My guy and I celebrated the 4th of July in our state’s capital this year. With plenty of fireworks shows to choose from nearby, I picked the one set off from the minor league baseball stadium (no surprises there—I’m a huge baseball fan!), located right next to the Sacramento River.
We arrived fairly early to find a good parking space, so when we realized we had lots of time to spare before the start of the show, we walked over to Old Sacramento to explore the railroad tracks and various restaurants and stores lining the cobblestone roads.
We first stopped at the candy store, and upon stepping inside, the employees greeted us warmly by inviting us to taste a few free samples from specially marked bins—yes, whatever we wanted!—including the large taffy section in the back. Because my guy is a huge candy fan (but not baked treats… go figure!), we took our time wandering around the store.
We paused at the root beer barrels (his favorite), exotic flavored gummy treats, fruity candies from our childhood, and the big display of Pez dispensers. We eventually ended up among the rows and rows of taffy boxes, and I slowly strolled past each one to read the names of the flavors.
They sold all of the stereotypical flavors like cherry, grape, strawberry, orange, watermelon, and peppermint. But then I spotted the fun ones… Blueberry muffin. Pumpkin pie. S’mores. Frosted cupcake. Cheesecake. Cinnamon roll. Maple Bacon. Chocolate chip cookies!
My guy bought a few of the more traditional flavors, but I couldn’t stop thinking about those intriguing ones as we walked back to the baseball field for the fireworks. Taffy that tasted like chocolate chip cookies?? Never in a million years would I have expected to see that! (Or maybe I just don’t get out enough…)
But that candy served as the inspiration for today’s recipe. If people make taffy that tastes like chocolate chip cookies, then why not something else… Like these Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars! They have the same flavor as cookie dough snuck straight from the bowl, but they contain no eggs and a big protein punch instead!
Unlike grandma’s cookie dough recipe that starts with all-purpose flour and baking powder, these healthy protein bars skip that stuff in favor of coconut flour and protein powder. Remember, coconut flour is very different from any other flour! It’s about 3 times as absorbent, so we use a lot less. Because it soaks up a lot more moisture, it’s really important to measure it correctly. I highly recommend a kitchen scale! (I own this one.) They’re really inexpensive and worth their weight in gold. I use mine for every baking recipe I make!
As for the protein powder, I used Bob’s Red Mill soy protein powder. No, this isn’t a sponsored post—I just really, really love it! I’ve mixed it into my smoothies every single day for over a month now… And I sometimes make multiple smoothies a day. You could probably call me obsessed.
But anyway, back to this recipe. I love the soy protein powder because it only includes one ingredient: soy protein. No sweeteners, preservatives, flavorings, or artificial ingredients. That makes it the perfect canvas for just about any recipe, including these fun protein bars!
They’re sweetened with stevia, a no-calorie plant-based sweetener. Stevia can often have a strange aftertaste if you haven’t consumed it before, so I use a combination of two different kinds to minimize any funny flavors: Truvia and SweetLeaf. You can find Truvia at almost any grocery store (at least here in the US!), and most health-oriented grocery stores stock SweetLeaf as well.
To shape the bars, line a loaf pan with parchment paper. I hold mine in place with colorful bag clips, like in the picture above. (Note: I made a smaller batch in these photos, but the recipe below yields enough dough to fill the entire loaf pan!) Press a few chocolate chips on top for a prettier presentation; then chill the pan for at least 2 hours to make the bars firm. They should be stored in the fridge to ensure they hold their shape. Finally, after all of that [im]patient waiting… Slice and eat!
I think I just found bliss! ?? And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ?) I’d love to see your protein bars and feature them in my Sunday Spotlight series!
| Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars | | Print |
- 6 tbsp (42g) coconut flour (measured like this)
- 6 tbsp (30g) soy protein powder (I love Bob’s Red Mill!)
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp (4g) coconut oil, melted
- 9 tbsp (135mL) unsweetened cashew or vanilla almond milk, room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp (37g) Truvia
- 1 ½ tsp (6g) SweetLeaf powdered stevia
- 2 tbsp (28g) mini chocolate chips
- Line a 9x5” loaf pan with parchment paper. (See the photos in the blog post above.)
- In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, soy protein powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, milk, and vanilla. Stir in the Truvia and SweetLeaf until fully incorporated. Add in the flour mixture, stirring until fully incorporated. Fold in 1½ tablespoons of chocolate chips.
- Pour the crumbly dough into the prepared pan, and gently press it across the bottom using a spatula. Gently press the remaining chocolate chips into the top. Chill for at least 2 hours before slicing into bars. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to eat.
Any sweetener may be substituted in place of the Truvia and SweetLeaf. You may need to adjust the amounts to taste. If using a highly different amount, you may need to adjust the amount of coconut flour or protein powder if the dough is too wet OR more milk if the dough is too dry.
For more tips and answers to all other questions, including substitutions, see my Protein Powder Recipes: Tips & FAQ page.
{gluten-free, vegan, clean eating, low fat, low calorie, high protein, sugar-free}
UPDATE: In January 2016, I started making these protein bars with this vanilla crème stevia instead of the Truvia and powdered stevia. To use the vanilla crème stevia instead, do the following: omit the Truvia and powdered stevia, increase the cashew or almond milk to ¾ cup, and use 1 teaspoon of vanilla crème stevia.
Hi! So, I’m allergic to Coconut. Is there something else I can substitute it with?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Bethany! Any oil will work in place of the coconut oil. However, substituting for the coconut flour is much trickier. Coconut flour is about 3 times as absorbent as any other flour, so when you substitute your preferred flour, you’ll need to add 2-3 times as much as the amount listed in the Ingredients. 🙂 I hope you enjoy the protein bars if you try them!
This looks delicious but I can’t eat soy. Would there be something else I could use in its place?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Tina! I’ve actually covered this already in the Notes section of the recipe, directly beneath the Instructions. It can be easy to miss! 🙂
What about using a different natural sweetener, such as raw agave, ormaple syrup? And should I omit the sweetener if using a protein powder mix that has a sweetener? My favorite right now is the Vega Proteins and Greens or Vega Complete in vanilla or chocolate. Other then that, I can’t wait to try your recipe!
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe! I’ve actually covered sweetener substitutes already in the Notes section underneath the Instructions. It can be easy to miss! 😉 I don’t recommend completely omitting the sweetener, even if your protein powder contains its own, because the amount of sweetener is based on the volume of just your powder, and you’re adding other ingredients to make these protein bars that would dilute that sweetness. Does that make sense? 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think if you try these protein bars!
How many bars does this recipe make? (if this was included somewhere on here and I missed it-sorry!)
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Alyssa! The number of servings is included directly beneath the recipe title in the recipe box. It can be easy to miss! 😉 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these protein bars!
I made this today. It is so delicious but a bit crumbly. I could cut it into clean pieces except for one that broke in the middle and part of it crumbled.
I had to update, I left it in the fridge overnight and now it is even more crumbly, I actually had to eat with a spoon. I used the same protein powder, measured the ingredients exactly like the way you suggested. Would more milk fix the problem?
Yes, more milk would help hold them together a bit more! Did you store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator? If not, then that’s the problem — leaving them out in the open like that dries them out!
I’m so glad you enjoyed their flavor, Mita! 🙂
Do you have an idea of the calories per serving?
The full nutrition information is actually included directly beneath the recipe! I know it can be easy to miss. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these protein bars if you try them, Nathanial!
These look really yummy! My daughter is a huge fan of the cookie dough Quest bars and these look like they might be similar in texture. Will have to try!
Thanks Chantal! I’d love to hear what you and your daughter think of these if you decide to try them! 🙂