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When I work on recipes for the blog I have a pretty good idea which ones are going to "go viral". Every blogger has his or her specialties - their specific talents that keep people coming back for more. History (and stats) show that what my readers (you guys!) love most are my raw desserts. These are the posts that tend to evoke the most Facebook shares, Pinterest attention, Tweets, etc...you know all that social media that I hate to love (or is it love to hate?).
When I started noticing this trend I was:
a) Surprised. Raw food is only something I became interested in a couple of years ago and suddenly these recipes were getting all kinds of attention.
b) Tempted. It was a long-time battle to stay true to myself with this blog and not let traffic and attention drive my content. I found myself tempted to create only recipes that would give me loads of traffic, neglecting my original intention with the blog - showing how amazingly eclectic a vegan diet can (and should) be.
I am happy to say that I have silenced that desire (at least for now). The content of this blog has remained an honest depiction of my vegan diet as well as all kinds of recipes I am excited (sometimes giddy) to share.
And that means that often times I make posts knowing full well that they will have their day in the sun (or not) and shortly be buried up in the following weeks. That's okay with me. Each of those recipes, collections of photos, and stories I share are an important piece to this dynamic project that I love so much.
Then sometimes those very simple recipes, the ones I expect to be lost in my archives, are found and through the magic of the interwebs become some of my most popular recipes ever. Case in point: these German Chocolate Protein Bars. Made less than 4 months into my humble blogging beginnings, this little post has gone on to become my 4th most popular recipe and the more attention it was getting, the more it was calling out for a serious make-over.
This new German Chocolate Protein Bar is a slightly healthier, nuttier, and awesomer version of the first but I have saved the original (along with the newer one) in the recipe card below for everyone who has been making and loving these bars over the past 2 years.
German Chocolate Protein Bars
Ingredients
Original Recipe
- 1 cup oats
- ½ cup soy protein powder
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ⅔ cup dates pitted
- ⅓ cup + 2 tablespoon pecans
- ½ cup + 3 tablespoon shredded unsweetened coconut
- 6 tablespoon brown rice syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ salt
New & Improved Recipe
- 1 cup oats
- ½ cup vegan protein powder I used soy
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup Medjool dates pitted and soaked for 30 minutes
- ½ cup + ¼ cup chopped pecans divided
- ½ cup + ¼ cup shredded coconut divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- water as needed up to ¼ cup
- 2 tablespoon cacao nibs or chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a food processor grind up the oats until they are a fine flour. Add protein and cocoa powders and blend again until well combined.
- Drain and rinse the dates then add them to the food processor along with ½ cup of pecans, ½ cup of shredded coconut, vanilla, and salt. Blend again, adding a little water at a time, until a dough forms.
- Transfer dough to a bowl, stir in the remaining ¼ cup of pecans and coconut along with 2 tablespoon cacao nibs or chocolate chips.
- Scrape dough onto a piece of parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Cover with another piece of parchment paper and roll the bars out to about ½ inch, shaping into a square as you roll.
- Place the bars in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours, allowing them to firm up before cutting into 12 equal pieces.
- Store in refrigerator for 5 days or a month in the freezer.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
Mics says
Great recipe! According to myfitnesspal the nutrition scores are different from above:
Calories per bar (recipe makes 12)
157
Protein 5.9
Carbs 15.5
Fat 8.6
Each bar costs roughly 1/3 of the price of the cheaper store-bought protein bars 🙂
Terry says
Thanks for this awesome recipe! I just made my first ever batch of protein bars, from this recipe, and the dough tastes insanely good. They're setting up in the fridge and I can't wait to try one. But I don't know if I did something wrong...the dough became like cement, stuck to anything it touched and I had a horrible time getting it out of the processor bowl, or off the spoon, or my fingers. Shaping it into a square was out of the question, I don't know if I'll be able to get the parchment paper off. Is this normal? Maybe I used too many dates?
Sara says
Hi I was looking for a tasty homemade protein bar recipe after being disgusted with the ingredients and the price of commercially available bars. This was my first time making a protein bar, and they came out delicious. I substituted 1/3 of the oat flour for coconut flour to make them less dense, used toasted almonds for the blended mixture, and added 1/2 cup of milled chia and flax seed for extra protein and nutrition. I also spread a thin layer of dark chocolate over the outside of the bars instead of adding chocolate chips or cocoa nibs to the mixture, and sprinkled the tops with toasted unsweetened coconut and chopped toasted pecans. They taste heavenly and I'll be making these again whenever I need a chocolate fix. Great recipe, thank you for sharing.
Justin says
Any idea on a general price range for a batch of 10 of these protein bars? I know it is tough to guesstimate due to buying a lot of these ingredients in bulk.
Diana says
I like to eat these while I'm hiking. My friends liked them too when I shared. Do you have any idea how much protein is in each serving?
LeRai Porter says
I made the improved recipe twice and love it. I have some protein powder that I bought for smoothies that I couldn't stand the taste of but didn't want to throw it our or give it away. So I use it in this recipe. The taste of the powder gets lost with the ingredients of the mixture. My husband backpacks and will send him packing with these tasty wholesome treats. I use raw cacao powder instead of cocoa powder for more nutritional impact. I will be making these weekly. Now I have to try the hemp seed brownies. Thanks for the blog.
Anne says
I have added the receipe to myfatsecret.com and calculated the Nutrition Facts.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 serving (out of 12 total)
Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat 172
Calories 317 % Daily Values*
Total Fat 19.07g 29%
Saturated Fat 11.074g 55%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.953g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.481g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 104mg 4%
Potassium 244mg
Total Carbohydrate 28.92g 10%
Dietary Fiber 6.9g 28%
Sugars 8.69g
Protein 13.25g
________________________________________________________________
Vitamin A 141%
Vitamin C 142%
Calcium 268%
Iron 399%
Sara says
Yay for protein. I used whey protein and used almond instead of pecans, I didn't use dates, but I used sweetened coconut. I also used milk instead of water but I added too much so it was runny so I panicked and added two eggs then baked them at 375 for about 10 minutes. Yum!! I also added flax seed because I have a ton of them. Overall they turned out well and I'm glad they aren't too sweet.
Brandon says
Can I omit the pecans? I'm not a fan of pecans.
Sarah says
You might want to try subbing them for walnuts.
Philip Davies says
Just tried the revised recipe and it worked brilliantly. I substituted semi-dried figs for dates as there is no need to soak them and they worked a treat. I also found it was easier to just put everything in the mixer at once but this will depend on your mixer. Cut mine into 16 bars and they keep for ages in an airtight contained in the fridge - although be careful as the dry, cold air will dry them out if they are not fully contained. Highly recommend you try this.
Olga says
Also, just did the calorie count on my adjusted recipe, that I mentioned above. I made about 15 bars each bar 130 calories. That's is not bad at all!
Olga says
So I have made your recipe a few times with brown rice protein powder and loved it. This time I ran out of pecans, so I used walnuts instead and also Vegan pea prite in powder. Added 1tsp of cinnamon to help with the pea flavor and instead of using plain water I use water that I drain from soaking dates- it's sweet and doesn't go to waste. my husband said he LOVES them! So here you go, I saw a few people ask about the alternations. Hope that helps!
chris says
hi there! these bars look delicious!
can you please provide nutritiion information per serving?
thanks!
Sarah says
I haven't done the math but if you do, let us know what you find out!
Carrie says
I recently had Gastric Bypass and need to eat alot of protein. I was drinking protein shakes for breakfast prior to surgery. After Surgery they made me sick, and I need something fast and portable to grab as I take my son to school. I found your bars on Pintrest and thought they sounded yummy! I make these EVERY SUNDAY for the week. I have added cranberries some weeks, used different nuts and I don't ever get tired of them! Thank you so much for posting this recipe. I can eat my protein and not get sick and feel great!!
Sarah says
I'm glad you found the recipe and love it. Thanks for sharing!
Olga says
Oh my goodness! They are so amazing! Better than any bar I've had, and comes out cheaper too. My kids love them, good way to get protein on the go. I added Vegan Berry Rice protein powder.
Sarah says
Thank you! And thanks for taking the time to tell me. You made my day. 🙂
Tess says
I keep looking for the German Chocolate Protein Bar recipe, and keep getting the Raw Pumpkin Hemp Seed recipe... Are they the same and I substitute ingredients? I'm not the best cook, but am looking for healthier/cheaper alternatives for my family.
Sarah says
The problem should be fixed. Let me know if it persists. Thanks!
Tess says
YOU FIXED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So excited!!!!
Richard says
Where did the recipe go???
Sarah says
What do you see? When I click the link I see the recipe but I have heard others having problems with the recipe card. Let me know what you see so I can try and work it out. Thanks!