16 Best Protein Bars If You Have A Sweet Tooth

It happens all too often: We buy a new protein bar, hoping that it will deliver a dessert-like experience in a healthier-feeling package. But then, we're disappointed to discover that the protein bar in question tastes vaguely of clay and actually feels harder to get down than a plain, unsalted, boiled chicken breast. If you're trying to avoid that experience, we have you covered. We've compiled a list of some of our all-time favorite protein bars, curated for those with a raging sweet tooth. When you feel like eating a candy bar, these protein bars may just do the trick instead.

Of course, even among sweet lovers, not everyone enjoys the same textures and flavors in their protein bars, so you'll have to taste around to find the varieties that help you meet your protein needs while delivering a flavor you love. But hopefully, these selections can help you narrow down some options that you're sure to like. These are the best protein bars to try if you have a sweet tooth.

Packed with 16 grams of protein, Nick's Swedish Style Protein Bar in Krispi Cookie literally tastes like a candy bar in the best way. The chocolate coating tastes like a light, creamy milk chocolate, and it hides a soft cookie layer along with a beautiful rice crisp that's not quite as pronounced as a Kit Kat. That subtle crisp isn't so pronounced that it distracts from the soft, cookie-like texture of this protein bar, but there's enough there to keep things interesting.

Unlike a lot of protein bars out there, this one doesn't feel too dense, which can make some bars unpleasant to eat. Rather, it's surprisingly light considering its protein content, making it perfect for a light snack or a small, quick and easy meal on the go. Although this one is great for people with a sweet tooth, the bar isn't so sweet that it would turn away the less sugar-loving protein seekers out there.

You know those mornings when all you want is a steaming hot bowl of oatmeal but just can't be bothered to make one? Maybe you're running short on time, or you're just lacking all the ingredients you need to make a flavorful bowl of oatmeal, but either way, you're left craving something sweet and filling. Times like those are when GoMacro's Macrobar Heartwarming Retreat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip protein bar is exactly what you need.

This protein bar tastes like oatmeal, first and foremost, and the addition of chocolate chips is more of a subtler afterthought rather than the star of the show. That's not a bad thing, though, as it provides a sweet, balanced bite that works just as well as a light breakfast as it does as a dessert. With this bar, you'll get 12 grams of protein without animal products or gluten, which means it's appropriate for the vegan and gluten-free crowds.

Out of all the bars featured on this list, Built Puff Coconut may just be the most interesting one in terms of texture. Instead of the mouth-filling density you'll get with some protein bars, this one boasts a much lighter texture, thanks to the sticky, gooey, coconut-flavored center. The almost gelatinous filling feels almost like a marshmallow but with more chewiness than you'd expect from those white, pillowy sweets. It's a texture we've never encountered in a candy bar before, let alone a protein bar, and we're absolutely here for it.

This protein bar has you covered on the flavor front as well — in fact, it tastes almost exactly like an Almond Joy, albeit with a different texture. The chocolate flavor is there and quite pronounced, but the coconut is what really shines through. This one may not be ideal if you're not a big fan of coconut, but anyone who likes the tropical fruit is sure to enjoy this bar.

If you're trying to get more protein into your diet but, for whatever reason, avoid animal products for any reason, it can be hard to find protein sources that meet your needs. That can be especially frustrating when it comes to protein bars, which don't really necessitate animal products. But luckily, there are a few good plant-based protein bars out there, and Aloha Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough is definitely one of them.

Admittedly, this protein bar is designed less in the style of a candy bar and has a denser texture than many of the other options on this list. That being said, that texture is quite soft — slightly, but not too chewy — and is, as the name of the flavor suggests, akin to cookie dough. Flavor-wise, this protein bar is definitely cookie-adjacent, with a light chocolatey flavor that makes it a solid option for whenever your sweet tooth is acting up. You'll get 14 whole grams of protein from this bar.

When you think of a crunchy snack, a protein bar probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind. Unless, of course, you've tried any Power Crunch protein bars. The brand's Chocolate Mint flavor is one of our favorites, as it combines the light, airy texture of a crunchy treat with the similarly light flavor of mint. That mint is grounded and sweetened, though, with the addition of a rich chocolate coating. Don't worry — that chocolate coating is quite light and doesn't overshadow the other elements going on in this protein bar.

This protein bar, with its wafer cookie interior, boasts 13 grams of protein despite its light texture, making it perfect for those days when you don't want a full meal but want to feel like you're getting some nutrition in (and you want that nutrition to taste like dessert). Mint chocolate lovers, this might just be the protein bar for you.

Who didn't wish they could dig into that bowl of freshly mixed chocolate chip cookie dough when they were kids? If your parents or guardians always prevented you from dipping your spoon into that dough before it went into the oven, then Think! Delight Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough may be the protein bar you've been looking for all your life. Unlike some "cookie dough" products that basically just taste like a baked cookie, this protein bar actually has a dough-like consistency, helping you to indulge those childhood sweet tooth fantasies.

This bar is great for anyone who's choosing to follow a keto diet, because it only contains 2 grams of net carbs per serving. At the same time, it offers 10 grams of protein, which is ideal when you're craving a snack that will leave you feeling full and satisfied (which actual cookie dough may not be able to do).

Whether you're specifically trying to avoid dairy or you're skipping out on animal products altogether, No Cow is a brand you should check out for vegan and dairy-free protein bars. Although some plant-based protein bars don't offer as much protein as their animal product-based counterparts, you won't have a problem with No Cow's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough protein bars. That's because this thing offers a whopping 20 grams of protein — much higher than most of the other options on this list.

But what's the point of eating a protein bar if you're just doing it for the macros alone? After all, it's not worth buying if it doesn't taste good. Luckily, this dairy-free bar delivers both on texture and flavor, with a thick, chewy bar that does, in fact, taste similar to cookie dough. For a bar that can boast so much in terms of protein, we were happily surprised that it tastes just as delicious as it looks.

If you were a fan of Cosmic Brownies as a kid, then chances are, you're going to love Fit Crunch Loaded Protein Cookie Bars in Chocolate Deluxe. We're not kidding when we say these things are a total dupe of the childhood classic. This bar comes with a chocolate cookie, almost brownie-like base that houses tons of colorful chocolate candies. Then, it's all finished off with a chocolate drizzle on top. Although those chocolate candies are slightly larger than those you'd find in actual Cosmic Brownies, they're similar enough that they scratch that nostalgic itch.

On the nutrition front, though, this bar probably delivers quite a bit more than its childhood prototype. It has 22 grams of protein, making this bar a solid option when you're really hungry and can't manage to fit an actual full meal into your busy schedule. Regardless, it might just still fill you with that same joy you had when you found a Cosmic Brownie in your lunch box.

Take a close look at most sweet protein bar options at your local grocery store, and you'll notice that the vast majority of them are sweet — like really, really sweet. That's fine with us, especially considering that this is a list designed for those with a serious sweet tooth. But all too often, that sweetness isn't balanced by other elements in the protein bar recipe, leaving you with a cloying sweetness in your mouth that doesn't satisfy as much as obliterate your sweet tooth.

That's when you need something a little more sophisticated with a thoughtful balance of flavors. You'll get just that with Fulfil Protein Bar's Chocolate Salted Caramel flavor. Of course, that sweetness is still prominent, both from the chocolate and the caramel. But the addition of that generous saltiness really brings the bar together, offering a more appealing flavor combo than many other protein bars on the market. And with 15 grams of protein, it more than meets your protein needs.

Quest may just be one of the best-known protein bars out there — and that popularity makes sense when you try the brand's S'mores flavor. If you ever wished you were camping with family and friends, gathered around a fire, wielding a stick covered in slowly burning marshmallows, while you're actually just headed to the gym for an early morning workout, then this is the protein bar you need.

The bar's base is marshmallow-flavored, wrapped around a graham cracker center and adorned with chocolate chips. The result is a surprisingly light bar, but with that rich, s'mores-like flavor you would expect. All of this flavor comes with 21 grams of protein, helping you to feel your fullest and most satisfied (even though it feels like you've just eaten dessert). The texture of the bar is quite chewy, so make sure you have a toothbrush on hand after you finish it, but overall, it comes together in a delicious package.

Just because you have a sweet tooth doesn't necessarily mean all you want is sugar, sugar, and more sugar. If you're looking for a more complex flavor profile — that won't leave you with a cloyingly sweet taste in your mouth — you may want to seek out NuGo's Dark Chocolate Pretzel with Sea Salt protein bar. This combines the salty and sweet snacks of your dreams, all in one well-balanced bar. You have a rich sweetness from the chocolate itself, but even that sweetness is tempered since it's not the typical, light, milk chocolate-flavored chocolate base you might imagine in a protein bar.

The best part of this bar, though, is the inclusion of the salty pretzels, enhancing the bar's contrast. the bar. And since it's both vegan and gluten-free, it's a protein bar that everyone can enjoy — savory and sweet snack lovers alike. Try it out when you're looking for a slightly more nuanced flavor profile than most protein bars offer.

Leave it to Trader Joe's to offer one of the simplest — and also one of the best — protein bars on the market. TJ's doesn't need to go to great lengths to create some wild, never-been-done-before flavor. Rather, by sticking to classic flavor combos that just work, Trader Joe's delivers delicious products on a variety of fronts, from chips to, yes, protein bars. The brand's Chewy Chocolate and Peanut Butter Protein Bar has a subtle peanut butter flavor that plays well with the addition of chocolate.

This protein bar has a sticky texture to it that's more reminiscent of a traditional granola bar than an actual protein bar, making this option especially appealing. Eating one of these feels less like you're trying to force your protein intake for the day and more like you're just indulging in a simple snack. You may want to consider giving it a try the next time you snag groceries from Trader Joe's.

If you've ever wanted to have a snack and your morning coffee all in one convenient package, then you've probably been craving a Verb Caffeinated Protein Bar without even realizing it. Yes, this protein bar actually contains caffeine, making your light morning breakfast routine easier and faster than ever before. With 10 grams of protein and the equivalent caffeine of a shot of espresso, it has you covered on those early mornings when an actual breakfast and a cup of coffee are just out of reach.

Flavor-wise, this is one of the more unusual options on this list. It tastes less like actual birthday cake and more like bubblegum if you ask us, but that's what makes it so interesting. It's lighter and fruitier than most of these other protein bars, which means it's a good option if you don't tend to like a lot of other sweet protein bars on the market.

You may know of Kind bars as granola bars, but maybe you don't know that the brand also makes granola-based protein bars as well. And these things don't go light on the protein — the brand's Protein Max Sweet and Salty Caramel Peanut Crisp bars offer 20 grams of protein without the dense texture common in protein bars. Rather, you get a light, crisp bar that's just as easy to eat as the brand's regular, less protein-heavy line of bars.

The base of the bar is quite crispy, and the addition of peanuts provides a nice crunch. This bar is mostly just sweet, but the addition of salty caramel adds a nice, more savory element to the finished product. For those who tend not to enjoy traditional protein bars but still want to get more protein into their diets (and crave both sweet and salty flavors), this is a great option.

Here's another plant-based protein bar for those with sweet cravings, but this one is available in a flavor that you probably won't find in many other brands. Although peanut butter and chocolate-doused protein bars are common on store shelves, matcha is a flavor you're not likely to stumble upon. That's why we were so excited to try this bar from Mezcla. The matcha flavor is not super strong — it's light and herbal — but that's kind of what we like about matcha in the first place. Add in a light vanilla flavor, and you have a milder-than-expected protein bar that offers a lovely crisp from puffed rice.

It has 10 grams of protein per serving, making this one of the lighter protein options on this list. That makes it more ideal for a snack rather than a meal replacement, but it's a snack that you may just find yourself grabbing again and again.

RXBar's packaging is simple, listing the ingredients of each bar right on the front of the package. That doesn't necessarily make for a super enticing impression when it comes to flavor, so we were surprised when we opened up this protein bar and found a delicious snack inside. Those simple ingredients make for a simple but delicious protein bar with a rich, dough-like texture that's reminiscent of a particularly moist breakfast bar.

We love that this brand offers flavors you won't see in other protein bars out there, and the blueberry flavor is particularly unexpected. If you've ever wondered what it was like to eat a blueberry muffin while getting closer to your protein goals for the day, this is the protein bar for you. Enjoy with a cup of coffee for a convenient — and deeply satisfying — light breakfast or midday pick-me-up. You'll get 12 grams of protein from just one of these bars.