Description

Sweet and spicy vanilla chai spice protein bars require no baking, are paleo-friendly, dairy free, and contain 12g of protein each. Vegan option included.

Ingredients

Protein bars

12 dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1 Tbsp nut butter (use cashew butter for best flavor)
2 Tbsp coconut oil
60g vanilla protein powder, dairy free (I used Equip Foods Prime Protein) *see notes for vegan option*

Chai spice blend

1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cardamom
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cloves

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Instructions

In a food processor, blend together the dates, nut butter, and coconut oil until you get a paste. Transfer this to a medium mixing bowl.
Mix the spices together for the chai spice blend and set aside.
Add vanilla protein to the mixing bowl with just a little bit of the spice blend and knead by hand. Continue adding the spice blend as you knead, tasting as you go until it reaches your spice preference. I like mine pretty spicy and ended up using all of it.
Once everything is fully mixed, you'll need to pack it into a 4x8 rectangle. The easiest way to do this is to transfer it to an 8x8 baking dish and pack the mixture into half of it. It takes a little bit of muscle but keep packing it in there until it's solid and not crumbly.
Refrigerate until chilled. It might take about 4 hours or you can leave it overnight. Once chilled, cut into 4 2x4 inch bars.

Notes

*I have a friend who recommends PlantFusion vanilla protein (Amazon Affiliate link) as a good vegan option. It does contain gluten-free, sprouted grains but may be a good option for you depending on your needs and preferences. Note that this recipe has only been tested with Equip Foods Prime Protein.

If you have leftover chai spice blend, add a little to some black tea to make your own chai.

Each bar contains approximately 12g protein.