No-Bake Protein Bites: Skinny Mint & S’mores (2 Methods!)

These no bake protein bites are my go-to freezer snack, and now they arrive in two flavors. I took my almond-butter-meets-protein-powder base, pressed it right into a silicone ice cube tray as a substitute of rolling it into balls by hand, and constructed two fully completely different cookie-inspired flavors on high of that one easy methodology: a Skinny Mint model with a peppermint chocolate shell, and a S’mores model loaded with marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers.

Each begin with the identical simple methodology — a nut butter and whey protein base pressed (not rolled) right into a silicone ice dice tray, then frozen till set. They’re fudgy, chilly, and filled with protein, with zero oven time and only a mixing bowl required. It’s one protein bites recipe, two completely completely different treats, and neither one requires sticky fingers or a meals processor.

Why You’ll Love These Protein Bites

• No rolling required: In contrast to virtually each different protein ball/chew/sq. recipe on the market, this dough will get pressed right into a silicone ice dice tray as a substitute of rolled by hand — much less mess, extra constant parts.
• Two flavors, one methodology: Skinny mint and s’mores use almost the identical method and freezer time, so you may make each in a single session.
• Nut-butter primarily based: A simple almond butter or cashew butter base — no mixing or meals processor wanted, simply stir and press.
• Freezer-friendly: A make-ahead snack that holds its form and texture all week.

I’ve examined protein balls, protein bars, and protein bites for this web site for years, and the ice-cube-tray press is the tactic I hold coming again to — it solves the sticky-hands, uneven-balls drawback that each rolled recipe has.

The Pressed Format: How It Works

Each flavors of those no bake protein bites begin with the identical base logic: a nut butter, a whey protein powder, and maple syrup, blended by hand, then pressed — not rolled — right into a silicone ice dice tray and completed within the freezer till set. A silicone ice dice tray offers you completely even, freezer-safe parts with out the sticky-hands rolling step each different protein ball recipe requires.

Nut butter’s pure oil content material is what makes the bottom moldable with none binder past whey protein and maple syrup. Your nut butter needs to be drippy and well-stirred — oil and solids absolutely recombined — since separated nut butter straight from the jar gained’t bind correctly. Take a look at my guide to the best protein powder in order for you extra suggestions on which whey to make use of.

The one trick I all the time repeat once I educate this methodology: absolutely stir your nut butter earlier than you begin. If the oil’s nonetheless separated from the jar, your bites gained’t set proper — that’s the primary mistake I see individuals make with any nut-butter-based no-bake recipe.

Skinny Mint Protein Bites

This taste is constructed on a fudgy drippy almond butter and vanilla whey base spiked with peppermint extract, then topped with a poured coconut oil, chocolate chip, and chocolate whey layer and completed with flaky sea salt. That two-layer construction — a fudgy base plus a poured chocolate topping — is what makes this protein bites recipe style nearer to a sweet bar than a typical protein ball.

Peppermint extract dosage issues greater than individuals assume: a little bit goes a great distance, and it’s simple to over-add it, which reads as toothpaste-y in the event you’re not cautious. Keep on with the quantities within the recipe card for each the bottom and the chocolate layer, and also you’ll land on an genuine Skinny Mint taste as a substitute of an overwhelming one.

S’mores Protein Bites

These no bake protein bites begin with a creamy cashew butter and vanilla whey base, folded with mini marshmallows, chopped darkish chocolate, and damaged graham crackers as a substitute of poured on high. It’s a campfire deal with you may make with a mixing bowl and a freezer.

A few issues value realizing earlier than you make these: mini marshmallows can get agency and chewy as soon as frozen strong, so in order for you a softer marshmallow chew, let these sit at room temperature for a couple of minutes earlier than consuming, or retailer the batch within the fridge as a substitute of the freezer as soon as set. And a few cashew butter separates within the jar — the oil floats to the highest — so ensure that it’s absolutely recombined earlier than you begin mixing, or the dough gained’t set appropriately.

Featured Elements

• Drippy almond butter: The bottom of the Skinny Mint bites. It have to be drippy and pourable — if yours has separated, use a hand mixer to recombine it earlier than measuring.
• Creamy cashew butter: The bottom of the S’mores bites. Totally stir it clean earlier than measuring if the oil has separated within the jar.
• Vanilla whey protein powder: Builds the fudgy base layer in each flavors with none chalky style. I exploit Teras Whey, however any vanilla protein powder you like will work. Take a look at my guide to the best protein powders for extra suggestions.
• Peppermint extract: Slightly goes a great distance. There’s ¼ teaspoon within the Skinny Mint base and ⅛ teaspoon within the chocolate topping — double-dosing each layers is what offers these the genuine Skinny Mint taste.
• Mini marshmallows, darkish chocolate, and graham crackers: Folded into the S’mores base for that basic campfire taste in each chew.

Ingredient Notes

• Nut butter: Use a drippy, well-stirred almond butter for Skinny Mint or a creamy cashew butter for S’mores. Pure nut butters which have separated within the jar needs to be absolutely recombined earlier than measuring.
• Protein powder: Vanilla or chocolate whey each work as written. A plant-based powder could take in extra liquid and yield a drier dough — add a splash of milk if wanted.
• Maple syrup: Will be swapped for honey in both taste with out altering texture.
• Graham crackers: Normal graham cracker sheets work; a gluten-free graham cracker swap retains the S’mores taste gluten-free.

Troubleshooting: Why Received’t My Protein Bites Maintain Collectively?

Too dry or crumbly: The nut butter probably wasn’t absolutely stirred or recombined earlier than mixing. Stir in an additional teaspoon of nut butter or maple syrup till it holds collectively when pressed.

Too oily or unfastened: That is normally a really drippy or high-oil nut butter. Add a contact extra protein powder, one teaspoon at a time, till it companies up.

The pressed-square format is definitely extra forgiving of a barely looser dough than hand-rolled balls, for the reason that tray offers it construction whereas it units within the freezer. Each nut butter behaves a little bit otherwise — some jars are drippy, some are thick and separated. My repair is all the time the identical: stir it fully clean first, and modify with a contact extra nut butter or protein powder fairly than combating the dough as-is.

Skinny Mint (freezer, really useful): Retailer in an hermetic container or freezer-safe bag for as much as 1–2 months. The chocolate topping seals the highest layer, and these are finest eaten straight from the freezer.

S’mores (freezer): Retailer in an hermetic container for as much as 1 month. For the softest marshmallow texture, retailer within the fridge as a substitute of the freezer — as much as 1 week — since frozen marshmallows agency up and get chewy.

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