My creamier carnivore protein bars.
After finding earlier batches too dry, I reduced the eggs and leaned into butter, cream cheese and heavy cream. The most important part is taking them out before they overbake.
METHOD
- 01
Prepare the mixture
Heat the oven to 300°F. Whisk the eggs, heavy cream and stevia together first. Start with 3 tablespoons of cream; the fourth is there only if the batter needs it.
- 02
Add the fats
Whisk in the melted butter and softened cream cheese until the mixture is as smooth as practical.
- 03
Add the dry ingredients
Stir in the collagen, whey protein and cocoa. Fold in optional chocolate chips or coconut. The batter should resemble thick, spreadable brownie batter—not a dry dough and not a thin pour.
- 04
Bake gently
Spread into a prepared pan or divide among 12 bar moulds. Bake for about 15 minutes. Remove them while the tops are still slightly soft and before they begin to crack. If the centre still looks wet, give them only another 2–3 minutes.
- 05
Cool and chill
Let the bars cool. For a quicker set, place them in the freezer for 15 minutes and then transfer them to the refrigerator. They can also go directly into the refrigerator.
Don’t wait for a cracked, completely firm top. That is when the bars start becoming dry. Slightly soft is exactly what I’m looking for.
USEFUL DETAILS
Nutrition, swaps & storage
Estimated nutrition
Per 1 bar, when cut into 12
- Calories
- ~120
- Protein
- ~7 g
- Fat
- ~10 g
- Carbohydrate
- ~2 g
An estimate using typical ingredient values and 3 tablespoons of cream. Brands, sweeteners, the optional extra cream and add-ins will change the numbers.
Substitutions
- Collagen: vanilla or unflavoured both work. If using vanilla, adjust the stevia after tasting the batter.
- Whey: unflavoured or vanilla whey can replace chocolate whey; add a little more cocoa if you want a deeper chocolate flavour.
- Butter: ghee can be used, although the bars may taste less creamy. Mascarpone can replace the cream cheese for a richer texture.
- Texture: use the fourth tablespoon of cream for a softer bar. For a firmer bar, stay with three.
Storage
- Cool completely, then refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days.
- Separate layers with parchment so the soft bars do not stick together.
- Freeze individually or in a sealed container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Do not leave the bars at room temperature for more than 2 hours because they contain eggs and dairy.