These keto protein bars take just 15 minutes to make and have 13g of protein per serving. They’re made with heart healthy macadamia nuts and sugar-free white chocolate for a delectable keto snack. Only 2g net carbs per bar!
Stop right there! Before you go wasting any more money on pre-packaged snacks, you have to give this recipe for keto protein bars a try. They are so delicious and easy to make. No oven required.
And they’re packed with healthy goodness too! Made with antioxidant-rich macadamia nuts, they have plenty of healthy fats and fiber and contain almost 14g of protein. If you’re a fan of my Keto White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies, you will adore these bars.
Why make your own keto protein bars?
I find that as I get older, my protein needs have increased on keto. And research supports this idea as well, particularly in women. So I have a growing list of low carb high protein recipes, like my tasty Peanut Butter Protein Balls.
There are so many brands of keto protein bars on the market and I find the vast majority of them disappointing. They don’t taste great, have an odd texture, and many of them have questionable ingredients.
Making your own is so easy and you know exactly what goes into them. And you can adjust to your tastes, making them sweeter or less sweet and switching up the flavor profile as you like.
Even better, these homemade protein bars have only 2g net carbs. Compare that to the 4 to 5g in many pre-packaged bars. Have I sold you yet? Let’s get started!
Ingredients you need
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- Macadamia nuts: Use raw unsalted macadamias for these keto protein bars. You would also use blanched almonds, or a mix, if you want to save on the expense of macadamias.
- Protein powder: I recommend unflavored whey protein isolate for this recipe, as flavored varieties will overwhelm the macadamia flavor. Other kinds of protein work as well but collagen may not require as much added water. So add it just a tablespoon at a time.
- Sweetener: To avoid grittiness, you will want to use a powdered sweetener. See the Expert Tips section for more sweetener options.
- Almond flour: A little almond flour gives the protein bars more structure and volume. But you could also use coconut flour. I recommend using only about 3 tablespoons coconut flour.
- White chocolate: I used ChocZero white chocolate chips for this recipe. You could also use dark or milk chocolate.
- Coconut oil: A little coconut oil helps the white chocolate melt more smoothly without seizing. You can use other oils, but don’t use butter as it makes the white chocolate seize.
- Pantry staples: Vanilla, salt.
Step by Step Directions
1. Use a food processor: Place the macadamia nuts in a food processor and grind until they start to release their oils and become a coarse nut butter. You will have to scrape down the blade and sides of the processor multiple times.
2. Add the protein powder: Add the protein powder, sweetener, almond flour, vanilla, and salt. Continue to process until well mixed, scraping down the sides as needed.
3. Add water to bind it: At this point, the mixture will be quite dry. Add ¼ cup of the water and continue to process until the mixture begins to clump together. Add more water as needed, a little at a time. Once you can squeeze the mixture together in the palm of your hand, it’s ready.
4. Form the bars: Transfer to a bowl and stir in half of the white chocolate chips and the chopped macadamia nuts. Press the mixture into the prepared pan firmly and evenly. Refrigerate about an hour to firm up. Lift out by the edges of the parchment and slice into 8 bars.
5. Make the drizzle: In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the remaining white chocolate chips and the coconut oil. Melt on high in short bursts, stirring frequently until smooth. Drizzle over the bars.
Expert Tips
Macadamia nuts are a great choice for keto diets as they are very low carb and full of healthy fats. But they are also quite expensive, so you can swap some of them out with blanched almonds if you prefer.
Use a very sharp knife to cut them, as the white chocolate chips and chopped macadamias make them tough to cut nicely. I even recommend heating up your knife a bit to help it slice through more easily.
I cut mine into long bars because I thought that made them more like conventional protein bars. But upon reflection, I actually think it would be easier to cut them into 8 squares, four down and two across. It’s up to you!
Sweetener Options: Because these bars aren’t baked, you want to choose a powdered sweetener, to avoid grittiness. But they should work with any powdered sweetener. You can also cut down on the erythritol by adding some stevia or monk fruit extract.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many commercial protein bars are very high in carbs and sugars, and should be avoided on the keto diet. Even so-called keto bars may not be truly low carb so read the labels carefully. But making your own keto protein bars is an easy and delicious option.
These white chocolate macadamia keto protein bars have 6.5g of carbs and 4.5g of fiber. So they have only 2g net carbs per serving.
These bars don’t spoil easily and are firm enough to be left at room temperature for several hours. But I recommend keeping them in the fridge in a covered container most of the time. They will keep for several weeks.
More delicious recipes you will love
Keto Protein Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw macadamia nuts divided
- 1 cup unflavored whey protein isolate
- ½ cup almond flour or 3 tablespoon coconut flour
- ⅓ cup Swerve Confectioners or other powdered sweetener
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 to 6 tablespoon water
- 1 ½ ounces sugar-free white chocolate chips divided
- ½ teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment or waxed paper. Set aside about 10 of the macadamia nuts and use a sharp knife to chop them finely.
- Place the remaining macadamia nuts in a food processor and grind until they start to release their oils and become a nut butter. You will have to scrape down the blade and sides of the processor multiple times.
- Add the protein powder, almond flour, sweetener, vanilla, and salt. Continue to process until well mixed, scraping down the sides as needed.
- At this point, the mixture will be quite dry. Add ¼ cup of the water and continue to process until the mixture begins to clump together. Add more water as needed, a little at a time. Once you can squeeze the mixture together in the palm of your hand, it's ready.
- Transfer to a bowl and stir in half of the white chocolate chips and chopped nuts. Press the mixture into the prepared pan firmly and evenly. Refrigerate about an hour to firm up.
- Lift out by the edges of the parchment and slice into 8 bars.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the remaining white chocolate chips and the coconut oil. Melt on high in short bursts, stirring frequently until smooth. Drizzle over the bars.
Amy says
Hi Carolyn! I actually already have macadamia nut butter. Can I use that instead of grinding nuts into butter or will it be too “ground”? Thanks!
Carolyn says
You should be able to, but use a little less if it’s very runny. Add more as needed to get the right dough-like consistency.
Lesley says
This looks great, but can I use the allulose instead?
Lois Sollenberger says
I plan to try these this week–I will use my Pampered Chef bar pan–I also use it for Carolyn’s granola bars–works great!!
Karen says
Made these this morning and it looks good but think next time just eat a handful of nuts and chips. Just kidding. They were easy and can’t wait to try.
Carolyn says
Well the good thing about this is the portion control. I might over-do it if I just did the chips and nuts!
kelly pounds says
I am dairy free would egg protein work?
Carolyn says
Please read the blog post as I talk about protein options already! 🙂
Matthew Clark says
Carolyn! Thank you so much for all your hard work. I have been looking for a substitute for Atkins bars. This is it! I will make my own!
I have made several of your desert recipes over the past few yoars, ALL were incredible!
Marcia says
These sound so easy and delicious but I don’t have a food processor. What can I use to achieve the same results?
Carolyn says
You might be able to do it with a really good blender. Has to be a really good one, though.