Vegan No-Bake Cookie Dough Protein Bars (4 ingredients)

Kitchen-made vegan no-bake cookie dough protein bars are especially-straightforward, high-protein, gluten-free, oil-free, inexpensive and satisfying!Only four ingredients, too!

Kitchen-made Junk Free Vegan Protein Bars

Both my husband and I eat protein bars on a regular basis, right after hard training sessions.

For years, I never paid attention to my protein needs post-workout; I thought that, so long as I was eating a nourishing diet, I was just fine. And I was, for the most part, but I had a hard time making significant gains for more intense training and long-distance runs. Plus, I would feel pooped more often that I should have given the amount of rest I was getting.

It took a sports nutritionist all of 5 minutes to figure out what I needed, namely more protein in my diet, and protein bars and other protein snacks quickly became as important a part of my routine as my workouts.

The great news is that a basic, junk-free, high-protein bar is ridiculously straightforward to make, and at a fraction of the price, too. Here it is your new go-to treat: Vegan No-Bake Cookie Dough Bars!

Recipe Benefits

• Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
• Gluten-free
• Oil-free (no coconut oil, vegetable oil, or olive oil)
• Only 4 ingredients
• Customizable (e.g., flavor add-ins, stir-ins, toppings)
• No-bake
• Quick and straightforward to make

Ingredients for Kitchen-made Protein Bars

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.Toggle betweenUS Customary(volume) andMetric(weights) for preferred measurement option.

• Old-fashioned or quick-cooking rolled oats (certified gluten-free, as needed)
• Plain nondairy milk (e.g. almond, rice, soy, hemp)
• Natural, unsweetened nut or seed butter (e.g., peanut butter, cashew butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter, tahini)
• All natural vegan vanilla protein powder

Step by Step Instructions

Note that the complete instructions are also in the recipe card below.

• Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan with foil or parchment paper.
• Place the oats in a blender or food processor and process into a fine powder.
• Add the milk and the nut or seed butter to the processor bowl. Process, using on/off pulses, until the mixture is blended and smooth, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl once or twice with a rubber spatula.
• Add the protein powder to bowl; process using on/off pulses until all of the protein powder is incorporated, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl once or twice with a rubber spatula (Tip: add a pinch of sea salt to the dough if the nut butter is unsalted).
• Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Place a large piece of parchment paper, wax paper or plastic wrap atop bar mixture and use it to spread and flatten the bars evenly in the pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight in the fridge, or place in the freezer for one hour, or until firm.
• Using the liner, lift the mixture from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Peel off the foil or parchment and cut into 8 bars.

FAQS

• How Should I Store the Bars?Individually and tightly wrap the bars in plastic wrap. Store the bars at cool room temperature for 1 day or the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Alternatively, place the wrapped bars in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. Let the frozen bars thaw at room temperature for about 1 hour.
• What is the Taste and Texture of the No-Bake Vegan Cookie Dough Bars?The bars have a firm, fudge-like texture that will vary in favor according to the nut butter or seed butter used.
• Can I Customize the Flavor of the Bars with Add-Ins?Yes! Customize the bars in countless ways with a slick of chocolate, spices (e.g., cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice), natural extracts (e.g., almond, vanilla), chopped nuts and dried fruits, or a few chocolate chips.
• Can I Make the Bars Sweeter?Yes. These bars are minimally sweet, so If you prefer your vegan protein bars a bit sweeter, add the suggested chocolate chips, dried fruit (a few tablespoons), or unsweetened coconut flakes to the dough.
• Alternatively, or in addition, add a bit of your go-to natural sweetener (e.g., mashed dates, coconut sugar, stevia, or liquid sweetener such as agave nectar, maple syrup or agave nectar)
• Can I Add Chocolate to these Bars?Yes! Consider topping the bars with dark chocolate chips (press into the dough) or a drizzle of melted dairy-free chocolate. You can also add some miniature dairy-free chocolate chips (chocolate chip cookie dough protein bars anybody?) or finely grated dark chocolate directly to the dough.
• I Do Not Need the Bars to be Vegan. Can I use Whey Protein instead of Vegan Protein?Yes, but with a modification. Whey protein will not work in this recipe as written; the bars will have a gooey, sticky texture that will not hold together in bar form. But the problem is easily solved by increasing the total amount of oats to 2 cups (200 grams total oats) and reducing the amount of milk to 1/2 cup (118 ml).
• Can I Make Protein Balls instead of Bars?Yes! You can form the dough into any size or shape that suits your fancy, from balls to rounds to free-form mini bars.
• Can I use Oat Flour in Place of the Rolled Oats. Yes. Replace the rolled oats with an equal weight (100 grams) of oat flour (about 1 cup minus 2.5 tablespoons oat flour).