No Bake Cookie Dough Protein Bars
Inspired by Larabars, these healthy no bake cookie dough protein bars use just three ingredients and taste just like the real deal! Made with no flour, grains, butter or oil, these copycat bars they take minutes to whip up and are naturally gluten free, vegan, dairy free, paleo and naturally sweetened!
Cookie Dough Protein Bar Recipe
Larabars claim they are all about simplicity, but I’m pretty sure I just out simplicity-ed them with these 3 Ingredient Cookie Dough Protein bars which are JUST like the infamous store-bought snack bar…but better.
Short ingredient list? How about no ingredient list because these don’t even have a wrapper. But if they did, it would be shorter.
Familiar ingredients? How about measuring, mixing, shaping, and cutting those ingredients with your own two hands. It doesn’t get any more familiar than that.
There is no highway, sliding door, checkout line, and polka-dotted packaging standing between you and these bars. You can whip up a batch at any moment without leaving your home. Because you have dates and chocolate chips on hand at all times too, right? I thought so!
Homemade Cookie Dough Protein Bar Ingredients
Speaking of benefits, these cookie dough bars boast extra protein, lots of plant fiber, and the natural sweetness of dates. And all that in only 3 ingredients.
The protein powder adds that vanilla flavor that I think all things cookie dough need. Plus most protein powders have a pinch of sea salt which balances out the flavor profile nicely too.
These 3 Ingredient No Bake Cookie Dough Protein Bars (Larabar copycat!) aren’t just winning on simplicity, but options too!
You don’t just get to pick the flavor, you get to pick each and every ingredient. Semi-sweet or dark, mini chips or morsels, vanilla protein powder of choice—it’s your call.
And the size. You could make 3 monster bars or 27 tiny pez-sized bars or any size in between—it’s up to you.
And the shape. You could shape them into cookie dough rectangles or squares or balls or hearts or ducks—whatever you want.
How to make cookie dough protein bars
And the ingredients. All dates for a grain-free option, dates + gluten free oats for a lower sugar option, dates + nuts to add a little healthy plant fat to the mix—the choice is yours.
So much flexibility, it’s thrilling, isn’t it!?
If possible, please use Medjool dates as opposed to generic dates- I found the latter to be really difficult to mesh well with the protein powder, and also had a slightly bitter taste. I also loved storing them in the freezer straight after blending them for 10 minutes before enjoying one. It was SO fudgy!
More Protein Bar Recipes
Healthy 3 Ingredient No Bake Cookie Dough Protein Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups medjool dates * Can substitute it for nuts or rolled oats
- 2 scoops vanilla protein powder 32-34 grams
- 2-3 tbsp chocolate chips of choice
Instructions
- Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper.
- Combine the dates and protein powder in a food processor. Process until it just starts to clump together.
- Stop and add the chocolate chips. Continue processing until it forms one large ball of dough.
- Transfer to the lined pan and press firmly into place. Refrigerate until firm, before slicing into bars.
Notes
Nutrition
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!