Built
Mint Brownie
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A chocolate‑dipped, mint‑forward bar with 17g of fast‑digesting whey isolate at just 130 calories—and a distinctive, bouncy chew that reads more candy‑bar nougat than oat‑and‑nut bite.
When to choose Built Mint Brownie
Calorie‑conscious mint‑chocolate lovers who want a light post‑workout or afternoon treat, are fine with dairy/soy/sugar alcohols, and prefer a candy‑bar style texture over a crumbly, whole‑food bar. Not ideal for vegetarians (gelatin) or anyone sensitive to erythritol‑style sweeteners.
What's in the Built bar?
Built’s Mint Brownie is a lean, chocolate‑dipped bar that gets its muscle from whey—specifically whey protein isolate plus a partially hydrolyzed version for a softer bite and fast digestion. The brownie-and-mint personality comes from real cocoa powder, a dark‑chocolate coating made with chocolate liquor and cocoa butter, and natural mint flavor.
What may surprise you is the macro balance: very low fat and calories for a coated bar, protein sitting a touch above average, and carbs driven more by fiber and low‑calorie sweeteners than by flour or fruit.
In short, it’s engineered for a light, post‑workout‑friendly snack with a classic mint‑chocolate finish.
- Protein
- 17 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 18 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Calories
- 130
Protein
1715MIDThe 17g of protein come from whey protein isolate and a partially hydrolyzed whey isolate—highly refined, low‑lactose dairy proteins that digest quickly and deliver a complete amino acid profile. Hydrolysis pre‑breaks some protein chains, which helps both texture and speed of absorption; gelatin shows up for chew but isn’t the primary protein. This lands the bar slightly above average for protein while keeping the texture soft rather than taffy‑tough.
Fat
39LOWOnly 2.5g of fat, largely from the dark‑chocolate coating (cocoa butter) with a little milkfat. That mix skews toward saturated and monounsaturated fats, but the total amount is small, and there are no added seed oils here. Expect a light feel rather than a heavy, nut‑butter‑style bar.
Carbs
1820MIDMost of the 18g of carbs are built from digestion‑resistant maltodextrin—a soluble fiber refined from starch—plus glycerin (a plant‑derived moisture holder) and erythritol (a zero‑calorie sweetener), with a modest bump from the dark chocolate’s sugar. These are refined rather than whole‑food carbs; the fiber and low sugar should mean steadier energy than a syrup‑sweet bar, though polyols can bother sensitive stomachs in larger amounts. Think engineered sweetness and texture over oatmeal‑or‑date heft.
Sugar
44MIDSugar is kept to 4g, primarily from the dark‑chocolate coating (table sugar) and a little from milk ingredients; the rest of the sweetness comes from erythritol (a zero‑calorie sugar alcohol) and glycerin. That approach trims sugar without relying on fruit, which keeps spikes in check for many people. If you’re sensitive to sugar alcohols, note that erythritol is present—even though it’s typically gentler than others, very large single servings can cause GI rumbling.
Calories
130210LOWAt 130 calories, this is one of the lighter bars in the aisle. Most calories come from the whey protein and the carbohydrate system (fiber, small amounts of sugar, glycerin), with very little coming from fat. It’s a tidy snack or post‑workout bite rather than a meal‑replacement.
Vitamins & Minerals
No vitamin fortification here, and none of the listed minerals clear 10% of daily value. You do get small amounts of calcium from the whey and milk ingredients and a touch of iron and potassium from cocoa and dairy, but nothing headline‑worthy.
Additives
To keep sweetness up and sugar down, this bar leans on several refined helpers: digestion‑resistant maltodextrin (a soluble fiber from starch) for bulk, glycerin to hold moisture, erythritol for near‑zero‑calorie sweetness, soy lecithin in the chocolate to keep it smooth, and a dash of citric acid and natural flavors. Gelatin provides that bouncy, nougat‑like chew. It’s a compact, engineered ingredient list aimed at texture and shelf stability rather than whole‑food carb sources.
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
Fans come for the dessert vibes and stay for the macros.
Across reviews, Built’s chocolate coating and mint profile are often praised for tasting like an actual treat rather than a duty snack, with some Amazon buyers calling the bars “fantastic” or “so delicious.
” The calorie control is a big draw: 17g of protein at about 130 calories makes late‑night sweet cravings less of a calculus problem. Independent tasters have also noted that Built’s darker chocolate reads less syrupy than many competitors, which helps a mint flavor feel cleaner and more refreshing.
If you like a candy‑bar experience without the sugar wallop—and you track protein—Mint Brownie checks those boxes and keeps things gluten‑free.
Main Criticism
The texture is the lightning rod. Multiple reviewers describe certain Built bars as overly chewy, tacky, or tooth‑sticking—more taffy than brownie—sometimes with a faint film afterward.
Reddit threads regularly split the room, with several people insisting the brand’s Puff line is the only great texture, implying the regular bars (like Mint Brownie) can feel "squishy" in a not‑great way.
A few Amazon comments mention a sunscreen‑adjacent aftertaste; that’s likely the cool sensation from sugar alcohols crossing paths with mint. Others flag batch inconsistency and occasional formula tweaks as trust eroders.
And if you’re sensitive to erythritol or engineered fibers, expect possible GI grumbles.
The Middle Ground
So where does Mint Brownie land? Its strengths and drawbacks come from the same design choices.
Using whey isolate gives you complete, fast‑digesting protein—a win for post‑workout—but building sweetness and softness with soluble fiber, glycerin, and erythritol creates that bouncy, sticky chew that some people love and others loathe.
The mint amplifies the cooling effect of sugar alcohols: fans call it fresh; critics say toothpaste. The Daily Meal gave the brand points for a not‑too‑sweet dark‑chocolate vibe, yet dinged the mouthfeel for being taffy‑like; that tension shows up in user reviews too.
One Redditor even went with “0 stars out of 10, do not recommend”—which is a five‑star roast if nothing else. On the ingredient front, common worries about palm oil don’t apply to this flavor’s label, but it’s still not a whole‑food bar, and the gelatin means it’s not vegetarian.
The truth: if you enjoy a candy‑bar shell with a springy center and prioritize protein‑per‑calorie, you’ll probably be happy. If you want nuts, oats, and straightforward sweetness, you’ll probably be happier elsewhere—or with Built’s Puff line, which many say handles texture better.
What's the bottom line?
Built Mint Brownie is a purpose‑built treat: lean on calories, solid on protein, and unapologetically engineered to eat like a candy bar. The dark‑chocolate coating and mint flavor can be genuinely satisfying, especially when you want dessert energy after a workout or with coffee, without blowing up your day. But the same formulation that keeps sugar down and texture soft also explains the polarizing chew, the occasional aftertaste, and potential tummy noise if you’re sensitive to sugar alcohols.
If you love mint‑chocolate and track macros, this is a clever tool—just know it’s gluten‑free but not vegetarian, and it’s more lab‑crafted nougat than bakery brownie. If texture is your deal‑breaker, consider the brand’s Puff line first, or chill the bar to tame the stickiness. Quick take for the listicle crowd: Candy‑bar mint meets 17g of whey in 130 calories—delicious to some, too chewy to others; perfect for protein‑seekers who don’t mind sugar alcohols.