This nut-free lemon protein bar recipe is soft and chewy with a lemony zesty flavor. The base recipe is just 5 ingredients and can be prepped in under 5 minutes. And it brings in 15 grams of protein per serving.
I personally find that the shop-bought protein bars are overhyped and overpriced. They are also full of artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and other additives that may cause digestive discomfort.
If protein bars are a regular part of your daily diet, the convenience of buying them from the store may be tempting, but the costs can quickly add up. Alternatively, making them as part of your weekly meal prep allows you to prepare enough batches to last the entire week.
Looking for more high-protein sweet recipes? Try these protein cookies, protein overnight oats, and these protein blueberry muffins.
If you're after another protein-packed snack, try this cottage cheese chocolate mousse recipe or this protein sludge recipe.
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Why I love this recipe
Easy and quick: these no-bake homemade protein bars don't need an elaborate recipe and an hour of standing in the kitchen. 5 main ingredients and 5 minutes is all you need to make these bright lemon-flavored lemon cake bars.
High protein: because the protein powder used in this recipe increases the protein content.
Budget-friendly: If you add up the price of the shop-bought protein bars, you'd be shocked. A batch of these homemade protein bars is equivalent to the industrial ones, with a full list of some strange ingredients you can't even pronounce.
Customizable: You can make it with your favorite ingredients or with whatever you happen to have on hand if you don't want to run to the store.
Ingredients needed
Oat flour: I didn't have it ready at home so I made my own in a food processor and then sifted it. In this recipe you can use half oat flour and almond flour.
Protein powder: I used unsweetened whey protein powder in this recipe. If you use sweetened you might need to adjust the quantity of the sweetener used.
Pumpkin seed butter: to keep the recipe nut free but you can replace it with cashew butter ( I wouldn't recommend almond butter or peanut butter as they can overpower the lemon flavor for this particular recipe). You can use coconut oil, sunflower seed butter or tahini.
Maple syrup: acts as a sweetener and binder. It can be replaced with honey or brown rice syrup.
Lemon zest: it brings in more flavor than the juice. I also like to use it for garnish. Use a cheese grater to get the zest out of the lemons but don't get the white part because it's bitter.
Lemon juice: it enhances the lemon flavor.
How to make nut-free lemon protein bars
Step 1- Combine the dry ingredients into a bowl: the oat flour, almond flour, protein powder.
Step 2- Melt the wet ingredients: in a different bowl melt the pumpkin seed butter with the maple syrup.
Step 3- Add to the dry ingredients. add lemon juice and lemon zest.
Step 4- Transfer to a baking pan lined with parchment paper and freeze for 30 minutes.
Cut it into 9 protein bars and enjoy.
Recipe Tips
- Depending on the different flours and protein powder used as well as the protein powder the mixture might come a bit too wet or too dry in this case you can add more lemon juice if it's dry and oat flour/almond flour if it's too wet.
- To adjust the dryness wetness of the mixture, add one tablespoon of oat flour at a time and mix again.
- To adjust the wetness of the mixture, add one tablespoon of lemon at a time and mix again.
Storage Instructions
These can last in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks. And freeze in freezer-safe bags for up to 6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, according to WSJ: "The cost of ingredients makes up only 25% of the price, and profit margins for bars tend to hover as high as 40% to 50%, compared with only 20% to 30% for most other packaged foods," So we're paying 75% plus additives and unnecessary ingredients.
The main ingredients are: oat flour, protein powder, a sweetener and nut or seed butter.
If they are homemade and made of wholesome ingredients then yes.
Recipe Card
Nut free Lemon Protein Bars
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Oat flour
- 1 cup Protein powder
- ½ cup Sunflower seed butter
- ½ cup Maple syrup or honey
- 1 Zest of one lemon
- 3 tablespoon Lemon juice
Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients into a bowl: the oat flour, almond flour, protein powder.
- Melt and add the wet ingredients: in a different bowl melt the pumpkin seed butter with the maple syrup and add to the dry ingredients. add lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Transfer to a 9x4 inch loaf baking pan like with parchment paper and freeze for 30 minutes. then cut it into 9 protein bars and enjoy.
