Vegan Chocolate-Coated Protein Bars

Protein bars are convenient, filling, and an easy way to sneak in some extra protein during the day. I tried countless brands over the years, and surprisingly, I only found one that checked all the boxes.

Back in the day, I was obsessed with Squarebar, a small company that made vegan, organic protein bars that not only tasted delicious but were also pretty healthy. Sadly, the company seems to have disappeared a few years ago, so I challenged myself to recreate similar bars at home – and I think I did quite well.

🧑🏼‍🍳 Behind This Recipe

First, shelf life. I wanted bars with a long shelf life because sometimes I’m lazy and don’t want to make the same bars twice a week. Many recipes you will find online call for almond milk or water. Unfortunately, once you start using milk, you have to keep the bars in the fridge, and they will only be good for a few days. These bars, however, will keep for at least a month at room temperature, since they use only shelf-stable ingredients. Which means that you can make a big batch, wrap them, and keep them in your pantry, OR give a few to your friends! (Hey, we are friends, right?)

Second, taste and texture. If you’ve ever had a protein bar, you probably know that many taste either bitter or have a chalky texture. That’s something I didn’t want at all. After testing several sweeteners and protein powders and adjusting ingredient ratios, I settled on a recipe that yields a sweet, chewy filling (think cookie-dough-like texture!) with a crispy chocolate coating. Oh, and each bar contains about 12g of plant protein for about 200 calories, which are pretty good macros for a protein bar.

💫 Here’s Why It’s So Good

• Chewy on the inside. Snappy on the outside. The filling of these bars holds together perfectly and stays chewy for days, thanks to the thin chocolate coating that prevents it from drying.
• Well-balanced flavor with no aftertaste. This will obviously depend a lot on your protein powder, but assuming you use a quality brand, you won’t find any bitterness or powdery texture here! The filling tastes subtly sweet, chocolatey, and is loaded with crunchy chopped almonds and, optionally, rice crisps!
• Portable. These protein bars make a tasty snack to bring with you when you go hiking, running, swimming, or simply watching Netflix, I won’t judge!

📋 Grab These Ingredients

Protein powder

Vegan protein powder makes the base of these bars.

Brand recommendations: I have tried these bars with 5 different protein powders, and the ones that yielded the best flavor were from Ghost and Awesome Supplements. Epic Protein from Sprout Living tasted pretty good as well, but because it contains lucuma, it had some aftertaste that I wasn’t the biggest fan of. Sunwarrior’s sprouted brown rice protein had an okay taste, but was a bit gritty in our opinion. I’m sure there are other great-tasting brands out there, so feel free to use your favorite.

Date syrup

To sweeten the bars, you will need date syrup. Since it’s made entirely from dates, it is a great refined-sugar-free option. Its natural stickiness helps bind the filling together.

Note: Don’t try to replace the date syrup with maple syrup. The bars won’t hold together well – I have tried it. If you don’t have date syrup, use brown rice syrup instead (you might have to add an additional tablespoon to the 1/3 cup).

Almond butter

For healthy fats and richness, I also include almond butter in the filling.

Substitute: Feel free to use cashew butter, hazelnut butter, or peanut butter for “peanut butter cup protein bars”!

Vanilla extract

To add gourmand and floral notes. When combined with the melted chocolate, it also helps mellow out the taste of the protein powder.

Dark Chocolate

You will use dark chocolate in both the filling and the coating. In the filling, it helps it firm up slightly and adds a delicate chocolate flavor. I suggest using 70% dark chocolate for the coating so the bars won’t be overly sweet.

Roasted almonds

For a little crunch, I incorporate roughly chopped roasted almonds.

Substitute: Be creative and use your favorite nuts! Crushed macadamia nuts, peanuts, hazelnuts, or even cashews!

Rice crisps (optional)

And finally, to add an extra layer of texture, you can add some rice crisps, brown rice crisps, or even soy crispies!

🥣 Instructions (With Photos)

1. Make the filling

1. Melt the chocolate chips. Melt the dark chocolate chips over a double boiler. Set it aside once melted.
2. Heat the liquid ingredients. Add the almond butter and date syrup to a saucepan and heat them over low heat for about one minute.

3. Process. Then, add the protein powder and warm almond butter/date syrup mixture to a food processor. Process for 1-2 minutes or until it forms a dough.

4. Add the melted chocolate chips. Next, add the melted chocolate chips and process for a few more seconds.
5. Add the nuts. Add the roasted almonds and process for another 5-10 seconds or until roughly chopped.

6. Press into a pan. Transfer the dough to a baking dish lined with parchment paper and press it very firmly into an even layer.

For this step, I usually place another layer of parchment paper on top of the dough and use a rectangular glass or a cap to flatten it evenly.

7. Refrigerate. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it cool for at least 6 hours at room temperature (or 2 hours in the refrigerator). This helps the mixture firm up.

8. Slice into bars. Once firmer, carefully lift the dough from the pan and cut it into 6 bars.

2. Dip the bars

1. Melt the chocolate. Melt the dark chocolate in a double-boiler.

2. Dip the bars. Working with one bar at a time, dip each in the melted chocolate using a fork. Then, transfer the chocolate-coated bar to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining bars.

3. Let them cool. Allow the chocolate shell to harden at room temperature for 2-3 hours (if your chocolate was tempered, this should only take about 20 minutes).

🥜 Variations

This recipe is just a base. Be creative and play with the add-ins! You could, for example, incorporate chocolate chips, shredded coconut, dried cranberries, raisins, or spices like cinnamon or ginger. And for a mint-chocolate flavor, add a few drops of mint extract. Feel free to experiment!

😍 How to Enjoy Them

Basically, anywhere and anytime! These bars make a great post-workout snack, but you can also dice them into chunks and use them as a topping for banana ice cream, oatmeal, or smoothie bowls.

💬 Troubleshooting

Hope you love these! The chewy filling, crunchy almond pieces, and crisp chocolate shell make these bars a must-try!

🍫 More Vegan Bar Recipes

No-Bake Chocolate Pistachio Bars

Healthier Chocolate Candy Bars (Vegan + GF)

Nutella Filled Soft Granola Bars

Vegan White Chocolate Macadamia Energy Bars

⭐️ Did you like this recipe? Let us know in the comments below, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Note: This recipe was first released in July 2016 and updated with new process shots and detailed instructions in November 2025. You can see the older photos below.