Looking for an easy no-bake snack that actually keeps you full? This Nut-Free Protein Bars Recipe brings are soft, chewy bars loaded with plant-based protein for a healthy pick-me-up or quick post-workout bite. They’re naturally gluten-free, topped with chocolate, and the kind of simple meal-prep snack you’ll want stocked in your fridge every week.
"I made these for a weekend trip and they were a huge hit! I'll be making them again". - Kate
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 40 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 8 bars
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 282 kcals and 7 grams of protein
- 📋 Main Ingredients: Vegan protein powder, gluten-free regular oats, sunflower seed butter, coconut oil, and maple syrup.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and can be made vegan.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Soft, chewy, and chocolate-topped, these no-bake protein bars make a deliciously easy snack that fuels you on the go.
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High-protein, gluten-free, no-bake snacks like these nut-free homemade protein bars are a total busy-mom lifesaver. They take minutes to prep, store well in the fridge, and are ridiculously easy to grab while you’re running between school drop-off and activities, just like coffee protein balls or a jar of high-protein chocolate overnight oats on standby.
These peanut-free protein bars recipe curb chocolate cravings and helps you hit your protein goals, which is a pretty magical combination (just like that double-chocolate protein fluff). They’re dairy-free, satisfying without feeling heavy, and honestly, one of my go-to afternoon snacks when I’m craving something sweet but still want to stay on track, along with the dessert-like snacks in my Strong and Sweet Protein Guide, of course.
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💭Why You'll Love This Recipe
No-baking: These protein bars without peanut butter come together easily with only a handful of ingredients and zero baking.
Allergy-friendly: They're naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, peanut-free, and soy-free.
Delicious: They're school-safe (just like nut-free granola recipe), but the combination of a chewy base and chocolate top is pure yum.
Ingredients and Substitutions
The gluten-free, nut-free protein bars are actually only made with five ingredients! Which is why I love them. It also means they're ultra-simple to whip up. Learn everything you need to know about making homemade protein bars (step-by-step guide!).
- Regular oats: Make sure to use regular rolled oats and not quick oats for the recipe as quick oats will create a mushier texture. Also, grab gluten-free certified ones if needed.
- Vegan Protein Powder: The protein powder you choose will affect the flavor and the texture of the protein bars. Make sure you choose a gluten-free protein as per any allergy requirements. For best results, use Orgain Protein Powder, but there are more notes on protein variations below.
- Make them vegan: To make these homemade protein bars without peanut butter vegan, use maple syrup or coconut syrup in place of honey for the chocolate topping.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Flavor Variations
Double Chocolate: Add mini, dairy-free chocolate chips to the base to make them sweeter and for an extra crunch.
Coconut: Sprinkle coconut or toasted coconut on top of the chocolate before it cools for a chewy, sweet twist.
Dried fruit: Change the flavor of the nut-free protein bars by adding dried, chopped cranberries, cherries, or blueberries to the base.
How To Make Nut-Free Protein Bars
Step 1: Mix together the protein powder and oats.
Step 2: Melt the coconut oil and whisk together the syrup and sunbutter. Pour the wet into dry and mix until everything is sticky.
Step 3: Dump the mixture into an 8x4 pan and press it smooth. Freeze. While the bars are freezing, make the chocolate coating.
Step 4: Heat the coconut oil and cacao butter over low heat until melted. Add in the rest. Pour the chocolate mixture on top of the gluten-free protein bars and freeze to set.
Expert Tips
Vegan protein powders absorb more liquid than whey so you won't be able to interchange directly.
The chocolate topping is a blend of cacao butter and cacao powder (learn more about the benefits of raw cacao powder ). However, if you need something simpler, melt a bit of coconut oil (1-2 tsp) with paleo chocolate chips. I'd start with ⅔ cup and see if that covers it.
You want a protein powder that you enjoy the taste of as it will shine through. I originally used Orgain Protein Powder for the bars. If using a fermented protein, you'll need more liquid.
I recently made the switch to beef isolate protein powder for health reasons. If you want to use a beef powder, try Paleo Pro. It's easily the CLEANEST protein I've ever tried and it mixes well into bars. I love Equip Protein too, but it would make them much stickier.
How To Store Them
The best part about nut-free homemade protein bars is that they hold well in both the freezer and the fridge!
Fridge: Store the protein bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Freezerb: Store the bars between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge before enjoying, or leave them on the counter for 15-30 minutes. Or, you can pop them from the freezer into a lunchbox in the morning, and they'll be good to go by snack time.
Nut Free Protein Bars FAQs
Protein bars, when made with minimal sugars and no processed oil,s can be a healthy addition to any diet and a tasty way to increase daily protein intake.
Homemade protein bars are normally placed in the freezer to set and firm up. From there, they can be stored in the freezer for a couple of months. However, once they're firm, they can be stored in the fridge and are ready to eat.
More Dairy-Free Protein Snacks You'll Love
If you tried this Nut-Free Protein Bars Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Nut-Free Protein Bars Recipe (Dairy-Free)
Video
Equipment
- 8x4 baking tray
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 3 scoops vegan protein powder about ¾ cup
- 1 cup regular oats gluten-free
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil measured solid
- ¾ cups sunflower seed butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- Chocolate Topping
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil measured solid
- ⅛ cup cacao butter
- 2 tablespoons cacao powder
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the protein powder and oats.
- In a small bowl, melt the coconut oil and whisk the sunflower seed butter and syrup until smooth.
- Pour the butter into the oat mixture and mix until combined. It will be sticky.
- Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper. Dump the mixture into the pan and use another piece of parchment paper on top to press the oats into the pan evenly. Press down hard to make them really stick together,
- Place in the freezer.
- While the bars are freezing, make the chocolate coating.
- In a small pan, heat the coconut oil and cacao butter over low heat until melted. Slowly add in the honey and cacao powder. Whisk until no clumps remain.
- Remove the bars from the freezer and pour the mixture over top making sure to get all areas- use a silicone spatula for this.
- Once covered, return the bars to the freezer to set (about thirty minutes).
- Remove from the freezer and cut into 8-10 bars. Keep in the freezer until ready to eat and thaw for 5-10 minutes before consuming.
Notes
- Store nut-free protein bars in air-tight containers. In the freezer, they will freeze solid so you'll need to move them to the fridge or room temperature before eating.
- They should last about a week in the fridge.
- Grab the allergy-friendly ingredients you need from my Pantry Staples
- You want a protein powder that you enjoy the taste of as it will shine through. I originally used Orgain Protein Powder for the bars. If using a fermented protein, you'll need more liquid.
- I recently made the switch to beef isolate protein powder for health reasons. If you want to use a beef powder, try Paleo Pro. It's easily the CLEANEST protein I've ever tried and it mixes well into bars. I love Equip Protein too but it would make them much stickier.
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Kate says
I made these for a weekend trip and they were a huge hit! I'll be making them again.
fitasamamabear says
Aw that's awesome to hear!
Jennifer says
Love these! I make them every few months just to keep them on hand for snacking. Yum!
fitasamamabear says
Right?! Snacks already made keeps you sane lol
Allyssa says
This tasted so amazing! Thanks a lot for sharing this super easy to make recipe! Fam really loves it! Will surely have this again!
Mandy Applegate says
I made a batch of these protein bars and now I have them to look forward to at lunchtime - delicious!
fitasamamabear says
Hehe yes! They're a tasty one
Jere Cassidy says
Finally, I found a protein bar that doesn't have peanut butter in it. I wasn't familiar with sunflower seed butter but easily found it. Great recipe, easy to make and love the chocolate on top.
fitasamamabear says
Sun butter is a great switch up!
Jenni says
I have never made my own bars like this before, but they were so good! They tasted great, too!
fitasamamabear says
Thanks for giving them a go! You'll be hooked now lol