In this recipe
- Why this recipe is great
- How to Make Homemade Protein Bars: Recipe and Tips
- How to Store, Freeze, and Defrost
- No Sugar, Vegan, and Gluten-Free Protein Bars
- High Protein Bar Recipe Without Protein Powder – 20g Per Bar
- Low-Calorie Protein Bars: How to Cut Down Calories in This Recipe
- DIY Protein Bars: Customize, Track Nutrition, and Save Money
- Why These Bars Are Healthy (+ Extra Protein Recipes)
Estimated reading time: 16 minutes
Why this recipe is great
Whip up these giant, homemade protein bars without any protein powder. They’re super satisfying and loaded with 20g of protein in each serving! There’s also a low-calorie option if you want one!
Giant, protein-packed bars ♡
How to Make Homemade Protein Bars: Recipe and Tips
Looking for a protein bar recipe? We’ve got you covered! These bars are easy to make with everyday ingredients and are perfect for a quick, healthy snack. Keep them in the freezer for a protein-packed treat when craving something sweet.
Let’s dive into this simple homemade protein bars recipe.
Here are the five ingredients you’ll need:
- Chocolate – Dark chocolate is the best for the coating. It melts easily. For sugar-free protein bars, choose sugar-free chocolate.
- Dates – We use dates to sweeten the bars instead of refined sugar.
- Boiling water – We need boiling water to soak the dates, then drain it away. After that, use fresh boiling water to make the date paste.
- Almond flour – Almond flour is packed with plant-based protein. That’s why these bars are perfect if you’re vegan or vegetarian. Check the almond flour section in the article to learn how to choose the right almond flour that’s high in protein.
- Cashew nuts – Feel free to use cashews or any other nuts you prefer.
Now, let’s dive into the recipe and make homemade protein bars!
Prepare the Date Paste
Pour boiling water over the dates. Let them soak for 30 minutes. Drain the water and put soaked dates into a blender or food processor. That’s our base for date paste. We use date paste to sweeten the bars without refined sugar or syrups. Sweet date protein bars— that’s our goal.
Prepare fresh boiling water. Let’s create a delicious and very sweet date paste. We need to blend boiling water and soaked dates in a blender so they combine. To blend boiling water and soaked dates into a paste, add all dates and 1/3 of water to a blender and blend. You will get a paste consistency. Add 1/3 of water again and blend. Finally, add all remaining boiling water and blend.
Why not blend all boiling water and soaked dates at once? If you add all the water to a blender, the water splashes a lot. And it isn’t easy to blend. So we discovered that it’s better to add water step by step. It takes two extra minutes, but your kitchen walls stay clean. Believe us 🙂
Make the Dough
Mix date paste and almond flour in a mixing bowl. Almond flour is the base for our protein bars with dates. This flour contains a lot of protein. At the same time, less fat than almond nuts. Check the protein and fat values when choosing almond flour. Look for one that’s high in protein and lower in fat. That type of almond flour is perfect for high-protein snacks recipes, especially for our almond flour protein bars.
Combine date paste and almond flour into the dough. You will get a dough consistency that is easy to mold and slightly sticky.
Press Dough, Add Nuts
Line a baking pan with parchment paper and press the dough into it. You can also use a bread pan, baking dish, or storage container. Anything big enough to fit the dough will work.
Cut nuts and sprinkle over the dough. Press them into the dough. We used a rolling pin to do it. But you can go for anything heavy and flat. We used cashew nuts in our recipe for homemade protein bars, but feel free to substitute with any nuts you prefer.
Cut and Freeze the Bars
Cut the dough into bars in the baking form before freezing. After 2 hours, the bars will be easy to separate along the pre-cut lines. Once frozen, the dough becomes too firm to cut. Freeze for 2 hours.
Melt the Chocolate and Coat the Bars
We’re making homemade chocolate protein bars, so the next step is to coat them in chocolate! Melt your chocolate or chocolate chips to coat the bars. If you want sugar-free chocolate bars, go for sugar-free chocolate.
Separate the dough into bars and dip each one in melted chocolate. Don’t these chocolate-covered protein bars look delicious? That melted chocolate is so tasty! This way, you get chocolate protein bars full of natural chocolate flavor—no chocolate protein powder needed!
We use dark chocolate because it melts well, stays fluid, and coats easily. You can try milk or white chocolate, but it’s tricky. It has more sugar and gets thick when melted. You’ll need more chocolate to cover the bars.
Tip: Use special white chocolate chips or coating chocolate to coat protein bars. Regular white chocolate is too thick and doesn’t melt well so that it won’t work for coating.
Put the bars in the freezer—no oven needed. After 30 minutes, you can enjoy your no-bake homemade protein bars! The ingredients are easy to find, and prep is quick. Freezing takes some time, but that’s how you make simple protein bars with just a few healthy ingredients and no additives or artificial sweeteners. Try this simple protein bar recipe, and let us know how it goes!
How to Store, Freeze, and Defrost
To keep your bars fresh and ready whenever you need them, here’s how to store them properly, freeze them for later, and defrost them in a few easy ways.
How to Store and Freeze
The best way to store these homemade power bars is in the freezer. They can last up to 3 months. Use an airtight container or ziplock bags. If the bars are fully coated in chocolate, you can stack them since they won’t stick together. If only one side is coated, separate them with parchment paper to avoid sticking. Containers are better than ziplock bags because the bars won’t lose shape.
Always store them in a container with a tight lid, so they don’t absorb fridge odors.
With this no-bake protein bar recipe, you get bars that last longer. You can freeze them without losing taste. They stay chewy. In the summer, they are like ice cream. A big advantage of no-bake protein bars!
Three Ways to Defrost the Bars
How do you defrost the bars before eating? The great thing about these high-protein homemade bars is that almond flour doesn’t freeze solid so that they won’t turn into ice. If you enjoy a frozen treat, you can eat them straight from the freezer. Just wait 2-3 minutes for them to defrost slightly.
So, how do you defrost the bars? There are three easy ways to do it:
- Take the bars out of the freezer and leave them at room temperature for 15 minutes. After that, they’re ready to eat.
- Move the bars from the freezer to the fridge about 3 hours before eating.
- Need your bar fast? Take it out of the freezer and heat it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds at 800W. Your soft protein bar with a crunchy chocolate top is ready!
These bars make a perfect on-the-go snack. Just take them out of the freezer, put them in a container, and bring them to work. You don’t need to keep them frozen all the time.
No Sugar, Vegan, and Gluten-Free Protein Bars
These easy homemade protein bars fit many diets:
Refined Sugar-Free. Want bars without any added sugar? It’s simple! Use sugar-free chocolate or chips for a sugar-free protein bar at home. Add dates as a natural sweetener. Soak them in boiling water, drain, and blend with fresh hot water to make a smooth paste. These homemade protein bars with dates are perfect if you love healthy, sweet protein snacks.
Vegan. We only use vegan ingredients: almond flour, water, dates, cashews, and chocolate. So, it’s a vegan protein bar recipe! Choose vegan chocolate for coating. These bars are packed with plant-based protein, which is amazing if you’re vegan or vegetarian. Finding vegan protein sources beyond soy or seitan can be tricky. That’s why these vegan homemade protein bars are a great option for a tasty and healthy protein source!
Gluten-Free. Are you gluten-free and looking for a gluten-free protein bars recipe? Perfect! These bars don’t have any gluten-containing flour or grains like rolled oats or oat flour. Instead, we use almond flour, which is completely gluten-free. These homemade gluten-free protein bars are an excellent choice for your nutrition.
Grain-Free. They’re also grain-free protein bars—no grains and absolutely delicious!
No Soy or Whey
Looking for protein bars without soy or whey? Easy. These bars are vegan and don’t contain soy. That’s perfect if you have a soy allergy or just want to cut back on soy in your diet.
As a vegan, soy is one of the fastest ways to get protein, especially with most meat and savory substitutes made from soy. So if you’re already eating enough soy, there’s no need to add more with your sweets. Make these protein bars without soy and get plenty of protein.
If you’re lactose intolerant or avoid dairy, these bars fit your diet. In these whey-free protein bars, the protein comes from almond flour and cashew nuts instead of whey.
No Peanut Butter
Maybe you’ve got a peanut allergy and want homemade protein bars without peanut butter? This recipe is for you. You don’t need to add any peanut butter to make these bars. They’re perfect if you have a peanut allergy — or if you just don’t like it.
High Protein Bar Recipe Without Protein Powder – 20g Per Bar
This recipe gives you 20g of protein per bar without using any protein powder. The secret is choosing the right almond flour and balancing your ingredients the smart way.
Get 20g of Protein in Every Bar
Wondering how to make high-protein snack recipes that are delicious? It’s easy! Just use the protein bar ingredients you like and find a good protein source as a base. In this recipe, we use almond flour, which is packed with plant-based protein. Nuts also have some protein. For sweetness, we add dates. And of course, chocolate—because all protein treats are better with chocolate!
For these homemade vegan protein bars, you don’t need protein powder. Instead, choose the right almond flour. It should be rich in protein and lower in fat, which is better than whole almonds. No Greek yogurt, no soy. This makes these DIY protein bars perfect for both vegetarians and vegans.
This high-protein bar recipe gives you 20 g of protein without any powder. The bar is large and very filling. It keeps you full and satisfied. These are the best homemade protein bars to curb all your cravings.
Want to start your day with an energy boost? Try this recipe! It’s easy to make, and these bars will keep you full throughout the morning. Customize the recipe with your favorite ingredients for a healthy, on-the-go breakfast. Enjoy the best protein breakfast bars—no protein powder needed!
How to Choose Almond Flour for This Recipe to Get 20g of Protein Per Bar
Almond flour is the main protein source in our homemade protein bar recipe. Choose the right type to get 20g of protein per serving. Check the nutritional label. You need almond flour with about 53g of protein per 100g. Go for partially defatted or fat-reduced almond flour because it’s higher in protein and lower in fat. It’s just regular almond flour with the oil removed.
If you can’t find almond flour with around 53g of protein per 100g, choose one with 50g or less. Simply increase all ingredients by 10% or 20% to get 20g of protein per serving. Use fat-reduced almond flour for more protein and fewer calories.
We don’t recommend specific brands. However, you can easily find the right one online by checking the protein content on the label.
Low-Calorie Protein Bars: How to Cut Down Calories in This Recipe
How to make homemade high-protein bars lighter? It’s easy! Let’s adjust the recipe and make low-calorie high protein bars together.
Most of the calories come from the chocolate and nuts in this recipe. Cut back on these ingredients, and you can easily make high-protein, low-calorie bars. Here’s how to do it step by step:
- Follow the Recipe
Prepare the bars as described in the recipe. - Optional: Reduce the Nuts
Instead of using 70 g of cashew nuts, use just 50 g. - Cut Down on Chocolate
Melt the chocolate as usual. Coat only one side of each bar and leave the other side plain. We recommend coating the part with nuts, as it looks more appealing—but feel free to decide what works best for you! - Chill and Store
Place the bars in the freezer to set. Then, store them in the freezer as described in the original recipe.
Use only half the chocolate by coating just one side of the bar. This reduces the chocolate to 6–7 g per bar, cutting calories. Use fewer cashew nuts—only 50 g instead of 70 g. With these changes, your low-calorie protein bars will have around 250–260 calories each.
Important tip: You need the right almond flour to make low-calorie protein bars. Check our section on how to choose the best almond flour for high-protein, less-fat, and low-calorie protein bars!
Our Recommendation
For the best protein bars and a richer flavor, coat the bars fully in chocolate. This method gives the bars the best taste. But if you’re aiming for a low-calorie protein bar recipe, skip that extra coating. Give it a try and find the balance that works for you!
DIY Protein Bars: Customize, Track Nutrition, and Save Money
Create your own protein bars at home. Pick your ingredients, hit your nutrition goals, and spend less than you would on store-bought bars.
Customize and Create Your Perfect Snack
High-protein homemade snacks with few ingredients are amazing, but they can get boring if you don’t mix things up. The best part of making these homemade protein bars? You can customize them! Here are some easy ideas:
- Swap the nuts: Replace cashews with walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, or sunflower, pumpkin, or hemp seeds.
- Coconut lovers: Sprinkle unsweetened coconut flakes on top or mix them into the dough for extra flavor.
- Nut Butter Twist: Add a layer of cashew butter, almond, or peanut butter for rich nut butter protein bars. They’re perfect if you’re making protein bars for weight gain. Just remember, nut butter protein bars are not only packed with protein but also higher in fat.
- Homemade Caramel: Create a caramel layer using coconut oil, maple syrup, and peanut butter or almond butter. Store these bars in the freezer for a perfect treat! Check our blog post on homemade caramel for the full recipe.
- Add dried fruit: Mix in raisins, cranberries, or any dried fruits. These mix-ins are perfect for a quick energy boost, especially in protein breakfast bars.
- Chocolate options: Use different types of chocolate for your chocolate protein bar recipe. Dark chocolate is a great choice because it melts smoothly and has less sugar. But it doesn’t have to be a dark chocolate protein bar recipe. If you prefer, try milk or white chocolate. Keep in mind, when making chocolate protein snacks with milk or white chocolate, the coating will be thicker because of the higher sugar content. You may need more chocolate to cover the bars. To save on calories, consider coating just one side.
- Pink chocolate: For a fun gift idea, coat the bars with pink chocolate! Check our blog post to learn how to make it.
- Smaller bars: Make 12 smaller bars instead of 8. They’ll be lower in calories but also slightly lower in protein.
Get creative with this customizable recipe and make different homemade protein snacks every time. A DIY protein bar is a great way to enjoy a healthy, homemade treat. Now you know how to customize it with your favorite recipe ingredients easily!
Nutritional Details
These homemade protein bars are about 300 calories each. The exact count depends on the chocolate, nuts, and almond flour you choose. Want a lower-calorie option? Check our tips.
Each serving provides 20 g of protein, and we don’t add any protein powder. The protein in this protein bars recipe comes from almond flour. So check our tips on choosing the right almond flour to get the one that provides 20 g of protein per serving.
Looking for a diet-friendly treat? These bars are vegan, gluten-free, and grain-free. You can also choose refined sugar-free and low-calorie options!
Cost Analysis of Homemade Protein Bars: Are They Worth It?
Let’s compare the cost of homemade protein bars to store-bought ones. The priciest ingredient is almond flour. With this protein bars recipe, each bar costs about $2. While cheaper bars may cost less, their ingredients often aren’t as high-quality. Mid-range bars with better ingredients usually cost $2.50–$3.50 each. By making your own, you save at least $0.50 per bar!
Another bonus? You can prepare these bars in advance. Make four batches (32 bars), and you’ll have enough for a month if you enjoy one a day. It’s a sweet, high-protein snack that meets my daily protein needs. Plus, you save money and know exactly what’s in my food.
Skip store-bought bars and enjoy homemade high-protein snacks instead!
Why These Bars Are Healthy (+ Extra Protein Recipes)
If you’re aiming to eat healthier and get more protein, these bars — along with a few other simple recipes — are a perfect place to start.
What Makes These Homemade Protein Bars Healthy
These healthy homemade protein bars are packed with benefits. Here’s why they stand out:
- Healthy Ingredients: Common protein bars ingredients like protein powder, nut butter, and maple syrup can add unnecessary fats and sugars. Instead, we use almond flour for natural protein and dates as a sweetener—no refined sugar or flavored protein powder. This keeps the recipe clean, wholesome, and delicious.
- No Additives or Preservatives: Unlike store-bought bars with additives, this healthy protein bars recipe keeps it simple and natural. Enjoy a clean, high-protein snack.
- Plant-Based Protein: Almond flour is an excellent protein source, and date paste is a natural binder and sweetener in this healthy protein bar recipe. Perfect for many diets: vegan, gluten-free, and grain-free.
- Customizable: Swap nuts, seeds, or chocolate types to create new flavors while keeping it healthy.
- Less Sugar or Sugar-Free: Use dark or sugar-free chocolate to make these healthy high-protein bars lower in sugar or completely sugar-free.
Looking for protein snacks to make at home and save money? Grab a mixing bowl and whip them up! Not only will you save money compared to store-bought options, but you’ll also have control over what goes into your snack!
More Recipes Rich in Protein
Are you looking for more healthy protein snacks recipes? We’ve got you covered with even more delicious and protein-rich options! Check out the links below to explore them all.
What about black bean soup? High in natural, plant-based protein, it’s a perfect dinner or lunch. Or even breakfast if you are extra hungry in the morning.
Beans are an amazing source of protein for vegans and vegetarians. If you’re looking for more bean recipes, check out our bean stew. It’s loaded with creamy white beans and a simple tomato sauce. And the best part? You only need tomatoes and some herbs to make it!
Love pasta? Then you’ll love our vegetarian lasagna! It’s creamy, cheesy, and quick to make. Plus, you’ll get a good amount of protein in each serving.
Or try an udon salad with black beans. It’s packed with plant-based protein, veggies, and is super refreshing. The dressing is so tasty, you’ll be hooked from the first bite. Plus, the recipe is quick and easy—perfect for a protein-rich lunch or dinner!
Mushrooms are an amazing source of protein, though they’re often underrated. Try our mushroom pie! It’s packed with protein from mushrooms, cheese, and whole wheat flour. It’s perfect for meal prep. You can bake it over the weekend and have a quick, protein-packed lunch ready for the week.
Need a sweet snack? Healthy granola bars are perfect! They’re sweetened with dates and topped with melted chocolate. A delicious snack made with simple, natural ingredients. Or if it’s hot and you want something refreshing, try strawberry clusters! Sweet strawberries, chewy dates, creamy yogurt, and crunchy chocolate on top.
If you love cakes, try this apple cake made with fresh apples! The cake batter is super thin, so it’s mostly apples inside. This is the best recipe if you’re craving something sweet that fits your fitness goals and tastes extra delicious!
Homemade Protein Bars: 20g of Protein Without Protein Powder
Ingredients
- 200 g dates
- 200 g boiling water
- 250 g almond flour
- 70 g cashew nuts
- 100 g chocolate*
Instructions
- Wash 200 g of dates under running water. Pour boiling water over 200 g dates. Let them soak for 30 minutes. Drain the water.
- Next, we want to blend soaked dates into date paste. With it, we will substitute sugar in protein bars. Prepare soaked dates and 200 g boiling water. Add all soaked dates to a blender and 1/3 of boiling water (around 60-70 g). Blend. Add 1/3 again and blend. Finally, add all the remaining water and blend into date paste. We don’t pour 200 g of boiling water at once because it’s hard to blend, and water splashes everywhere. Instead, we add water gradually until we reach the consistency of date paste.
- Mix the date paste with 250 g of almond flour. Combine into dough.
- Line the baking form with parchment paper. Press the dough into a baking form.
- Cut 70 g cashew nuts in half and spread them evenly over the dough. Press them into the dough. We use a rolling pin to do it. You can use a box or something heavy to do it if you don’t have a rolling pin.
- Cut the dough into 8 bars. Freeze the bars for 2 hours.
- Separate the bars into eight pieces. Melt 100 g of chocolate. Cover the cutting board with parchment paper. Dip bars into chocolate.* Place them on parchment paper. Put in the freezer. In 30 minutes, sugar-free bars are ready to eat.
- Keep the bars in the freezer for up to 1 month. Before eating, take a bar out of the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
Share the love! Let us know how it turned out! Leave a comment under the recipe or on our YouTube channel.
In the photo there’s 16 bars, not sure if I should cut the mixture into 8 or 16?
Hi Emily,
The recipe should be cut into 8 bars. We made the recipe several times, which is why we took different photos. However, the recipe and protein content are calculated for 8 bars. Enjoy!
Thank you 🙂
Hi, struggle with protien bars findings ones that are high in protien but no dairy. This recipe s3ems interesting to try but what almond flour do you suggest.
Hi Daniela! We suggest partially defatted almond flour. It has less fat and more protein. You can find it online—just check the label for around 53 grams of protein per 100 grams. That’s the one you need.
how can we cut down on calories for this recipe?
Hi Rita,
There are two ways to cut calories in this recipe:
1. Cut the Bars Smaller:
Instead of cutting the mixture into 8 bars, divide it into 16 bars. This way, each bar will have around 150 calories and 10g of protein.
2. Adjust the Chocolate and Nuts:
Use only 50g-60g of chocolate instead of 100g, and dip each bar on just one side in chocolate, leaving the other side bare.
Reduce the amount of nuts from 70g to 40g.
If you’d like to experiment further, you could try omitting the nuts entirely, but I’m unsure how that will affect the taste. Perhaps test it with half the amount of nuts first, then try without any.
I hope this helps!
How can you make this recipe sugar free?
Hi Beth, when we say ‘sugar-free,’ we mean refined sugar-free. In this recipe, we use dates to sweeten the bars naturally, and all the ingredients are refined sugar-free except for the chocolate. You can substitute with sugar-free chocolate to cover the bars—it’s easy to find online. We recommend using sugar-free chocolate drops, which are designed for cooking, melt well, and provide a perfect coating. I hope this helps!
What brand of almond flour do you use? None I found had that high of a protein content?
Hi Casey,
If you’re based in Europe (as we are), I recommend this brand—it has 58 g of protein per 100 g:
https://www.amazon.de/-/en/GreatVita-Deoiled-Blanched-Gluten-Free-Breading/dp/B07WG8RCMM
If you’re in the US, I found two good alternatives:
1️⃣ Oleander Almond Flour (46 g protein per 100 g): https://www.naturitas.us/p/food/cereals-legumes-and-pasta/flours/almond-flour/protein-almond-flour-300-g-of-powder-almond-oleander
Since this flour has a lower protein content, I recalculated the recipe so you still get 20 g of protein per bar:
230 g dates
230 g boiling water
290 g almond flour
80 g cashew nuts
115 g dark chocolate
➡ Protein: 20 g per bar | Calories: 368 per bar
2️⃣ Naked Almond Protein (55-56 g protein per 100 g): https://www.amazon.com/NAKED-Protein-Ingredient-Gluten-Free-Additives/dp/B0CFVZ65KN/ref=sr_1_10
This one is labeled as “almond protein” but contains only one ingredient: almonds. Since it’s deoiled, it’s exactly what we need. With this option, you can use the original recipe in the recipe card without adjustments.
Hope this helps!
I just made these bars, and they turned out amazing! 🎉 The texture is perfect, and I love that they’re sugar-free yet still delicious. Thank you for such a great recipe!
Hi Emma, that’s amazing to hear! 🎉 We’re so glad you loved them. Sugar-free but still delicious—that’s the goal! 😍 Thanks for trying the recipe!