Servings
Font
Back
Grain-Free No-Bake Homemade Protein Bars
4.9 from 81 votes

Grain-Free No-Bake Homemade Protein Bars

These grain-free no-bake protein bars combine nuts or seeds, flax meal, and shredded coconut bound with seed or nut butter and coconut oil for a chewy and crunchy texture. Sweetened with low-carb or natural sweeteners and optionally enhanced with protein powder, they are topped with sugar-free chocolate chips. The bars are pressed into a pan and chilled to set without baking.

Prep Time
15 mins
Additional Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 16
Calories: 2903 kcal
Course: Dessert, Breakfast, Snacks
Cuisine: Vegan, Keto

Ingredients

Base:
  • 2 cups nuts (preferably soaked and dried)
  • 1/2 cup flax meal (flax seeds ground in a blender or spice grinder)
  • 1/2 cup coconut unsweetened and organic if possible, shredded
  • 1/2 cup seed butter made from soaked and dried nuts or seeds is preferable, or nut butter
  • 3/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 2 tablespoons low-carb sweetener or other granulated or liquid sweetener--see Recipe Notes
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 or more tablespoons protein powder optional for more protein, or collagen or colostrum
Topping:
  • 1 cup sugar-free chocolate chips (melted; or try these Homemade Chocolate Chips or this Homemade Chocolate Bar for a DIY option)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Place nuts or seeds, flax meal, coconut, seed or nut butter and salt in the bowl of a food processor.
  2. Process until the nuts or seeds are ground into a coarse meal.
  3. Melt coconut oil over low heat. If the temperature of your home is around 76 degrees, you can skip this step and add the oil directly to the food processor as it will be soft enough to process easily.
  4. Add coconut oil, sweeteners and vanilla to processor bowl and process until well combined to form a thick, yet crunchy paste.
  5. Press the mixture into an 8x8 square pan (you can be quite flexible here. A 9x9 will work just fine. A larger pan will produce thin bars, while a smaller pan will yield thicker ones)
  6. Place in refrigerator to chill.
  7. If you are making your own chocolate/carob chips or chocolate/carob bar, prepare while the protein bars are chilling, but do not harden the chocolate chips or bar.
  8. Top bars with the chocolate chips or bar. Top either before the bars chill, or melt the chocolate topping and top with it.
  9. Press the topping onto the chilled bottom layer.
  10. Place back in refrigerator to chill (if you can wait that long :-)!)
  11. Cut into squares and serve.
  12. Store in refrigerator.

Notes

  • Use xylitol, erythritol, or vegetable glycerine for a low-carb sweetener option; add about one-third more if adjusting quantities.
  • Enhance protein content by substituting flax meal with rice protein powder or adding grass-fed gelatin to firm bars.
  • Almonds and macadamias work well for nuts; seeds like sunflower or pumpkin can replace nuts for a seed-based bar.
  • Over-processing nuts turns the mixture into nut butter, making bars denser and less solid unless frozen.
  • Homemade chocolate chips or bars can be used as an alternative topping.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1bar Calories 290.3kcal (15%) Carbohydrates 15.4g (5%) Protein 7g (14%) Fat 26.2g (40%) Saturated Fat 10.5g (53%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3.83g (23%) Monounsaturated Fat 8.29g (41%) Sodium 58.2mg (2%) Potassium 191.93mg (4%) Fiber 8.3g (33%) Sugar 1.3g (3%) Calcium 80mg (8%) Iron 1.1mg (6%) Net Carbohydrates 7g

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 16 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 2903

% Daily Value*

Serving 1bar
Calories 290.3kcal 15%
Carbohydrates 15.4g 5%
Protein 7g 14%
Fat 26.2g 40%
Saturated Fat 10.5g 53%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.83g 23%
Monounsaturated Fat 8.29g 41%
Sodium 58.2mg 2%
Potassium 191.93mg 4%
Fiber 8.3g 33%
Sugar 1.3g 3%
Calcium 80mg 8%
Iron 1.1mg 6%
Net Carbohydrates 7g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.