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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 tbsp pecans
- ½ cup + 3 tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut
- 6 tbsp brown rice syrup
- 1 tsp 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 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- water as needed up to ¼ cup
- 2 tbsp 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 tbsp 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
Cerridwen says
I had to make a few adjustments because the recipe turned out too dry to stick together (I may have added too much protein powder, so not saying its the recipes fault.) I added 60 g peanut butter at the end to make it sticky, and had to add 1/2 cup water total. They turned out delicious though! They tasted like a no-bake cookie.
Krys says
The protein powder the link leads to specifically is labeled as soy free
Ankur Gupta says
Hi. I tried to make protein bars at home using rolled oats and other ingredients. I grinded each ingredient in a blender and powdered them. Also added some coconut oil, honey and peanut butter. The final mixture I got is too dry and will not settle in form of a bar. How do I correct it? Can I make a dough out of it by adding water to it?
Mehr says
Hi! I made this recipe today but need some help…once I added the dates, the mixture was still dry and not coming together so I added a splash of almond milk. Except it turned out to be more than a splash and I think the batter is a bit more on the runny side though not terrible. Do you think it’ll set/dry out a bit if I leave it in the refrigerator overnight? Thanks!! (I took a sneak taste and they’re amazing 🙂
Mics says
P.S. I made the newer recipe and used 1 tbsp of choc chips
(Price in South Africa: R5.5 per bar; ‘High Protein’ bar at shops R15 – it’s the lower end of range).