Paleo Protein Bars

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Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 12 servings

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My paleo protein bars need only 3 ingredients and ZERO baking. They’re healthy, filling, and pack over 20 grams of protein.

paleo protein bars.

My paleo protein bars recipe is an everyday snack

Arman Liew

When my partner announced he was doing a 30-day paleo challenge, I knew my regular homemade protein bars wouldn’t make the cut. Since they’re one of his favorite snacks, I set out to make a paleo version he could still enjoy.

Turns out, they were just as soft, chewy, and satisfying as the original. In fact, I still make these even when neither of us is eating paleo. Here’s why they’re a snacking favorite:

  • Just 3 ingredients. All you need is coconut flour, protein powder, and milk.
  • Soft and chewy. No dry or chalky protein bars here. 
  • Ready in 5 minutes. Perfect for meal prep or a last-minute snack. 
  • Easy to customize. Add chopped nuts, seeds, or a drizzle of dairy-free chocolate. 

Let’s make this together!

Key Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.

  • Coconut flour. I love making no-bake bars with coconut flour because it absorbs moisture and gets a soft, cakey texture that’s hard to replicate without an oven. Make sure to sift it first to remove clumps.  
  • Protein powder. I recommend using a sweetened paleo protein powder because it’s what adds sweetness to the bars. I’ve made these with Paleo Pro Aztec Vanilla powder, and the flavor was great.
  • Milk. I used unsweetened almond milk, but any milk works. 
  • Nut butter. Optional, but for added richness, I like a little creamy almond butter or cashew butter. For a nut-free version, use sunflower seed butter. 
  • Chocolate chips. Again, optional, but what’s the harm in adding a handful of dairy-free unsweetened dark chocolate chips? The operative word is dairy-free, to keep them paleo-friendly.

Adjust the sweetness

Sweeten with maple syrup. If you want the protein bars to be sweeter, add some pure maple syrup to the mixture. Remember, you are relying on the protein powder for sweetness.

How to make paleo protein bars

Step 1- Prep. Line an 8×8-inch baking tray with baking paper and grease with cooking spray. 

Step 2- Make the batter. In a large bowl, combine the flour, protein powder, and nut butter if using. 

Step 3- Add milk. Add milk ¼ cup at a time until a thick batter is formed. 

Step 4- Chill. Transfer the batter to the lined pan and press into place. Top with optional chocolate chips and refrigerate for 30 minutes, then slice into bars.

how to make paleo protein bars.

Arman’s recipe tips

  • Adjust the consistency as needed. Depending on the brand of coconut flour and protein powder I use, I sometimes need a little extra milk. Add one tablespoon at a time until the mixture is firm but easy to press into the pan.
  • Wrap them individually. Once the bars are sliced, I like to wrap each one in parchment paper so I can grab one on my way out the door.
  • Drizzle the chocolate instead. If I’m dipping the bars in chocolate, I usually melt it in the microwave and drizzle it over the top instead. It’s quicker, uses less chocolate, and means less cleanup. 
paleo protein bar.

More protein bar recipes

paleo protein bars recipe.

Paleo Protein Bars

5 from 189 votes
This paleo protein bars recipe needs only 3 ingredients and ZERO baking! They’re healthy, filling, and pack over 20 grams of protein!
Servings: 12 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes

Ingredients  

Instructions 

  • Line an 8 x 8-inch 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, add your milk of choice until a very thick batter is formed.
  • Transfer the batter to the lined pan and press firmly in place. Top with optional chocolate chips and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Slice into bars and keep refrigerated.

Notes

TO STORE: Leftover bars should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. 
TO FREEZE: Wrap bars in parchment paper, place them in a freezer bag and freeze them for up to three months. Allow the bars to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before eating.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 116kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 16gFat: 3gSodium: 62mgPotassium: 54mgFiber: 4gVitamin A: 48IUCalcium: 71mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 3g
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Arman Liew

I’m a three time cookbook author, culinary school graduate, 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.

5 from 189 votes (178 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. 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

  2. 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!

  3. Which kind of flavor did you use for the protein powder? Did you use chocolate, or could you use vanilla as well?

  4. 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!!

    1. No worries at all, Susie- so glad you enjoyed it- I’ll need to try out the Gold Annex brand 🙂

  5. 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

    1. 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.

  6. Need to find Casein that doesn’t have Sucralose in it. That non-sweetener is Spenda that is not good for us.

  7. 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?

    1. 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! 🙂

  8. 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?

    1. 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 🙂

  9. This is definitely a recipe for Gigi! Maybe you could make something like this for her to taste test 😉