Chocolate Hazelnut Protein Bars

A chocolatey snack you can keep ready for whenever hunger hits! 🍫🥜

Having something sweet and satisfying within reach makes those in-between moments so much easier, and these protein bars are exactly the kind of snack I like to have in the fridge. They’re rich and chocolatey without feeling overly heavy, with a satisfying nutty bite in every piece. 🤎

They’re also completely no-bake, making them incredibly easy to prepare ahead of time. These low-carb protein bars are a great grab-and-go snack when you want something sweet with a little extra protein.

Yield: 12 bars

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups blanched hazelnuts (about 150 g), divided
• 1 cup blanched almond flour (112 g)
• 2 tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder (10 g)
• ¼ cup collagen protein powder (about 20 g)
• ½ cup powdered monk fruit-allulose blend (about 96 g)
• ¼ tsp sea salt (1.5 g)
• 2 tbsp smooth almond butter (32 g)
• 1 oz cocoa butter (28 g), melted
• Sugar-free dark chocolate chips (about 15–30 g), melted, optional for drizzling

Directions

1. Line an 8 × 8-inch (20 × 20 cm) pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on at least two sides to lift the bars out later.
2. Add 1 cup of the hazelnuts (about 120 g) to a food processor. Pulse until finely ground and meal-like, being careful not to process so long that they turn into nut butter.
3. Add the almond flour, cocoa powder, collagen protein powder, powdered sweetener, and salt. Pulse several times until evenly combined, scraping down the sides if needed.
4. Add the almond butter and melted cocoa butter. Process until a firm, cohesive dough forms. The mixture should feel smooth and slightly shiny and hold together when pressed. If needed, stop to scrape and stir the mixture before processing again.
5. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press it down firmly into an even layer.
6. Roughly chop the remaining ¼ cup hazelnuts (about 30 g) and press them into the surface. If desired, drizzle the melted sugar-free chocolate over the top.
7. Refrigerate for at least 1–2 hours, or until the slab is firm.
8. Lift the chilled mixture from the pan using the parchment overhang and place it on a cutting board. Cut into 12 bars using a large sharp knife and a firm downward or rocking motion rather than sawing back and forth.
9. Store the finished bars in the refrigerator between sheets of parchment paper.

Storage

Keep the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

For longer storage, wrap the bars individually and freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

Macros

Per bar (1/12 of the recipe).

• Calories: 178 kcal
• Fat: 16.2 g
• Protein: 6.5 g
• Total Carbs: 5.1 g
• Fiber: 2.8 g
• Net Carbs: 2.3 g