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August 25, 2012

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars

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I'm really surprised that I've never gotten sick with Salmonella.  I used to eat raw cookie dough by the tub.

The 36oz tubs.  From Costco.  Yeahhh.

So I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss grabbing a movie, a spoon and the cookie dough tub then plopping myself on the couch... ehem... so I solved that problem by making cookie-dough-meets-protein-bar.




These protein bars are super sweet, buttery and decadent, just like the cookie dough you'd buy from the store only a lot healthier.  These are chewy with the occasional crunch from the chocolate chips.  They don't taste healthy by a long shot, you need to make them ASAP!


Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars:  [no bake, low sugar, high fiber/protein, GF, vegan]
(makes 10 bars)

   144g (1+1/2 cups) Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (GF if you like)
   128g (1/2 cup) Raw Almond Butter
   1 cup + 3 tbs Unsweetened Almond Milk
   10 packets Truvia (or sweetener of choice)
   1/2 tsp Stevia Extract
   1/2 tsp Butter Extract
   1/4 tsp Salt
   40g (1/4 cup) Brown Rice Flour
   168g (8 scoops) Unflavored Brown Rice Protein Powder (I used SunWarrior)
   1/3 cup Mini Dark Chocolate Chips (I used EnjoyLife)

Directions:
1.  Line a 9" brownie pan with parchment paper both ways and set aside.
2.  Blend the oats into a flour and set aside.
3.  In a large stand mixer bowl, add the almond butter and almond milk and stir (don't use a whisk attachment.  If you feel like getting an arm workout, skip the stand mixer and use a spoon and your arm!)
4.  While the mixer is still mixing, add the Truvia, stevia, butter extract and salt.
5.  Still mixing, add the brown rice flour and oat flour.  Add the protein powder (dough should be thick like cookie dough)
6.  Take the bowl off the stand mixer and fold in the chocolate chips.  Dump into the prepared pan and flatten with the spatula (or if you're fancy, a pastry roller).  Cover and refrigerate overnight.
7.  The next day, slice into bars and store covered in the fridge.

Notes:
1.  For reference, 10 packets of Truvia = 6 tbs + 2 tsp of sugar and 1/2 tsp of stevia = 1/2 cup sugar.
2.  If you don't have butter extract just add more chocolate chips  ;)
3.  Feel free to add 1 tsp of vanilla paste/extract.
4.  I'm sure other flours will work in place of the brown rice flour (such as oat flour, almond flour, etc)
5.  Do not use whey protein powder in this recipe, it will be gooey and will not solidify.

If you are the on-the-go type, wrap each bar in parchment paper, tape to close and keep covered on a plate, that way you can easily grab them out of the fridge.


Quite honestly, this recipe shouldn't be limited to just protein bars... you can totally eat it straight out of the mixing bowl!  Or just keep it in the fridge.  You know, for emergency snacks... emergency snacks that must contain chocolate.



With an amazing nutrition label like this, I'd choose these protein bars over cookie dough, storebought protein bars and junk food in every way, shape and form!

  


Does that look healthy to you?  I didn't think soooo

20 comments:

  1. Can you use whey isolate protien??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've tried making these with whey but it turns very gooey rather than cookie-dough-like. However, my friend them with pretty good results using !2/3 cup of soymilk rather than 1c+2T of almond milk (I guess mine didn't turn out well because I used too much liquid)

      If you try these with whey I would mix all the dry ingredients together, mix in the almond butter + extracts, THEN add the almond milk 1 tbs at a time until you get a cookie dough consistency.

      Good luck! I'm crossing my fingers this works :)

      Delete
  2. Jessica, these look AMAZING! I so have to give them a try! And I will... soon!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I just tried making these and instead used pea protein powder. They are in the fridge, but they were pretty crumbly. Thoughts? Should I add more liquid? Thanks :) Can't wait!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sarah, it could be the pea protein. I've used a couple protein powders with pea protein as a main ingredient and they usually end up with a crumbly texture. The dough should be like cookie dough and should form a bar. I would try adding more almond butter or maybe even some liquid sweetener to help hold together, say ~1/4 cup? I'm crossing my fingers they hold together, but most of all I hope they taste good :)

      Delete
  4. yum..yum...want to reach out and take a bite.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This looks so amazing. I'm obsessed with chocolate chip cookies, so to find healthier versions is always exciting. I absolutely love your recipes/pictures/blog!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yeah I used whey and it did not work out very well. Still tastes good though!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Just found your blog.. great stuff. Thanks for figuring this all out... and sharing your yummy results! I think this will be my first recipe to try. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow - one little bar sure packs a punch in the protein department! Definitely my type of "on the way to the gym" type of snack. Would love to get my hands on a non-whey protein powder to give these bad boys a go. I absolutely love how you give us health-foodies something BEAUTIFUL to drool over, cupcakes don't really do it for me anymore eh :D

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great recipe. Just a question regarding fibre - is it possible to up the fibre by adding psyllium and if so, how many grams?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Although I have a bottle of psyllium in my pantry, I've never used it yet so I'm not sure how much you should add. If it absorbs a lot of liquid (like flax and chia) then I would add 1 tbs psyllium powder + 1 tbs almond milk. Mix it in a bowl first then add it with the almond butter and almond milk :)

      Delete
  10. OMGoodness, I made these over the weekend and they are soooooooooooooo GOOD!!!

    I used oat flour instead of old fashioned oats (didn't have that much on hand), I added some ground psyllium, half the stevia (I'm hit or miss with stevia, sometimes it makes me feel weird and sometimes I'm ok- so to be safe I went with half)and some agave (again, this is what I had on hand)

    I've eaten one every single day as part of my lunch and WOW, it really has helped keep me stay full before my after work work-out = ) thank you so much for sharing!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so glad you liked the protein bars Melissa!! Maybe I'll try adding psyllium to my next batch :)
      -Jess

      Delete
  11. Hello,

    This is my first visit to your site and I saw that you had truvia listed as an ingredient. I had never heard of it before, although, I am a stevia fan. I came across this review site for the product and thought I'd pass it along..

    http://side-effects.owndoc.com/truvia-side-effects.php

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi! Thanks for sharing the site. I have never had any problems with Truvia, and I prefer the taste over manmade-Splenda. Erythritol is considered to be one of the best sugar substitutes because fewer people react to it opposed to sucralose, maltitol, xylitol, etc.
      You can certainly use a different packeted sweetener in the recipe, such as stevia packets :)

      Delete
  12. I made these and they are in my fridge now, firming up! I can't wait to eat them! I know FOR SURE that I won't be able to sleep comfortably tonight, knowing that they are in the kitchen waiting for me... Gosh I wish the morning would hurry up already so I can bite into their savory goodness!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. EEK I hope you love the protein bars! Every time I make this I eat a few spoonfuls before I flatten it into the pan ;)

      Delete

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