Healthy Cookie Dough Protein Bars (+ Video!)
I’ve always been pretty good about sitting down and setting goals for the new year, but this year is a bit different. This year has involved a lot more “adulting” than usual — I bought a car, got my own health insurance, and am getting ready to apply for a mortgage (eek) — and haven’t had as much time to set aside for myself OR my business. I’m currently sitting in an airport in Wisconsin and will have to sit here for the next 8 hours (yay). What better time to think about 2019 goals, right?? Buuuuut I’m procrastinating and would rather help YOU with your health goals.
What do you hope to get out of 2019?
Eat better? Consume less sugar? Exercise more? Gain muscle?
I could go for all of the above.
Once I get back to Austin I’m gonna whip up 5 batches of protein bars. This way I can have a batch (10 bars) in the fridge and 40+ bars in the freezer all set and read to go for breakfasts, grab and go snacks, and sweet nighttime treats.
I always, always, ALWAYS make these Cookie Dough DIY Protein Bars first, then the Peanut Butter Fudge. I’ll probably make my Matcha Green Tea DIY Protein Bars next, then the PB&J and Mocha.
These Healthy Cookie Dough Protein Bars are the perfect snack for when you’re craving something sweet and chocolatey, but don’t want the excess calories, sugar, and fat that would be in regular cookie dough.
Made with only 7 ingredients and NO baking required, these homemade protein bars will be your new go-to snack when you’re running out the door. Buuuut they’re also a good staple to have handy in the fridge when the sweet tooth monster strikes 😉
These are sugar free, gluten free, dairy free, and vegan, with only 190 calories per bar, plus a whopping 17g of protein!
Perfect for the new year and our health goals. So why not celebrate with a giveaway too??
THREE winners will receive a copy of my DIY Protein Bars Cookbook, a tub of protein powder, and a brownie pan to get you started!
Just wanna make 2019 a little bit easier on ya 😉
DIY Protein Bars Cookbook Bundle Giveaway
I used to eat raw cookie dough by the tub. THE TUB. Like, the 36oz tubs… from Costco. Yeahhh, those tubs. I’ll let that sink in a little while I cringe at myself. I’m really surprised that I’ve never gotten sick with Salmonella…
Now, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss turning on a movie and plopping myself down on the couch along with a spoon and a good ol’ tub of cookie dough… so I found a solution: these easy, no-bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars! It’s like cookie-dough-meets-protein-bar. It’s like heaven.
These Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars are sweet, buttery, and delicious — just like the cookie dough you’d buy from the store, only these are healthy!
If you are always busy and the on-the-go type, slice the protein bars and store them in plastic sandwich baggies in the fridge. That way, you can easily grab one (or two!) out of the fridge as you rush out the door. Oh, and these are also freezer-friendly! Let ’em thaw for a few hours at room temp and they’ll be the perfect consistency when hunger strikes.
When I look at my calendar and I know I’m going to be busy and pressed for time, I’ll always make a batch of protein bars. Knowing that healthy snacks are on hand keeps me sane. Especially at the busiest and most stressful times… you know, where all your brain could handle is opening the fridge door and grabbing food that’s already prepped and ready to go? I’ve been there, you’ve been there, we’ve all been there.
When life happens, these Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars will have your back 🙂
Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars
Ingredients
- 128g (½ cup) Roasted Almond Butter
- ¾ cup + 3 tbs Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
- 1¼ tsp Vanilla Crème-Flavored Stevia Extract
- 1 tsp Natural Butter Flavor
- 168g (1¼ cups, lightly packed) Vanilla Brown Rice Protein Powder
- 90g (¾ cup) Oat Flour
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¼ cup No-Sugar-Added Dark Chocolate Chips or Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Line an 8x8” brownie pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In an electric stand mixer bowl tted with a beater attachment, add all of the ingredients. Mix on low speed until everything is fully incorporated.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix on medium speed for one last mix. Mixture should be thick and fudgy, like cookie dough.
- Scoop the mixture into the brownie pan and atten it out. Tightly cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Lift the mixture out of the pan. Slice into 10 bars. Individually wrap the protein bars in plastic sandwich baggies. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or stash them in the freezer.
This Cookie Dough Protein Bar recipe is 1 of 48 protein bar recipes in my DIY Protein Bars Cookbook!
With flavors like Snickerz, Chocolate-Covered Strawberry, Caramel Macchiato, and S’mores, you’ll never buy protein bars from the store again.
To learn more about the book and see some sneak peeks, see this page.
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These Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars are soft, fudgy, and chewy with the occasional crunch from the mini chocolate chips. They don’t taste healthy in the slightest. You need to make ’em!
This isn’t limited to just protein bars… you can roll the dough into balls too. Or you can snack on it straight out of the mixing bowl. Just keep it in the fridge, you know, for emergency snacks… emergency snacks that MUST. CONTAIN. CHOOOOCOOLAAATTTEE!!
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Watch me make these Cookie Dough Protein Bars on camera:
Does this look healthy to you? Nah, I didn’t think so 😉
I’d choose these Cookie Dough DIY Protein Bars over a tub of cookie dough, store-bought protein bars, and junk food of any kind, ANY DAY. I’m pretty sure you will too 😉
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Be happy.
Live fully.
Eat protein bars.
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With love (and healthy dessert),
– Jess
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Indulge − no strings attached!
I’d love to try those Red Velvet bars! 🤤
Anything with chocolate in it would be what I tried first! I’m pregnant, so go figure. 😂
Red velvet love
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chocolate chip for sure
Well yesterday I made my Banana Pecan Protein Waffles, then I saw this scroll by. I was looking for something else to make with my various protein powders. HEADED TO THE KITCHEN NOW.
I cant wait to make anything with PEANUT BUTTER from your recipe book!! PB is a staple in my house & diet…always 🙂
I love chocolate, so these chocolate chip cookie-dough bars might be one of the first recipes I try unless there is a more chocolate-ified one.
Just waiting on my Pea Protein powder so I can give these a try! Would it be okay to cut the par count in half and then sub the rest with the protein? Just a curious question
I’ve tried pea protein powder a few times and it doesn’t work as a replacement for rice protein powder — it absorbs WAY too much liquid! I actually have a recipe in the book using unflavored pea protein, but only one because it was hard to use and seemed to suck up all the flavor. If you wanna try the pea protein though, just be ready to have extra nut butter and almond milk on hand. You may need more sweetener too, depending on whether or not your protein powder is sweetened.
Wooohooo! So excited that you shared this recipe–and a chance to win the book!!
Oh and as far as which recipe I’d make first…tough call! Can’t go wrong with peanut butter though!
I used to eat a lot of cookie dough myself. I love that this satisfies my sweet tooth without the sugar rush. Thank you Jess! Keep up the good work.
Death by chocolate, no question!
I would love to make these bars! They look good and I am looking for a snack that is healthy for the New Year! Thank you!
Your protein bars are delicious! Can’t wait to try this recipe.
I love all of your recipes! I love the rice krispie treats the best, now I can’t wait to make these!
I haven’t seen your cookbook yet but definitely anything with peanut butter!
These look SO-O-O good! I can’t wait to try them. They will be my substitute for chocolate chip cookies, which I am powerless to resist when they’re around. Thank you for providing a much healthier option!
I can’t wait to try these and I am DEFINITELY going to get a copy of the DIY Protein Bars Cookbook. I’m so excited!!!
Looks great= can’t wait to try em!
Perfect timing! I love protein bars for quick “on the go” meals but most are so full of sugar. Those that aren’t are so expensive. Can’t wait to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
I want to try the Cookie Dough protein bars and the Match Green Tea ones. I love Quest Bars but the erythritol bothers my stomach & they are awfully expensive, so these should be a good substitute. Thank you for the recipes from one Melissa to another! =)
I love cookie dough! I really hope I win your cookbook–I’ve made your chocolate fudge protein bars and your PB&J protein bars and LOVED both of them!!
Awww yay!! I’m so glad you liked those recipes!! 😀
Happy New Year!!! The peanut butter fudge protein bars sound amazing, so I’d probably have to try those first:)
I’d love to try the Matcha Green Tea one. They look sooo good. Thanks for hosting this giveaway!
I want to make these protein bars!!!! It’s the new year and I need to turn it around and eat healthier but I am a sugarholic and this is the perfect way to eat healthy and still get my sweet fix!
Such an exciting & amazing giveaway, thank you!! 😍🤗 I’ve had my eye on this cookbook for a while & have already made the Chocolate Fudge DIY Protein Bars from the pdf download. I’m looking through the table of contents and thinking HOW CAN I CHOOSE which I’d make first? How?!? Lol. But I think I’d go straight to the Fancy Pants section & try out S’mores, Millionaires, Scotcheroos, and Peanut Butta & Jelly.
Blueberry muffin and Caramel apple would be first for me! Thank you.
I would make the S’mores first.
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Thanks for sharing your ideas!
Amazing! I love healthy sweet treats that I can eat guilt-free. the pictures look delicious. Can’t wait to try it out
Can I use pea protein instead of the brown rice protein?
Any suggestions if I’m using unflavored brown rice powder instead of vanilla rice protein powder?
The flavor will definitely be different but it’s possible! Substitute the flavored for unflavored protein powder and add an extra ½ teaspoon of stevia extract + ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract + ½ teaspoon of butter flavor! Give it a taste and see if it’s sweet enough. You might need to add an extra pinch of salt too to balance everything out!