MusclePharm
Cinnamon Roll
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
Candy-bar experience with a serious whey backbone: 20g of protein, a crunchy shell/soft center, and a cinnamon-drizzled finish—achieved with sugar alcohols and a conventionally formulated ingredient list.
When to choose MusclePharm Cinnamon Roll
Best for dessert-like protein hits after training or as a sweet afternoon holdover—especially if you want big protein and can tolerate sugar alcohols, and you’re not chasing a minimalist label.
What's in the MusclePharm bar?
Meet MusclePharm’s Cinnamon Roll Protein Bar: a cinnamon‑swirl treat built on a serious whey base.
The 20g of protein (near the top of the category) comes mainly from a whey concentrate/isolate blend, with soy isolate pitching in and a touch of gelatin giving that chewy bite.
Carbs steer modern—less from grains, more from maltitol (a sugar alcohol), chicory root fiber, and just a little real sugar in the cinnamon drizzle—so sweetness stays high while sugar sits at 5g.
Fat lands at 10g, driven by palm‑based oils that mimic frosting texture, which tilts the fat profile more saturated than a nut‑butter bar.
Big picture: about 230 calories anchored by protein and fat, a warm cinnamon‑vanilla profile delivered by real cinnamon plus a cinnamon drizzle, and a label that uses a full toolkit of sweeteners, emulsifiers, and color to serve the cinnamon‑roll experience.
- Protein
- 20 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 16 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Calories
- 230
Protein
2015HIGHThe 20g of protein is powered primarily by a whey blend—whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate—so you get a fast‑digesting, complete amino profile with relatively low lactose. Soy protein isolate shows up later to boost total protein, while a bit of gelatin lends chew more than amino quality. Net result: a high‑protein bar (near the 90th percentile) built squarely on whey’s top‑tier quality.
Fat
109MIDFat (10g) comes mostly from palm kernel oil and palm oil—semi‑solid fats that create that icing‑like texture but also raise the share of saturated fat. Soybean oil, plus almonds and peanuts, contribute some heart‑friendly unsaturated fats, yet they sit behind the palm fats in the recipe. Overall, the profile leans more saturated than bars built on nut butters or olive oil.
Carbs
1620MIDMost of the 16g of carbs don’t come from grains; they come from maltitol (a sugar alcohol made from corn starch) and chicory root fiber, with a little vegetable glycerin to keep the bar soft. A touch of regular sugar in the cinnamon drizzle and some lactose from dairy round it out. Expect a gentler blood‑sugar rise than an all‑sugar bar, though sugar alcohols can bother sensitive stomachs—especially if you eat more than one.
Sugar
54MIDSugar lands at 5g, mostly from the cinnamon drizzle (table sugar) and a bit of milk sugar from the dairy components. Most sweetness instead comes from maltitol (a lower‑glycemic sugar alcohol) plus a tiny dose of sucralose (a zero‑calorie sweetener). Low sugar here signals a shift to processed sweeteners rather than sweetness from fruit.
Calories
230210MIDAt 230 calories (upper‑mid among bars), energy is split largely between protein (~80 calories) and fat (~90 calories), with the rest from carbs and sugar alcohols. That mix tends to feel filling for its size, thanks to the protein and fat. The low sugar is balanced by caloric sweeteners like maltitol and by fats, not by fluff.
Vitamins & Minerals
There aren’t standout micronutrients—no vitamins over 10% DV, and minerals top out at about 6% DV for calcium. The small calcium and potassium likely come from whey and nonfat dry milk, while vitamin A palmitate and beta‑carotene appear more for color and formula balance than for big vitamin delivery. Think protein bar, not multivitamin.
Additives
This is a conventionally formulated bar: sugar alcohols and glycerin for moisture, several emulsifiers (soy/sunflower lecithin, mono‑ and diglycerides) for texture, potassium sorbate for freshness, and colorants including titanium dioxide to keep that drizzle bright. These are highly refined ingredients used at small amounts to keep the bar soft, stable, and pretty. If you prefer very short labels, this isn’t a minimalist pick.
Ingredient List
Cow's milk whey
Cow's milk whey
Corn or wheat
Oil palm fruit
Defatted soybean flakes
Cattle hides and bones
Chicory root
Sugarcane and sugar beet
Inner bark of cinnamon trees
Cow's milk
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“Seriously 'Combat Crunch' are the best I have eaten if protein is your goal. They taste the best in my opinion and actually have texture (crunchy outside soft inside) without the heavy sweetener aftertaste of other 20g protein bars.”
“Combat crunch! I've tried literally every bar these are the only ones that don't have a garbage after taste (sorry quest vega good fats rxbar etc) maybe it's just something I notice more than other people.”
“So my Costco just started carrying Combat Crunch protein bars...literally the best fucking bars I have EVER eaten. Two flavors, cookie dough and chocolate peanut butter cup. I think we have reached the pinnacle, these protein bars taste exactly like a candy bar possibly even better.”
Main Praise
Taste and texture top the highlight reel.
Multiple reviewers say Combat Crunch is the rare 20g bar that doesn’t scream artificial sweetener, with one Redditor calling it the best-tasting protein bar they’ve tried and another praising the “crunchy outside, soft inside” combo.
Independent testers echo that, noting a pastry-ish, layered chew that feels closer to candy than chalk. Flavor variety has historically scored well—cookie dough, chocolate peanut butter, and yes, cinnamon roll—creating a reliable ‘treat’ slot in a training day.
The macros are consistent across flavors, and several reviewers appreciate that the sweetness doesn’t bulldoze the palate. Add in generally reasonable pricing for a 20g bar, and you’ve got a crowd-pleasing option that many lifters keep on hand.
Main Criticism
Not everyone gets ‘candy bar. ’ Some Amazon buyers found bars dense or chalky, with less actual crunch than the name suggests; one called the texture gritty and punishing.
BarBend’s Jake Boly flagged a taffy-like chew and occasional synthetic notes, and a few users suspect the recipe has shifted over time or flavors have rotated out. The bigger practical knock: sugar alcohols and added fiber can cause stomach rumbling for some, especially if you eat more than one.
Finally, while sugar is low, net carbs still land in the double digits, which won’t thrill strict low-carb dieters.
The Middle Ground
So which is it—decadent or dud? The center line is pretty clear: if you like candy-bar-style coatings and a soft interior, Combat Crunch hits a lane most protein bars miss.
Reddit user AuntySocialite joked the bars are so ‘real’ they make you question the macros; that suspicion actually has an explanation: most sweetness here comes from maltitol (a sugar alcohol) and chicory root fiber, which keep ‘sugar’ low on the label even though they still contribute calories.
That’s why it tastes sweet without reading like a sugar bomb.
On the flip side, those same ingredients can feel heavy in the gut for sensitive folks, and texture can vary by flavor and batch—KDH Barbell Club called theirs dense and chalky, while others raved.
BarBend’s note about a taffy-like bite rings true if you prefer a crumbly or crunchy granola-style bar. If you want minimal ingredients or nut-butter fats, this isn’t that; palm-based fats build the icing-like bite here and tilt the fat profile more saturated than a typical nut-butter bar.
What's the bottom line?
Combat Crunch (Cinnamon Roll) is a dessert-forward protein bar that actually backs it up with 20g of quality whey-based protein. It’s built for people who want a sweet, candy-bar-style break without blowing calories, and who don’t mind a conventional, lab-savvy ingredient list to get there. The flavor and texture consistently earn praise, and when it hits your palate the way it’s designed to, it’s hard not to smile.
Trade-offs are real. The label keeps sugar low by leaning on sugar alcohols and refined fibers, which some stomachs won’t love, and the fats skew more saturated to create that frosting feel.
If you’re strict low-carb, minimalist-ingredient, or sugar-alcohol sensitive, pick another lane. rescue, Combat Crunch makes a strong, tasty case—especially in Cinnamon Roll, where the drizzle and warmth of the spice sell the whole ‘treat’ story.