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Quick & easy, no-bake tahini protein bars (13+ grams protein per bar), with two Middle Eastern flavor twists: orange & cardamom. They are vegan, nut-free & gluten-free.
Good morning everyone, I hope your Monday is treating you well so far!
I am starting this week with a delicious homemade protein bar that I devised last week, and devoured in the days to follow.
The recipe is as easy as can be, and made with familiar ingredients, but the flavor profile is decidedly less familiar for protein bars.
Say hello to my Tahini & Cardamom Protein Bars.
Halvah, the Middle Eastern confection made from tahini, sugar, vanilla and spices, was my inspiration…after the fact. What really prompted the making of these bars was (a) wanting to make some homemade protein bars, and (2) realizing I was out of all other nut and seed butter, save for some bottom-of-the-jar scrapings.
But I had tahini in both the refrigerator and pantry. If I can make bars with almond, peanut or sunflower seed butter, why not tahini?
Why not, indeed.
Here’s how they are made. Place all of the ingredients (vanilla vegan protein powder, ground oats, tahini, maple syrup & cardamom), save for the water, in a bowl.
Stir with gusto (it will be stiff), adding a few drops of water, if needed (it will vary from one protein powder brand to another), until what results is a thick, cohesive dough.
Press the dough into a parchment paper-lined 9×5-inch loaf pan. I like to put a second piece of paper on top of the dough and then press down with a second loaf pan (same size, or smaller); it makes it easier to tamp down and even out the dough.
If you’re in a hurry go ahead and remove the bars from the pan, using the parchment, and immediately cut into bars. If you have time, go ahead and refrigerate the bars for an hour (or more) before doing so (they will be firmer and less sticky, making them easier to cut).
That’s it! Six protein-packed, plant-based bars, free of fillers and ready for power eating on the go.
Each bar has over 13 grams of protein per bar. Granted, this will vary slightly, depending on the brand of vegan protein powder you choose, but the tahini adds substantial protein, too. Tahini is 20% complete protein, making it a higher protein source than most nuts. Plus, it is rich in healthy fats, minerals (including potassium & iron), B vitamins and vitamin E.
If you do not have cardamom on hand, try an equal amount of cinnamon, ginger or allspice in its place. One teaspoon may sound like a lot, but it is just the right amount to get a subtle yet still distinct flavor. If you want even more flavor, zest your lemon (or lime) before juicing it, and add the zest to the bars. I did so on a later batch and it is heavenly!
These will keep for a long time, but it’s somewhat irrelevant; you, and any other members of your household, will gobble them up soon after making them!
No-Bake Tahini Protein Bars {Vegan, Nut-Free, GF}
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup about 67 g vegan vanilla protein powder
- 1/2 cup tahini, well-stirred before measuring
- 1/3 cup rolled oats, ground into a fine flour
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- Water, as needed
Instructions
- Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the protein powder, tahini, oats, maple syrup, orange zest, orange juice and cardamom, adding a few drops of water, as needed. Stir until the mixture is a stiff dough.
- Refrigerate for about 1 hour (to firm up) before removing from pan and cutting into 6 bars.
Notes
Nutrition
These came out great, thank you Camilla. I needed some thing that was a high protein snack, but did not include nuts of any kind.
I’m loving these bars, especially with the added orange zest! So simple and so easy
Is it possible to make this recipe without the protein powder? What could be substituted?
Hi Hannah! Coconut flour, almond flour, or other ground nuts/seeds. I would add a little at a time until you have the consistency you would like 🙂
You’re adorable. I hate reading the blurbs on these food blogs, but I actually found myself enjoying what you said. I didn’t just cruise down to the ingredients section. Bravo!
Aww shucks, thanks Deb 🙂 xo
@Deb, I feel the same way about Camilla. She’s a gem. And her writing is so delightful to digest. God bless you both!
Solange, way to bring tears to my eyes 🙂 xoxoxo
I have been looking for a “nut-free” Larabar type snack to send to school for my son. These tasted bitter and overly sweet using VegaSport vanilla protein. What protein powder do you use? Could these be made without protein powder and if so, what would you substitute?
Morgan
Hi Camilla,
Just found your web site and really like it!! Question-can the oats be substituted with something else? I have recently adopted a grain and wheat free lifestyle. I would love to be able to have snacks like this on hand for myself and my daughter whom I’m trying to convert to healthier eating. Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.
Hi Karla! So glad you found my site, welcome! Since this bar is not baked, I am pretty confident that you could use coconut flour in place of the ground oats. Do not add the same amount of coconut flour as oat flour–it is extremely absorbent, so begin by mixing all of the other ingredients in the recipe, and then add just a few teaspoons of coconut flour at a time. I would stop adding when you have stirred in enough coconut flour to the point where the mixture is still rather moist, and then wait a few minutes (the flour will absorb some of the liquid) before adding any more. Let me know how it goes!