Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars (Vegan)
These delicious Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars are made with wholefood, high fibre and high protein ingredients and take 10 minutes to make. They require no baking and are great for meal prep.
I am back with another snack that is perfect to prepare for the week ahead, as part of my nourishing meal prep series on Instagram. You can see all of the recipes here and these cookie dough bars may just be my new favourite. They are squidgy, chocolate, nourishing and packed with good ingredients. They require only a few steps to make, like stirring, pressing down and melting chocolate. Plus they are packed with texture from nuts and chopped chocolate, and the chocolate layer on top makes these feel even more special.
Why will I love these bars?
These are delicious
- Nutty, chocolatey and squidgy
- Melt-in-your-mouth topping
- Soft, thick and chunky
- Naturally sweetened with medjool dates
- High fibre with oats and dates
- High in protein with peanut butter and protein powder
- Easy to make in a few steps
- Requires no baking
- Gut healthy
- With a range of plant diversity
- With 7 different plant points
- Naturally egg-free, dairy-free, whey-free and vegan
- Easily gluten-free
- With nut-free options
- Can be school friendly!
- Ideal to make ahead of time
- Will keep for days in the fridge or longer in the freezer
- Delicious for snacks or dessert
- Everyone will love them
- Make up more to feed more mouths
If you already love the sound of these bars, then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
You can see the ingredients with weights in the recipe card below and see my favourite and recommended products in the “shop the recipe” section.
For the base:
- Medjool dates: the squishier the better! You can soak them in boiling water if they are dry.
- Peanut butter: smooth runny peanut butter is best here and look for ones with 100% peanuts.
- Dairy-free yoghurt: this adds a lovely softer texture as well as being great for the gut. I use NUSH protein yoghurt.
- Plant-based milk: any dairy-free milk will work like soya, oat or almond.
- Coconut oil: to help set the bars.
- Oat flour: you can make this at home by blending oats in a blender.
- Vanilla protein powder: to add protein and a lovely fudgy texture. I use the Form protein powder.
- Dark or oat milk chocolate: I use the Raw Halo oat milk buttons which are made with only natural ingredients and taste amazing.
- Pistachios: to add some crunch inside.
- Salt: for flavour.
And for the chocolate top, we need more chocolate and peanut butter. I like to add some more pistachios on top, too.
Are these gluten-free and nut-free?
These are easily gluten-free as long as you use GF oats/oat flour. To make these nut-free, swap the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter or tahini and swap the pistachios for more chocolate. Also check your other ingredients like yoghurt, chocolate and milk.
How do I make them?
These are ready to go in a few steps:
- Add the dates, peanut butter, yoghurt, milk and coconut oil to a blender: and process until really smooth.
- Pour into a bowl with the flour and protein: and stir well.
- Stir in the chopped chocolate and pistachios: and stir again.
- Press into a tin: and then melt the chocolate and peanut butter.
- Pour the chocolate over the base: and decorate with pistachios.
- Chill in the fridge: then remove from the tin and slice into bars.
How long will they last?
These will keep for 5-7 days in the fridge in a sealed container or up to 1 month in the freezer. Allow them to defrost first.
What other recipes can I try?
For more snacks and bars:
- Berry Granola Chocolate Fudge Bites
- Smashed Date Chocolate Cups (Snickers and Bounty!)
- Date and Nut Caramel Bars
- Chocolate Puffed Quinoa Rocky Road
- Chocolate Raspberry Flapjack Oat Bars
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars (Vegan)
These delicious Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars are made with wholefood, high fibre and high protein ingredients and take 10 minutes to make. They require no baking and are great for meal prep.
Ingredients
For the Base:
- 100g medjool dates, pitted weight
- 60g smooth peanut butter
- 3 tbsp thick dairy-free yoghurt
- 2 tbsp plant-based milk (more as needed)
- 2 tbsp melted and cooled coconut oil
- 150g oat flour
- 30g vegan vanilla protein powder
- 60g dark or oat milk chocolate, chopped small
- 35g raw unsalted pistachios, crushed
- A pinch of salt
For the Chocolate Top:
- 100g dark or oat milk chocolate
- 30g smooth peanut butter
- Flaky salt
Instructions
- Line a 6-inch/15-cm square tin with parchment paper.
- Into a blender, add the dates, peanut butter, yoghurt, milk and coconut oil with a pinch of salt. Blend until mostly smooth and creamy.
- In a mixing bowl, add the oat flour and protein powder and stir.
- Spoon in the date caramel and stir well to a sticky cookie dough mix that holds together with pressed between your fingers. Add 1-2 tbsp more milk, if needed.
- Fold in the chocolate and most of the pistachios and spoon into the tin. Press down firmly and leave to one side.
- Add the chocolate and peanut butter for the top into a heatproof bowl and warm over a pan of summering water or in the microwave until melted.
- Pour the chocolate over the cookie dough and spread out. Sprinkle over the remaining pistachios and add some flaky salt, if you like.
- Chill in the fridge for 1 hour or until set.
- Remove from the fridge and slice into 10 bars using a warmed, sharp knife. Enjoy straight away.
- Keep in the fridge in a sealed container for 5-7 days or in the freezer for 1 month. Allow to defrost and keep in the fridge.
Shop the recipe
Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of these Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make these, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
With cookie dough love x
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