No Cow
Cookies 'N Cream
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
For a vegan bar, 22 grams of protein at just 200 calories with only 1 gram of sugar is rare. No Cow gets there with a rice‑and‑pea blend and cookie‑like pea‑protein crisps—designed for protein density first.
When to choose No Cow Cookies 'N Cream
Best for plant‑based or dairy‑free eaters who want a high‑protein, low‑sugar snack or post‑workout option and don’t mind sweeteners or a firmer chew.
What's in the No Cow bar?
No Cow’s Cookies ’N Cream goes dairy‑free without skimping on muscle: 22 grams of protein (a 95th‑percentile showing) come from a plant blend of brown rice protein and pea protein, with chocolatey pea‑protein crisps standing in for the cookie bits.
The flavor is driven by alkalized cocoa in those crisps, cocoa butter, and natural flavors, while almonds add a little richness.
Carbs sit on the higher side for bars (25 grams, 80th percentile), but most come from soluble corn fiber, glycerin, and erythritol rather than table sugar—only 1 gram registers as sugar.
Fat stays modest at 4. 5 grams from almonds, cocoa butter, and a touch of palm oil, keeping the bar to 200 calories and letting the cookie‑and‑cream notes take center stage.
- Protein
- 22 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 25 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Calories
- 200
Protein
2215HIGHThe protein load comes from a rice‑and‑pea duo, plus pea‑protein crisps. Pea supplies lysine while rice helps round out sulfur amino acids, giving you a more balanced plant profile than either alone—without dairy. At 22g, it’s a high‑protein bar by category standards and a straightforward fit for vegan or lactose‑free diets.
Fat
59LOWFat is low and mostly from almonds, cocoa butter, and a little palm oil used for structure. Almonds lean unsaturated, cocoa butter is rich in stearic acid (a saturated fat considered relatively neutral for LDL), and palm oil is more saturated—but in small amounts here. The result reads lean rather than dessert‑rich.
Carbs
2520HIGHMost of the 25g of carbs are not sugar; they come from soluble corn fiber (a refined fiber that adds bulk and helps blunt spikes) and glycerin (a plant‑derived humectant that keeps the bar soft), with smaller contributions from rice flour and a bit of tapioca starch in the cookie‑like crisps. Part of the carbs line is erythritol, a sugar alcohol that adds bulk with little effect on blood sugar. Expect steadier energy than a sugary bar, though sensitive stomachs can notice fiber and sugar alcohols if you stack several products in a day.
Sugar
14LOWOnly 1g of sugar shows up because sweetness comes from a blend of a sugar alcohol and two high‑intensity sweeteners: erythritol provides bulk while stevia leaf extract and monk fruit supply the punch. This keeps blood sugar steadier than table sugar, though some people notice a cooling aftertaste or mild GI rumbling if they consume multiple sugar‑alcohol products in a day.
Calories
200210MIDAt 200 calories (below the bar average), the math tilts toward protein—roughly half the calories—plus a small contribution from fat and lower‑impact carbs (fiber and sugar alcohol). That balance delivers solid fullness for the calories without feeling heavy.
Vitamins & Minerals
Plant proteins and cocoa naturally bring some iron, and the minerals panel lists iron around the mid‑teens percent of Daily Value—helpful if you eat mostly plant‑based. A small bump of calcium (about 4% DV) likely comes from a touch of calcium carbonate in the pea‑protein crisps. Think protein first, minerals second—this isn’t a multivitamin bar.
Additives
To create cookies‑and‑cream sweetness and softness without added sugar, the bar leans on refined helpers: soluble corn fiber and glycerin for moisture and texture, a sweetener blend (erythritol plus stevia and monk fruit), and natural flavors. These ingredients are common in low‑sugar bars and keep net sugars low and shelf life high, though they’re more “functional” than “minimalist.”
Ingredient List
Brown rice grain
Yellow pea seeds
Corn starch
Almond tree seeds
Yellow peas
Cassava root
Defatted cacao bean solids
Rice grain (Oryza sativa)
Limestone and chalk
Fats and oils
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“O-M-G these actually aren’t that bad. No chalky powdery finish like I was worried about. The flavor is great too. As far as protein bars go, I’d give these an 8/10 and will def keep in the rotation.”
“However, No Cow is by far my favorite brand.”
“I looove no cow bars. Birthday cake flavor is 👌👌”
Main Praise
Across Amazon, Reddit, and expert roundups, the consistent win is efficiency: very high protein for relatively few calories, and it keeps many people comfortably full. Plant‑based eaters like that the rice‑and‑pea pairing offers a more balanced amino profile without dairy.
Several flavors have loyal followings (Birthday Cake and some of the dipped bars come up often), and a subset of reviewers actually enjoy the softer‑than‑expected, chewy texture compared with other vegan options.
Publications like BarBend and SELF echo the macro praise, positioning No Cow as a go‑to when protein density and low sugar matter most. Even mixed reviewers acknowledge it’s a reliable way to get 20+ grams of plant protein on the go.
Main Criticism
Most complaints center on flavor and mouthfeel. If stevia or sugar alcohols aren’t your thing, you may catch a cooling or “diet” aftertaste—cookies‑and‑cream is a frequent offender in that regard.
Texture can swing from pleasantly chewy to dry and powdery, with some Redditors noting inconsistency between the regular and dipped lines and even across batches. A few testers report mild GI rumbling when they stack this with other fiber‑ or sugar‑alcohol‑heavy products in a day.
Price shows up as a secondary gripe for shoppers who want a more indulgent experience for the money.
The Middle Ground
How can one bar be both “by far my favorite” (per one Redditor) and “a crime against humanity” (per another)? Because No Cow optimizes for protein density and low sugar above all else.
If that’s your priority, the trade‑offs—fiber‑heavy carbs, sugar‑alcohol sweetness, and a firmer chew—feel like smart engineering. If you’re taste‑first, those same choices can read as dry and a little artificial, especially in flavors that promise nostalgia like cookies‑and‑cream.
The dipped varieties generally get better marks for texture because the coating adds moisture—a helpful clue for first‑timers. And while some notice GI quirks, others (including SELF’s cited RD) report it’s gentle enough for many clients, suggesting tolerance varies.
The middle ground: expect a functional bar with polarizing taste, and your odds of liking it rise if you already do well with stevia/erythritol and prefer protein numbers over pastry vibes.
What's the bottom line?
No Cow Cookies ’N Cream is a function‑first vegan bar with standout numbers: 22 grams of plant protein, 200 calories, and barely any sugar. It’s a strong pick for dairy‑free athletes, macro‑mindful snackers, and anyone who wants protein without dragging calories along for the ride. Set expectations, though.
The sweetness comes from erythritol plus stevia and monk fruit, and the chew leans firm; some people call that disciplined, others call it dry. If you’re sweetener‑sensitive, go slow and see how you feel, and consider starting with a dipped flavor for a more forgiving texture. If protein-to-calorie ratio is your north star, this bar shines; if you want a dessert bar masquerading as protein, keep looking.