Homemade Keto Low Carb Protein Bars

There's no need to buy expensive bars made with fillers and preservatives. These homemade low carb protein bars are so easy to make and can be customized however you like!

Article Index

• Why you'll love it
• Ingredients
• Quick tips
• Instructions
• Variations
• Related recipes
• Recipe

Before I started eating low carb, I used to eat high protein low carb bars all the time! They were great to satisfy my hunger on the go and tasted like I was eating a candy bar.

Now I know why. Many brands of protein bars aren’t very healthy at all. Instead, they’re packed with sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners! They’re basically sugar free candy bars with some added protein.

But I missed having these tasty bars when I needed a quick snack. That’s why I decided to create my own low carb protein bars that are actually good for you.

These days, you can find much healthier options at the store. However, many still use fillers and preservatives. Plus, they can be expensive.

Why you'll love it

My homemade protein bars are gluten-free, don’t use any fillers, and are made with inexpensive ingredients. You can also customize them however you want! 

You don’t even need to bake them. You simply combine the ingredients in a food processor, stir in the chocolate chips (or other add-ins you like), then allow the low-carb chocolate chip bars to harden in the fridge for an hour or so. That’s it!

If you want a snack that’s convenient, tasty, and good for you, give this recipe a try.

Ingredients

When I set out to make the best low carb protein bars, I wanted to use only natural ingredients. Here's an overview of what you'll need for the recipe.

Protein powder

I use unflavored whey protein isolate because it has no added colors, flavor, or sweeteners. It's also a protein powder with zero carbs. However, you can use egg white or meat based protein powder to make the bars dairy-free.

Natural sweeteners

My preferred sweeteners are stevia, monk fruit, and erythritol. But you can use any keto-friendly sweetener you like in the recipe. You can also adjust the amount to your own taste preference.

Coconut

I'm a big fan of coconut so I add in unsweetened shredded dried coconut into my bars. It gives the bars a nice flavor and texture. If you don't care for coconut, feel free to swap it out with ground nuts or seeds.

Almond butter

Any nut or seed butters will work in the recipe but I like to use almond butter because it has a neutral flavor. Sunflower seed butter is a great alternative if you want nut-free bars.

Coconut oil

The great thing about coconut oil is that it is usually solid at room temperature. So it help keep the mixture in bar form.

Add ins

What you add into your bars is totally up to you! I like to stir in sunflower seeds and sugar free chocolate chips.

Note: You'll find the full list of ingredients along with amounts used in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Quick tips

• Use a food processor. In order to combine the base ingredients of the bar together well, I recommend using a food processor. If you don't have one, a blender will work better than an electric mixer.
• Melt the coconut oil. The coconut oil will blend into the mixture best if melted. I don't recommend using liquid oils in the recipe as the bars will be too soft. But unsalted butter is suitable alternative to coconut oil.
• Form the bars in molds. If you want all the bars to be the same size, you can use a silicone bar mold to shape them. Once chilled, the bars should pop right out of the molds.
• Freeze to harden faster. If you want to make the bars quickly, you can place the mixture in the freezer to quickly harden the bar mixture.

Instructions

This recipe is so easy to make, you may never buy protein bars from the store again.

Process base ingredients

First, we combine the initial ingredients in the food processor.

1. Add the whey protein, sweeteners, shredded coconut, and almond butter to your food processor.
2. Process until well blended.

Add coconut oil mix

1. Melt the coconut oil, then stir in the sea salt and vanilla.
2. Pour the coconut oil mixture into the food processor. 
3. Process the ingredients until they start to form a ball of dough.

Spread with add-ins

Finally, we stir in the final ingredients and let the protein bars set:

1. With a rubber spatula, stir in the sunflower seeds and chocolate chips (or whichever add-in ingredients you want to include).
2. Line a 7×11 pan with parchment paper. This will make it much easier to transfer the bars out of the pan and slice them later.
3. Transfer the dough into the pan. Using a rubber spatula, spread the dough into an even layer.
4. Place the pan in the refrigerator for at least an hour to set.

Chill

After an hour, your low carb protein bars will be ready! 

I recommend lifting the mixture out of the pan and then cutting the bars on the parchment paper. That way, they won’t stick to the cutting board. I cut mine into 15 squares.

Variations

Feel free to customize your high protein, low carb bars recipe however you want! 

• Something sweet: I like adding sugar free chocolate chips. You could also experiment with white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or even dried cranberries.
• Adding some crunch: Any nuts or seeds will work if you don’t want to use sunflower seeds. Pecans, almonds, or even pumpkin seeds will be delicious! Just make sure to chop any larger ingredients.
• Texture: Ingredients like chia seeds or flax are a fun way to play around with the texture while adding a nice health boost.
• Protein: I use whey protein in my recipe for texture and protein. However, you could use another flavorless powder like collagen peptides. You could also make these with a flavored protein powder. Just make sure to reduce the amount of sweetener you use since most flavored protein powders are sweetened.
• Nut or seed butter: You can substitute the almond butter for any nut or seed butter you prefer. There are plenty of options at the store! Or, make your own by throwing the nuts or seeds in the food processor and processing until a butter forms.

How do you like to make your low carb protein bars? Let us know in the comments below!

Related recipes

Looking for more snacks that will satisfy your sweet tooth and hold you over between meals? Check out a few of these favorites:

• Matcha Keto Protein Balls are made with matcha collagen for a delicious, healthy snack!
• My Quest Bar Recipe in coconut cashew flavor is easy to make and will save money over buying them at the store.
• Keto Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars taste just like a peanut butter cup for a decadent snack!
• Almond Butter Keto Energy Balls with coconut and chocolate chips are tasty no-bake protein bites for a boost of energy.
• Strawberry Coconut Milk Smoothie is a delicious dairy-free treat that only requires 4 ingredients to make!

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Recipe

First Published: January 21, 2015... Last Updated: May 19, 2020