Cookie Dough Protein Bars
These cookie dough protein bars are an easy and delicious no bake snack packing in over 20 grams of protein each! Made with just 3 key ingredients, there is NO added sugar or grains needed!
Protein bars are something I enjoy on an almost daily basis.
Ever since I started regularly weight training three years ago, I’ve included protein with every single meal. Snacks had always been my downfall, until I started making homemade protein bars. Protein bars were a much more satisfying and delicious way to up my protein intake without needing to have an actual protein shake.
To keep things interesting, I have a few flavors I rotate through, including chocolate protein bars, keto protein bars, and cookies and cream protein bars. However, it was high time I introduced a new flavor into the mix.
Something I’ve been regularly snacking on after dinner has been protein cookie dough. It’s like eating raw cookie dough, minus the sugar and the carbs! As I need something to snack on during the day and that can easily fit in my bag, I adapted my night time dessert into a delicious protein bar!
These cookie dough protein bars are an easy, delicious, and nutritious snack to enjoy between meals or post workout. Each bar packs in over 20 grams of protein and just three key ingredients. They are thick, chewy, and stable at room temperature. Packed with chocolate chips, they taste like any good chocolate chip cookie dough.
What I love about this recipe is that compared to store-bought protein bars, these actually have a minimal and CLEAN ingredient list. No artificial sweeteners, thickeners, or flavors- Just wholesome and healthy ingredients that you know and can actually pronounce!
How do you make cookie dough protein bars?
The Ingredients.
- Almond butter– Smooth almond butter with no added sugar or salt. This gives the protein bars some thickness, while also adding an extra 7 grams of protein per bar.
- Protein powder– opt for a vanilla flavored protein powder with no added sugar or carbs.
- Oat flour– Skip the expensive store-bought kind and make your own! If you want these bars to be wheat and grain free, you can use Medjool dates.
- Water– to thin out the batter.
- Chocolate chips– no cookie dough tastes as good as chocolate chip cookie dough! To keep the bars low sugar, use sugar free chocolate chips.
The Instructions.
Start by adding the almond butter, protein powder, and oat flour into a food processor and pulse until combined. Add the water and continue pulsing until a thick batter remains. Using a rubber spatula, fold through the chocolate chips.
Now, transfer the batter into a lined 8 x 8-inch pan and press down and smooth the top out. Refrigerate for at least an hour, before slicing into bars.
Tips to make the best recipe
- If you don’t have a food processor, you can also use a blender or a simple mixing bowl. Be sure to regularly scrape down the sides of the bowl/blender.
- I used a vanilla brown rice protein powder, but casein or a blended protein powder also work.
- If you use an unsweetened protein powder, add 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey to sweeten the bars.
- To ensure these bars are gluten free, use gluten free oat flour.
Storing and freezing instructions
- To store: While these bars are stable at room temperature, they are best stored in the refrigerator, covered. They will keep well for up to 4 weeks.
- To freeze: Place leftover bars in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More protein powder recipes to try
Frequently Asked Questions
Brown rice protein powder or casein protein powder is best for protein bar recipes. When mixed with liquid ingredients, they have a much thicker texture, which helps bind everything together.
You can substitute the almond butter for peanut butter, cashew butter, tahini, or sunflower seed butter. Alternatively, you can try peanut butter protein bars.
If you want to substitute the oat flour for another flour, I prefer almond flour as it uses a similar amount of oat flour. Coconut flour will also work, but you will only require HALF the amount.
Cookie Dough Protein Bars (3 Ingredients!)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup almond butter * See notes
- 1 1/4 cups vanilla protein powder
- 3/4 cup oat flour or Medjool dates ** See notes
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons water *** See notes
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Line an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a food processor, combine all the ingredients, except for the chocolate chips, regularly scraping down the sides. Fold through the chocolate chips.
- Transfer into a lined baking dish and press down into the pan. Refrigerate for at least an hour to firm up.
- Remove the cookie dough protein bars from the refrigerator and slice into 12 bars.
I love a good Larabar or Kind Bar…especially when traveling. I refuse to eat in airports because the food is so darned overpriced! But then I get sad when I look at my protein bar and then I look (and smell) the delicious fast food. But it’s the right choice, I tell ya! Maybe I wouldn’t be so sad if I had some of these delicious homemade bars instead. They sound delicious!
Thanks man! I need to tell you about the time I spent $12 on a SIDE SALAD at LAX.
I love making bars from dates, they’re so yummy!
🙂 Yummy!
These bars look superb! Dates are such a great way to sweeten baked goods and get some fibre in at the same time! You can also puree them with some water in a blender for a delicious caramel sauce! Mmmm…?
Absolutely! Thanks, Katrina!
LOVE Larabars, especially Cashew Cookie and Chocolate Peanut Butter! SO YUMMY. Anyways, these look absolutely splendid! I love how much they resemble cookie dough!
🙂 They really do!
3 ingredients is like a dream! Especially because lives nowadays seem so busy, it’s easy to just buy everything pre-made, but your recipes make baking or creating food so much more doable.
Right? Thanks so much, Emily!
I had a Lara bar for the first time ever last week while I was in Toronto (they were handing out samples in the street lol) and it was love at first bite. Def making these.
Oh wow- Lucky! Hope you try this out!
HIII I LOVED THIS ONES ARE DELICIOUS!!! DO YOU HAVE A NUTRITIONAL CHART ??
For sure! If you go to myfitnesspal and add in the ingredients, it will break it down for you
Love these! Do you think it would work with 1 cup pb2 and 1 cup dates? Do you have any powdered peanut butter/low cal
recipes?
I am having a hard time pureeing the dates in my food processor. It is new and a Cuisinart. I am not sure what I am doing wrong? Thank you!
Try soaking the dates in boiling water first! Pit the dates, put them in a bowl, and pour just enough boiling water over to cover them. Leave them for 10 minutes or so, and then drain + add to your food processor!
More water needs added
If more sweetness is desired I recommend agave