You only need three ingredients and less than five minutes to whip up these healthy no bake protein bars! No nuts, dried fruits or sticky sweeteners are needed- They are also suitable for those following a vegan, paleo, gluten free and sugar free lifestyle!
Hi Arman!
I follow a primarily paleo style of eating and refrain (as much as possible) from eating grains. I also try and limit my sugars (both natural and unrefined) but have found it difficult when it comes to snacking. I try and have snacks which provide a good dose of protein but I’ve found many store-bought paleo friendly snack bars to be either full of sugar (dried fruits, maple syrup) and/or primarily healthy fats (nuts, coconut oil). Don’t get me wrong, I find both are perfectly healthy but sometimes, I just want a snack which is high in protein and doesn’t require the need for fruit/nuts.
Reader Kat emailed me this back in 2015.
When I first read it, I was firstly quite surprised. I’d never come across a protein bar on the market which was actually paleo friendly. I’d seen those which were vegan, gluten free, low carb and well….similar to candy bars- but never a paleo one.
I then remembered I was in America.
EVERYTHING is available in America.
ZING.
After scouting some health food shops and the various online outlets, I soon found that there WERE paleo ‘protein’ bars out there. However, unlike most protein bars I’d personally enjoyed or had come across, these were generally lower in protein (between 6-8 grams VS 20 grams+ for standard bars). Not only that, they were generally quite high in natural sugars and healthy fats.
I could see where Kat was coming from.
While these bars on the market were indeed Paleo friendly (and granted, MUCH cleaner in terms of ingredients that many bars on the market), I wouldn’t personally brand them as a protein bar. I’d also wouldn’t choose them if ‘protein’ was the nutrient I’d be looking at fulfilling. Last year, I shared this recipe for 3 ingredient no bake protein bars. Unfortunately, they weren’t suitable for those following a paleo lifestyle as they contained gluten free oats. I needed a substitute for the oats but something which would still have a delicious chewy texture. I turned to my one and only love child-
Coconut flour.
My obsession with coconut flour is so strong, I swear I’m more tropical than Australian these days. Okay, maybe not but seriously. If there is one ingredient any loyal reader of TBMW should have on hand, it’s coconut flour. It is without a doubt my most used ingredient and the key reason today’s recipe was able to be created. Because of coconut flour, we have no need to use dried fruits, sticky sweeteners or nuts to bind- These 3 ingredient no bake protein bars need to be made.
STAT.
These healthy 3 ingredient no bake protein bars are so ridiculously simple to make and taste delicious. They need just three ingredients, five minutes and one bowl and voila- You just wait for them to firm up in the fridge before digging in. Because of their lack of sticky sweeteners and/or nuts, you’ll need to keep these refrigerated. I tried this out with this paleo protein powder, this casein protein powder and this vegan protein powder– They are turned out really well and tasted delicious. egardless of whichever dietary lifestyle you follow, PLEASE make sure you like the taste of your protein powder. If you don’t, I guarantee you will NOT like these bars. Because of the nature of these ingredients, they are totally suitable for all my vegan, paleo, gluten free and sugar free friends!
HACK! While you don’t need any nut butters or sticky sweeteners, I do recommend you add the optional nut butter of choice- It takes the texture to another level.
Make these healthy 3 ingredient no bake protein bars and let’s see those biceps curling.
Okay, that’s just my wishful thinking.
- 1 cup coconut flour, sifted
- 4 scoops flavored protein powder (see suggestions above- around 32-35 grams each)
- 1/2 cup + dairy free milk of choice*
- 1/2 cup smooth nut butter of choice (optional)
- Dairy free chocolate chips (optional)
- Line a baking tray with baking paper, grease it and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the coconut flour and protein powder and mix well. If using the optional nut butter, add that in now.
- Using a 1/4 cup at a time, at dairy free milk of choice until a very thick batter is formed. Transfer batter to lined baking dish and press firmly in place. Top with optional chocolate chips refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Slice into bars and keep refrigerated.
- You'll most likely need more than 1/2 cup- Adjust accordingly
- Bars are freezer friendly but not recommended to be kept at room temperature.
No Bake Giant Paleo Cookie for One
3 Ingredient Flourless Blender Brownies
What do you consider a solid dose of protein in a snack bar/protein bar?
Favorite store bought snack/protein bar?
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Agree that it’s so difficult to come by a Paleo friendly bar that actually has protein. Most have dairy and also sugar alcohols they don’t sit well. I’ve mostly accepted snack bars are going to be higher in sugar generally!
Right? They are so hard to find!
They look yummy! So easy too?
I feel good if a bar has around 9-12 grams of protein. I love Cliff bars and Luna bars and I can usually find them for a pretty good price.
YES! 12 would be my minimum too!
Would an 8×8 pan work for this recipe? They look fantastic! 🙂 My favorite store-bought protein bar is probably Vega One or some sort of all-natural bar. I used to eat Quest Bars all the time but they didn’t make my stomach feel good.
Hi Marina! I reckon any sized pan (not an extra large one!) would work- You’d have bars of different thickness, depending on what you’d like! 🙂
I don’t understand how this could be paleo with protein powder in the recipe?
There are many protein powder brands which are 100% paleo
I’m not paleo, but if I’m going to buy a protein bar I want at least 15 grams of protein, otherwise I don’t see how it will fill me up at all.
The only store-bought snack bars I can remember buying are Kind bars. They have a dark chocolate/PB one that’s really good!
Right? There was one bar which had like …. 2 grams and claimed to be high protein.
I think Snickers have more than that…just sayin:)
Totally agree the more Paleo friendly versions aren’t actual protein bars. I think Larabars are Paleo? At least some of them. They’re made mostly with dates…which I guess I assume are Paleo? Haha. But they don’t usually have much protein at all!
Omg. Larabars.
I once ate a whole box of the mini ones thinking they were single serve.
My favorite protien bar right now is probably the Luna protein salted caramel. It’s so good!
mmm that sounds great!
OMG. These are epic. who knew those 3 simple ingredients could result in delicious protein bars! Two questions: what type/brand of protein powder do you like using for this recipe? Also, are the bars in this post the ones made with the optional nut butter or without? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Kaila! I tried it with the three protein powders listed in the post. I find that casein works the best- In fact, that one didn’t need any nut butter. The pictured ones did use nut butter but that is because I used a vegan one for the shoot.
Awesome! I will try them with Quest protein powder!
I don’t think I could live without coconut flour, it’s a daily necessity and without it I would go crazy!
Right? I would do a tucked full in dismount of the bars for it.
Coconut flour is my favorite, and I love these bars, too! The first time I bought a bag, I took a pinch and ate it raw. It was definitely love at first bite! Lol!
LOL. Oh Joanne…
i’ve done that too!
I like your recipe style sir. I’m the laziest baker/cooker, so the simpler, the better. BAM.
😀 Thanks buddy!
What kind of protein powder are you using ??
Hi Donna! I included the three I trialled successfully with in the post 🙂
Why does this post claim only 3 ingredients? Seems more like 5 to me??
Yep, it sure is 3 ingredients- 2 are 100% optional! 🙂
Coconut flour is one of my favorite ingredients too! It is so versatile!
And protein packed snacks are my jam! These sound so simple and delicious!
Right? I would bath in it, but it would absorb all the bath water.
These look perfect for taking on the run for a snack Arman! We have this new amazonia paleo protein despite the fact it has quinoa in it… ha. Will be making these with it when the whole 30 is o to the over!
YES! Please do, you’ll enjoy it!
Another simple recipe FOR THE WIN. You go, Arman!!!
-B
Thanks Glen Coco!
I think this is the only paleo protein bar recipe I have come across that doesn’t include a ton of nuts, dried fruit, or added sweetener. Genius!
Right? Thank you so much 🙂
This is definitely a recipe for Gigi! Maybe you could make something like this for her to taste test 😉
🙂 haha good idea!
Hi Arman! These bars look delicious! I can’t wait to try them! I know that you tried them with paleo/casein/vegan protein powder; would they work with whey too, or would the texture be off?
Hi Alessandria! I honestly find whey to be so hard to work with- Because of it’s pure form, it makes it difficult to stick well 🙂
How many bars is this to make approximately?
Hi Amalia- I made around 9 bars, but you can adjust them to any size you wish 🙂
What about whole wheat flour instead of coconut?
Hi Valerie! I’d recommend oat flour over whole wheat! 🙂
I tried these and love ’em. I ended up needing a cup of almond milk to get them to stick, probably could have gotten away with a bit less. Definitely need water to wash these down, but I love the taste/texture. I used regular creamy pb (jif) in my first batch. Thinking of using PB2 (powdered PB) for the next batch. Thoughts? Anyone try this?
Hi Jenn! Thanks for the feedback- That does often happen with these sort of bars using coconut flour 🙂
I haven’t tried it with peanut flour in these recipes specifically, but I can see it working- I think peanut flour has texture between oat flour and coconut flour, so is very firm! 🙂
Thanks for the recipe! What flavor protein powder did you use?
Hi Suzanne! You are so welcome! I prefer using vanilla as it’s a blank slate for everything 🙂
Need to find Casein that doesn’t have Sucralose in it. That non-sweetener is Spenda that is not good for us.
Hi Joanne! I know some brands use stevia in their casein (I think this brand has a natural version).
I just made these. It took a lot of almond milk to get the batter somewhat moist and the the 1/2 in fridge didn’t really firm them up for cutting
Hi Angela- This varies because of the protein powder you use and the brand of coconut flour. Because of the nature of coconut flour, you would need significant amount of almond milk to get a batter. You could try adding the optional nut butter, but I’ve never had issues using just 3 ingredients.
I made these with complete nutrition’s elite gold annex chocolate peanut butter protein powder…which I don’t think is paleo cause it has soy and whey protein in them, but they turned out really good. I added almond butter and only 3 scoops of the protein powder and added a little organic coconut flakes on top instead of chocolate chips. They taste pretty good following a workout. Thanks for recipe!!
No worries at all, Susie- so glad you enjoyed it- I’ll need to try out the Gold Annex brand 🙂
Hi. What is the nutritional info for these bars? Protein, Carbs, Sugars etc.
Hi Michelle! If you go on myfitnesspal.com it will provide the information for you 🙂 Enjoy!
Which kind of flavor did you use for the protein powder? Did you use chocolate, or could you use vanilla as well?
Hi Sarah! I used vanilla, but definitely use chocolate if you prefer 🙂
i need it to have at least 15g/serving for me to consider it a protein bar. your recipe is too easy not to try, i will definitely give it a go!
Please do, Grace!
I am on the Dr Poon diet, my daily sugar intake is 5g or less, this paleo bar makes this diet much more enjoyable and a fun alternative to simply snacking on chicken, thank you for sharing your creation
You are so welcome, Sherry!
Question: what do you think of the quest and Mission bars they are higher in fiber: howevern do have some sugar alcohol.
These bars are great I just made them. Unfortunately, they are not good travel bars to throw into a bag if you need something in the middle of the day
Thanks,
Daniel
Hey Daniel! I love Quest bars for their convenience- When I don’t make my own bars, I do enjoy them in a pinch, especially with international travel.
For these bars, I usually freeze them individually before bringing them with me, to keep shape 🙂
Can you please convert those scoops to cups? I don’t know how many grams are in my scoop.
Hi there! These scoops are usually 32-34 grams- Hope that helps! 🙂
I’m thinking of adding an ounce of matcha green tea powder along with the first four ingredients, should I adjust anything like how much milk?
Hi Jo Ellen! That sounds like a great addition- Add the powder in first, then adjust the milk- You’ll most likely need more 🙂
can I used whey protein?
Hi Kiarelys, unfortunately, I haven’t had much success with whey protein- Unless it is a blended mix, it won’t really work out well!
I had a really hard time judging just how thick the batter should be?? When I went to press it into the baking dish, the batter was sticking like crazy to everything and was not cooperating. Should I have added still more non dairy milk? I had used almost two cups already.
Hi Lisa! Would you mind me asking which protein powder you used? It shouldn’t be sticky- If it was, I would recommend adding some extra coconut flour. 🙂
Thanks for the reply, I used Bodytech whey protein (mocha flavor at the moment), soy milk, and 1/4 cup peanut butter (generic brand). Maybe the peanut butter made it sticky? I kept adding soy milk because my spoon was bending trying to mix it all together. Maybe I’ll knead it with my hands next time.
Hello and thanks for the recipe! Looks really simple, but tasty! I am on a very restricted diet… no grains, no eggs, no legumes, no dairy. The only protein powder I have is collagen protein. Do you think that would work for this? TIA!
Hi Kristin! I’ve never tried it with it, but I’d love to know how it turns out 🙂
I am going to try to make these with almond butter. We aren’t a protein powder family but have used Vega in a few cookie recipes. Is there a “flavor” that would work best with almond butter?
Hi there! I prefer using vanilla, as it makes recipes not need any vanilla extract 🙂
The only problem with making this is that I eat almost half batch in one sitting. Yes, it is very yummy. Awesome option for a healthy protein bar. Loved it
🙂 That’s so good to hear, Hina!
I don’t like coconut flour, what could be substituted?
You can use oatmeal, but I haven’t tried it with this particular recipe, sorry!
Can you please add the nutrition information for these, eg calories per bar (or grams) ect. 🙂
Hi Bianca! Absolutely- If you go to myfitnesspal and add in your specific protein ingredients, it will provide it for you 🙂 Enjoy!
Hi. I’m not fussy, but these have 5 ingredients, not three what I can see.
Nope, it’s definitely 3 🙂 Optional ingredients don’t count 🙂
When you say a non-dairy milk, would banana “milk” work?
You can try that! 🙂
Hi! Question – do you think these would retain their shape/hold up better for on-the-go travel if they were baked for a little while in the oven? If so, do you have any recommendations for temp/how long to cook? Thanks!!
Hi! You can freeze them beforehand and enjoy as is 🙂
Hey! I dont get coconut flour here! What do i use instead?
How many bars does this make?
This makes 4-6 bars, depending on how thick you slice them.