These Lemon Protein Bites are a wholesome and satisfying snack option filled with simple ingredients and bright lemon flavor! Make a batch of these energy bites to have a convenient snack on hand ready to curb hunger whenever it hits!

It seems like most protein bars are hit or miss for us. A “healthy” energy bar can be loaded with over 20 grams of added sugar. Or it can be full of sugar alcohols.

Or it can be full of fat or other processed ingredients. Or it can actually be healthy and taste good, but it costs a lot. You get the picture.

After one particularly disappointing experience with an expensive lemon protein bar that was mushy and tasted strongly of sugar alcohols, I decided to head to the kitchen to make our own lemon protein snacks.

Ones that wouldn’t be loaded with sugar or sugar alcohols (or other unwanted ingredients) and would have a bit of substance to them when you took a bite!

Almond flour, oat flour, and protein powder are the base of these energy bites. For a hint of sweetness we added in a bit of honey (you could also use pure maple syrup).

A light, bright citrusy flavor is achieved by adding in some fresh lemon juice and lemon zest.

Normally we would lean towards using almond butter for our granola/protein bites, but not this time. Since we didn’t want to add any other strong flavors to the mix, we used cashew butter to bind everything together.

The result was a surprisingly simple and super quick recipe for protein bites that are satisfying, wholesome, and not super expensive!

Tips for Making Lemon Protein Bites

Because natural cashew butter can be quite oily, make sure to thoroughly incorporate the oil before measuring.
Due to the difference in cashew butters, and even protein powders, you may find that your granola mixture still seems too “wet” or too “dry” after mixing all of the ingredients together. If the mixture doesn’t hold together when pressed, add in more lemon juice or honey a tablespoon at a time. If the mixture seems too wet, add more oat flour, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach desired consistency.
Want more of a chew to your bites? Swap out 1/4 cup of the oat flour for rolled oats.
The nutrition information will vary based on the type of protein powder used, since protein, sugar, and fat content can vary greatly between brands. The nutrition of these bites is based off of Muscle Milk Genuine Protein Powder — Vanilla Creme.
Feel free to make these protein bites any size you want. The size recommended is just enough for a quick boost!

Optional Add-ins

Looking for some crunch? Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chia seeds or lemon poppy seeds.
Looking for some sweetness? Add 1/4 cup white chocolate chips.

Lemon Protein Bites

Name: Lemon Protein Bites
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 26
Ingredients: 1 Cup almond flour/meal; 1 Cup oat flour; 4 Tablespoons vanilla protein powder (try to use one with little to no added sugar); 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon zest; 1/4 Cup natural cashew butter (make sure that any oil is thoroughly stirred in before measuring); 3 Tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup; 2-3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Yield: 26 - 28 protein bites

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 Cup almond flour/meal
1 Cup oat flour
4 Tablespoons vanilla protein powder (try to use one with little to no added sugar)
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon zest
1/4 Cup natural cashew butter (make sure that any oil is thoroughly stirred in before measuring)
3 Tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup
2-3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

In a high-powered blender or food processor, combine almond flour, oat flour, vanilla protein powder, and fresh lemon zest.
Add in cashew butter, honey and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Pulse or blend until combined and mixture forms a dough. If your mixture is too dry, add an additional tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.
Form dough into approximate 1 - inch balls.
Store in an airtight container.