These superfood protein bars are a nutrient dense snack you can enjoy any time of day. They have a chewy base that's made with a variety of seeds, protein powder and sweetened with dates and they're topped with a rich chocolate fudge. This healthy protein bar recipe is gluten free, paleo and easily made vegan.
I love sneaking superfoods like goji berries, cacao nibs and pumpkin seeds into my diet wherever I can and these superfood protein bars are one of my favorite ways to do that! They taste like dessert but are packed full of nutrients.
These bars have a chewy base that's made with a variety of seeds, protein powder and collagen peptides and sweetened with dates. They're then topped with a rich chocolate fudge and sprinkled with cacao nibs for an extra crunch.
Why You'll Love these Superfood Protein Bars
- gluten free and grain free - made without oats or any other grains and instead have a blend of coconut, seeds, fruit and protein powder.
- paleo friendly - made with simple, wholesome foods you can feel good about eating.
- nut free - made with a blend of seeds like hemp seeds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds (no nuts)
- no bake - these superfood bars don't require any baking
- easy to make - just blend the ingredients for the base, press into a lined loaf pan, add the topping and chill.
Ingredients
The full recipe for these superfood bars can be found in the recipe card below, but here's an overview of what you'll need:
- unsweetened shredded coconut
- sunflower seeds
- pumpkin seeds
- hemp seeds
- dates - to sweeten the bars. The best swap would be raisins or dried figs.
- goji berries
- protein powder - I used the chocolate maca protein from Sprout Living, but any protein powder and any flavor will work
- collagen peptides - optional, but added as a boost in protein
- water
- dark chocolate - for the chocolate topping
- sunflower seed butter - to make the chocolate topping softer. You can replace sunflower seed butter with any other nut or seed butter.
- cacao nibs - optional topping that's added on top of the chocolate layer
How to Make Superfood Protein Bars
The base for these bars is made in a food processor, then pressed into a lined loaf pan and topped with the chocolate fudge. Here are the steps:
- Line an 8" x 4" loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine all base ingredients in a food processor. Blend until well combined.
- Firmly press the dough into your lined loaf pan.
- Melt the chocolate. Mix in the sunflower seed butter and then pour the mixture over the base. Top with cacao nibs.
- Chill, then cut the bars to desired size.
Storage
These bars can be kept in an airtight container or baggie in the fridge or freezer. They will last well in the fridge up to two weeks, or the freezer up to two months.
FAQ
While I have only tested these bars with a pea protein powder, any protein powder should work. You may have to adjust the water content, as pea protein can be quite absorbent.
I don't typically calculate the nutritional information for my recipes. But you are welcome to do so using a free app like MyFitnessPal.
More Healthy Protein Bar Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Superfood Protein Bars (Gluten Free, Paleo)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: Fills an 8"x4" loaf pan 1x
Description
These superfood protein bars make for a delicious snack that's loaded with nutrients and gut healthy ingredients. They're paleo, gluten free, nut free and easily made vegan.
Ingredients
Base
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup hemp seeds
- 4 Medjool dates
- 2 Tbsp goji berries
- ¼ cup protein powder (I used chocolate maca protein from Sprout Living)
- 2 Tbsp collagen peptides (omit for vegan)
- 1-3 Tbsp water*
Topping
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips
- 2 Tbsp sunflower seed butter
- cacao nibs
Instructions
- Line an 8" x 4" loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine all ingredients for the base in a food processor and blend until well combined. The dough should be sticky and hold together well.
- Firmly press the dough into your lined loaf pan.
- Melt the chocolate. Mix in the sunflower seed butter and then pour the mixture over the base. Top with cacao nibs.
- Chill the bars for 30 minutes in the fridge, then cut them to desired size.
Notes
*Depending on the protein powder, you may need more or less water. Pea protein (what I used) can be pretty absorbent, so if you're using a protein powder like whey you may only need 1 Tbsp water.
Katie
My family and I love these bars. Enjoy!