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4 Ingredient coconut lime protein bars are a bright, tropical twist for snacks and workouts. They are no-bake, vegan, gluten-free, oat-free, and have 14 grams protein per bar.
Easy Grain-Free Vegan Protein Bars
Here it is, fall, and I’m sharing a recipe with the bright, sunny flavors of a tropical island.
But it’s not just any recipe. It’s a 4 ingredient protein bar recipe that takes mere minutes to make, costs little, and shakes up your lunch box (or breakfast or fitness snack) routine with something fresh and delicious that you actually want to eat.
You can opt to gussy them up, too, for some eye-candy appeal. Take that, packaged bars!
Recipe Benefits
- High protein (14 grams per bar)
- Vegan / Plant-based (egg-free, dairy-free)
- Made with 4 ingredients (plus water, and optional toppings))
- Quick and easy to make
- No bake
- High fiber (6 grams per par)
- No oats
- Oil-free
Ingredients
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.
- Unsweetened coconut flakes or unsweetened shredded coconut
- Vanilla vegan protein powder
- Limes (both the lime zest and the lime juice)
- Smooth nut butter (I use almond butter, but cashew butter, peanut butter, tahini or sunflower seed butter will also work)
In place of the oats typically found in DIY protein and energy bars (including many of my own!), I decided to try unsweetened flake coconut, very finely ground, to make a key component of the dough.
Vegan protein powders can taste dull and chalky. If you use them, too, you know I speak the truth :). But add some lime zest and lime juice–lots of both–and it is transformed into a treat.
Step by Step Instructions
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
- Grate enough zest from the limes to measure 2 teaspoons.
- Halve the limes crosswise and squeeze the juice into a glass measuring cup. Add enough water to the juice to measure 1/2 cup in total.
- In a food processor, process the coconut until very fine. Add the protein powder, almond butter, lime zest, and lime juice-water mixture. Pulse until mixture is completely blended into a smooth dough.
- Roll dough into a log and cut into 4 equal pieces. Form each piece into a bar and tightly wrap in plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm. If desired, drizzle the chilled bars with a small amount of melted (vegan) white chocolate and some lime zest.
Tip: Do Not Over-Process the Coconut Flakes
Take caution when processing the coconut flakes. Be sure to stop processing once the coconut is finely copped. If you continue, the coconut the oils in the coconut will begin to release, resulting in coconut butter. Delicious, but not what you need for this recipe.
Taste and Texture of the Bars
All modesty aside, these vegan protein bars are pretty great.
The bars have a smooth and creamy texture, like the nougat of a candy bar. And the undercurrent of coconut throughout? Pure yum.
Pure nutrition, too. The fat in coconut flesh is an outstanding source of instant fuel (it’s all about those medium chain fatty acids) as well as an appetite suppressant, elevating these bars far beyond most protein bars you can buy from the store.
Storage
Store the bars, individually wrapped, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for for up to 2 weeks. The bars will keep, tightly wrapped, at cool room temperature for up to 3 days.
Flavor Variations
- Swap the Limes: Use an equal amount of lemons or oranges (both the juice and zest) in place of the lime.
- Add Some Spice: add a 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger, allspice or cardamom.
- Add Nuts or Seeds: Swap some of the coconut for finely chopped nuts or seeds, such as green pumpkin seeds, sunflower seed kernels, almonds, or cashews. It will add extra protein as well as nutty flavor.
FAQ
- What Type of Vegan Protein Powder Should I Use? You can use any vegan vanilla protein powder you prefer. You may need to tweak the amounts of liquids and protein powder a touch, but not much; these are almost completely foolproof
Happy no-baking!
Related Recipes
Coconut Lime Protein Bars
Ingredients
- 2 medium limes
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes/shreds
- 1/2 cup vanilla vegan protein powder
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
Optional toppings:
- 1 tablespoon white chocolate baking chips, melted according to package directions (vegan, as needed)
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes/shreds, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
Instructions
- Grate enough zest from the limes to measure 2 teaspoons.
- Halve the limes crosswise and squeeze the juice into a glass measuring cup. Add enough water to the juice to measure 1/2 cup in total.
- In a food processor, process the coconut until very fine. Add the protein powder, almond butter, lime zest, and lime juice-water mixture. Pulse until mixture is completely blended into a smooth dough.
- Roll dough into a log and cut into 4 equal pieces. Form each piece into a bar and tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm.
- Optional topping: If desired, unwrap the bars and drizzle each with melted white chocolate; sprinkle with coconut and lime zest. Refrigerate for 15 minutes until chocolate is set; then re-wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
