Strawberry Protein Cookie Bars
220kcal
Ingredients
For the cookie bar dough
- :
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour 150 g
- 1/2 cup vanilla whey protein powder 45 g
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter 75 g, melted
- 1/3 cup allulose 65 g
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
For the mix-ins:
- 1 cup fresh strawberries 150 g, diced small and patted dry
- 1/3 cup white chocolate chips 60 g, sugar-free
Method
- Prep the pan and strawberries. Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment, leaving overhang. Dice strawberries into 1/4-inch pieces and pat dry with a paper towel to remove surface moisture.
- Make the dough. Whisk melted butter, allulose, egg and vanilla until smooth. Add almond flour, whey protein, baking powder and salt. Mix into a thick cookie dough.
- Fold in mix-ins. Gently fold the dried diced strawberries and most of the white chocolate chips into the dough. Do not overmix, keep defined chunks.
- Press and top. Press the dough evenly into the pan with fingertips. Scatter the reserved white chocolate and a few extra strawberry pieces on top, pressing them in lightly.
- Bake, cool, slice. Bake 18 to 22 minutes until edges are golden and center just set but still soft. Cool completely in the pan, at least 30 minutes, then lift out by the parchment and slice into 12 bars.
Nutrition
Serving12gCalories220kcalCarbohydrates11gProtein20gFat13gSaturated Fat5gSodium85mgFiber2gSugar4gCalcium70mg
Notes
- Pat the diced strawberries dry. Surface water causes gummy centers.
- Use no more than 1 cup strawberries, diced small. More fruit means a center that never sets.
- Underbake slightly. Bars firm up as they cool and you want a chewy center.
- Cool completely before slicing or the bars crumble and the strawberry pockets are molten.
- Whey or casein protein only. Plant proteins dry the bars.