Coconut-Almond Protein Bars

I don’t know about you, but I cannot stand store-bought protein bars. They always taste like chalk and chemicals to me—just… bleh. And on top of that, I’ve never really found a flavor I actually like. It’s always the same options no matter the brand: Fudge Brownie, Cookies ’n Cream… rinse and repeat. How many ways can they remake the same flavors? So I finally decided—if you want something good, sometimes you’ve just got to make it yourself. I’m a huge coconut fan (and an Almond Joy fan!), so I whipped up these homemade protein bars with 19g of protein.

Trust me, once you taste these, you’ll never want to go back to the chalky store-bought stuff. Whip up a batch and let me know what you think—your taste buds (and your muscles) will thank you!

Ingredients

2 cups of Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
2 tbsp Coconut Oil (liquid/melted)*
4 tbsp Almond Butter (a thin one that is sort of liquidy)
6 Scoops of Premier Protein Powder ( Chocolate or Vanilla is fine, I used Vanilla)
2 tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/4 cup of Coconut Flour
2 tbsp Chopped Almonds
2 tbsp Truvia Zero Calorie Stevia Sweetener
1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Chips (If you prefer Semi-Sweet, it will just be a little bit more sugar content)
1 tsp Coconut Oil (liquid/melted)*
Optional: Unsweetened Shredded Coconut and chopped almonds for topping

Instructions

In a food processor, blend the shredded coconut and liquid coconut oil until it forms a butter-like consistency. Add the almond butter and mix, scraping down the sides every so often.
Add in the protein powder about 2 scoops at a time and mix in between each addition. Add the coconut flour, chopped almonds, cocoa powder, and the truvia and blend until fully combined. If the dough is too thick for the food processor to handle,
add a teaspoon of coconut oil or two more to loosen it up. Dough should be shiny and firm enough to mold into shape.
Press wax or parchment paper into an 8×8 or a 9×5 baking dish and spread the dough out evenly into the pan. If you have a bar mold pan, that works out perfectly. Put the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.
If you want to add the extra coconut and almond topping, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a sheet pan with parchment paper, spread out about a quarter cup of unsweetened shredded coconut and a quarter cup of chopped almonds. Bake in the preheated oven for about 3-5 minutes until it becomes fragrant and the coconut just begins to turn into a golden color.
Take the protein bar pan out of the freezer and cut into 12 bars. Place the bars on a wire rack over some wax paper to coat with chocolate. In a microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate chips and the 1 tsp of coconut oil. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between each until chocolate is smooth and melted. Drizzle the chocolate over the bars, and sprinkle the toasted almond/coconut mixture before the chocolate cools. place back in the fridge for 15 more minutes for the chocolate to harden.
Bars can stay refrigerated up to 2 weeks. I suggest wrapping them in wax paper.

*If using the solid Coconut oil, follow instructions on the package to melt, I just find it easier to use the one that stays
liquid.

If you give these a try, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below and let me know how yours turn out—or if you put your own spin on the recipe!