Built
Salted Caramel
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
Exceptionally high protein-to-calorie ratio (17g at 130 calories) with a candy-bar style coating—gluten-free, but not vegetarian due to gelatin.
When to choose Built Salted Caramel
A light, sweet-leaning protein snack for calorie-conscious folks who tolerate sugar alcohols; clutch as a pre-workout bite or afternoon pick-me-up.
What's in the Built bar?
Built’s Salted Caramel Protein Bar goes lean by design: a whey‑isolate blend (including a partially hydrolyzed form for faster digestion) packs 17g of protein while calories stay strikingly low at 130.
Carbs skew toward engineered sweetness and texture—erythritol, glycerin, and a fiber‑type “digestion‑resistant” maltodextrin—keeping sugar modest without relying on fruit or grains. Fat is minimal and comes mostly from palm‑based coating oils rather than nuts or olive oil.
Salt and natural flavors supply the caramel, and Dutch‑processed cocoa provides the chocolate‑style coating, shaping that salted‑caramel profile you’re here for. Below, we unpack what all of this means for energy, digestion, and everyday use.
- Protein
- 17 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 18 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Calories
- 130
Protein
1715MIDThe protein lift comes primarily from a whey protein isolate blend—one part partially hydrolyzed (broken into smaller peptides for quicker digestion) and one part standard isolate—so you’re getting low‑lactose, high‑quality dairy protein. Nonfat milk powder adds a little extra protein, while gelatin mainly creates that bouncy texture and doesn’t improve the amino‑acid profile much. At 17g, it’s a solid, slightly‑above‑average hit of complete protein for the calories.
Fat
39LOWWith just 2.5g total fat, this is an ultra‑lean bar. Most of that fat comes from refined palm and palm‑kernel oils in the coating—stable and semi‑solid, but more saturated than oils like olive or canola. You’re not getting nut‑style healthy fats here; the payoff is a very light, low‑fat bite.
Carbs
1820MIDThese 18g of carbs are mostly engineered for texture and lower glycemic impact rather than coming from whole grains or fruit. Digestion‑resistant maltodextrin (a corn‑derived soluble fiber) provides bulk, while glycerin (a moisture‑holding syrup) and erythritol (a zero‑calorie sugar alcohol) supply sweetness with fewer sugar calories; a small amount of table sugar and some lactose from the dairy round it out. Expect steadier energy than a sugar‑heavy bar, though those sensitive to sugar alcohols may prefer to keep it to one bar at a time.
Sugar
44MIDJust 4g of sugar, primarily from a small amount of added table sugar plus naturally occurring lactose in the dairy ingredients. The bar leans on erythritol (a zero‑calorie sugar alcohol) and a touch of glycerin to deliver sweetness and softness while keeping sugars down. If sugar alcohols tend to bother your stomach, know that tolerance varies by person and portion size.
Calories
130210LOWAt 130 calories, this sits among the lightest protein bars. Most of the calories come from protein and fiber‑leaning carbohydrates, with very little from fat; erythritol’s near‑zero calories help keep the total low. Think snack or pre‑workout support rather than a full meal replacement.
Vitamins & Minerals
No vitamin blend is added here. The small bumps you do get—about 7% daily value for calcium, with trace iron and potassium—come naturally from the dairy proteins and the cocoa. If you want a bar to cover micronutrients, this one keeps the focus on macros.
Additives
This is not a minimalist label: digestion‑resistant maltodextrin (corn‑derived fiber), glycerin (keeps it moist), erythritol (zero‑calorie bulk sweetener), soy lecithin (emulsifier), and cultured dextrose (a fermentation‑based preservative) are all doing functional work, alongside alkalized cocoa for smoother chocolate flavor. The trade‑off for low sugar and consistent texture is a more processed ingredient list. Most people will find this acceptable, but whole‑food purists may prefer a simpler bar.
Ingredient List
Cow's milk whey
Corn, tapioca, potato, or rice starch
Fats and oils
Sugarcane and sugar beet
Corn or wheat starch
Oil palm fruit
Cacao beans treated with alkali
Animal collagen
Corn
Cow's milk
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
Taste, when it hits, really hits.
A lot of Built loyalists describe certain flavors as dessert-like, and the broader lineup gets frequent “candy bar” comparisons—a theme echoed in Tasting Table’s praise for the brand’s Puffs and in Reddit threads where people keep recommending them to friends.
Salted caramel, done well, gives you the sweet‑salty toggle many crave without leaning on a ton of sugar.
The macros are the other headline: 17g of whey-based protein for only 130 calories is rare in bar land, and makes it easy to pair with a piece of fruit or yogurt without blowing through your day’s budget.
Gluten-free status is a quiet win for those who need it. Taken together, this bar can feel like a smart swap for a sweet tooth moment that still moves your protein needle.
Main Criticism
Texture divides the room.
Some reviewers describe Built bars as tacky or tooth‑sticking—The Daily Meal compared the chew to taffy and didn’t mean it kindly—and a few Amazon buyers called out a film or “suntan oil” aftertaste.
Others flag an artificial sweetener note; the formula uses erythritol and glycerin for sweetness and softness, which can read “diet-y” to sensitive palates and may bother digestion in some folks. There’s also chatter about inconsistency by flavor and over time—Redditors note you might love one variety and dislike another, and an Amazon reviewer didn’t love seeing ingredient changes.
One Tasting Table piece even referenced a past recall in the brand’s history, which, fair or not, can make cautious shoppers read labels twice.
The Middle Ground
So who’s right: the “tastes like a candy bar! ” crowd or the “0/10, do not recommend” chorus?
Probably both. Built leans into engineered sweetness and a gelatin‑supported chew to keep calories low and flavors bold.
If your palate welcomes sugar alcohols, you’ll likely find Salted Caramel’s sweet‑salt balance satisfying for the macros.
If you’re sensitive to erythritol’s cooling note or prefer nut‑butter heft and crumb, you may feel more aligned with Reddit user “unknown” who couldn’t get past the texture (though maybe their bar lived in a hot mailbox).
Nutrition-wise, the trade is clear: you’re getting fast‑digesting whey isolate, minimal fat, and modest sugar, at the cost of a more processed ingredient list. Flavor inconsistency across the lineup is real—some Puffs get raves while certain standard bars skew chewier—so expectations and texture tolerance are doing a lot of the voting.
What's the bottom line?
Built’s Salted Caramel is a lean, dessert-leaning protein play: 17g of high‑quality whey in a 130‑calorie package that’s gluten‑free and purposefully engineered to taste like a treat. If you want a light snack that nudges protein up without committing to a full meal, it’s a compelling option—especially if you enjoy candy‑bar coatings and don’t mind a firmer, chewy center. It’s not the bar for whole‑food minimalists, vegetarians (gelatin), or anyone who strongly dislikes sugar alcohols or sticky textures.
Quality perception varies across flavors and batches, so sample before you stock up. For the right eater—calorie‑conscious, sweet‑toothed, and erythritol‑tolerant—it hits a neat niche.
Condensed listicle take: Built Salted Caramel—17g protein at just 130 calories with a candy‑bar vibe. Great for a light, gluten‑free protein fix if you’re okay with a chewy bite and sugar alcohols; not vegetarian (contains milk and soy).