This soft, no-bake, gluten-free protein bar recipe makes an ideal on-the-go snack! Made with vegan protein powder and sweetened with just a hint of maple syrup. These dairy-free bars come in at 10grams of protein per square.
If I could total the amount I used to spend on store-bought protein bars I'd cringe.
It wasn’t until a couple of years ago I realized how easy it was to make my own! Not to mention how tasty (have you had these no-bake peanut butter ones?!).
Learn everything you need to know about making homemade protein bars (step-by-step guide!).
These homemade, gluten-free protein bars are both fueling and filling. And they're simple to make. Thus, a total busy mom win.
An easy way to boost your protein intake for the day while enjoying what you eat!
- Allergy-friendly (gluten and dairy-free, vegan)
- Easy to make
- Cost-effective
- Easy to customize
- Real-food based
- Dairy, gluten, and soy free
Ingredients You'll Need
Almond flour: not to be confused with almond flour. Almond meal helps give this gluten-free protein bar an indulgent flavor (learn the difference between almond flour and meal).
Regular oats: oats are an easy way to bulk up the protein bars recipe and stretch it further. Plus, they're a great source of recovery post-workout.
Vegan Protein Powder: the protein you choose will affect the flavor and the texture of the bars. Make sure you choose a gluten-free protein as per any allergy requirements. For best results use Botanica Perfect Protein.
Almond butter: any nut butter will work for protein bars. Play with different nut butters to switch it up!
Dried fruit: adds a bit of sweetness to the no-bake bars as well as some refreshing flavor bursts!
Step By Step Photos
How To Make Gluten-Free Protein Bars
- Combine the almond flour, oats, and protein in a large bowl.
- Heat the coconut oil until melted and whisk it in with the almond butter and syrup.
- Mix the wet into dry. Add in the almond milk and mix again..
- Add in the dried cherries and portion the mixture into an 8x8 pan.
- Press chopped almonds on top and freeze to set.
Choosing A Protein Powder
This recipe is made with Botanica Protein (learn How To Choose A Vegan Protein Powder for your goals).
Botanica Perfect Protein is a unique blend of quinoa, coconut, and brown rice. This makes it dairy, gluten and soy-free, organic, vegan, vegetarian and non-GMO.
I use it a lot in protein bars because it’s a great-tasting powder and more similar to whey in that it doesn’t absorb or fluff like many other protein powders (check out these Gingerbread protein bars that use it too).
Plus, the classic flavors of Botanica are delicious. Learn more about how to increase your protein intake and the benefits of a high protein diet.
Protein Powder & Kids
In contrast, some people don’t think kids should have protein powder. Personally, I think that as long as you have a quality protein and trust it’s the source, it’s okay.
I have quite a few I love and trust including Orgain which I mentioned above, Iron Vegan and Genuine Health Fermented Protein
When checking out a new protein powder, especially if my kiddos are going to be using it, I like to look for a few of these points:
- no random flavored added
- low in sugar
- soy free
- no carageen
- no processed oils
But here’s a tip: if you’re not into protein powder- that’s ok! Instead of the powder, swap in pure collagen powder into the protein bars instead!
In the same way, collagen is not only full of awesome protein but it’s also awesome to help boost your immune system- double win. You can grab collagen powder packs (I take these with us on long road trips!) from Perfect Suppplements and use code mamabear10 to save some money.
Keep in mind that if you need these no-bake protein bars to be vegan, collagen is not an option.
Also, note that swapping to collagen powder will take away some of the sweetness in these homemade protein bars so you may want to counter that with a sweetener.
Texture Of The Bars
The bars come out light and indulgent.
However, the protein you choose will affect the taste and texture.
For example, most vegan protein powders are based on pea protein. Pea protein absorbs liquid. If you're using a traditional vegan protein powder that contains pea protein, you'll need to add more liquid to the recipe to get the bars to hold together.
Important Teaching Tips
The gluten-free protein bars do get soft when they sit out too long. So, keep them in the fridge until ready to eat.
The bars can also be stored in the freezer but will need to thaw slightly before eating.
Protein powder absorbs liquid. So, don't panic if the batter looks extremely thick!
Want to make them more like dessert? Top them with melted chocolate!
Fast, crave-worthy snacks that hit your protein goals (without tracking or extra cooking time).
Frequently Asked Questions About Gluten-Free Protein Bars
Most store-bought nutrition bars contain added sugars that can be detrimental to fitness goals. Making protein bars allows you to be in control of how much (and what type) of sugar is added.
Swapping out peanut or almond butter for different nut butter is a great way to change the flavor of a protein bars recipe. Try using almond-hazelnut butter or cashew butter.
Whey protein is not interchangeable with vegan due to the way it absorbs. Because vegan protein absorbs more liquid than whey protein, the texture of bars will be much different and can normally not be made without tweaking the other ingredients.
Other Wicked Protein Recipes You'll Love
- Chocolate peanut butter protein balls
- Peanut butter and jam protein balls
- Homemade protein bars with chocolate
- Chocolate fudge protein balls
- Savory blueberry protein oatmeal
- Chocolate peanut butter bomb shake
- Chocolate protein fluff
- Coconut protein balls
- High protein cookies
- High protein pancakes
- Yogurt protein pancakes
- Energizing protein bar
- Easy, no-bake vanilla protein bar
- High protein snack recipes
Gluten-Free Homemade Protein Bars
Video
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond meal
- ½ cup Old Fashioned Oats gluten free
- ½ cup Vanilla Gluten-free Protein Powder
- 2 tbs Vanilla Gluten-Free Protein Powder
- 1 tbs Chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons Coconut Oil measured solid
- ⅓ cup Almond butter
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup almond milk
- ½ cup dried cherries
- ¼ cup almonds chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the first four ingredients.
- Heat the coconut oil until melted and whisk it in with the almond butter and syrup,
- Pour wet into dry and mix slightly.
- Slowly add in the almond milk and whisk until combined.
- Add in the dried cherries and mix again.
- Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper. Scoop the mixture into the pan and using another piece of parchment paper, press the bar mixture evenly into the pan. Press hard to make sure they stay together.
- Top the mixture with the almonds and use a silicone spatula to press them into the mixture.
- Place in the freezer to set for one hour.
- Remove and cut into ten bars.
- Keep in the freezer until ready to eat (or place in the fridge). Can be eaten straight from the freezer or chilled in the fridge.
Notes
- The protein powder you choose will affect both the flavor and the texture of the bars. Check out my three favorite protein powders and know that the fermented ones absorb liquid more.
- If using Botanica protein powder, the amount is 1.5 scoops of protein powder
- If you’re using a pea-based protein powder, you'll need to add more liquid to the bars (start with 2 tablespoons)
- Let the bars thaw at room temperature for ten minutes (or in the fridge for longer) before enjoying
- Tip: if you have specific dietary restrictions (gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan) – double-check all your ingredients for appropriate brands!
- Keep in mind the protein values may be off by 1-2 grams as it depends on which protein powder you’re using. Each vegan protein powder has a different markup of ingredients which can alter the intake slightly.
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Kris says
I'll never buy a protein bar again! This was so easy and tasty. 🙂
fitasamamabear says
Haha life win and money saved!
Allyssa says
Thanks a lot for sharing this amazing recipe, will surely have this again! Highly recommended!
Cindy says
I loved these protein bars! What a delicious treat they I can actually feel good about eating.
fitasamamabear says
Glad you enjoy them!
Katie says
These bars are fantastic! Super easy to make and totally delicious!
fitasamamabear says
Easy is the key haha glad you like them!
Nancy says
Love that these protein bars are homemade and so many variations. No funny stuff from store bought
fitasamamabear says
Exactly! Nice when you can control the ingredients.
Shilpa says
These protein bars are absolutely delicious. The kids loved them.
fitasamamabear says
Mega win!
Heidi Bruaw says
These sound really good and I love that they're no bake and gluten free! They are much healthier than store bought, which I love. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
fitasamamabear says
It's nice to have the home option for surw! Glad you enjoyed them!
Jen says
love this no-baked gf protein bars for my after workout quick snack.
fitasamamabear says
Keeps it simple!
Amanda says
These are the perfect grab and go snack. My kids are going to love them.
fitasamamabear says
Yes! Honestly my kids think they're a "treat" haha it's perfect!
Kayla DiMaggio says
Love how these protein bars help to power me through the day! I love that they are not chalky and taste delicious!
fitasamamabear says
Thank you! It's all down to the protein powder and nut butter combo to not make the chalky hehe
Giangi Townsend says
A recipe that I want to try as it is packed with goodness. Thank you for sharing.
fitasamamabear says
Thanks for dropping by! They're a tasty one!
linda spiker says
I think grab and go treats are a must have for moms of little kids! These are perfect!
fitasamamabear says
We'd die without grab and go haha
Raia Todd says
My kids are going to love these! We have a road trip coming up and they'll be the perfect snack to bring along. 🙂
fitasamamabear says
Oh yay! I always make a ton of no bake snacks for long trips- so simple!
Daniela says
These look delicious! My kids would go nuts over them!
fitasamamabear says
My daughter loved them! We devoured the batch super fast 😛
Lindsey Dietz says
Even though this recipe has more ingredients than I typically use, I just LOVE how easy it is anyway! Lots of goodness packed into these!
fitasamamabear says
It is a bit high on ingredients.. mainly because I tried to shove as many things as possible in there haha