By Made with wholesome ingredients and no processed sugar, these homemade protein Twix bars are the perfect healthier treat. They have double the protein of a standard candy bar and pack in 5 grams of fiber. Once you see how easy they are to make at home, you'll never try store-bought again!
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If you love the occasional gas station candy bar but don't love the list of ingredients or lack of nutrients, I'm right there with ya! Luckily, nature has its own form of candy - dates!
These, mixed with peanut butter powder, make a caramel-like sauce that is perfect for making homemade protein Twix bars. And if you love sweets for breakfast, you can get similar flavors in our Snickers overnight oats recipe! Let's make a high protein dessert!
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Use parchment paper!
Lining your pan makes these bars easy to remove. If you skip this step, you'll end up fighting with a sticky mess. Trust us-tested and regretted.
ingredient notes & substitutions
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted. See the recipe card for quantities.
- Almond flour: The base of our shortbread-nutty, soft, and gluten-free. Quinoa flour or coconut flour works too.
- Hemp seeds: Add protein and healthy fats. Flax seed works, too.
- Coconut oil: Binds the shortbread and helps temper the chocolate.
- Maple syrup: Keep it natural! Honey or agave works, too.
- Vanilla extract and salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors.
- Dates: The star of our caramel-naturally sweet, sticky, and rich.
- Hot water: Helps soften the dates and make them mashable.
- Peanut butter powder: Higher in protein and lower in fat than peanut butter.
- Chocolate chips: Because, well… it's not a Twix without it!
- Flaky sea salt: Optional, but a game-changer for flavor contrast.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
high protein ingredient spotlight: hemp seeds
Hemp seeds are little nutrition bombs. Just 3 tablespoons deliver around 10g of protein, plus omega-3s and fiber. Their mild, nutty flavor blends beautifully into the shortbread without overpowering. They're also great recipes like our protein banana cake, cinnamon roll baked oats, or sprinkled on yogurt.
here's how to make protein twix bars (with photos & video)
Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for the full protein Twix recipe!
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a bread pan with parchment paper.
- Mix the shortbread ingredients and press into the bread pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Soak the dates in hot water. Add peanut butter powder and mash/mix until well combined.
- Remove the shortbread from the oven and let it cool. Then, spread the date mixture over it. Let this cool in the freezer.
- Prepare the chocolate coating by melting the chocolate and coconut oil in a shallow bowl.
- Cut the bars into 9 slices and dip each one in the bowl of chocolate, coating them completely. Then, place them on parchment paper (this is key!) and put them back in the freezer until the chocolate hardens. Then, enjoy!
quick recipe video
expert tips
- Wet your hands or spatula when pressing the shortbread into the pan. It prevents sticking and makes it easier to spread evenly.
- Let the bars firm up fully in the freezer before dipping in chocolate so they don't fall apart.
- Use a shallow, wide bowl for the chocolate coating-this gives you plenty of space to dunk and flip the bars.
common questions
Sure, you can use 1 teaspoon of peanut butter instead of peanut butter powder.
Medjool dates are the best, in my opinion. They are larger and softer than other varieties making them the best for caramel sauce.
troubleshooting & testing notes
Let it chill
We found that not giving the bars enough time in the freezer to set up before dipping in chocolate made the bars fall apart-don't skip it!
Tools for dipping
We tested both a fork and tongs for dipping, and the fork gave better control without breaking the bars. And be sure to place them on parchment paper!
how to store & meal prep it
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: These freeze beautifully for up to 3 months.
- Enjoying: These can be stored at room temperature if eaten within a couple of days. Coconut oil has a melting point of 76 degrees, so these will melt if they're close to that temp.
Recipe
Homemade Protein Twix Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread
- ½ cup almond flour (or coconut flour)
- ¼ cup hemp seeds (or flaxseeds)
- 1.5 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or agave)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Caramel Layer
- 8 medjool dates
- ¼ cup hot water
- 2 tablespoon peanut butter powder (see notes for using peanut butter)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Chocolate Coating
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1.5 tablespoon coconut oil
Before you start!
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a bread pan with parchment paper (otherwise, it's really hard to get off).
- Mix the ½ cup almond flour, ¼ cup hemp seeds, 1.5 tablespoon coconut oil, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and ⅛ teaspoon salt until a dough forms, then press it evenly into the pan. It's helpful to wet your hand or a spatula to prevent sticking. Bake the shortbread for 10 minutes.
- While the shortbread bakes, soak the 8 medjool dates in a bowl with the ¼ cup hot water for 10 minutes and cover with a towel. Then, add the 2 tablespoon peanut butter powder and ¼ teaspoon salt with the soaked dates and water and mash the mixture with a fork until well combined. Doing this in a large bowl is helpful because it can take some elbow grease. A food processor works, too!
- Let the shortbread cool for 10 minutes, then spread the date layer over it. Move this to the freezer and let it set up for a few hours.
- Remove from the freezer, cut into nine slices, and return to the freezer while you prepare the chocolate coating. Melt the 1 cup chocolate chips and the 1.5 tablespoon coconut oil in a wide, shallow bowl (you need room to dip). Melt in 30-second increments, stirring each time until melted. This much chocolate took me 4 rounds (2 minutes total).
- Prepare a cutting board or tray with parchment paper, and get your sea salt ready! Remove the bars from the freezer and use a fork to drop each slice into the melted chocolate. Gently flip it so it's totally coated. Then, remove and place on the prepared parchment paper. Top with flaky sea salt while the chocolate is still soft. Repeat with the other bars and then return them to the freezer for 10 minutes for the chocolate to set. Then enjoy!
Video
Notes
Looking for more information?
Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
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