Built
Cookies 'N Cream
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
Unusually lean: 17g of whey‑isolate protein for about 130 calories, wrapped in real dark chocolate. It keeps sugar modest by leaning on erythritol (a sugar alcohol) and glycerin (a plant‑derived syrup) plus resistant maltodextrin for body—gluten‑free, but not vegetarian due to gelatin.
When to choose Built Cookies 'N Cream
Reach for this if you want a low‑calorie, candy‑bar‑leaning protein fix after a light workout or between meetings—and you do fine with sugar alcohols. Skip it if whole‑food ingredients or soft‑cookie texture are must‑haves.
What's in the Built bar?
Built’s Cookies ’N Cream leans into whey protein isolate (plus a touch of hydrolyzed whey) for a quick, clean 17 grams of protein, then dresses it in real dark chocolate and cocoa for the “cookie,” with vanilla and dairy notes supplying the “cream.
” The macro profile is unusual: very low fat and calories, with carbs drawn largely from resistant maltodextrin, erythritol, and glycerin rather than grain or fruit. Translation: a lean, dessert-like bar that keeps sugars modest by using refined sweeteners—great for keeping calories down, with the usual caveat for sugar‑alcohol‑sensitive stomachs.
It’s also not vegetarian (gelatin) and contains milk and soy, but is gluten‑free.
- Protein
- 17 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 19 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Calories
- 130
Protein
1715MIDThe 17 grams of protein come primarily from whey protein isolate and partially hydrolyzed whey isolate—top‑tier, low‑lactose dairy proteins that digest quickly and bring a complete amino acid profile. A bit of gelatin is used for structure, but whey does the heavy lifting nutritionally. Sitting around the 60th percentile for protein, it’s a solid dose without the heft of a 20‑gram bar.
Fat
39LOWFat is unusually low at 2.5 grams, coming mostly from cocoa butter and milkfat in the dark‑chocolate coating. These are largely saturated fats, but the total amount is small, making this a lighter, lean‑feeling bar. If you prefer snacks with more hunger‑staying power from fats, pair it with a handful of nuts or yogurt.
Carbs
1920MIDMost carbs are engineered for sweetness and texture rather than coming from whole grains: digestion‑resistant maltodextrin (a refined, fiber‑like carb), erythritol (a zero‑calorie sugar alcohol), and glycerin (a moisture‑holding syrup) make up the bulk. The actual sugars are mainly from the dark‑chocolate coating and a touch of dairy lactose. Expect a gentler blood‑sugar rise than a syrup‑sweetened bar, though stacking sugar alcohols across snacks can unsettle sensitive stomachs.
Sugar
44MIDSugar is a modest 4 grams, coming primarily from real dark chocolate and small amounts of dairy sugars. Sweetness is rounded out by sugar alcohols (erythritol) and glycerin—highly refined ingredients that taste sweet with little to no sugar. That keeps sugar low, but polyol‑sensitive folks may want to pace portions.
Calories
130210LOWAt 130 calories—among the leanest in our database—most energy here comes from protein and low‑digestible carbs rather than fat. Resistant maltodextrin and erythritol provide bulk with fewer usable calories, helping keep totals down. Great when you want a sweet‑lean bite; on active days, consider adding fruit or nuts alongside.
Vitamins & Minerals
No vitamin fortification here. You get small mineral contributions—about 8% DV calcium from whey/dry milk and around 6% DV iron from cocoa, plus a little potassium. Think protein‑first with modest micronutrients.
Additives
Texture and sweetness lean on modern additives: digestion‑resistant maltodextrin (a refined fiber for body), erythritol (zero‑calorie sugar alcohol), glycerin (keeps it soft), soy lecithin in the chocolate (emulsifier), and a touch of citric acid for balance. These keep calories and sugars down while delivering a candy‑bar bite. The trade‑off is a more processed ingredient list and, for some, possible GI rumbling from sugar alcohols.
Ingredient List
Cow's milk whey
Sugarcane and sugar beet
Roasted cacao nibs from cocoa beans
Cocoa beans
Cow milk cream
Soybeans
Vanilla orchid seed pods
Corn, tapioca, potato, or rice starch
Fats and oils
Corn or wheat starch
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“I just discovered Built protein bars, specifically the Puffs ones, and they're delicious! PSA for anyone looking for tasty protein bars.”
“The puff ones are surprisingly delicious. Recommend.”
“The chocolate raspberry legit tastes like a candy bar, it's so good.”
Main Praise
The winning headline is efficiency: 17g of complete dairy protein for only 130 calories, which is rare among chocolate‑coated bars. That macro profile makes it a tidy way to scratch a sweet itch without spending a meal’s worth of calories.
When the flavor hits, it really hits—multiple reviewers (and an enthusiastic Reddit contingent) say some Built flavors eat like candy bars, with chocolate‑forward picks getting the most love. Tasting Table echoes that dessert‑leaning appeal, especially across the brand’s marshmallow‑style Puffs.
Add in the quick‑digesting whey isolate and gluten‑free status, and you’ve got a travel‑friendly, dessert‑adjacent protein snack that can slot into a cut or a lighter training day.
Main Criticism
Texture is the deal‑breaker for a vocal minority (and sometimes majority): described as very chewy, tacky, and tooth‑sticking—The Daily Meal compared it to taffy that’s hard to swallow. Several Amazon reviewers call out a slick or artificial aftertaste tied to the sweeteners, and Reddit has entire threads of folks who say, bluntly, “0/10.
” There’s also chatter about inconsistency across batches and flavors, plus occasional ingredient tweaks that frustrate repeat buyers. Finally, the sweetener mix (erythritol, glycerin) and fiber‑like carbs can unsettle sensitive stomachs, and the use of gelatin means it isn’t vegetarian.
The Middle Ground
So which story wins: the candy‑bar delight or the chewy letdown? It depends on what you value.
If you’re calorie‑conscious and want real chocolate with a respectable protein hit, this bar nails the brief.
The price you pay is processing—sweetness and softness come from lab‑born tools like sugar alcohols and refined fibers, and those bring a texture and finish some people love and others really don’t.
One Tasting Table piece flags whey isolate and sweeteners as “red flags,” but that’s more about processing philosophy than protein quality—whey isolate is a high‑quality, low‑lactose protein; the friction is whether you’re okay with how the magic happens.
Also worth noting: palm ingredients were flagged in some Built products historically, but this particular flavor lists dark chocolate made with cocoa butter and milkfat. If you’ve had better luck with the brand’s Puffs (several Redditors insist those are the winners), that’s a useful breadcrumb—the marshmallowy structure tends to mask the tackiness.
For Cookies ’N Cream in this classic format, expect a lean, chocolatey bar that’s either pleasantly chewy or “why is this sticking to my teeth? ” depending on your palate and tolerance for sugar alcohols.
What's the bottom line?
Built Cookie ’N Cream is a lean, dessert‑leaning play: 17g of quick whey, about 130 calories, real dark chocolate, and a sweetness strategy that keeps sugar modest by relying on erythritol, glycerin, and resistant carbs. If you’re cutting calories or want a tidy post‑gym bite that tastes more like candy than chalk, it’s a savvy pick—provided you’re okay with a processed ingredient list and a chew that some find sticky. It’s gluten‑free, contains milk and soy, and isn’t vegetarian.
Condensed listicle take: Built Cookies ’N Cream lands 17g protein for 130 calories with a real chocolate coat and a candy‑adjacent taste. Great for low‑calorie sweet cravings; watch the tacky chew and sugar‑alcohol gut grumbles. Not vegetarian; contains milk and soy.