A quick and easy recipe for homemade strawberries and cream protein bars! Packed with protein and made with wholesome ingredients, these low carb healthy snack bars take less than 15 minutes to whip up! Keto, Paleo, Vegan, Gluten Free.
Strawberries Shortcake Protein Bars
As someone who regularly partakes in weight training and high-intensity exercise, being on top of my protein intake is mandatory. While I do ensure I get adequate amounts through protein shakes and with my meals, I also try to make sure my snacks are high-protein too.
Making my own protein bars has been an easy way to achieve this. On regular rotation are my homemade no bake protein bars, keto protein bars, and white chocolate raspberry protein cookies.
When a recent package of freeze-dried strawberries found their way into my kitchen, I knew that I had to make a protein bar with them.
Unlike traditional protein bars, my homemade strawberry ones contain no fillers, artificial sweeteners or added preservatives. It’s a handful of wholesome ingredients. The best part is these no bake bars don’t even need the protein powder in them (but is optional!).
Strawberries and Cream Bars Ingredients
Coconut Flour
Coconut flour is a low carb and high fiber flour. When combined with the other ingredients, yields a soft and dough texture, perfect for a no bake protein bar recipe.
Almond Butter
The almond butter helps add some healthy fats, along with a richer texture. You can substitute it for smooth cashew butter or peanut butter (will not be strictly paleo).
To make this recipe 100% nut-free, you can substitute the almond butter for sunflower seed butter, wow butter or tahini.
Keto Maple Syrup
A sticky sweetener is needed to hold the bars together, along with add some sweetness. This sugar free maple syrup is keto approved and low carb.
If you don’t follow a ketogenic diet, you can replace this with pure maple syrup or agave nectar.
Protein Powder
Protein powder is not necessary, but you can use it for an additional protein boost. Add between 1 -2 scoops, and add extra milk of choice to compensate for it. My preferred protein powder brands are listed here.
Milk of choice
Milk (almond, cashew, coconut, etc) is needed to help form the bars together. The amount needed will depend on whether you used protein powder or not, and the brand of coconut flour you use.
Start with 1 tablespoon and add more as needed. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself needing way more than that.
Granulated Sweetener of Choice
Depending on how sweet you prefer your no bake bars to be, you may or may not choose to add some extra sweetness. I like to add a few tablespoons of monk fruit sweetener, as my protein powder is unsweetened and I find the maple syrup to not be overly sweet.
Freeze Dried Strawberries
Adding freeze-dried strawberries adds some strawberry flavor, and doesn’t need any fresh strawberries in them.
A small amount is only required, as they break up easily. It will have a very negligible carb increase.
White Chocolate
Chop up a block of keto and sugar free white chocolate to give the bars some ‘cream’ flavor. If you don’t follow a keto or paleo diet, you can use dairy free white chocolate chips.
How to make no bake strawberries and cream bars
Step 1: Line a loaf pan or square pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, add your dry ingredients and mix well.
Step 3: Add your smooth almond butter and keto maple syrup and mix well, until a crumbly texture remains. Using a tablespoon add milk of choice until a thick batter remains.
Step 4: Transfer your strawberries and cream bar batter to the lined pan. Top with freeze-dried strawberries and white chocolate pieces and press firmly into place.
Step 5: Cut into 12 bars and enjoy!
How to store homemade protein bars
Strawberries and cream protein bars (or protein balls!) will keep at room temperature, however, they are best stored in the fridge. They will keep firm and still be soft and chewy. Protein bars will keep well for up to 4 weeks.
Homemade strawberries and cream bars are freezer friendly and will keep well in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More homemade protein bar recipes
Healthy Strawberries and Cream Bars (Keto, Vegan, Paleo)
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup coconut flour
- 2 cups almond butter can sub for any nut or seed butter of choice
- 2/3 cup keto maple syrup
- 1-2 scoops protein powder of choice Optional
- 1 tablespoon milk of choice * See notes
- 1-2 tablespoon granulated sweetener of choice ** See notes
- 2 tablespoon freeze dried strawberries
- 2 tablespoon white chocolate pieces
Instructions
- Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add your dry ingredients and mix well. Add your nut/seed butter of choice and maple syrup and mix until a crumbly texture remains. Using a tablespoon, add milk of choice, one tablespoon at a time, until a thick dough remains.
- Transfer the batter to the lined pan. Top with freeze-dried strawberries and white chocolate pieces and press into the bars. Refrigerate until firm.
- Once firm, cut into 12 bars.
Notes
Nutrition
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Is there anything you can’t make healthy and no bake? Talent! And no I really don’t like plain cows milk, but I guess luckily for me I was never made to drink it due to lactose intolerance. And lactaid milk is actually sweeter!
Thanks Michele- Expect more to come 🙂 OH wow, I’ll have to try lactaid milk!
I absolutely LOVE the look and sound of those. I want them for breakfast tomorrow, so send them to me yesterday.
Well, LAST MONDAY Switzerland brought unsweetened Almond Milk to ONE supermarket here in Basel. It’s a historical moment.
Sunbutter or rice syrup? Maybe in 2021.
Haha, these are so good!
I was exactly the same! Cow milk over sugary cereal – count me in. A glass of milk on it’s own – are you kidding me??? This is one of my most vivid memories from the age of 3 maybe when my mum tried to force me to drink a glass of milk. It ended badly… for the carpet 😉
I am so far to consider ordering almond breeze from amazon. But seriously flying over to the States to buy it myself would be cheaper! Our supermarkets have almond milk in stock but no comparison to almond breeze.
Okay and now I have to hunt down freeze dried strawberries… never ending story!
You should totally make your own almond milk 🙂
Arman, you did it again. These no-bake bars look spectacular. Have a wonderful weekend dear friend, Catherine
Thanks Catherine, that means a tonne!
I am not a cows milk person. never have been! but I love almond milk. And these sound amazeballs. Short comment today, must dash, but had to say!
Haha all good m’dear!
The recipe looks great, but I loved the banter about hating milk. I’m in the same camp and we are an almond milk only house :).
Haha team almond milk all the way! 🙂
I love that these don’t have to be stored in the fridge! They would be a perfect road trip snack!
Right?! Perfect for Summer! 🙂
I enjoy plain milk a lot actually!
I never thought I’d have a green thumb. Once even a cactus died in my room… but lately it’s going quite well with the flowers on my apartment! Maybe some of the greeniness (lol?) of my mum did rub off on me! 😀
Oh really? That’s great, you’re like Niki- She slurps it down!
I can’t remember the last time I drank cow’s milk by itself. I’ve never really liked it either, but ever since I discovered almond milk it’s all I buy. I like the new Silk cashew milk too, but almond is still my favorite.
Oh, I just got a container of the cashew milk I’m excited to try it!
I’m still chuckling at the thought of Niki making you suffer through breakfast. Nothing like having a sister to help you out, right?? But let’s talk about these strawberries and cream bars. What a fun idea! I’m all about the Blue Diamond almond milk here! You know I am all about the berries this time of the year, so I’m pretty sure I need a pocket full of these bars at all times. I’ll just shove them in my pocket and go about my merry way. They should be good to last me through the day, yes?
Right? You can totally pick strawberries WHILE eating these bars…and spiting Niki.
soooooooo these just pushed EVERYTHING i was planning on making to the bottom of the list and jumped to the top of the weekend plan. if i can get them pretty and/or long enough all not shoved into my face, expect a tag soon 😉
and i totally had an obsession with mcdonalds hot cakes and sausage breakfast for too many years. oops.
YES!!! Oh man I could go hot cakes right now!
I cannot wait to try these today!! Still trying to think of what I should bring you, because obviously it won’t top these. I won’t say much today because I’m going to see your FACE later.
YAY I’m so glad you liked them 🙂
Salivating (and laughing) as I scroll down your post. I always feel somehow connected to Niki because we are both persian, share the same name, and both spell our name the acceptable way which no one EVER knows how to spell (not nikki, or nicki, or nicky).
Milk and I have never bonded 100%, but gimme a good cake and cookie with it and I think I can manage ;).
YES! haha she feels like she’s the only one!
haha I was always so skeptical of dairy free milk too..but I don’t drink anything but now! So crazy it didn’t come to australia till so late!
xoxo Sarah Grace
Right? Thanks Sarah!
I NEVER drink dairy milk on its own. The whole concept totally grossed me out. Even as a kid. My parents didn’t even bother trying to get me to drink it. I love almond milk, though!
Almond milk is so good!