Flavor-packed Cardamom Pistachio Protein Bars for a healthy sweet post-workout treat. These cardamom pistachio bars are sugar-free, oil-free, low fat, low calorie and give a great boost of energy!

I’d had the cardamom pistachio concept on my recipe list for a while, and here’s finally getting to it. Definitely worth the wait!

Perfect cardamom flavot with the deep pistachio there – a really amazing combination!

Ingredients for Cardamom Pistacio Protein Bars

These cardamom pistacio protein bars are made with a few healthy ingredients, have no sugar and are gluten free too. An overall great pistachio protein dessert!

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
Vanilla Protein Powder needed for high protein bars and also replaces most of the ‘sugar’.
I used Vanilla protein powder from HTLT Supps since it’s a whey-caesin and works best for baking.
Unflavored Protein Powder to replace some of the flour (and carbs) in the recipe for a slightly lower carb high protein recipe. I used a whey-caesin blend from Quest Nutrition.
1:1 Zero Calorie Brown Sugar Substitute – I use Lakanto, to keep this recipe sugar free; (code HAYLSKITCHEN for a discount here too.
Non-fat Greek Yogurt

Unsweetened Applesauce
Unsweetened Almond Milk
A bit of Vanilla Extract
An Egg

And then for the cardamom pistachio flavor on these baked protein bars:

Ground Cardamom
Chopped Pistachios

Tips for perfect Cardamom Pistachio Bars

This protein powder cardamom pistachio bars recipe is really easy to make, and here’s some pointers to get it right.

Use slightly room temperature milk and yogurt;
This is so the wet ingredients and dry ingredients can mix well.

Don’t over-mix the batter!
Make sure you gently fold the dry mix into the wet to combine them.
If you over-mix it, the whole wheat flour or protein powder will make the pistachio energy bars tough, dense and gummy.

Taste the batter and see if you need some extra sweetener. I’d recommend using stevia powder to maintain the consistency of the batter and have low sugar pistachio dessert recipe.

How to store Pistachio Protein Bars?

This high protein pistachio energy bars keeps well for a meal prep dessert or post workout snack and is freezer friendly too!

Store healthy cardamom pistachio bars at room temperature in an airtight container for 1-2 days or in the fridge for a week.

To freeze pistachio energy bars, individually wrap each bar in plastic wrap and place in freezer-safe zipper bags or air tight container; The cardamom pistachio bars should keep for 2-3 months.

Alternatives for Healthy Cardamom Pistachio Bars

I made these healthy cardamom pistachio bars with the ingredients and particular brands of protein powder, and know they turn out amazing this way.

I do have some alternatives you can try, but I haven’t testing them all so I can’t say how your recipe might turn out. I’d love to know if you do!

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: All purpose flour, 1:1 gluten free baking flour or Whole Wheat Pastry Flour; The same amount by weight
Unflavored Protein Powder: More flour (⅓ cup), but also reduce Yogurt to ¼ cup, and milk to 3 Tbsp.
1:1 Zero Calorie Sugar Replacement: Regular confectioners sugar or coconut sugar (this won’t be sugar free though, and also higher in calories)
Greek Yogurt: Coconut Yogurt
Almond Milk: Any other milk
Applesauce: Mashed Banana

More Baked Protein Bar Recipes to try: