88 Acres
Chocolate Chip Blondie
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
An allergen-friendly, vegan bar built from whole seeds and a short, recognizable ingredient list, with real sweeteners and no sugar alcohols. It prioritizes staying power from healthy fats over chasing a sky-high protein-per-calorie score.
When to choose 88 Acres Chocolate Chip Blondie
Nut‑free and gluten‑free eaters who want a real‑ingredient mini‑meal that keeps you full on commutes, hikes, or between meetings. Also a fit if you prefer maple and cane sugar over stevia or sugar alcohols.
What's in the 88 Acres bar?
This 88 Acres Protein Bar is built around seeds—pumpkin and sunflower—so the protein is fully plant‑based, while dark chocolate chips and a hint of vanilla extract deliver the Chocolate Chip Blondie character.
The macro profile is distinctive for a protein bar: fat sits near the top of the category (mostly from whole seeds with a bit from cocoa butter), carbs are on the lower side, and protein lands in the moderate range.
Sweetness comes from maple syrup, brown rice syrup, and the sugar in the chocolate—real pantry ingredients, no sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners.
- Protein
- 12 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Carbohydrates
- 15 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Calories
- 280
Protein
1215MIDThe 12 grams of protein come mainly from pumpkin and sunflower seeds—whole‑food, plant proteins that bring minerals and healthy fats along for the ride. That seed-first approach is gentler than an isolate or whey concentrate, but it also means a bit less protein per calorie than the high‑whey bars out there. Think balanced, nut‑free, plant protein rather than a pure protein punch.
Fat
219HIGHAt 21 grams, fat is the headliner here—primarily unsaturated fats from pumpkin and sunflower seeds, with some saturated fat from the cocoa butter in the chocolate. Those seed oils are rich in linoleic and oleic acids (the heart‑friendly ones), which help with fullness and steady energy. If you’re watching saturated fat, note that cocoa butter contributes a meaningful, though stearic‑heavy, share.
Carbs
1520LOWCarbs are modest at 15 grams and come mostly from maple syrup, brown rice syrup, and a little cane sugar in the chocolate. Maple syrup is a straightforward, single‑ingredient sweetener; brown rice syrup is made by breaking rice starch into simpler sugars, which digest quickly. Expect quicker energy from the syrups, tempered by the bar’s hefty fat and protein from seeds for a steadier overall feel than a sugary snack alone.
Sugar
84HIGHThe 8 grams of sugar are primarily from maple syrup and the cane sugar in the dark chocolate; brown rice syrup contributes additional fast‑digesting carbs even when not all of them show up as “sugars” on the label. There are no sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners here—just traditional sweeteners used in measured amounts. The seeds’ fat and fiber help smooth the ride compared with a candy‑like bar.
Calories
280210HIGHAt 280 calories (on the higher end for bars), most of the energy comes from fat in the pumpkin and sunflower seeds, with smaller contributions from protein and carbs. That makes this bar more of a mini‑meal or long‑stretch snack than a light nibble. If you’re after maximum protein per calorie, this isn’t the leanest option; if you want staying power, it fits the bill.
Vitamins & Minerals
Iron stands out at a notable 20% of daily value, a perk of the pumpkin seeds and cocoa. You also get small amounts of potassium. It’s not a fortified bar; the minerals are coming naturally from the seeds and chocolate.
Additives
A very short additives list: sunflower lecithin to keep the chocolate smooth and vanilla extract for aroma. Lecithin is a refined emulsifier used in tiny amounts; otherwise, the recipe leans on whole seeds and familiar kitchen sweeteners. Minimal processing, clean intent.
Ingredient List
Pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita spp.)
Sunflower plant seeds
Sugarcane stalks
Cacao beans
Cocoa beans
Vanilla orchid beans
Maple tree sap
Brown rice
Sunflower seeds
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“I really liked the No Nuts! and 88 Acres bars and they have a good amount of variety.”
“88 Acres are great and totally safe!”
“I just discovered 88 Acres and their bars are really good.”
Main Praise
The strongest applause lands on two notes: ingredients and inclusivity. Reviewers love that the bar is nut‑free, vegan, and gluten‑free without leaning on artificial sweeteners, and allergy communities repeatedly flag 88 Acres as a dependable pick.
Big outlets agree: Men’s Health named the line Best Protein Bar for Nut Allergies, and both EatingWell and Women’s Health praised the short ingredient list and seed‑based protein. Taste‑wise, fans describe a clean, not‑too‑sweet bite punctuated by dark chocolate chips, with a chew that reads more bakery‑bar than candy.
Satiation comes up often—people feel genuinely full, which makes it a favorite for hikes, long errands, and “I forgot lunch” afternoons. Practical perks get a nod too: without a chocolate coating, it’s less meltdown‑prone in a warm car or backpack.
Main Criticism
Price is the most consistent gripe—you’ll pay a premium compared with mainstream bars. Texture can be hit‑or‑miss: some boxes are perfectly chewy, others read denser or a little oily from the natural seed fats.
A few tasters expected brownie‑level decadence and found the flavor more “seedy blondie with chocolate” than dessert; one even called it “just a protein bar” and moved on. Availability isn’t universal either, with several folks noting they don’t always see 88 Acres in local stores.
And if sunflower or pumpkin seeds aren’t your thing, that signature seed profile is front and center.
The Middle Ground
So which is it—a stealthy winner or a pricey compromise? It depends on what you want a bar to do.
If your top priority is the leanest protein punch, 12g at 280 calories won’t beat a whey‑heavy 20g bar. But if you care more about real, pantry‑level ingredients, no sugar alcohols, and a bar that actually holds you for hours, this one earns its keep.
The seed‑forward formula also explains the debate: fans love the gentle, steady energy and the dark‑chocolate pops; critics wanted a fudgier, sweeter experience. Even the internet contrarians can’t quite agree—one commenter in a “stop seed oils” corner still admitted 88 Acres bars are really good, which tells you taste often trumps labels.
The texture variability? It’s a fair ding, though it’s also a quirk of a bar that relies on whole seeds and cocoa butter rather than stabilizer‑heavy fillers.
The truth sits in the middle: it’s not a candy bar in disguise, and that’s exactly why many people keep it in the rotation.
What's the bottom line?
88 Acres Chocolate Chip Blondie is a seed‑powered, allergen‑friendly bar that trades maximal protein for real‑food simplicity and staying power. You get moderate protein from pumpkin and sunflower seeds, satisfying fats, and sweetness from maple, brown rice syrup, and dark chocolate—no artificial sweeteners, no sugar alcohols. Choose it when you need a reliable mini‑meal that won’t spike and crash and when nut‑free, vegan, or gluten‑free matters.
Skip it if you’re chasing 20+ grams of protein per bar or you want a dessert‑like chew every time. It’s a thoughtful, everyday option for people who want their snack to feel like food.