Homemade Keto Low Carb Protein Bars

No need to buy expensive protein bars made with fillers and preservatives. This low carb protein bars recipe is so easy to make at home and can be customized however you like!

Protein bars have been popular as a “healthy” snack for a long time. 

Before I started eating low carb, I used to eat protein 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! They’re basically 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 recipe that is actually good for you.

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

These homemade low carb 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, then allow the 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 low carb protein bar recipe a try.

How to make homemade low carb protein bars

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

First, we combine most the ingredients in the food processor:

1. Add the whey protein, sweeteners, shredded coconut, and almond butter to your food processor.
2. Melt the coconut oil, then stir in the sea salt and vanilla.
3. Pour the coconut oil mixture into the food processor. 
4. Process the ingredients until they start to form a ball of dough.

Then, 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.

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.

What to put in your protein bars

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!

Other recipes to try

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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Low Carb Gluten Free Protein Bars

Author: Lisa MarcAurele

4.5 from 2 votes

These low carb no bake chocolate chip almond butter bars with coconut and sunflower seeds have enough protein to satisfy hunger as a snack between meals.

Recipe Video (Click on Image to Play)

Prep Time10 mins

Total Time10 mins

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Print Pin Review Recipe

Servings 15 squares

Calories 203kcal

Ingredients

• 4 scoops unflavored whey protein
• 1/2 teaspoon stevia concentrated powder
• 1/4 cup low carb sugar substitute powdered or Swerve confectioners
• 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup almond butter or nut/seed butter of choice
• 1/2 cup coconut oil liquified
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/3 cup sugar free chocolate chips 2 oz

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Place whey protein, stevia extract powder, sweetener, coconut, and cashew butter into food processor.
• Melt coconut oil if necessary then stir in sea salt and vanilla.
• Add coconut oil mixture into food processor then process until ingredients start to form a ball on one side.
• Stir in sunflower seeds and chocolate chips.
• Line a 7×11 pan with parchment paper and spread the mixture out in the pan.
• Place pan in the refrigerator for at least an hour to harden.

Notes

The whey protein is used to get the right texture and other bland tasting powders may be suitable replacements like collagen.

Chocolate chips can be replaced with white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or dried cranberries.

Other seeds like chia or flax make nice additions or substitutes.

Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 92mg | Potassium: 151mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 21IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 2mg

Additional Info

Net Carbs: 2 g | % Carbs: 3.8 % | % Protein: 19 % | % Fat: 77.1 %

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Note on Nutritional Information

Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.

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