Almond butter can sit halfway down a protein bar’s ingredient list, even when the front only names a chocolate flavor. These ten exact recipes leave out listed peanut and tree-nut ingredients. They differ in protein source, other allergens and the manufacturer’s cross-contact warnings.
Written by Tom Miller, CSCS. Updated: October 2026.
Short on time? No Nuts! Chocolate Chip is our overall snack pick for its 12g plant-protein portion and the brand’s stated peanut- and tree-nut-free facility. Choose CLIF BUILDERS Chocolatey Mint for 20g plant protein, but read its may-contain-nuts warning. For a diagnosed allergy, confirm the exact product’s current manufacturing controls with the manufacturer and your allergist before buying.
How We Chose
We compared complete recipes for the named flavors, protein per bar, protein source, other allergens, sweeteners and box counts. Peanut flour, almond butter, cashews and other peanut or tree-nut ingredients disqualify a recipe. Our scores favor a useful protein portion and a clear buying purpose, with dedicated manufacturing controls distinguished from shared-facility products. We did not treat a vegan or gluten-free badge as a nut check. This is a peanut- and tree-nut ingredient filter, not a coconut-free list: Promix contains coconut, and GoMacro uses coconut sugar. Manufacturing warnings remain visible because a recipe without nuts does not establish individual allergy safety. Check the delivered label, particularly when a manufacturer changes packaging or ingredients.
Our Verdict
No Nuts! Chocolate Chip
A 12g plant-protein portion and the brand's stated nut-free facility make No Nuts! a practical starting point for an ingredient-conscious snack drawer.
Best for: Buyers comparing peanut- and tree-nut ingredient exclusions with a modest protein snack
Check Price on AmazonOur Top Picks
Best Overall Snack: No Nuts! Chocolate Chip
No Nuts! Chocolate Chip 12 Protein Bars
Best Overall SnackA twelve-bar chocolate chip box with 12g plant protein and 9g fiber per bar, made without listed peanut or tree-nut ingredients.
Pros
- 12g plant protein
- 190 calories per bar
- Brand describes a dedicated nut-free facility
Cons
- Contains soy
- 9g fiber may not suit a pre-training snack
No Nuts! combines soy, pea and rice protein with sunflower seed butter. The 50g Chocolate Chip bar lists 12g protein, 190 calories and 9g fiber. That makes it a smaller protein portion than CLIF BUILDERS, with a manufacturing distinction worth checking: the brand describes a dedicated nut-free facility.
The soy ingredient matters as much as the absence of peanuts. The exact panel also notes that its facility processes coconut and sesame. Skip this if you avoid soy or need a lower-fiber snack before training. 88 Acres is the seed-based alternative when you also want to leave soy ingredients out.
Best Seed-Based Recipe: 88 Acres Brownie
88 Acres Brownie Pumpkin Seed Protein Bars 9 Count
Best Seed-Based RecipeA nine-bar box of brownie-flavored pumpkin seed snacks with 12g protein per bar, without dairy, egg, soy, peanut or tree-nut ingredients.
Pros
- 12g seed protein
- No dairy or soy ingredients
- Brand describes a dedicated top-nine-allergen-free bakery
Cons
- Only nine bars in the selected box
- Less protein per bar than the 20g options
88 Acres gets its 12g protein from seeds rather than a soy or whey isolate. The brownie recipe combines pumpkin seeds with chocolate, maple syrup and brown rice syrup. Its dedicated-bakery allergen information gives you a more specific manufacturing question to ask than a generic plant-based claim.
The selected box contains nine bars, versus twelve for the other picks here. Compare the price per bar before judging the checkout total. Skip this if you want 20g protein from one wrapper. CLIF supplies that larger plant-protein portion, while 88 Acres is the better starting point for someone checking several ingredient exclusions together.
Best Higher-Fiber Plant Snack: Amrita Chocolate Brownie
Amrita Chocolate Brownie 12 Protein Bars
Best Higher-Fiber Plant SnackA twelve-bar Chocolate Brownie box with 12g plant protein, 10g fiber and 270 calories per bar, using sunflower butter and pea protein.
Pros
- 12g plant protein
- 10g fiber per bar
- Sunflower seed butter and pea protein
Cons
- 270 calories for 12g protein
- Chicory inulin may not suit everyone
Amrita’s current Chocolate Brownie recipe starts with sunflower seed butter, date paste and pea protein isolate. One 60g bar lists 12g protein and 10g fiber. Its 270 calories make it a more substantial snack than No Nuts!, despite the same protein amount.
Choose Amrita when you want that extra food energy and its ingredient profile suits you. The brand describes its own dedicated allergen-free bakery; confirm current controls for a diagnosed allergy. Skip this if concentrated inulin bothers your stomach or you want the most protein per calorie. No Nuts! reaches 12g protein with 80 fewer calories.
Best Carb-Forward Plant Bar: GoMacro Sunflower Butter and Chocolate
GoMacro Sunflower Butter and Chocolate 12 Macrobars
Best Carb-Forward Plant BarA sunflower-butter-and-rice-protein bar with 10g protein, 38g carbohydrate and 270 calories, sold in a twelve-bar tray and made without nut butter.
Pros
- 10g plant protein
- 38g carbohydrate
- Sunflower butter rather than nut butter
Cons
- Facility processes peanuts and tree nuts
- Contains coconut sugar and 7g added sugar
GoMacro uses sunflower seed butter and sprouted brown rice protein in this specific flavor. The 65g bar supplies 10g protein, 38g carbohydrate and 270 calories. Brown rice syrup appears first in the recipe, so choose it as a carb-forward snack with some protein rather than a lean protein serving.
Its protein portion is half CLIF BUILDERS’ 20g. The manufacturer discloses a facility that processes peanuts and tree nuts, and the recipe includes coconut sugar. Skip this if you require dedicated nut-free manufacturing, avoid coconut ingredients or want more protein from one bar. Check this flavor, not another GoMacro bar with almond or peanut butter.
Best 20g Plant-Protein Portion: CLIF BUILDERS Chocolatey Mint
CLIF BUILDERS Chocolatey Mint 12 Protein Bars
Best 20g Plant-Protein PortionA full-size Chocolatey Mint soy-protein bar with 20g protein and 280 calories, without listed nut ingredients but with a may-contain-nuts warning.
Pros
- 20g soy protein
- Twelve full-size 68g bars
- No artificial sweeteners
Cons
- May contain peanuts and tree nuts
- 17g added sugar per bar
CLIF BUILDERS Chocolatey Mint supplies 20g protein from soy ingredients, including isolate and concentrate. The 68g bar lists 280 calories, 18g total sugar and 17g added sugar. It is a larger protein portion than the 12g seed-based snacks, without a sugar-alcohol sweetener blend.
The ingredient filter does not remove its manufacturing warning: the label says it may contain peanuts, tree nuts, milk and sesame. Skip this if that warning conflicts with your allergy plan, you avoid soy or you want a low-added-sugar bar. Barebells has less sugar but uses dairy, collagen and maltitol, so the tradeoffs differ.
Best Whey Puff Bar: Promix Chocolate Chip
Promix Chocolate Chip Protein Puff Bars 12 Count
Best Whey Puff BarA twelve-bar chocolate chip puff-style snack with 15g whey protein per bar, egg-white-containing marshmallow and coconut oil, without peanut or tree-nut ingredients.
Pros
- 15g whey protein
- No soy ingredients
- Twelve bars per box
Cons
- Contains milk, egg and coconut
- Not suitable for vegan diets
Promix uses whey protein puffs and a marshmallow component containing egg whites. One bar supplies 15g protein, between No Nuts!’ 12g and CLIF’s 20g. The recipe uses sunflower lecithin rather than soy lecithin, but the exact label declares milk, egg and coconut.
This is a useful dairy-based comparison when you want to avoid nuts and soy ingredients at the same time. Skip this if you avoid eggs, dairy or coconut. BUILT Brownie Batter Puff is another puff-style option, but its protein total includes collagen and it carries an explicit may-contain-peanuts-and-tree-nuts warning.
Best Low-Sugar Dairy Option: Barebells Cookies and Cream
Barebells Cookies and Cream 12 Protein Bars
Best Low-Sugar Dairy OptionA Cookies and Cream bar with 20g total protein, 200 calories and 1g sugar, combining dairy proteins with collagen and maltitol.
Pros
- 20g total protein
- 1g sugar per bar
- 200 calories
Cons
- Shared facility processes peanuts and tree nuts
- Includes collagen and maltitol
Barebells lists 20g protein and 1g sugar in its 55g Cookies and Cream bar. Its milk-protein blend includes caseinate, whey concentrate and whey isolate, with bovine collagen contributing to the formula. Maltitol and sucralose supply sweetness; the selected panel lists 5g sugar alcohols.
Compared with CLIF, you get less sugar in a smaller bar, alongside a different sweetener and protein blend. The label declares milk and soy and a facility that processes peanuts, tree nuts and other allergens. Skip this if maltitol causes digestive symptoms or you require dedicated nut-free production. A low sugar number does not remove either limitation.
Best Smaller Whey-and-Collagen Portion: BUILT Brownie Batter Puff
BUILT Puff Brownie Batter 12 Protein Bars
Best Smaller Whey-and-Collagen PortionA forty-gram Brownie Batter Puff with 17g protein and 140 calories, combining whey isolate with collagen, gelatin and a chocolatey coating.
Pros
- 17g total protein
- 140 calories per bar
- Twelve 40g bars
Cons
- May contain peanuts and tree nuts
- Contains milk, soy, collagen and gelatin
BUILT Brownie Batter Puff packs 17g total protein into a 40g bar with 140 calories and 6g sugar. Its protein blend includes whey isolate and collagen, and the recipe also contains gelatin. Do not count the full 17g as whey protein alone.
The smaller portion can suit a snack when Gatorade’s 80g bar is more food than you need. The label declares milk and soy and says it may contain peanuts and tree nuts. Skip this if you need a vegan bar, avoid gelatin or cannot accept that manufacturing warning. Promix is the whey-based puff comparison, but it contains egg and coconut.
Best Wafer-Style Option: Power Crunch French Vanilla Creme
Power Crunch French Vanilla Creme 12 Protein Bars
Best Wafer-Style OptionA French Vanilla Creme wafer-style bar with 13g dairy protein, 220 calories and 5g sugar, sold in a twelve-count box.
Pros
- 13g dairy protein
- Five grams sugar per bar
- Wafer format rather than a date-and-seed bar
Cons
- Contains wheat, milk and soy
- Equipment also processes peanuts
Power Crunch combines hydrolyzed whey, whey isolate and milk protein isolate in a wafer-style bar. Its 40g portion lists 13g protein, 220 calories and 5g sugar. The recipe includes wheat flour, soy lecithin, sucralose and stevia; it does not list peanut or tree-nut ingredients.
The dairy protein and wafer format distinguish it from the rice-and-sunflower bars. It also has more calories than No Nuts! for only 1g additional protein. Skip this if you avoid wheat, milk or soy, or require equipment free of peanut processing. Do not confuse French Vanilla Creme with the brand’s peanut-butter flavors.
Best Larger Carb-and-Protein Snack: Gatorade Chocolate Chip
Gatorade Chocolate Chip Whey Protein Bars 12 Count
Best Larger Carb-and-Protein SnackAn eighty-gram Chocolate Chip bar with 20g dairy protein, 40g carbohydrate and 350 calories, for buyers who want a larger food portion.
Pros
- 20g dairy protein
- 40g carbohydrate
- Twelve substantial 80g bars
Cons
- 350 calories and 28g added sugar
- May contain peanuts, tree nuts and wheat
Gatorade’s 80g Chocolate Chip bar supplies 20g protein and 40g carbohydrate. The selected panel lists 350 calories, 28g added sugar and 10g saturated fat. Those numbers make it a substantial carb-and-protein snack rather than a low-calorie way to add protein.
It has twice BUILT’s bar weight and 210 more calories, with only 3g more total protein. The full recipe omits nut ingredients, but the label says it may contain peanuts, tree nuts and wheat. Skip this if you want protein with fewer calories or added sugars, or the warning conflicts with your allergy plan. CLIF is the 20g plant-protein comparison.
Comparison Table
| Product | Key Spec | Best For | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| No Nuts! Chocolate Chip 12 Protein Bars | 12g plant protein; 190 calories; 9g fiber; 12 bars | Best Overall Snack | Check Price |
| 88 Acres Brownie Pumpkin Seed Protein Bars 9 Count | 12g seed protein; nine bars; no protein isolates | Best Seed-Based Recipe | Check Price |
| Amrita Chocolate Brownie 12 Protein Bars | 12g plant protein; 270 calories; 10g fiber; 12 bars | Best Higher-Fiber Plant Snack | Check Price |
| GoMacro Sunflower Butter and Chocolate 12 Macrobars | 10g plant protein; 270 calories; 38g carbohydrate; 12 bars | Best Carb-Forward Plant Bar | Check Price |
| CLIF BUILDERS Chocolatey Mint 12 Protein Bars | 20g soy protein; 280 calories; 17g added sugar; 12 bars | Best 20g Plant-Protein Portion | Check Price |
| Promix Chocolate Chip Protein Puff Bars 12 Count | 15g whey protein; contains milk, egg and coconut; 12 bars | Best Whey Puff Bar | Check Price |
| Barebells Cookies and Cream 12 Protein Bars | 20g total protein; 200 calories; 1g sugar; 12 bars | Best Low-Sugar Dairy Option | Check Price |
| BUILT Puff Brownie Batter 12 Protein Bars | 17g whey-and-collagen protein; 140 calories; 12 bars | Best Smaller Whey-and-Collagen Portion | Check Price |
| Power Crunch French Vanilla Creme 12 Protein Bars | 13g dairy protein; 220 calories; 5g sugar; 12 bars | Best Wafer-Style Option | Check Price |
| Gatorade Chocolate Chip Whey Protein Bars 12 Count | 20g dairy protein; 350 calories; 40g carbohydrate; 12 bars | Best Larger Carb-and-Protein Snack | Check Price |
Buying Guide
Separate Ingredient Exclusion From Allergy Safety
Read the full recipe, the contains statement and the manufacturing warning. A chocolate-only flavor can include almond butter or peanut flour, and another flavor from the same brand can use a different recipe. A familiar brand name or a plain-looking wrapper cannot replace that check.
FDA food-allergy guidance emphasizes reading labels, avoiding your triggering food and planning for reactions. Confirm the exact product with the manufacturer and follow your clinician’s advice. No Nuts!, 88 Acres and Amrita describe dedicated manufacturing controls. CLIF, GoMacro, Barebells, BUILT and Gatorade disclose nut cross-contact warnings. Those differences matter; this list does not decide which warning you can accept.
Keep Your Other Ingredient Restrictions Separate
No Nuts! contains soy. Power Crunch contains wheat, milk and soy. Promix contains milk, egg and coconut. BUILT and Barebells include collagen, and BUILT also includes gelatin. Choosing around peanuts and tree nuts does not remove these ingredients. This list also does not exclude coconut: GoMacro uses coconut sugar, while Promix declares coconut.
For a different filter, compare our protein bars without soy ingredients or vegan protein bars. Check the individual flavor in either guide rather than transferring a brand-wide claim.
Choose the Protein Portion, Not the Biggest Wrapper
GoMacro’s 65g bar contains 10g protein; CLIF’s 68g bar contains 20g. A larger wrapper need not contain more protein. No Nuts! and Amrita both supply 12g, but their calories differ by 80 per bar. Gatorade supplies 20g alongside 40g carbohydrate, which may fit a different snack requirement from BUILT’s smaller 140-calorie portion.
The ISSN protein position stand discusses total intake and suitable high-quality protein portions within a training program. A 10-13g snack can contribute to your day without serving as your whole post-training meal. Compare the protein source as well: collagen-containing totals are not interchangeable with the same amount of whey or soy. Our 20g protein bar guide focuses on larger portions.
Price Equal Quantities and Check Tolerability
Most selected boxes hold twelve bars; 88 Acres holds nine. As an example, a $24 twelve-bar box costs $2 per bar, while a $24 nine-bar box costs about $2.67. These are calculation examples, not current prices. Divide the delivered price by the actual bar count, then consider protein grams if that is your main reason for buying.
Fiber and sweeteners can change the choice again. No Nuts! contains 9g fiber; Amrita contains 10g, including inulin. Barebells uses maltitol. These ingredients may not suit your existing tolerances, particularly in a large pre-training snack. Our protein bars without sugar alcohols cover a separate preference. Nut-ingredient avoidance alone does not guarantee digestive comfort.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are These Bars Safe for Peanut or Tree-Nut Allergies?
A recipe check cannot establish individual allergy safety. Several picks carry may-contain or shared-facility warnings; others describe dedicated controls. Read the current package and contact the manufacturer about the exact flavor, lot and facility. Follow your allergist’s advice, particularly after a serious reaction. A missing advisory statement does not establish zero cross-contact or make a product suitable for everyone.
Does This List Also Exclude Coconut?
No. We screened for listed peanut and tree-nut ingredients such as almonds, cashews and hazelnuts. Promix declares coconut, and GoMacro includes coconut sugar. No Nuts!’ facility information also mentions coconut processing. If you avoid coconut, make that a separate ingredient and manufacturing check; do not rely on a nut-free name or the absence of almond butter.
Which Bar Has the Most Plant Protein?
CLIF BUILDERS Chocolatey Mint lists 20g plant protein per bar, compared with 12g in No Nuts!, 88 Acres and Amrita, and 10g in GoMacro. CLIF contains soy and carries a may-contain-peanuts-and-tree-nuts warning. Choose it only when that full ingredient and warning profile suits your requirements. It is also higher in added sugar than the low-sugar dairy options here.
Do Vegan or Gluten-Free Labels Mean No Nuts?
No. Vegan bars can contain peanut butter, almond butter or cashews. Gluten-free bars can contain those same ingredients. Read each recipe and allergen statement as separate checks. Conversely, a bar without nut ingredients can contain dairy, eggs, soy or wheat. Power Crunch, Promix and Barebells show why excluding one ingredient group does not answer the rest of your dietary needs.
Can One of These Replace a Protein Shake?
Compare the protein amount and source first. A 12g snack contributes less protein than a typical 20-30g shake portion. A 20g bar may also bring more sugar, fat or calories than the shake you would otherwise choose. Bars are convenient food, not a required training supplement. Fit the portion around your normal meals and calorie needs instead of treating the wrapper as a complete recovery plan.
Bottom Line
No Nuts! Chocolate Chip is our overall snack pick for its 12g plant-protein portion and the brand’s stated nut-free facility. 88 Acres is the seed-based alternative when you also avoid soy ingredients. CLIF BUILDERS reaches 20g plant protein but carries a nut cross-contact warning, while Promix supplies 15g whey protein with milk, egg and coconut. Start with the exact recipe and manufacturing information, then compare protein portions and box counts. For a diagnosed allergy, confirm the current product with the manufacturer and your clinician rather than using any roundup as an individual safety guarantee.
Sources
- FDA: Food Allergies, What You Need to Know; ISSN Position Stand: Protein and Exercise
- No Nuts! ingredients and allergen information; 88 Acres brownie bars and bakery information; Amrita Chocolate Brownie
- GoMacro Sunflower Butter and Chocolate; CLIF BUILDERS Chocolatey Mint; Promix Chocolate Chip Protein Puff Bars
- Barebells Cookies and Cream U.S. formula; BUILT Brownie Batter Puff; Gatorade Chocolate Chip ingredient and allergen label
