Nut Free Protein Bars
- January 22, 2019
- Last Updated: October 30, 2023
- 38 Comments
- Baked Goods
These homemade nut free protein bars are a wholesome, on-the-go option that provide a filling combination of protein and fiber and are great allergy free protein bars for those allergic to nuts, gluten or dairy. Homemade vegan protein bars have never been easier!
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I initially made these homemade vegan protein bars for my neighbor, who is vegan, nut-free and gluten-free. I knew I could throw a chickpea protein bar recipe together without any animal products.
These nut free protein bars turned out better than expected. Even made without flour, chickpea bars are soft, chewy and delightful to bite into.
We’ve been eating these chickpea protein bars around the clock. It helps to have our pantry stocked with pantry staples so we can pull these together whenever the craving strikes.
I totally think the crunch of the chocolate chips and sunflower seeds are my favorite part and what set these apart from other storebought bars.
Best of all, you’d likely spend over $2.00 a bar if you buy a storebought vegan protein bar. On the other hand, these chickpea protein bars come out at less than $0.75 a bar, so they are quite budget friendly!
Plus, most storebought vegan protein bars may have protein powders or other fillers, but these homemade vegan protein bars have easy to pronounce ingredients that you may already have on hand.
There’s also no dairy or eggs for those who require dairy free protein bars.
Ingredients For Homemade Vegan Protein Bars
To make these chickpea protein bars, here’s what you need.
- chickpeas
- oats
- sunflower butter (or choice of seed or nut butter)
- coconut sugar
- baking powder
- baking soda
- sea salt
- vanilla extract
- maple syrup
- optional add in’s – sunflower seeds, chocolate chips (make sure to choose a vegan option)
The protein in these nut free protein bars comes from the chickpeas, oats and sunflower butter. And if you like pumpkin, these vegan pumpkin blondies are a fun spin on these bars.
The sea salt is essential in these chickpea bars because it brings out all the flavors. Promise me you’ll add a high quality sea salt.
I really think these vegan nut free protein bars can appeal to everyone. Truthfully, these are actually one of my favorite snacks for breastfeeding hunger or to recommend as a healthy athlete snack, especially for my athletes who need no nuts protein bars.
Since these bars don’t use any type of flour, they are rather light and chewy. I wanted them to be this way.
If you want a less chewy bar, these hemp protein bars have a little more strength to them. Or for a more heartier bar, try my healthy vegan trail mix bars.
How to Make Nut Free Protein Bars
Obviously, these bars are nut free, but they are not seed free. Seeds are not one of the top 8 allergens, so most people with a nut allergy can tolerate seeds, however, that’s not the same for everyone. If you’re unsure, check with your doctor or take an allergy test.
Start by adding chickpeas to a food processor. Slowly add in other ingredients and blend until smooth.
Then, pour the batter in your baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes in the oven.
While it can be difficult to find nut free vegan bars (most vegan recipes rely on cashews or tree nuts), this is a true favorite.
These chickpea bars actually make great vegan nut free desserts. They are a great option for those of us who like a healthy, sweet treat after dinner.
We alternate between these and our favorite coconut cream dessert often.
FAQ
Are these allergy free protein bars?
Yes, these protein bars are free from the top 8 allergens, including soy, dairy, nuts, and eggs. They are also vegan and gluten free, if using certified gluten free oats. The bars do have coconut sugar, and while the FDA technically considers coconut a “tree nut,” it’s really a botanical fruit and most people who have tree nut allergies can safely eat coconut. However, you can substitute for white sugar as well.
Can you use another seed butter?
If you don’t like sunflower seed butter, you can use pumpkin butter or watermelon seed butter or soy butter. If you don’t have a nut allergy, any nut butter will work!
How do vegan chickpea protein bars compare to storebought vegan protein bars?
Well, firstly, these chickpea protein bars are easier on the wallet! You can expect to pay over $2.00 each for a storebought protein bar. I did the math for these homemade vegan protein bars according to ingredients at my local food market, and these chickpea protein bars came out to about $.75 per bar. You can’t find any vegan gluten free protein bars, let alone allergy free protein bars, for this price. Plus, there are no weird ingredients or fillers.
How long do homemade vegan protein bars last?
These homemade protein bars can be stored at room temperature for up to 3-5 days if in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months!
Using chickpeas helps make for budget friendy recipes! I must be on a chickpea kick recently, considering I’m loving these bbq roasted chickpeas, strawberry banana chickpea muffins and roasted chickpea pitas.
If you’re interested in learning more about sources of vegetarian protein, here are easy vegetarian recipes!
More Vegan Snack Recipes
- Chickpea Cookie Dough Dip
- Homemade Vegan Granola
- Peanut Butter Banana Brownies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Coconut Balls
- Chocolate Chip Sweet Potato Bread
Yield: 9 bars
Nut Free Protein Bars
These homemade nut free protein bars are a wholesome, on-the-go option that provide a filling combination of protein and fiber and are great allergy free protein bars for those allergic to nuts, gluten or dairy. Homemade vegan protein bars have never been easier!
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Total Time
40 minutes
Ingredients
- 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup oats (use gluten-free if needed)
- ½ cup sunflower seed butter
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
- sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Rinse and drain chickpeas and place in ninja or food processor. Add in other ingredients and blend until smooth, adding sunflower seeds and chocolate chips in last.
- Spoon batter into 8x8 pan and spread evenly, sprinkling with sea salt.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly browned and set. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before eating. Bars will harden slightly upon cooling.
- Store cooled bars in refrigerator for up to a week.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
9Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 277Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 786mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 6gSugar: 12gProtein: 8g
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Sarah Schlichter is a Registered Dietitian with a Master’s in Public Health Nutrition. She specializes in family nutrition, sports nutrition and intuitive eating. She also co-hosts the podcast, Nail Your Nutrition.
38 Comments
Join The Conversation
Can the nut-free bars or the pumpkin blondies recipes be made workable without using the chickpeas? I am digestively intolerant of all legumes. Perhaps sunflower and chia meal plus a little more liquid sweetener? Thanks.
Hi Rob – I have not tested them that way and unfortunately, I’m not quite sure. It’s definitely worth a try!
How about dates instead of sunflower seed butter?
Are you talking about dates as a sweetener? Date paste may possibly work as a texture replacement but not sure dates would work instead of sunflower seed butter.
Do you have any further nutritional information?
Thanks!
So wouldn’t a kid who is allergic to ALL nuts have an issue with the coconut sugar?
Hi Julie, that is a great question. The FDA does classify coconut as a tree nut, though it behaves more similarly to a fruit. Many people that have tree nut allergies (myself included) can tolerate coconut but that is very individual. To be safe, you could always substitute brown sugar for the coconut sugar or leave it out completely and increase the maple sugar to 1/3 cup. Hope that helps!
Any replacement for the chickpeas? My daughter has SIBO and cannot tolerate high fiber foods/legumes. 🙁 She is dairy and gluten free, this recipe sounds great.