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These No-Bake Mint Chocolate Protein Bars are made with just 7 ingredients and in just 20 minutes! No need to turn your oven on or spend hours slaving in the kitchen to make the ultimate on-the-go snack.
Do you ever get flashbacks with recipes? This recipe brings me right back to when I was still living with my parents and my siblings stole all of the treats I made. I love that this recipe has stood the test of time and I still make (and crave!) them today.
The world seems to go crazy over protein balls and energy bites but I don’t see many people make their own protein bars. That changes today! I promise this recipe is just as easy as energy balls… maybe even easier because you don’t have to roll out 32859 balls.
Why Protein Bars?
In my past life, I would have thought protein bars were what bodybuilders and extreme weightlifters needed and ate. That is so not the case! Everybody needs protein… Protein helps with bone health, boosts your metabolism, and helps your body repair after a workout or injury. I don’t think we necessarily need to look to add more protein to our diet but making sure you have a little bit of protein with every snack and meal is a good goal! Which is where these chocolate protein bars come in. They taste amazing and are a balanced snack that you can enjoy any time of day! Plus, you can’t beat the flavor combination of chocolate and mint… so good!
RELATED: No-Bake Protein Oatmeal Energy Balls
Ingredients in No-Bake Mint Chocolate Bars
- dates
- nuts – I used cashews and almonds
- protein powder (whey or plant-based works great)
- cocoa powder
- peppermint extract
- almond milk
- sea salt
How to Make the Best Protein Bar
You need two kitchen supplies to make these bars: a food processor and a baking pan. Start by pulsing the dates in a food process until they’re chopped up into pieces the size of a pea. Add in the nuts and process until the mixture is finely ground. Add in the rest of the ingredients and process until a sticky ball is formed.Â
Place the bar mixture into a baking dish lined with parchment paper and flatten using your hands. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes to allow the bars to set a bit. Remove from the freezer, cut into 12 bars and store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.Â
PrintNo-Bake Mint Chocolate Protein Bars
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 Bars 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup of dates
- 1 cup of nuts (I used 1/2 cup cashews and 1/2 cup of almonds)
- 3/4 cup protein powder (I used Vega One French Vanilla but whey protein works too)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- 2 tbsp almond milk (if using whey protein, you will need to use slightly more)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Place dates in food processor and process until pea-like consistency is reached.
- Add in nuts and continue processing until dates and nuts are finely ground.
- Add in protein powder, cocoa powder, salt, peppermint extract and almond milk and process until a well-combined sticky ball is formed.
- Take a 9 x 9 inch baking dish and line with plastic wrap.
- Place bar mixture into dish and flatten, making sure the top is even.
- Place in freezer for at least 15 mins.
- Remove from freezer and lift plastic wrap out of dish.
- Cut into 12 bars.
- Store in fridge or freezer.
*edited: the original recipe used 1/2 cup puffed cereal (I used puffed millet but puffed rice or amaranth works) stirred in at the end. The recipe works with or without it.
Like this recipe? Here are some you might also enjoy:
No-Bake Peanut Butter Cup Protein Bars
Grain-Free Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Matcha Protein Energy Bars
OH MY GOSH! I’m the same! My mom and dad and little sister steal my food all the time! I buy something I want to try and all of a sudden its half way gone. They think I buy it for them or something. Um, no. I start making something in the kitchen and they think its for them, when I’m just experimenting (for myself or the blog)
Those bars look great though!
My family legit hovers over me in the kitchen waiting to see what I’m making. Sometimes I tell them it’s healthy and tastes bad and they back off…on the downside whenever I make something that’s healthy and tastes good and I want them to try it they never do!
Hahaha I love this story! I was definitely territorial of my food in college but that’s because I was poor and valued my cheap gross food more than I should have. Nowadays, what’s mine is always yours! 🙂 These look great – puff cereal – would that be like Rice Krispies?
Death stares are the best way to make friends, so in accordance with your post a few days ago, I think you should just walk around with a death stare, see below (there are curse words in this video, sorry if that is inappropriate to you):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v98CPXNiSk
🙂 That’s my game plan.
That video is amazing!!! That’s my new make friends plan of action!!! Also I have the worst potty mouth so don’t worry 😉
Rice Krispies are puffed rice so they would be perfect in this!!
I think I need to hold another bake-a-thon dedictated to all of your creations because I can’t not make this!
That’s exactly how I feel about all of your recipes!!!
YUM! these look so good! and yes i learned to eat really quickly growing up because otherwise everything homemade and delicious would be gone. oh wait, actually, come to think of it i WAS the cookie thief growing up. i used to always sneak them when my mom made them, even after i had already eaten like 7 🙂
You’d fit right in with the rest of my family then!!!
It’s like you read my mind! Completely obsessed with mint and chocolate, this looks like the perfect treat to satisfy my sweet tooth. And I’ve got a confession: I’m usually the one who does the stealing, sorry sis. 😛
Haha laughing out loud as I read this! Yes. Totally been there! But even now that I’m living in my own apartment alone food STILL goes missing. Seriously – I somehow lost a bag of cumin the other day. Who knows where it is!
‘Stealing’ food was always an argument when I lived with 5 roommates in 2nd year!
Something like this happened to me but it was with David’s Tea. Turns out I didn’t lose it, I just left it at the store!!! I went back two weeks later to re-purchase it (hadn’t realized I’d left it there) and the guy remembered me and pulled out my tea that he’d saved for me. Just another reason I love that place!
Oh those big brothers, such a pain. 😉 Hahaha I definitely mean that with all the love in the world! I love my big bro to death! Happy birthday to yours 😀
I can be quite territorial with my food too… I want others to try it and I love it when my family wants to eat my healthy creations, but at the same time I want to eat all of it! Haha!
Chocolate and mint is such an awesome combo, as are most chocolate combos. 😉 These look so delicious, I love the addition of the puffed cereal!
Exactly! I went them to try it but not eat it all! Problem is that I can’t monitor my food at all times…though sometimes I feel like I might be lol
I loooooove all things mint! And mint chocolate??? Oh my gosh. This may be my favorite recipe that you’ve ever posted. When you say puffed cereal, does that mean like Rice Krispies, or am I completely off base here?
rice krispies are puffed 🙂 They would work great in this!
I hide stuff I don’t want to get taken, like the chocolate chips that I secretly snack on. My husband always acts shocked when he discovers my stash, but I know he’s not really that surprised. I’ve become a much better sharer living with him because he always gives me the last helping of the good stuff, which is super sweet of him, so I try to return the favor.
I think my fam has found all of my hiding places!!! I’ve now resorting to hiding certain things in my room grrr
Oh I could eat these everyday! Can’t wait to make them! I hate when people steal my food too haha =)
Drives me nuts! Depending on whose at the house these last maybe 1-3 days…thankfully my brother isn’t a around much 😉