You can make a protein bar with dates, coconut and nuts without an oven. Simply blend the ingredients in a food processor, knead them into a dough and leave it in the fridge to set. In just a quarter of an hour’s work, you’ll have a no-bake snack made with dates, nuts and protein powder, ready to cut as soon as the dough has set.
The active preparation time takes about a quarter of an hour; after that, the fridge does the rest. All you need is a food processor, a loaf tin and baking paper. Below you’ll find the list of ingredients, the step-by-step guide and answers to the most frequently asked questions.
What do you need for these protein bars?
To make about eight bars, you’ll need dates as a base, combined with almonds, coconut, protein powder and some nuts and seeds. The dates bind the mixture together, so you don’t need an oven or any extra binding agent. Soft, juicy dates (such as Medjool) stick together most easily; if your dates are a bit drier, soak them in warm water for ten minutes and then drain them thoroughly.
- 200 g dates, pitted
- 15 g coconut flakes or grated coconut
- 30 g almonds
- 2 scoops of neutral protein powder (whey or vegan)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 25 g seeds and nuts of your choice, such as sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds or linseeds
- 1 pinch of sea salt
- 4 squares of dark chocolate (optional)
How do you make the protein bars (no-bake)?
Grind all the ingredients finely, knead them into a ball, press it flat into a loaf tin lined with baking paper and leave it to set in the fridge for at least an hour. Then cut it into bars or cubes.
- Chop the dates and almonds separately in a food processor until coarsely chopped.
- Then put all the ingredients together in the food processor and blend until finely chopped.
- Knead the mixture with your hands into a cohesive ball.
- Line a loaf tin with baking paper, place the ball inside and press the mixture flat with a second sheet of baking paper to form an even layer.
- Leave the slab to set firmly in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Remove the slab from the tin and cut it into bars or cubes.
- Optional: melt the dark chocolate squares in a bain-marie and drizzle the melted chocolate over the bars.
- Store the bars in an airtight container in a dry, cool place, preferably in the fridge.
Why do dates work as a base?
Dates are naturally sticky and sweet, which helps to bind the mixture together without the need for baking. This means you don’t need any eggs, butter or syrup to help the bars hold their shape. It’s a good idea to roughly chop the dates separately first: this ensures they’re distributed more evenly throughout the mixture and prevents large clumps from forming. The coconut oil helps to bind everything together and ensures the bars remain firm once cooled.
Which protein powder should you use for protein bars?
A neutral protein powder works best, as it doesn’t overpower the flavour of the dates and coconut. In this recipe, we use a neutral protein powder, either whey or vegan; a vanilla variety works too, though this will make the bar slightly sweeter. Protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass. Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass.
Not sure which powder suits your routine? In the article ‘Protein shakes: what to look out for’, you can read about what to consider when choosing and using protein powder.
Variation tips
The basic recipe is easy to adapt to whatever you have at home. A few ideas:
- Swap the almonds for walnuts, cashews or hazelnuts.
- Stir a teaspoon of cocoa powder into the mixture for a hint of chocolate.
- After cutting, roll the bars in extra coconut or finely chopped nuts.
- Omit the chocolate for a simpler bar, or use dark chocolate with a high cocoa content.
Frequently asked questions
How long do the protein bars keep and how should you store them?
The bars will keep for about a week in an airtight container in the fridge. As these are no-bake bars without preservatives, it’s best to keep them in a cool place. If you want to keep them for longer, you can also freeze the bars; just let them come to room temperature before eating.
Can you make the bars vegan?
Yes. The dates, coconut, nuts and seeds are already vegan. Choose a vegan protein powder and, for the optional chocolate, opt for a vegan variety. This way, you can make a completely vegan bar.
How much protein is there in a bar?
That depends on the powder you use and how big you cut the bars. Two scoops of protein powder together provide roughly 40 to 48 grams of protein; if you divide the mixture into eight bars, that works out at about 5 to 6 grams of protein per bar from the powder, supplemented by the protein from the almonds, nuts and seeds. You can work out your own daily protein needs by checking how much protein you need per day.
Can you make the protein bars without protein powder?
Yes, you can. Simply leave out the protein powder and add some extra nuts, seeds or a handful of oats for texture, so that the mixture holds together well. The bars will then contain less protein, but will still be date bars with coconut and nuts.
Give it a go
These bars make a handy high protein snack with lunch, after exercise or on the go. Want to stock up on protein powder for this recipe? Take a look at Ekopura’s protein powders: clean label, free from unnecessary additives and with a transparent list of ingredients.
