Copycat Barbell Protein Bars

GF V NF SF

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Description
 My go to protein bar is a Quest Bar, which I've already recreated to great success. But Vic prefers Barbell Protein Bars, so today I'm making my own version. This protein bar has a chewy, nougat-like protein filling, coated with melted chocolate. We end up with a sugar free protein bar with 200 calories, 20 g of protein, and no junk ingredients you've never heard of. Plus, it's less half the price, just $0.91 per bar instead of $8.98 for a measly box of 4. If you enjoy copycat protein bar recipes, also see my Copycat Quest Protein Bars and Copycat Chocolate RX Bars
Time
Prep Time:
15 minutes

Rest Time:
30 minutes

Total Time:
45 minutes
Cost
Total Cost:

Cost per Serving:
$0.91
Ingredients
Serving(s)
Filling - Dry
Filling - Wet
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 6 tbsp Water
Chocolate Coating
  • 2 tbsp Extra virgin coconut oil
  • 6 tbsp Cocoa powder
Instructions
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  1. In a medium bowl, mix together all dry ingredients for the filling - whey, granulated sweetener, coconut flour, cinnamon, and salt. Add in the vanilla, and thin out little by little with water until you have a sticky dough

    2.

  2. Line a plate with parchment paper, and divide the dough into 4 even balls (see the table below for the weight of each filling). Lightly wet your hands, and shape into bars

    3.

  3. In a small bowl, microwave your coconut oil for about 1 minute, until melted. Add in the cocoa powder, and stir until fully combined

    4.
  4. Optionally, add some sweetener to the chocolate. I prefer it unsweetened, but you can add 1-2 tbsp of any granular (12-24 g) or liquid (20-40 g) sweetener, or 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) liquid monk fruit

    5.
  5. Pour the chocolate over the protein bars, painting it over the top and the sides with a silicone spatula. Freeze for 30 minutes to harden, wrap each bar in parchment paper or aluminum foil, and store in an airtight bag in the fridge or freezer

    6.

  6. Alternatively, you can make "ball-bells", aka barbell protein bars, but as cookie dough balls instead. Instead of melting chocolate over the top, fold chocolate chips into the filling batter, and roll into cookie dough bites. I ended up with 24, meaning each serving of 6 protein balls is equivalent to 1 protein bar

    7.

The following are all good variations I've tried of these protein bars:

  1. Original recipe with unsweetened chocolate (as written above)
    • Mix melted coconut oil with cocoa powder to make your melted chocolate
    • I prefer it unsweetened, but you can add 1-2 tbsp of any granular (12-24 g) or liquid (20-40 g) sweetener, or 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) liquid monk fruit

  2. Sugar free chocolate chips
    • Replace the coconut oil and cocoa powder with 1/3 cup (60 g) sugar free chocolate chips
    • Add 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) coconut oil or olive oil to the chocolate chips to help with melting
    • Microwave the chocolate chips in 20 second intervals, stirring in between, until fully melted

  3. Oat Flour
    • Replace coconut flour with oat flour (1:1)
    • Reduce the water to 1/4 cup (60 g)

  4. Almond Flour
    • Replace coconut flour with almond flour (1:1)
    • Reduce the water to 1/4 cup (60 g)

  5. Candy Bar
    • Replace granulated monk fruit with granulated sugar (1:1)
    • Replace coconut oil and cocoa powder with 1/3 cup (60 g) semi sweet chocolate chips
    • Add 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) coconut oil or olive oil to the chocolate chips to help with melting
    • Microwave the chocolate chips in 20 second intervals, stirring in between, until fully melted

  6. Flavored Whey
    • Use a flavored whey protein powder in place of the unflavored. Vanilla is better but chocolate is good too
    • Omit the granulated monk fruit

  7. Double Flavored Whey
    • Use a flavored whey protein powder in place of the unflavored. Vanilla is better but chocolate is good too
    • Omit the granulated monk fruit
    • Replace the cocoa powder in the coating with flavored whey protein powder. Use vanilla for a white chocolate coating, or chocolate for a milk chocolate coating

  8. Liquid Monk Fruit
    • Use 1 tsp (5 g) of liquid monk fruit (or stevia) as your sweetener in place of the granulated monk fruit

  9. Honey
    • Use 4 tbsp (84 g) of honey (or maple syrup) as your sweetener in place of the granulated monk fruit
    • Reduce the water to 1/4 cup (60 g)
    • Replace cococnut oil and cocoa powder with 1/3 cup (60 g) semi sweet chocolate chips
    • Add 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) coconut oil or olive oil to the chocolate chips to help with melting
    • Microwave the chocolate chips in 20 second intervals, stirring in between, until fully melted

  10. Double Honey
    • Use 4 tbsp (84 g) of honey (or maple syrup) as your sweetener in place of the granulated monk fruit
    • Reduce the water to 1/4 cup (60 g)
    • Still use coconut oil and cocoa powder, but add 2 tbsp (42 g) honey (or maple syrup) to the melted chocolate

  11. Sugar Free Syrup
    • Use 4 tbsp (80 g) of sugar free syrup as your sweetener in place of the granulated monk fruit
    • Reduce the water to 1/4 cup (60 g)
    • Still use coconut oil and cocoa powder, but optionally add 2 tbsp (40 g) sugar free syrup to the melted chocolate

  12. Reese's
    • Replace the whey in the filling with 1 cup (96 g) powdered peanut butter
    • If your powdered peanut butter is unsalted, then double the salt in the filling to 1/2 tsp (3 g)
    • Increase the water to 10 tbsp (150 g)
    • Keep the chocolate coating the same

  13. Double Peanut Butter
    • Replace the whey in the filling with 1 cup (96 g) powdered peanut butter
    • If your powdered peanut butter is unsalted, then double the salt in the filling to 1/2 tsp (3 g)
    • Increase the water to 10 tbsp (150 g)
    • Replace the cocoa powder in the coating with powdered peanut butter
    • If your powdered peanut butter is unsalted, then add a 1/4 tsp (1.25 g) of salt to the peanut butter coating

  14. White Chocolate Peanut Butter
    • Replace the whey in the filling with 1 cup (96 g) powdered peanut butter
    • If your powdered peanut butter is unsalted, then double the salt in the filling to 1/2 tsp (3 g)
    • Increase the water to 10 tbsp (150 g)
    • Replace the cocoa powder in the coating with vanilla whey protein powder. You can also use chocolate for a milk chocolate peanut butter protein bar

  15. Casein Protein Powder
    • Replace the whey in the filling with 3 scoops (90 g) of casein protein powder
    • I'm using unflavored, but flavored will work too. Like with the flavored whey, omit the sweetener if using flavored casein
    • Increase the water to 1.25 cup (300 g). No that's not a typo

  16. Lower Sugar
    • This variation is for those who want less added sugar than the candy bar, honey, or double honey versions, but not sugar free like the rest. It's a good compromise of sugar free flavored protein powder and honey sweetened chocolate
    • Use a flavored whey protein powder in place of the unflavored. Vanilla is better but chocolate is good too
    • Omit the granulated monk fruit
    • Still use coconut oil and cocoa powder, but add 2 tbsp (42 g) honey and 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) liquid monk fruit to the melted chocolate

Nutrient Original
Recipe		 Sugar
Free
Chocolate
Chips		 Oat
Flour		 Almond
Flour		 Candy
Bar		 Flavored
Whey		 Double
Flavored
Whey		 Liquid
Monk
Fruit		 Honey Double
Honey		 Sugar
Free
Syrup		 Reese's Double
Peanut
Butter		 White
Chocolate
Peanut
Butter		 Casein
Protein
Powder		 Lower
Sugar
Calories 210 200 208 229 265 210 223 211 282 306 212 226 243 239 204 242
Protein 20.4 g  19.7 g  19.8 g  20.6 g  19.7 g  20.4 g  24.6 g  20.4 g  19.7 g  20.5 g  20.4 g  16.9 g  19.6 g  21.1 g  21.4 g  20.5 g 
Fat 11.3 g  8.6 g  10.7 g  15.0 g  8.6 g  11.3 g  10.9 g  11.3 g  8.6 g  11.3 g  11.3 g  12.2 g  12.1 g  11.9 g  9.2 g  11.3 g 
Net Carbs 5.1 g 4.3 g 8.1 g 3.4 g 23.6 g 5.1 g 3.7 g 5.2 g 28.9 g 30.9 g 5.5 g 8.1 g 7.7 g 6.8 g 4.4 g 13.8 g
Fiber 6.2 g  8.2 g  4.0 g  4.0 g  4.5 g  6.2 g  3.4 g  6.2 g  4.5 g  6.3 g  6.2 g  10.0 g  8.4 g  7.2 g  6.2 g  6.2 g 
Added Sugar 0.0 g 0.0 g 0.0 g 0.0 g 20.0 g 0.0 g 0.0 g 0.0 g 25.0 g 25.5 g 0.0 g 0.0 g 0.0 g 0.0 g 0.0 g 8.5 g
Sugar Alcohol 12.0 g 15.0 g 12.0 g 12.0 g 0.0 g 0.0 g 0.0 g 0.0 g 0.0 g 0.0 g 10.7 g 12.0 g 12.0 g 12.0 g 12.0 g 0.0 g
Cost $0.91 $1.04 $0.88 $0.97 $0.86 $0.71 $0.87 $0.79 $1.07 $1.06 $0.93 $0.83 $0.95 $0.99 $1.00 $0.87
Filling
Weight		 68 g 68 g 61 g 61 g 68 g 56 g 56 g 58 g 70 g 70 g 69 g 85 g 85 g 85 g 121 g 56 g
Scroll to the right to read information about every variation

Nutrition Facts
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Servings: 4
Serving Size: 1 protein bar
Calories: 210
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Total Fat: 11.3g (14 %)
 Saturated Fat: 8.3g (42 %)
 Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g
 Monounsaturated Fat: 0.8g
Cholesterol: 51mg (17 %)
Sodium: 187mg (8 %)
Total Carbohydrate: 23.3g (8 %)
 Fiber: 6.2g (22 %)
 Net Carbs: 5.1g
 Total Sugar: 2.9g
  Added Sugar: 0.0g (0 %)
 Sugar Alcohol: 12.0g
Protein: 20.4g (41 %)
------------------------------------------
Vitamin B12: 0.55mcg (23 %)
Vitamin D: 0.0mcg (0 %)
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Calcium: 141mg (11 %)
Iron: 2.4mg (13 %)
Magnesium: 82mg (20 %)
Potassium: 214mg (5 %)
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Glycemic Index:
16.5

Glycemic Load:
3.8