comments

5 from 146 votes
Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.

Cookies and cream protein bars are a homemade version of the Quest Cookies and Cream protein bars. Soft, chewy, and made with healthy ingredients, these cookies and cream protein bars take 10 minutes to make! Vegan and Gluten Free.

cookies and cream protein bars

I am a certified snacker. If I’m not snacking on peanut butter cookies or oatmeal cookie bars, I’m definitely noshing on these cookies and cream protein bars.

After being a die hard quest protein bar fan, I just couldn’t justify spending tons of money each week on store bought protein bars. My all time favorite protein bar flavor is Cookies and Cream, so I decided to make my own!

Not only was it much cheaper and more delicious, I knew EXACTLY what was going in them.

The texture was spot on- Thick, soft and chewy protein bars that are stable at room temperature. The taste was fantastic- Sweet, satisfying and loaded with chunks of chocolate cookie pieces.

These protein bars are completely vegan and gluten free, with tips to make them keto and paleo!

How to make cookies and cream protein bars

The Ingredients

  • Oat Flour– It’s just ground up oatmeal. You can make your own or store bought. Be sure you use gluten free oats, to keep it gluten free.
  • Coconut Flour- Works well with the oat flour, to keep the bars extra chewy. If you don’t want to use coconut flour, add more oat flour.
  • Protein Powder– You can use vanilla flavored or unflavored. Be sure you like the taste of it, as it will be quite evident. 
  • Granulated sweetener of choice– Optional, but recommended if your protein powder is unflavored or unsweetened.
  • Almond butter– Smooth and drippy almond butter, with no added sugar or salt. You can use any nut or seed butter butter, provided it has a smooth texture. 
  • Maple syrup– Gives the protein bars sweetness, and holds them together. You can use agave nectar or brown rice syrup if you prefer.
  • Chocolate Cookies– Crumble up some chocolate cookies for the delicious cookie flavor. Feel free to use store bought cookies if that is what you have on hand.
  • Milk of choice– To help form the dough into bars! Use any milk that you prefer! 

The Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, add your dry ingredients and mix well. Add in your almond butter and syrup, and mix until a crumbly texture remains. Slowly add the milk, until a thick batter remains. Gently fold through your crumbled chocolate cookies. Transfer the protein bar batter into a lined 8 x 8-inch pan. Refrigerate until firm, around 2 hours. Once firm, cut into bars. 

cookies and cream protein bars recipe

Can I make this keto and paleo?

To make these keto friendly, replace the oat flour with 1 cup of coconut flour (total- do not add the extra coconut flour). Instead of using maple syrup, use keto maple syrup. The rest of the ingredients are already keto, so you’ll be good to go! 

Storing and Freezing Tips

  • To store: Cookies and cream protein bars can be stored at room temperature, in a sealed container. They will keep well for at least 1 week. Store them in the refrigerator to keep them for longer. 
  • To freeze: These protein bars can be stored in the freezer in a ziplock bag or freezer friendly container. They will freeze well for at least 6 months. 

cookies and cream protein bars

More homemade protein bar recipes

 

no bake cookies and cream protein bars

No Bake Cookies and Cream Protein Bars

5 from 146 votes
Just ten minutes is needed to make these delicious no bake protein bars that taste like a cookies and cream dessert bar, but so much healthier! These bars are refined sugar free, gluten free, vegan, dairy free!
Servings: 12 Bars
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes

Ingredients  

Instructions 

  • Line an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In large mixing bowl, combine the flour, protein powder, granulated sweetener and set aside.
  • Add the almond butter and syrup, and mix well, until a crumbly batter remains.
  • Using a spoon, add the milk of choice one spoonful at a time until a thick, firm batter is formed. Gently fold through the crumbled cookies.
  • Transfer to lined baking dish and press firmly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Notes

* I omitted the sweetener as my vegan protein powder was sweetened
** Depending on the flour/protein powder combination, you may need more or less. I used up to 3/4 cup milk.

Nutrition

Serving: 1BarCalories: 162kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 14gFat: 9gSodium: 29mgPotassium: 166mgFiber: 4gVitamin A: 12IUCalcium: 68mgIron: 2mgNET CARBS: 9g
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

 

 

 

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

You May Also Like

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. 5 stars
    These were so good! Thank you. I only had cookies and cream whey protein powder so that’s what I used. Because I read your comment about whey protein possibly making them too sticky, I only used half of the maple syrup and kept the 2T of monkfruit sweetener. I only needed 1/2c of unsweetened almond milk. They did not come out sticky (to me) and the bars formed well. I’m pleasantly impressed by how good these taste. My husband said these are “better than store bought,” and I agree.

  2. 5 stars
    Our two boys like these so it’s a win! I used a cookies and cream flavored nutrition/protein powder and left out the additional sugar. Nice to have a healthy option to grab for a quick snack! I made them into more like bite-size squares to savor them 🙂

    1. 5 stars
      My son Kullen is eight— and autistic. He is an extremely picky eater as his daily food intake consists of three distinct and specific food choices. He recently went through a traumatic knee injury and though he is already very thin and underweight for his age and height, this traumatic experience caused him so much stress that he lost over five pounds in a few months.

      His pediatrician first suggested vitamins— though we have tried regular, chewy, gummies, and powders you add to beverages (he also only drinks water, room temperature and from a specific water bottle)—and he just could not handle any of the flavors or consistencies. So his pediatrician recommended we buy a whey protein powder and use it as an ingredient in a shake or smoothie (Kullen is allergic to cow’s milk) and will not eat ice-cream or anything that is on the above average cold side. Knowing Kullen likes Oreos, I went online and searched for anything cookie’s and cream with protein recipe— and this one was one of the first I came across and so I gave it a chance and hoped for the best!

      Finally!!!! Something Kullen actually enjoyed and now has asked me to make more!!! I am so very thankful for your recipe and I only wish you knew how much I appreciate you taking the time to share it with all of us.

      I have one question, as far as the oat flour in this recipe — would any type of flour work—including basic white baking flour? Oat flour is hard to come by where I live and the two brands I have found are extremely expensive and therefore can only be purchased occasionally— also the amount you get is only enough for one recipe.

      I look forward to your response!! Thank you 🙂

  3. Heyyy!!! I made these for my family and they are absolutely amazing, everyone loved it!!!!! I just have 1 question, is there anyway to make it a tiny bit less gooey, even after over night refrigeration. I couldnt get a firm bar not as much as i wanted it to be, any suggestions on what to do, I followed your recepie to a T.

  4. These look delicious. Do you think it’s possible to add extra flour in place of the protein powder. I’d like to make these but don’t have any protein powder. Thx!

  5. Can’t wait to try this recipe! Thanks for posting! Quick question…if I omit protein powder, will I need to sub in more flour to keep the right consistency? Thanks!

  6. Hello! I hope I’ll still get a response even though this was posted a year and a half ago! 🙂 I do not follow a strict Paleo or Vegan diet but these look so incredible and I want a recipe to make my own protein bars. One question, will Whey protein work in this recipe?

    Thank you!!!!

      1. Would Vanilla Rice protein work? Or vanilla Soy protein? Also, about how many bars does this make?

  7. Hello! I wanna try your recipe, but do you mind telling me how much portion is 2 T? Or 1 T? Please. Thank you!

See More Comments