Guysssss. Can you believe that there’s only about 6 weeks to go ’til my wedding?
I have to admit that planning our wedding has been a weight of anxiety, excitement and anticipation hanging over my head the past 6 months. While I’m certainly looking forward to our day, I’m most looking forward to just being married. You know or whatever married people do. Netflix and chill? Travel the world? Slurp noodles like in Lady and the Tramp?
I think what I learned throughout the entire wedding planning is that I’m really not a traditionalist. That coupled with me having type A personality has been eye opening because I’ve wanted to have control over literally all the wedding details. I’m not a bridezilla or anything, just self sufficient.
Sometimes I think we try so hard to please others that we forget our core values and the things that are most important to us in the process. Over the past 6 months I’ve unfortunately had to put most forms of self care in a closet for another season. I’ve neglected my site, dreams and a part of that passionate that drives me. Funny enough, all of these things are a part of the puzzle to my happiness.
Life teaches you funny lessons sometimes, wouldn’t you agree?
So anyway long story short, I’ve been getting back into baking lately as a form of self care. I LOVE to bake because it’s soothing, calming, FUN and the end product is always delicious. While these are technically no bake protein candy bars, they’re still insanely good (and I would argue good for you, too).
When first experimenting with this recipe, I wanted these protein bars to taste like an almond joy because it was one of my favorite candy bars growing up. Admittedly I think I was pretty successful in the replication thanks to the layers of coconut, roasted almonds and dark chocolate.
BASICALLY what I’m trying to say is that I’m obsessed and you will be too. Right?!
RIGHT.
The best part about these bars is that you can use whatever kind of protein powder you want. My two favorites are Bob’s Red Mill unflavored Whey, Tera’s Whey vanilla, and Aloha vanilla.
Not gonna lie, chocolate protein powder would also be AMAZING.
Speaking of candy bars… I’d love to know your favorite candy bar when you were a kid. Maybe I can make it into a healthier treat. LMK.
In the meantime, enjoy these protein candy bars. xoxo.
More healthy snack recipes to try:
Sea Salt Cashew Butter Chocolate Protein Bars
Peanut Butter Cup Protein Bars
5-minute Protein Peanut Butter Energy Bites
Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookie Energy Bites with Chia + Cacao Nibs
No Bake Superfood Brownie Energy Bars
Ambitious Kitchen
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125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Salted Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Protein Candy Bars
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup creamy all natural almond butter* (just almonds)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- ¼ cup honey (or coconut palm syrup)
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt (if your almond butter isn’t already salted)
- ⅔ cup unflavored, chocolate or vanilla protein powder
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 tablespoon chia seeds
- For the topping
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate chunks from 85% dark chocolate bar (about 1.5 oz)
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
- For topping:
- 2 tablespoons chopped roasted almonds
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Heat almond butter, coconut oil, honey, vanilla and salt in a saucepan over low heat. Mix together until well combined and smooth, then remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl.
- Stir in protein powder and salt until smooth, then fold in chia seeds, and shredded coconut. Place in a 8x4 inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper.
- Add dark chocolate chunks and coconut oil in a small saucepan and place over low heat until melted. Spread over the tops of the bars, then sprinkle with sea salt, chopped almonds and shredded coconut.
- Place in fridge for 30 minutes-1 hour before removing from pan and cutting into 9 bars. Store bars in fridge tightly wrapped or in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
56 comments
Mmmm, sound delicious!
So good!
Do you have calorie count and nutrition information for these?
Hi Julie! I’ve updated the recipe with nutrition info 🙂
what is the nutrition content for this recipe?
Hi Susan! I’ve updated the recipe with nutrition info 🙂
Me too, It is very important for me to have nutrition infos for medical purposes.
I know you write those infos usually. Please do it for this one too. THANKS
mARIETTE
Hi Mariette! I’ve updated the recipe with nutrition info 🙂
Just made these! hahaha already! They are great! I didn’t melt the chocolate on the top (I got lazy) so I just put dairy free chocolate chips in the dough! Also threw in some left over hemp seeds I had. Soooo good! Great fast treat 🙂
Delish! I’ll have to try your cookie dough version next time 🙂 Glad you enjoyed!
These look delicious. What could you use in place of the protein powder? Thanks,
You could use flaxseed meal, but I’d only use about 1/2 cup!
Thanks for the suggestion. My daughters don’t always like the taste of flax, and I am hoping they will enjoy these bars with me. Would 1/2 cup almond meal work? O
I haven’t tried it, but it might have a similar consistency!
I would love a recipe like this for Snickers!!
That sounds great!
OMG. THESE BARS. I bet they’ll taste delicious with maple syrup too!
You bet!
These bars sound delicious and I am definitely going to try to make them. I do have a couple of questions I would like to be able to lower the amount of fat even though I know it is healthy fat and would like to lower the sugar content. Do you think it’s possible to use cocoa powder in someway instead of a chocolate bar? Do you think it’s possible to reduce the amount of coconut oil when making these? Do you think it will work if I leave out the added sweetener ? I appreciate your feedback
Hi Kristen! I’ve only tried making these as-written, and each component really helps to hold them together. You could leave off the chocolate topping if you’d like!
What’s your favorite plant based protein powder?
I like Aloha!
I am an almond joy fan too!! These look awesome. I’m a big fan of hiding a little protein in dessert. Last night I ate a few dates slathered in Almond Butter. Soooo good!
But when it comes to favorite candy growing up: peanut butter and chocolate always have been my mainstay. As a kid, Reeses cups were my favorite and now I’ve graduated to the slightly more grown up dark choc. PB cups from Trader Joes. Oh, and as a kid: Twix bars:)
Love it! Those PB cups are so good! Hope you get a chance to make these ones 🙂
So good and super sweet, in a satisfying way. I used Trader Joe’s Mixed Nut butter and Tera’s Whey chocolate protein powder (grass-fed). It turned out delicious…tasted like halvah, if anyone else is familiar with that. I cut it into small 1″x1″ squares to quell a sweet-tooth attack!
Amazing! So glad you enjoyed 🙂
OMG! Going to make these! I can’t eat much lately and drink protein shakes made with coconut milk daily! Love almonds and dark chocolate is favorite! Winner winner!
Enjoy!!
Totally on the mark with these!! Everyone in the family and several co-workers LOVED them. I used vanilla protein powder in the first batch, I’ll try chocolate in the next batch…which will have be tonight since the first batch is GONE. I was thinking about yet another version and add espresso powder in the nut butter layer…?
Amazing! So glad you guys all enjoyed 🙂 That espresso add-in sounds delish – let me know how it goes!
Can you make almond Rica healthier? 😉
These are amazingly delicious! I say ‘amazingly’ because usually healthy treats just don’t make the mark. Well, these are awesome! I cannot stand coconut flakes however, I chopped them up fine and could hardly tell they were in the bars. Easy to make and will definitely keep these with my top recipes. Thank you!
So happy to hear that, Natalie! Glad you enjoyed even with the coconut flakes 😉
What can be substituted for the protein powder? Coconut flour?
You could try flaxseed meal or a couple tablespoons of coconut flour!
So Good! Love them.
Any thoughts on using hemp protein powder?
That will work!
Amazing bars! My bars crumbled too much, didn’t stay bars. Any recommendation on how to make sure they stay bars? Pack harder, add something? Less protein powder? Thanks!!
It definitely could have been the type of protein powder you use. Try less protein powder next time. So sorry you had an issue! Also, I wouldn’t recommend keeping them in the freezer for a long period of time (if you did that).
So many great recipes and wonderful images – thanks for sharing so genurously!
Question: In some (but not all) your bar recipes you add coconut oil to the melted chocolate that goes on top of the bars. What’s the difference; What does the coconut oil do (why do you somtimes add coconut oil and somtimes not)?
Thanks a lot in advance!
Thanks for your note, Susanne! I add coconut oil to the melted chocolate to help it solidify into a delicious “shell” 🙂
love these dark chocolate candy bars
Best Homemade Protein Bars EVERRR….I made it with my cereal bar press, left out the toppings and ate it plain. Next time I’ll try to reduce the fat by adding some shredded oats, let’s see 😀
Perfect! So happy you loved these!
These were absolutely delicious and it was VERY difficult to not eat them all in one day. I think that they make a great snack, especially while breastfeeding due to the high fat content. I also think they’d be great as a ball drizzled with the chocolate and dusted with coconut. YUM!
Absolutely! These are great for customizing 🙂 glad you liked them!
Definitely like candy! For anybody interested you can search up a good calorie estimate on cronometer using the ingredients listed. My estimates were ~300 cal a serving, little higher than what’s listed. No matter, love the recipe.
Glad you loved it!
These are SO GOOD! so coconutty and a little salty; super satisfying. I don’t eat protein powder, so after reading some of the advice in the comments, I subbed it with 1/4 cup linseed/flax meal and 1/4 cup almond meal; also reduced the honey by half, and it was still sweet enough for me! Thank you for posting this!!
I’m glad that worked out well! Such a great snack or treat 🙂
These are easy and delicious! I cut the bars smaller and found them very satisfying.
So happy you loved them, Lisa!