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These paleo protein bars need just 3 ingredients to make and require no baking! They make the perfect snack between meals.
Finding good protein bars is a challenge especially if you are looking for ones that don’t contain refined sugar, artificial additives, dairy, and gluten.
While our homemade protein bars are always a good option, they aren’t always suitable for those who follow a paleo diet.
Are protein bars ok on a paleo diet?
It is completely fine to have protein bars on a paleo diet. While not all protein bars are paleo-friendly, you can certainly find some. You can make paleo protein bars yourself and easily control the ingredients that go into them.
We love making our own because:
- Only 3 ingredients. All you need is coconut flour, protein powder, and milk!
- Made in 5 minutes. Only five minutes of prep work and you have a healthy protein-rich snack to enjoy throughout the entire week.
- Perfect texture. These protein bars are soft and chewy, just as we all like them to be.
What I love about this recipe is just how easy they are to customize! Add mix-ins, dip them in chocolate, or dust them with powdered sugar: the possibilities are endless!
Ingredients needed
This recipe calls for three simple ingredients that are commonly found in paleo recipes. Here is what you’ll need:
- Coconut flour. Sifted.
- Protein powder. Flavored protein powder of choice.
- Milk. I used unsweetened almond milk but any milk works.
Optional ingredients:
- Nut butter. Peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter.
- Chocolate chips. Dairy-free unsweetened chocolate chips are suitable for those on a paleo diet.
How to make paleo protein bars
Start by mixing the coconut flour with protein powder. Add the nut butter if you are using any.
Next, add the dairy-free milk to the dry mixture. Pour in ¼ cup of milk at a time and mix until a thick batter is formed.
Transfer the mixture to a pan lined with parchment paper and press firmly. If using chocolate chips, add them on top and refrigerate them for 30 minutes.
Once set, cut into slices and enjoy.
Tips to make the best recipe
- Drizzle with melted chocolate. Melt the dairy-free chocolate chips and drizzle over the protein bars to make them look more presentable.
- Keep the protein bars individually wrapped. Once you slice your paleo-friendly protein bars, wrap them individually in parchment paper so that you can grab one and go about your day whenever needed.
- Adjust the amount of milk you use. Depending on the brand of the coconut flour, you may need to add more milk to achieve the needed consistency for the bars.
Flavor variations
The beauty of these bars is just how easy they are to customize. Here are some ideas:
- Sweeten with maple syrup. If you want the protein bars to be sweeter, add some pure maple syrup to the mixture.
- Use sunflower seed butter. In case you don’t have any nut butter at home or simply don’t like them, use sunflower seed butter instead. Make sure it doesn’t contain any additives that make it unsuitable for a paleo diet.
- Add cinnamon. If you are using unflavored protein powder, add some ground cinnamon to the bar mixture to achieve a richer flavor.
Storage instructions
To store: Keep these paleo protein bars refrigerated. Stored in an airtight container, the bars will keep well for up to 7 days.
To freeze: You can also wrap the bars in food wrap and freeze them for up to 3 months. Allow the bars to sit at room temperature for around 10 minutes before eating.
More protein bar recipes to try
- Cinnamon protein bars
- Banana protein bars
- Keto protein bars
- Coconut protein bars
- Cookie dough protein bars
Frequently asked questions
Clif makes bars of different types and flavors. Luckily, you can find some that are paleo-friendly. Check the ingredient list to make sure it is suitable first.
While not all RXBares are paleo-approved, many of them are. Chocolate Coconut, Mixed Berry, Apple Cinnamon, and Blueberry are some of the most popular RXBar paleo-friendly flavors.
When made with a no added sugar protein powder, these bars are low carb.
Paleo Protein Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut flour sifted
- 2 cups protein powder flavored
- 1/2 cup milk of choice * See notes
- 1/2 cup almond butter optional
- 1 cup Dairy free chocolate chips optional
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.
When you say a non-dairy milk, would banana “milk” work?
You can try that! 🙂
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 🙂
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!
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!
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 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 🙂
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 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.
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’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 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! 🙂
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 🙂