Barebells
Chocolate Dough
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A candy-bar build—crisp chocolate outside, dense chewy middle—with 20g of milk-derived protein and only 200 calories. It leans on modern sweeteners for low sugar while nailing a remarkably indulgent texture.
When to choose Barebells Chocolate Dough
Choose this if you want a post-workout or afternoon snack that feels like dessert but still hits protein goals—and you’re fine with sugar alcohols and dairy. Skip it if you prefer short, whole‑food ingredient lists or avoid artificial sweeteners.
What's in the Barebells bar?
Barebells Chocolate Dough plays dessert on the outside and gym buddy on the inside.
Its 20g of protein come mostly from a milk protein blend—casein for a slow drip, whey for a quick hit—plus a bit of collagen for chew and soy isolate in the background.
Carbs are engineered more than farm‑fresh: sugar alcohols, soluble fiber, and a touch of tapioca hold that doughy bite while keeping sugar to just 1 gram. Fat stays modest at 7 grams, driven mainly by cocoa butter (think chocolate snap and melt) with a little sunflower oil for softness.
Flavor-wise, the “chocolate dough” is built from unsweetened chocolate, Dutch‑processed cocoa, cocoa butter, and a nudge of natural and artificial flavors.
- Protein
- 20 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 20 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Calories
- 200
Protein
2015HIGHMost of the 20g of protein comes from a milk-protein trio—calcium caseinate (slow), whey isolate/concentrate (fast)—which together deliver a complete, highly digestible amino-acid profile. There’s also bovine collagen hydrolysate to boost chew; it’s useful for texture but incomplete as a muscle protein, with a small assist from soy protein isolate. Bottom line: the dairy proteins do the heavy lifting for recovery; collagen is more about mouthfeel.
Fat
79MIDAt 7g, fat stays moderate and is sourced mainly from cocoa butter in the chocolate layer, with a little sunflower oil. Cocoa butter brings stearic and oleic acids (stearic is a saturated fat that tends to be neutral for LDL), while sunflower oil adds unsaturated fat. It’s a leaner fat profile than nut‑based bars—more confectionery fat, less of the naturally nutty fats you’d get from almonds or olive oil.
Carbs
2020MIDThese 20g of carbs are mostly ‘engineered’ rather than from whole grains or fruit: maltitol (a sugar alcohol) and glycerin provide sweetness and softness, polydextrose adds soluble fiber, and a touch of tapioca starch (from cassava) helps bind the doughy texture. This mix typically blunts sugar spikes versus straight sugar, though maltitol still counts toward carbs and can bother sensitive stomachs in larger amounts. Think steady, designed energy—not the slow-burn oats would bring.
Sugar
14LOWOnly 1 gram of sugar shows up because sweetness leans on sugar alcohols and a tiny dose of high‑intensity sweetener: maltitol supplies bulked sweetness, glycerin adds a mild sweet note, and sucralose rounds it out. That usually means a smaller blood‑sugar rise than a sugar‑sweetened bar, though maltitol still contributes some carbs and may cause GI upset for some at higher intakes. If you prefer fruit‑based sweetness, this bar is purposefully more high‑tech than orchard.
Calories
200210MIDAt 200 calories—below the category average—your energy is split mostly between protein and carbohydrates, with modest fat. Swapping sugar for polydextrose, maltitol, and glycerin trims calories versus a candy bar while preserving that chewy, chocolatey feel. It lands firmly in snack territory rather than a full meal.
Vitamins & Minerals
Two nutrients clear 10% DV: calcium and iron. Calcium largely rides in with the dairy proteins and dry whole milk, while iron comes primarily from the cocoa and chocolate solids (with a small nudge from soy). No added vitamin blend here—the minerals come from the core ingredients.
Additives
Expect a few modern helpers: polydextrose (a synthetic soluble fiber) for bulk, glycerin for moisture, maltitol for sugar‑like sweetness, and a pinch of sucralose to finish the flavor. Sunflower lecithin keeps the chocolate smooth, while alkalized cocoa deepens color and mellows taste. It’s a low‑sugar, high‑protein profile built with refined ingredients—generally well‑reviewed for safety, though polyols can be rough on sensitive stomachs.
Ingredient List
Cow's milk casein
Cow's milk whey
Cow's milk whey
Fats and oils
Cattle hides, bones, connective tissue
Corn or wheat
glucose
Cocoa beans
Cow's milk
Defatted soybean flakes
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“I bought two of the cookies and cream protein bars for my boyfriend and I to try…. These protein bars are absolute FLAMES 🔥 they’re so delicious, they taste like a straight up chocolate bar… with barely any sugar and 20g of protein!!!!”
“Best protein bars out there. I’ll die on this hill.”
“Barebell protein bars are genuinely some of the only protein bars I can eat - I hate the weird flavors and bars that are disgustingly chewy - as someone who struggles with binge ed, I’ve been so grateful to have a brand of protein bars that can satisfy that sweet tooth and keep me full so I don’t gravitate towards all that junky food!”
Main Praise
Taste and texture are the headline. Across food publications and thousands of customer reviews, Barebells is the rare bar that delivers a crisp chocolate coating with a substantial, brownie‑ish chew inside—more “treat” than “task.
” The 20g of protein per bar isn’t just a label win; the milk‑protein blend is known for a complete amino profile and good digestibility, which many reviewers say actually keeps them full.
People who are burned out on gritty, chalky options often call this their “I can finally stick with a bar” bar. And while flavors vary, the core chocolatey options (like Chocolate Dough) draw consistent praise for tasting like the candy aisle in gym clothes.
Main Criticism
The sweetness strategy won’t suit everyone.
Maltitol (a sugar alcohol) and a small dose of sucralose are common tripwires: some folks report GI rumblings if they eat more than one, and others just prefer to avoid artificial sweeteners altogether.
Flavor hits aren’t universal either—certain limited or novelty flavors have polarized comments, and a few tasters prefer a crispier, puffed‑protein crunch (think Fit Crunch) over Barebells’ denser chew. It can also run pricier than basic bars, which nudges it into “worth it if you love it” territory.
The Middle Ground
Why the split opinions? The same engineering that makes Barebells taste like a candy bar is what some people push back on.
The bar uses a milk‑protein blend (casein for slow release, whey for quick uptake) to reach 20g of complete protein, with a bit of collagen added for that bouncy chew—not as useful for muscle on its own, but great for texture.
Sweetness and softness come from maltitol, polydextrose (a soluble fiber that adds bulk), and glycerin (a plant‑derived syrup that holds moisture), then sucralose fine‑tunes the finish.
This combo usually means less of a blood‑sugar spike than straight sugar, but as Reddit user after Reddit user has warned, maltitol can be a gut diva if you overdo it.
On the plus side, the fat is modest and largely from cocoa butter, so you get chocolate richness without tipping the calories, and there’s a small lift of naturally occurring calcium and iron from dairy and cocoa.
Net: if you want whole‑food simplicity, this isn’t your bar. If you want “candy bar” joy with real protein, it explains the cult following—and the occasional dramatic “never again” post about a rogue flavor.
What's the bottom line?
Barebells Chocolate Dough is the rare high‑protein bar that earns its dessert reputation without losing the plot on nutrition. craving‑killer. The texture is its superpower—crisp shell, doughy center—and the milk‑protein base delivers the kind of amino profile you actually want after training.
The trade‑off is philosophical and digestive: it gets that sweetness and chew from sugar alcohols and sucralose. If your stomach plays nice and you’re comfortable with modern sweeteners, you’ll likely join the “tastes like a candy bar” chorus. If you want dates, nuts, and nothing else, look elsewhere.
Listicle blurb: Candy‑bar feel, 20g of complete protein, 200 calories, 1g sugar. Fantastic if you tolerate sugar alcohols and want a truly indulgent texture; skip if you avoid dairy or artificial sweeteners.