Nut-Free Chocolate Seed Protein Bark
⏱ 40 min💪 4g protein per piece🔥 ~160 cal🍽 16 pieces
Bark is the fastest dessert format there is: melt, stir, pour, chill, break. Swapping the usual almonds for pumpkin and sunflower seeds keeps it out of nut territory entirely, and a scoop of chocolate protein powder stirred into the melted chocolate adds body without going chalky. Four grams of protein per piece, which is honest for a dessert. The whole thing sets in half an hour.
Ingredients
- 10 ounces dark chocolate chips
- 1 scoop (30g) chocolate protein powder
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1/3 cup roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1/3 cup roasted sunflower seeds
- 3 tablespoons hemp hearts
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Line a sheet pan with parchment and measure all the toppings into small bowls first, because the chocolate sets faster than you expect.
- Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between each, until about 80 percent melted, then stir until residual heat finishes the job.
- Sift the protein powder over the melted chocolate and whisk hard for 30 seconds until it is fully incorporated and glossy with no dry specks.
- Pour onto the parchment and spread to about 1/4 inch thick with an offset spatula.
- Scatter the pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp hearts, and shredded coconut over the surface, press them in gently, then finish with flaky salt.
- Chill for 30 minutes until firm, then break into roughly 16 irregular pieces with your hands.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks with parchment between the layers.
Tips
- Sift the protein powder. Dumped straight in it clumps into dry pockets that taste like chalk, and once the chocolate starts setting you cannot fix it.
- The coconut oil keeps the bark from turning brittle and shattering into dust. Leave it out and you get a harder bark that small kids struggle to bite.
- This is the one recipe here that does not belong in a warm lunchbox. Chocolate softens above about 85F, so pack it with an ice pack or save it for home.
FAQ
- Is coconut safe at a nut-free school?
- That depends on the school. The FDA classifies coconut as a tree nut for labeling purposes even though it is botanically a fruit, and some schools follow that classification strictly. Ask first, and leave the coconut out of this bark if you are unsure.
- Can I make this dairy-free?
- Yes, use dairy-free dark chocolate chips and a plant-based chocolate protein powder. Read the chocolate label for milk fat, which appears in plenty of dark chocolates.
- Why did my chocolate turn thick and grainy?
- It overheated, or a drop of water got in. Melt in short bursts, stop at 80 percent, and make sure the bowl and spatula are completely dry.
- Can I use a different protein powder flavor?
- Vanilla works well and gives a lighter marbled look. Unflavored is fine too, but add 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar since the chocolate loses some sweetness.
