Homemade Nut Free Protein Bars (Vegan + Gluten Free)

These Nut-Free Protein Bars are a healthy granola bar alternative for kids (and adults)! With no added sugar, no nuts, and simple ingredients, these mini bars are great for school lunchboxes, road trips, playdates, and as a post-workout snack!

Healthier Snack Options

I’m always looking for healthier snack options for my kids because, well, kids like to snack! Of course, pre-packaged snacks are extremely convenient (like these Skout Organic Kids Bars!), but if you’ve ever read a protein bar label you know that they often come with lots of processed ingredients, artificial sweeteners, ingredients I can’t pronounce, and preservatives.

That’s why I love doing a mini meal prep session and making a healthier snack recipe with wholesome ingredients like these Date Energy Bars, No-Bake Apricot Energy Balls (V/GF), or these Chocolate Almond Balls (No-Bake!) so my kids have some great snacks throughout the week.

We also love Skout Organic Kids Bars for an easy no added sugar snack bar for our kids! I pack one in my boys’ lunchboxes every day and bring them on playdates, too! We also get Skout adult protein bars for me and my husband – my fav flavors are Peanut Butter and Peanut Butter and Jelly!

You can use my code: SUPERMOMEATS to get 20% off your Skout Organic order (Bonus: my code works on repeat orders, too!).

Peanut Free Snacks

Many classrooms are nut-free due to kids having very serious nut allergies, so whether your child has a peanut allergy or a tree nut allergy or not, many parents need to have nut-free items they can pack in school lunch boxes.

These nut-free granola bars use sunflower butter and pumpkin seeds for plant-based protein that is also nut-free.

What You’ll Love About This Recipe

• Free of many commmon allergens – These chewy nut-free protein bars meet a variety of dietary needs! They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, refined-sugar free, and vegan.
• Easy –  Blend the ingredients in a food processor, transfer to a baking dish, and freeze for 10 minutes. So simple!
• No Added Sugar –  So many kid and adult protein bars are filled with added sugar and it hurts my mama heart! I love that these are naturally sweetened with dates and dried cherries. They even satisfy my sweet tooth!
• Healthy Snack – These bars have no protein powder or whey protein, nor do they have a high sugar content (it’s all natural). Instead, the bars use healthy ingredients that are simple and pronounceable. They’re a good option for when you’re on the go, on a road trip, or need some protein content after a workout!

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make these Nut-Free Bars:

• Pumpkin seeds: Use raw pumpkin seeds.
• Sunflower seed butter: I like to opt for Organic Sunflower Seed Butter here. You could also use tahini as a replacement. If you can consume nuts, you can definitely swap out the sunflower butter for your favorite nut butter.
• Dates: You’ll need pitted dates. Both Deglet Noor or Medjool dates work here.
• Hot Water: The hot water is just used to soak the dates so that they soften up a bit. The hot water is not used in the actual recipe.
• Dried cherries: Be sure to check the ingredient label on the dried cherry package to check that sugar was not added. You can replace the cherries with a different dried fruit with no added sugar if you’d like. It will just change the flavor to some extent.
• Lemon juice

How to Make Nut Free Protein Bars: STEP-BY-STEP

For the full recipe with the exact ingredients, scroll down to the printable recipe card below!

STEP 1:

Cover dates with hot water and let soak for 5 minutes, until soft. Drain the water.

STEP 2:

Meanwhile, grind the pumpkin seeds into a powder in a food processor. The pumpkin seeds don’t have to be completely ground, some chunks are okay.

STEP 3:

Add sunflower butter, dates, dried cherries, and lemon juice to the processor and process until a ball forms.

STEP 4:

Transfer mixture to an 8×8 baking dish or a freezer-safe glass container lined with parchment paper and push the mixture down so it spreads evenly throughout the dish.

Transfer dish to the freezer for about 10 minutes, then remove and cut into bars. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Parchment paper: When storing these vegan protein bars, place a piece of parchment paper between them so that they don’t stick together. 

Storage & Reheating

• Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for about 5 days or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Additions & Substitutions

Additions:

• Chia Seeds
• Hemp Seeds
• Chocolate Chips

Substitutions:

• Dried Cherries: You can replace the dried cherries with another dried fruit of choice such as blueberries, apricots, or apples. Be sure to check the ingredient label though to make sure there is no added sugar in the dried fruit.
• Sunflower Seed Butter: You can replace the sunflower butter with tahini (made with sesame seeds). Or, if you’re able to consume nuts, you can replace the sunflower butter with peanut butter or almond butter (or your fav nut butter!).

Frequently Asked Questions

Tools For This Recipe

• Food Processor

I hope you love these Nut-Free Protein Bars! If you make them, be sure to leave a rating below so I know how you liked them! Enjoy!