No Bake Chocolate & Cranberry Protein Bars
These No Bake Chocolate Cranberry Protein Bars are the perfect lunchbox filler. Compact, packed with nutrients and extra healthy, these delicious protein snacks taste nothing like their store-bought counterparts. Easy to make and fuss-free, these can be whipped up and ready within minutes! Refined sugar-free, flourless, egg-free, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free.
No Bake Chocolate Cranberry Protein Bars
We all get those “I-didn’t-hear-the-alarm-and-now-my-life-is-a-mess” days. When you finally get to work, with your rushed-up brushing, pillow marks on your face and a super extra-large bucket of coffee in your hand, you’ll thank yourself for having snacks like this one in the fridge, ready to go.
At least you’ll have something decent to eat while you regain your dignity.
I’ve tried pretty much every brand of protein bars out there. Most of them taste BAD and I ate them only because I needed the protein boost and I didn’t have time to eat anything better. When they taste good, it’s usually because they are either:
- Filled with unhealthy ingredients / empty calories
- Way too expensive
Solution?
Make your own protein bars!
Both your taste buds and your wallet will thank you.
Cacao powder and cranberries are both super anti-oxidant powerhouses. Along with protecting your body from several diseases like cancer and cardiovascular diseases, a mix of cacao and cranberries will supercharge your metabolism to start your day on the right foot.
Also, have you ever read the ingredient label of a store-bought protein bar? How many of those ingredients are you able to pronounce?
Yup.
I can properly pronounce every single ingredient contained in these bars, and this my friends, is good news.
More Homemade Bars
Homemade Chocolate Protein Bars
For people like me who train hard, it is often hard to squeeze enough protein into your daily macros.
I weigh around 225 pounds.
If you are a little bit familiar with fitness and nutrition, then you know I need to eat a LOT of protein every single day to gain muscle.
Trust me, protein snacks like these are life savers for anybody who’s at least a little bit serious with their training.
And even if you don’t workout… protein is essential for everybody. If you’re not eating enough of it, these bars will help, big time.
Hi! Gabriel here. Feel free to head over to my blog for more healthy, delicious and protein-packed recipes!
No Bake Chocolate Cranberry Protein Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats divided
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup dates
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup chocolate protein powder
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup almond milk
Instructions
- Line a deep 10-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- Place rolled oats, peanut butter, dates, cocoa powder and protein powder in a food processor and process into a fine flour.
- Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add in the milk and dried cranberries. Mix thoroughly with your hands.
- Press the mixture evenly into the lined baking dish.
- Refrigerate for about 30 minutes then cut into 8 bars using a long sharp knife (watch the fingers!).
Chocolate and cranberry.. Delicious!! I really like these no bake recipes, curious to give this one a try!
Store bought protein bars are so expensive so these are definitely the better option!
Where, when & how do you use the other cup of oatmeal? The instructions don’t say.
Good question lol! This was a recipe submitted by a contributor that is no longer with me, but after reading over the recipe I think it would be fine to simply add it all at once 🙂 I updated the recipe to reflect that. Let me know if that worked for you!
How long can these last on the shelf?
Hey Vanessa,
An contributor who is no longer with me made these, so I can’t be 100% sure but I would think 5 days?