Wanting something sweet, fresh and tropical? Celebrate summer early with these Healthy Fresh Pineapple Protein Bars! Made using fresh pineapple puree and coconut flour, this delicious snack is made only using 5 ingredients, and is thick, cakey and bursting with tropical sweetness.
Here's why I love this recipe
- no-bake
- easy to prepare
- only 5 ingredients
- high-protein
- high-fiber
- low calories
Ingredients used to make Tropical Protein Bars
**I've linked some of these ingredients to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local grocery store (usually, the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂
- Pineapple - Preferably fresh, but you can also use frozen or canned pineapples. I pureed them in a small blender to use for this recipe.
- Protein Powder – You can use any protein powder for this, but I found that whey protein tends to produce gummier results. My go-to protein powder is a vanilla plant-based protein powder, like this one below.
- Coconut Flour - you can use any brand of coconut flour for this recipe. Here is a brand of coconut flour I like to use.
- White chocolate chips - you can use any white chocolate chips (or chopped white chocolate), but to make these low-carb, use a lower sugar, stevia sweetened brand instead. For a dairy-free, vegan alternative, try this brand.
More Summer Recipes (HERE)
How to Make
Easy Fresh Pineapple Protein Bars
STEP 1
Puree the fresh pineapple in a small blender, and mix with vanilla protein powder and coconut flour.
STEP 2
I used my hands to mix the dough to knead and press the dough into shape. Do a quick taste test and add 1-2 Tbsp of sugar if desired.
STEP 3
add some more chopped pineapple (optional)
STEP 4
Shape the dough into a flat, rectangular shaped mound. For the best results, wrap in plastic wrap, then let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
STEP 5
Slice into bars, then coat in melted chocolate
STEP 6
Enjoy~ The hardest part is waiting for the chocolate to set!
Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins:
- Feel free to experiment with natural flavoring / extracts. Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract (I didn't feel like it was essential so I left it out in this recipe), or other flavorings or extracts.
How to Make this Healthier
- Make this even healthier by adding a handful of nuts, seeds and old-fashioned oats to add texture and nutrition. Even better, add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed, hemp seeds, or chia seeds.
What can you do with leftover pineapple puree?
Don't throw leftover puree in the trash! Instead, mix with almond milk or blend into a smoothie. You can also top it on yogurt and enjoy it for breakfast along with nuts and seeds, too.
How to Store Fresh Pineapple Protein Bars
- Store these protein bars covered in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
More Protein Bar Recipes (HERE)
Final Tips
- Coconut flour and protein powders are all very different depending on brands, so if you find that the dough is too soft, add more coconut flour; if the dough is too thick, add a teaspoon or more of water, honey or liquid sweetener of choice.
Fresh Pineapple Protein Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh pineapple puree*
- ½ cup coconut flour
- ½ cup vanilla protein powder**
- ¼ cup chopped pineapple (optional)
- ½ cup chocolate chips for coating
Instructions
- Puree the fresh pineapple in a small blender, and mix with vanilla protein powder and coconut flour. I used my hands to mix the dough to knead and press the dough into shape.
- Do a quick taste test and add 1-2 Tbsp of sugar if desired.
- Add more coconut flour if the dough is too soft, add a teaspoon or more of water or almond milk if the dough is too thick
- Add some chopped pineapple into the dough for additional texture (optional)
- Shape the dough into a flat, rectangular shaped mound. For the best results, wrap in plastic wrap, then let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Slice into bars
- Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 20 second bursts until melted, stirring in between.
- Dip the protein bar into the melted chocolate and then set it aside on a clean parchment paper. Drizzle with more chocoalte if desired.
- Let the chocolate set before enjoying
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