These No-Bake Cookie Dough Protein Bars are made with wholesome ingredients like almond flour, almond butter, dates, and hemp seeds for a delicious and nutritious treat! Each bar contains 10 grams of protein!
You may have surmised based on my Lemon Poppy Seed Energy Balls and my No-Bake Breakfast Cookies that I’m all about my tasty treats to tide me over between meals.
Well, these no-bake cookie dough bars are my latest favorite! They have a lovely raw cookie dough flavor, contain a boost of protein and healthy fats, and require hardly any effort to make!
Ideal for those who believe in honoring their sweet tooth while getting a boost of nutrition along the way, they are the perfect treat for the busy individual.
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for no-bake cookie dough bars. You can find the full list at any grocery store!
Ingredients for Protein Cookie Dough Bars:
Pitted Dates: Medjool dates bring the sweetness and stickiness to the recipe, which helps bind the ingredients together for a delicious result. I recommend buying the dates pre-pitted to save time if possible.
Protein Powder: Pick your favorite protein powder. I like using unflavored unsweetened protein powder, like egg white protein or goat whey protein. Vanilla protein powder tastes great in this recipe!
Almond Flour or Instant Oats: Almond flour adds protein, healthy fats, and fiber to the bars. You can easily swap it out for quick oats if you prefer. Cashew butter produces a flavor that closely resembles edible cookie dough.
Unsweetened Cashew Butter or Almond Butter: Another source of healthy fat and protein, almond butter helps bind the ingredients together.
Hemp Seeds or Chia Seeds: Bringing a boost of omega-3 fatty acids, hemp seeds or chia seeds are a marvelous addition. Hemp seeds are my preference because they are softer and blend in easily. Flax seeds work too.
Pure Vanilla Extract: Adds warm flavor. If you’re using a vanilla protein powder, skip the vanilla extract.
Ground Cinnamon: Cinnamon brings a cozy warm flavor, but is optional here.
Sea Salt: A must! Adding salt enhances all of the flavors and makes the cookie dough bars taste richer.
Chocolate Chips: We need chocolate chips for the melted chocolate layer. I use semisweet chocolate chips, but sugar-free chocolate chips and dark chocolate chips work too.
Butter or Coconut Oil: I find chocolate chips melt much easier when combined with either coconut oil or butter. You only need a little!
Recipe Customizations:
- You can use peanut butter or sunflower seed butter in place of almond butter.
- To make the recipe vegan, use a plant-based protein powder and dairy-free chocolate chips.
- For sweeter bars, add 1 to 3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup.
- Add in 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds, pecans, or walnuts for a nutty crunch.
Now that we’ve covered the all natural ingredients, let’s make homemade protein bars that taste like chocolate chip cookies!
How to Make No-Bake Protein Cookie Dough Bars:
Add all of the ingredients for the bars to a food processor and process until a crumbly dough forms.
You may need to stop the food processor several times and scrape the sides with a rubber spatula in order to help it blend.
The mixture should resemble a dryer cookie dough, but should press together easily if you pinch some together. If need be, add 1 to 2 additional tablespoons of water until you get the right consistency.
Line a 8-inch or a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper. Transfer the cookie dough to the pan and press it into an even layer using your hands.
Transfer the chocolate chips and butter (or coconut oil) to a large bowl. Microwave for 20-second intervals, stirring well in between each interval, until melted, about 60 seconds total.
Spread the melted chocolate over the cookie dough protein bar layer.
Refrigerate cookie dough bars for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the chocolate has set up.
Pull on the sides of the parchment paper to release the whole batch of bars and transfer them to a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut individual squares.
Storage Options:
- Refrigerator: Store no-bake cookie dough bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
- Freezer: Freeze bars in a freezer bag or large zip lock for up to 3 months.
The next time you’re looking to replenish your snack supply, whip up this easy healthy snack recipe! I love the idea of making them in bulk to have on hand for weekday treats.
If you love energy balls and protein bites, check out more of my favorite snack recipes!
More Snack Recipes:
- No Bake Power Balls
- Fig and Date Energy Balls
- Cranberry Almond Protein Balls
- Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Protein Balls
Enjoy these healthy cookie dough bars any time you’re craving a sweet treat!
Cookie Dough Protein Bars Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups medjool dates pitted
- 1 cup protein powder or more almond flour
- 1 cup finely ground almond flour or 2/3 cup quick oats
- ½ cup unsweetened almond butter
- 2 Tbsp hemp seeds
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ cup water*
Chocolate Layer
- 1 ⅓ cups chocolate chips
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter or coconut oil
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients for the cookie dough layer to a food processor. Process until a crumbly dough forms. You may need to stop the food processor several times and scrape the sides with a rubber spatula in order to help it blend. The mixture should resemble a dry cookie dough, but should press together easily when pinched. If need be, add 1 to 2 additional tablespoons of water until you get the right consistency.
- Line a 8-inch or a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper. Transfer the cookie dough to the pan and press it into an even layer using your hands.
- Microwave the chocolate chips and butter (or coconut oil) in a microwave-safe bowl for 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until melted.
- Pour the melted chocolate over the cookie dough layer and spread it evenly. Refrigerate the bars for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the chocolate has hardened.
- Pull on the sides of the parchment paper to release the whole batch of bars and transfer them to a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut individual squares.
These are delicious! I used unflavored collagen protein, doubled the cinnamon and salt, and skipped the chocolate layer on top. I’m sure a chocolate drizzle would be tasty, but they are very rich with just the bottom layer as is!
Amazing! I’m so happy to hear you enjoy them, Amanda! I love the idea of swapping out the protein powder for collagen – this is genius!