BSN
Coldstone Birthday Cakre Remix
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A true rice‑crisp texture with candy‑bar flavors—and 20 grams of complete, dairy‑based protein—delivered in a light, crunchy format most bars can’t pull off.
When to choose BSN Coldstone Birthday Cakre Remix
People who want a sweet, crunchy protein snack they’ll actually look forward to—especially pre‑ or post‑workout—without a big sugar hit.
What's in the BSN bar?
This is a celebratory protein crisp: a milk‑first protein blend (whey isolate/concentrate plus milk protein concentrate) backed by soy protein isolate and a little egg white, dressed up in “Birthday Cake Remix” flavor.
That party feel comes from vanilla‑leaning natural and artificial flavors and rainbow sprinkles, with a hint of cocoa in the remix.
On the macro front, protein sits near the top of the pack for bars, carbs are also on the higher side, fat is comparatively low, and calories trend higher—choices driven by a crisp base built from starches and binder‑sweeteners (isomalto‑oligosaccharide, polydextrose, maltitol, glycerin) and a small dose of tropical oils for snap.
In short, it’s an engineered, crunchy dessert‑style protein bar rather than a short‑list, whole‑food bar.
- Protein
- 20 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 25 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Calories
- 230
Protein
2015HIGHThe 20 grams of protein are driven by a milk‑first blend—whey isolate and concentrate plus milk protein concentrate—supported by soy protein isolate and a touch of dried egg white. Dairy proteins deliver top‑tier amino acid quality, and the casein–whey mix offers both fast and slower digestion; soy and egg round out texture and completeness. Net effect: a high‑protein bar that sits near the top of the category.
Fat
69LOWMost fat comes from tropical oils—palm kernel, palm, and shea—chosen to keep the crisp structure stable; these are higher in saturated fat and bring little omega‑3. Almonds contribute a bit of heart‑healthy monounsaturated fat, and mixed tocopherols help keep the oils fresh. Overall fat is modest, with choices made more for texture than for nutrition.
Carbs
2520HIGHCarbs here are mostly engineered rather than from whole grains: a mix of isomalto‑oligosaccharide (a starch‑derived syrup that can act partly like fiber), polydextrose (a synthetic soluble fiber), glycerin (a plant‑based moisture holder), and maltitol (a sugar alcohol), plus quick‑digesting tapioca and rice starch and a little sugar from sprinkles. Expect some quick lift from the starches, tempered by the fiber and polyols for a flatter curve than straight sugar—more “snack energy” than long, slow burn. If your gut is sensitive, know that sugar alcohols can cause gas when servings stack up.
Sugar
44MIDOnly 4 grams of sugar appear, largely from the rainbow sprinkles (icing sugar and glucose) and a bit of natural milk sugar. Sweetness instead leans on a sugar alcohol (maltitol), a high‑intensity sweetener (sucralose), and IMO syrup—highly processed ingredients that keep sugars down while preserving sweetness and chew. Many people like that trade‑off; those sensitive to polyols may prefer to pace their servings.
Calories
230210MIDAt 230 calories, most energy comes from protein and the carbohydrate system (starches, fiber syrups, and sugar alcohols), with relatively little from fat. That makes it a substantial snack or pre‑workout bite rather than a full meal replacement. Remember: polyols and fiber syrups aren’t zero‑calorie—they just contribute less than sugar.
Vitamins & Minerals
Calcium lands around 10% of daily value, thanks to the dairy proteins and a small boost from calcium carbonate. You’ll also see a modest iron contribution from ingredients like cocoa and soy, but this bar isn’t trying to be a multivitamin—its value is protein and convenience.
Additives
This formula leans on modern food tech: emulsifiers (soy and sunflower lecithin) for cohesion; fiber syrups and a sugar alcohol for moisture and sweetness; and rainbow sprinkles colored with synthetic dyes for that birthday‑cake look. These additives are effective and widely approved, but they’re highly refined. If you aim for short‑ingredient bars or avoid artificial colors and polyols, this sits on the more processed end of the spectrum.
Ingredient List
Cow's milk whey
Cow's milk whey
Cow's milk
Corn or tapioca
Defatted soybean flakes
Oil palm fruit
Shea tree kernels
glucose
Fats and oils
Petrochemical aromatics (toluene, naphthalene)
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“BSN Protein Crisp It’s by and large the best bar I’ve ever had.”
“Well, the brand is BSN. The flavor is just licensed from Cold Stone Creamery. Those protein crisp bars are pretty good! Sort of like a rice crispy treat.”
“BSN Protein crisp is still a great option. I literally used to eat a box of them a day while back in 2019 for a bulk”
Main Praise
Across Reddit, Amazon, and expert roundups, the same theme keeps popping up: the texture makes it. Instead of the taffy‑like chew of many bars, BSN’s Protein Crisp breaks with a cereal‑bar crunch that several reviewers say finally makes protein bars enjoyable.
Taste scores unusually high—Garage Gym Reviews even crowned it their best‑tasting high‑protein bar—and flavors like Birthday Cake, Vanilla Marshmallow, and Peanut Butter Crunch deliver a candy‑adjacent experience.
The 20 grams of protein from a whey‑and‑milk blend is a crowd‑pleaser for lifters and busy professionals alike, and many buyers use it as a pre‑ or post‑workout bite or a dessert stand‑in that doesn’t feel like a compromise.
It also travels well and doesn’t melt into a gooey mess in your bag.
Main Criticism
Not everyone is charmed. A recurring complaint is dryness: some find the bar crumbly or tough, more like a slightly stale rice‑crispy than the gooey marshmallow treat the look implies.
Others pick up an artificial edge—one Redditor said the Cold Stone Creamery flavors taste fake—and a few Amazon reviewers described a faint vitamin‑like note. The sweetness leans on maltitol and sucralose rather than fruit or honey, and sensitive folks report gas or bloating.
Ingredient‑wise, it’s very engineered (sprinkles, artificial colors, fiber syrups), and several third‑party and user reviews also point out that some flavors run higher in saturated fat than you might expect for a lower‑fat bar.
Price can be a sticking point compared with simpler alternatives.
The Middle Ground
Here’s where the truth probably lives: if you want a light, crunchy protein hit that scratches a dessert itch, BSN nails that brief better than most.
The crisp format naturally trades gooeyness for snap, so the “dry” critiques make sense—especially if you were expecting marshmallow strings; keep your expectations in the cereal‑bar lane and the bite feels intentional, even fun.
Flavor‑wise, this line skews bold and candy‑adjacent; if you’re sensitive to artificial notes, Chocolate may ring hollow, while Birthday Cake and Vanilla Marshmallow tend to be the crowd‑pleasers. Nutritionally, 20 grams of high‑quality protein at about 230 calories is a solid proposition.
The trade‑off is how it gets sweet and crunchy: sugar alcohols and fiber syrups for sweetness (which can bother some stomachs) and tropical oils for structure, which third‑party reviews note can push saturated fat to roughly 20–25% of daily value in certain flavors.
If you prefer short ingredient lists and fruit‑forward sweetness, you’ll likely be happier elsewhere. If you’re comfortable with modern food tech in service of flavor and crunch, you may understand why one Redditor called it the best bar they’ve ever had.
What's the bottom line?
BSN’s Protein Crisp Bar is a dessert‑style protein bar that actually eats like a crispy treat: big crunch, bright flavors, and 20 grams of complete protein at around 230 calories with only 4 grams of sugar. It’s widely praised for being the rare bar people look forward to, not just tolerate. The flip side is the ingredient philosophy.
You’re getting engineered sweetness (maltitol, sucralose), sprinkles, and tropical oils that can bump saturated fat and unsettle sensitive stomachs. If your grocery list lives in the produce aisle or polyols don’t sit well with you, skip it. For everyone else—especially gym‑goers who crave crunch after a lift—it’s a fun, reliable way to hit a protein target without feeling like you’re doing penance.