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Homemade Coconut Cashew Quest Bars

Filed Under: 100-150, Almond Milk, Coconut, Cookies and Bars, Copycat Recipes, Desserts, Erythritol, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Low Carb, No Bake, Protein Powder, Recipe Makeover, Recipes, Snacks, Stevia, Sugar Free, Vegan

By 44 Comments Jump to Recipe

I admit I have a problem.

Coconut Cashew 8

First off, junior year of high school is insane. The topics covered are almost as mind-bogglingly complex as my procrastination methods. Exhibit A? I used the abundant free time I don’t have to replicate the gastronomic miracle that is the Quest bar. It only took forever.

If you’re not familiar with the Quest bar craze, please allow me to enlighten you. They’re like crack, but with more protein and a much higher price tag. I’m currently hooked on the coconut cashew flavor, but um, it doesn’t really taste like coconut or cashews. (This is a red flag.)

Luckily, I’m a productive procrastinator! This copycat recipe is much cheaper and made with love from wholesome ingredients, while still being low in calories, high in protein, and crazy addictive in the best way possible. And surprise! It actually tastes like coconut and cashews! (Snaps for using real ingredients.)

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Although I make it a priority to prepare healthy, veggie-based dishes for dinner, my days are spent noshing on delicious laziness. But my religious Quest bar habit doesn’t play nice with the whole starving student thing I have going on. Thank goodness I have a delicious alternative I can continue to eat way too much of!

It’s pretty much the best bad idea ever.

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It’s basically come down to eating Quest bars or going to college. And I did not deal with all this math mumbo jumbo to end up as a homeless yet tragically fit yet still homeless person.

So this recipe was the solution. It’s been working rather well.

Coconut Cashew 1

I ate most of the “dough” straight out of the food processor because this is a no judgement zone and once you taste it you’ll understand.

Coconut Cashew 2

I then rolled the bars into balls because it’s easier to justify eating more of them. And I couldn’t resist rolling these ground nuts into balls. Haha. Nuts and balls!

Yup. This is why college is a good idea.

Coconut Cashew 7

Please make and share this recipe to support the worthy cause of sending hoodlum teenage food bloggers to college.

Coconut Cashew 3

Homemade Coconut Cashew Quest Bars

Makes: 4 Bars

Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

5 tablespoons cashews, divided
4-5 tablespoons almond milk
1/2 cup protein powder (I use Sun Warrior)
1/4 cup shredded coconut
2 packets stevia, or other sweetener to taste
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

In a food processor, grind 1/4 cup cashews with 2 tablespoons almond milk and process until smooth. Add in protein powder and shredded coconut, sweetener, and vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Add in almond milk 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together but isn’t too wet to form into bars. Pulse in the remaining 1 tablespoon cashews. Press the dough into an 8×4 inch loaf pan, cut into 4 bars, and devour.

Nutritional Information

Serving size: 1 bar (1/4 recipe)

Calories: 107

Fat: 5.25 grams

Net Carbs: 2.75 grams

Fiber: 5 grams

Protein: 10 grams

Coconut Cashew 6

Which Quest bar flavor should I makeover next?

Chocolate chip cookie dough? Peanut butter supreme? Cinnamon roll? Please tell me which ones you want to see!

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Comments

  1. Those look wonderful! I too am a prolific procrastibaker. Sometimes you just want cake instead of homework. Or quest bars. Because those look delicious, and so healthy :)
    Reply

    • Procrastibaker-I love it!! Baking is easily justifiable instead of studying for math exams because you need to eat to live, and baking is the production of edible goods, right? Right. The ugly truth is that the equations needed to factor in the nutritional information into many baked goods result in an outcome that's more disturbing than proofs. Luckily, you can now procratstibake with this lovely and (you guessed it) healthy recipe! Enjoy:-)
      Reply

  2. Great recipe Kelly!! Quick question, do you know if you can use alcohol free stevia drops? (Nunaturals brand) Good luck with your exams :)
    Reply

    • Also another quick question, which sun warrior protein do you use? Is it the natural brown rice or warrior blend? Also is it natural or vanilla flavoured? Sorry for all the questions, I'm just so excited to make this and want to get it right :) thanks!!
      Reply

    • Thank you, Ashley, for your warm wishes! If you decide to change the sweetener it'd be a good idea to stick to something granulated for the same effect. However, I don't see why Nunaturals stevia drops wouldn't work for this recipe! A good starting point would be three to four drops and then adding to taste from there:-)
      Reply

    • Thank you, Sophia! You are crazin' amazin' yourself! Hope that you enjoy this recipe:-) Please let us know how it goes!
      Reply

    • Mmmm, tasty suggestion Connie!! Glad that these bars appeal to your aesthetics; I hope that they appeal to your taste buds as well!:-)
      Reply

    • Great idea, Mandi! Thank you for your sweet suggestion, hope that these bars help to end your Quest for a healthy snack!:-)
      Reply

    • Cats & cookie dough-I'm in!! But because cookie dough is so darn delicious I think we'll give it to you free of charge;-) Nevertheless, you wouldn't hear any complaints from me if a monthly supply of cat videos began showing up in my inbox(eh, eh?)!
      Reply

  7. YUM! Looks good. Hmm.... I would definitely try a cinnamon roll bar! Or a chocolate chip cough dough or blueberry cheese cake, but I have cinnamon roll flavor on the top of the list. But of course you should not see obligation to making this I am just saying ones that I think would be amazing. It is just what I think. I love seeing new recipes on your blog!
    Reply

    • Thank you for your sweetness, Sydney! A little spice from a cinnamon roll bar would pair well:-) You're right, a blueberry cheesecake bar remake would also be deeelicious. Glad that you're enjoying the new recipe; hope that you'll give it a whirl!
      Reply

    • Thank you for your sweetness, Sydney! A little spice from a cinnamon roll bar would pair well:-) You're right, a blueberry cheesecake bar remake would also be deeelicious. Glad that you're enjoying the new recipe; hope that you'll give it a whirl!
      Reply

  8. Hello my sweet! You are a genius!! I can't wait to make these as I have been spending a fortune on these bars. Coconut cashew is my 2nd fav, PEANUTE BUTTER SUPREME is my favorite! I don't like any of the others I've tried, especially any of the chocolate. 2 Questions: Are these equivalent to 1/2 of a quest (comparing to the commercial ones) Also, do you use vanilla or what flavor protein powder? As soon as I hear about the protein powder, I am off to the store. Thanks for your genius. Your other Mother, marleen
    Reply

    • Thanks for the kind feedback, Samantha! If you nixed the cashews in this recipe I would suggest sticking with raw, whole nuts to be sure to get a similar effect. However, feel free to experiment! Maybe with a few little twists you'll have a coconut peanut butter Quest bar:-)
      Reply

  12. My favs are double chocolate chunk, cookies and cream and white chocolate raspberry. Oh please make one of these!!
    Reply

    • All 3 bachelors are tasty and desirable candidates! But which one shall receive the rose(in the form of a Foodie Fiasco remake)...?
      Reply

  13. Thanks for all the effort you put into your recipes! Looking forward to trying this! Was wondering which type of protein powder from the sun warrior range you used? Was it the original brown rice or warrior blend? Also I'm guessing you used the vanilla one that was already sweetened with stevia? Thanks again!!
    Reply

  14. Nice! We can't get Quest bars over here so a recipe for homemade ones is very very welcome. I only ever got to try the Peanut Butter and Jelly flavour when a friend who'd ordered them from overseas generously shared with me. So maybe you could try to recreate that flavour? And anything chocolate or peanut butter, really. Mmmh. And this: "They’re like crack, but with more protein and a much higher price tag" <- Hm ... I wonder if drug dealers would agree with the second part ;) . But yes, for average people like us Quest bars come at an enormous price. Better go homemade.
    Reply

    • That's a shame that you can't receive Quest bars where you live, Miss Polkadot! I hope that this recipe helps to satisfy your cravings. Peanut Butter and Jelly sounds like a deeelicious flavor to recreate; great suggestion! Teehee, you are right, many drug dealers would perhaps beg to differ but a Quest bar addiction should not be underestimated. Better play it safe and stick with this more natural(and tastier, if I do say so myself) homemade version! Enjoy!
      Reply

  15. I don't think I have ever heard of a Quest bar before and now I'm wondering why the heck I haven't!! They sound like something I would want to eat all the time and never get sick of, so I am so glad you posted this recipe and opened my eyes to the wonderful world of quest bars! I think I would be daydreaming about these if I were in school too! It sounds like a much better use of your time anyway :)
    Reply

    • It's crazy that you've never had the opportunity to savor the flavor of a chewy, satisfying Quest bar before, Izzy! Perhaps now is the time;-) We are more than happy to introduce you to a whole new world of snack supplies. Thank goodness for daydreams, without 'em the world would be boring and stagnant-and also lack these delicious little beauties! Enjoy:-)
      Reply

    • Kelly, I've got some bad news and some good news. You are slightly crazy to have not tried a Quest bar. But, it's alright because there is a cure-whipping up these magical little fellas! Thank you so much for your support! It's all for a good cause;-)
      Reply

  17. Chocolate Mint or Lemon Zest, please! I keep trying to find a recipe with less sugar than the Mint Chocolate Luna Protein Bars (plus I think they are discontinued now). Thanks : )
    Reply

    • Great suggestions, Nicole! Mint chocolate would be a wonderful flavor for winter! I used to be a Luna bar lover until I discovered the sugar amounts as well:/ Luckily with these homemade quest bars you don't have to miss a thing;-)
      Reply

    • Quest just introduced the chocolate mint cookie flavor! :-) think sugar free protien packed GF thin mint! Two thumbs up!
      Reply

  18. You are awesome! I too am highly addicted to Quest Bars! It's been an expensive, yet tasty problem since their inception about five years ago. I should probably go to meetings for them. Actually contemplating getting a job at vitamin world to offset the cost of my addiction. Lol. I've been desperately looking for a recipe so I can make these myself for quite some time. God bless you for finally posting what looks to be a great substitute for my expensive addiction. I will definitely be trying this recipe ASAP. My fave is Strawberry cheesecake! I'm gonna try and make these using eggwhite protein (cuz it's way better for you than whey), freeze dried strawberries and some low fat cream cheese...? We'll see... Might take some yummy test batches to get it down (darn protien dough that must be consumed ;-) ) I'll let you know my outcome! Thanks again for your awesome blog!
    Reply

    • P.s. You gotta try NoCow Bars available at Vitamin Shoppe!! They use pea protein and brown rice protein instead of whey.. My only issue with quest bars is that the whey comes from non-grass fed cows milk which is kinda a nasty ingredient (Clearly this still doesn't divert me from my addiction) Another reason why I'm stoked on your recipe. I'll try it first with grass fed whey protein to not muck with the taste. Thanks again!
      Reply

    • You should definitely check out GNC, they usually have sales on quest bars (buy 3 get 1 free, each one is $2.70). I hope the recipe testing turned out well! <3
      Reply

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