These homemade protein bars require just 4 ingredients and are made like the favorite Whole30 approved RXBAR using egg white protein, almonds, cashews and dates. Quick and easy, paleo and vegetarian! Customizable recipe!
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As much as I am trying to fill myself up during meals on this Whole30 journey, I sometimes fall short and just really need a snack. I’m big on snacks (as you may know with the many snacks I love to post…) and pretty much carry them with me wherever I go–I’ve even been known to pull out a baggie of mini muffins while watching MSU football at a bar…
But during the first week of my Whole30 I have realized how much I depend on them. I’m making a conscious effort to drink more water during and in between meals to make sure that dehydration doesn’t trick me. But when your stomach is actually hungry (not just bored) it’s time to eat a little something to hold you over until your next meal.
There are few store-bought protein/snack bars that I like, but RXBAR is definitely one of them–mostly due to their ingredients list (simple and no added sugars), which also makes them Whole30 approved. And as much as I love RXBARS, they’re kind of pricey! Usually around $2.30 per bar–depending on where you shop, if you’re just buying by the bar, or if you happen to come across a good sale.
When I noticed that NOW Foods carried pure egg white protein I immediately thought of RXBARS and that I NEEDED to create a DIY version.
4-Ingredient Homemade Protein Bars
4 Ingredients Needed for Homemade Paleo Protein Bars
- almonds
- cashews
- egg white protein
- medjool dates
How much does it cost to make homemade protein bars?
The bars themselves take very little time. And because I was curious to see the price comparison, I even broke it down for you for the dollar amount used in each ingredient:
- 1 cup almonds – $5.24
- 1 cup cashews – $5.44
- egg white protein – $2.96
- medjool dates – $6.84
*this is a rough estimate and definitely depends on if you can purchase your nuts and dates in bulk. So if you can have the ability to do that, the price per bar will come out even lower.
TOTAL COST PER BAR – $1.70
On average, you’re saving roughly .50/bar, again depending on various factors. Not to mention saving on packaging/waste 🙂 The savings may or may not be a huge deal to you, but if you’re interested in making more snacks at home, these homemade paleo protein bars may be a good option for you!
So what is the texture like of these homemade protein bars?
Soft and kinda chewy, but not nearly as chewy (or hard) as a RXBAR.
I personally don’t mind the texture of RXBARS. But if you don’t like how hard they can get, these homemade protein bars are a great option. They’re sweet, soft and no you cannot taste the protein!
I’ve even been enjoying them as a breakfast with my collagen coffee. The combination of the fats, carbs and protein holds me over for hours.
Where can I get egg white protein powder?
I typically buy mine on Amazon but I’ve also seen it in grocery stores like Whole Foods and Fresh Thyme.
More Homemade Protein Bar Recipes
- Mint Chocolate, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Blueberry and Magno all covered HERE.
- Cacao Coffee Protein Bars
- Cashew Chocolate Energy Balls
4-Ingredient Homemade Protein Bars
These homemade protein bars require just 4 ingredients and are made like the favorite Whole30 approved RXBAR using egg white protein, almonds, cashews and dates. Quick and easy, paleo and vegetarian!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: snacks
- Method: food processor
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1 cup pure egg white protein
- 18 large medjool dates, pitted (10 ounces)
- 2–4 TBS water
optional flavor add-ins:
- 1 TBS cinnamon
- 1 cube fresh ginger (or 1 tsp ground)
- 1/4 cup cacao powder
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Line a 8×8 pan with parchment paper, set aside.
- In the bowl of your food processor, process almonds, cashews, and egg white protein until nuts have broken down into small pieces. If using additional flavors (I used cinnamon and ginger here) add them with the first step.
- Add in pitted dates and process until combined–the mixture will look a little dry. With the motor running about 1 tablespoon of water at a time until mixture is sticky and everything comes together. Depending on if your dates were juicy or dry, you may need less or more water.
- Once mixtures has come together and is sticky, transfer to lined 8×8 pan. Use slightly wet hands to press evenly into pan. I use his fun little pastry roller to make it extra flat.
- Place pan in fridge for 1 hour, or freezer for 30 minutes before cutting into bars. Use large sharp knife and cutting board, cutting bars into 12 or 16 squares. Enjoy!
Notes
Bars can be enjoyed at room temperature but keep best in fridge. Store bars in covered container, with parchment paper in between layers. Bars should last about 2 weeks, or freezer about 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12
- Calories: 188
- Sugar: 17
- Sodium: 89mg
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 9
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: paleo protein bar, copycat rxbar, whole30 protein bar
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Esther Glazer says
Does it work to substitute plant based protein powder for the egg white protein as I am vegan.
Ashley says
You can sub plant protein, but you won’t need as much because the plant protein powder will absorb the wet ingredients more. I would start with 1/4 cup plant protein and only add a little more at a time, while pulsing the rest of the ingredients to make sure the mixture doesn’t dry out.
Nancy says
Great recipe!! I can imagine so many flavor combinations to try. Thanks for sharing
Jen says
Do you need to store these in the refrigerator after the initial freeze? Or can they sit on the counter?
Ashley says
They’re fine at room temp for a little bit, but I would store in fridge if you’re looking to keep for more than a couple of days.
Shelly Latimer says
Can I just use ACTUAL egg whites??
Ashley says
Hi Shelly, if you use actual egg whites you’ll want to omit the water. You can probably sub egg whites 1:1 with water, but I haven’t tried that myself. And you’ll want to make sure you enjoy the bars within 2-3 days since you’re using liquid egg whites and not the powder.
Gee says
This is a winner! I had to make some “keep the family sleeping” adjustments, as well as some “I was SURE I had that ingredient…” substitutions, and it turns out this recipe is pretty flexible! I had 8 oz. of dates, so subbed in 2 more oz. home-dried figs, boiling both down to a mush. It looked a bit loose, so I added some chia seeds to soak up extra moisture. I used almond meal for 1 cup of the nuts, then used a manual nut chopper for the other cup, filling in at the end with sesame seeds to make the total amount. I stirred up the dried fruit/chia mix with a wooden spoon, and added in dry ingredients, subbing in a seed protein mix for the egg white protein (could’ve sworn I had some…). It’s now in the refrig, after some serious snitching activity. If it comes out too sticky, I’ll sprinkle with ground flax or chia. Voila! No special equipment, no noise, no run to the store…I’d call this the perfect flexible recipe!
★★★★★