Pure Protein
Brookie
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A budget, candy‑bar‑style protein bar: 19g protein for 180 calories, gluten‑free, with a soft fudgy center and cocoa crisps—made possible by sugar alcohols and a touch of sucralose.
When to choose Pure Protein Brookie
Post‑workout or a low‑calorie sweet‑tooth fix when you want real protein without a sugar bomb—so long as you’re fine with processed sweeteners and don’t mind dairy, soy, or gelatin.
What's in the Pure Protein bar?
Pure Protein’s Brookie bar leans into the brownie‑meets‑cookie promise with alkalized cocoa, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, and chocolatey soy crisps for crunch.
Under the hood, it packs 19g of protein from a dairy‑first blend (milk and whey proteins) with soy as backup—while keeping calories (180) and fat (5g) on the lighter side for the category.
The low sugar (2g) comes not from fruit, but from a suite of sugar alcohols and a tiny dose of an artificial sweetener, which helps deliver a sweet, soft “brookie” bite without a sugar rush—though sensitive stomachs may want to test tolerance.
- Protein
- 19 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 18 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Calories
- 180
Protein
1915MIDMost of the 19g of protein comes from high‑quality dairy—milk protein isolate, whey isolate/concentrate, and calcium caseinate—filtered proteins that are complete and relatively low in lactose. Soy protein isolate adds plant‑based support, while a little hydrolyzed gelatin (collagen peptides) contributes texture but not essential amino acids. Net‑net: the grams here are predominantly complete, fast‑ to moderate‑digesting protein.
Fat
59LOWAt 5g total, fats are modest and come from a mix of confectionery fats (fractionated palm kernel/palm oil, cocoa butter, milkfat) plus smaller amounts of canola oil and almond butter. That blend tilts saturated (palm and cocoa) with some monounsaturated support from canola and nuts. The low total keeps saturated fat per bar in check, even if the fat sources aren’t olive‑oil‑like.
Carbs
1820MIDThese are engineered carbs more than whole‑food carbs. Sweetness and chew come mainly from sugar alcohols (maltitol syrup/maltitol) and glycerin—highly processed ingredients made from starch—plus a little refined tapioca starch in the crisp pieces. Expect a smaller blood‑sugar bump than a sugary bar, but not zero; polyols can also cause bloating in some people, especially if you have more than one bar.
Sugar
24MIDOnly 2g of sugar because most sweetness is supplied by sugar alcohols and a tiny amount of artificial sweetener (sucralose). That keeps sugar low, but it trades in more processed sweeteners rather than fruit‑based sugars; some people find polyols upset their stomachs at higher intakes.
Calories
180210LOWAt 180 calories, this bar is light for a protein bar. A big share comes from protein, with the rest mostly from sugar alcohols/glycerin and relatively little from fat. Translation: a solid protein hit without a heavy calorie load.
Vitamins & Minerals
You get about 10% Daily Value of calcium—partly inherent to the dairy proteins and partly from added calcium carbonate—and roughly 10% DV iron likely from cocoa and soy. Potassium is modest at about 4% DV. There’s no multivitamin fortification here; just small mineral bumps from the recipe.
Additives
This is a highly engineered bar: multiple refined sweeteners (sugar alcohols and glycerin) for sweetness and softness, soy lecithin for emulsifying, natural flavors, and synthetic color ‘lakes’ to sell the brookie look. These ingredients keep texture stable and sugar low but are far from whole‑food sources. If you prefer short labels, this one won’t feel minimal.
Ingredient List
Skim cow milk
Defatted soybean flakes
Cow's milk whey
Cow's milk whey
Corn or wheat starch
Bovine, porcine, and fish collagen
Fats and oils
Corn or wheat
Cacao beans treated with alkali
Cassava root
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“Pure protein > Kirkland Signature protein bars. The pure protein bars actually taste like candy bars to me. The Kirkland Signature protein bars have a texture like chewing on soft leather. That's a no for me!”
“I'm eating a lemon cake Pure Protein bar right now and I can attest that it absolutely slaps. It is a flavor that seems like it could get old quick though. Regardless they have a ton of flavors and the consistency of the bar is pleasing to say the least. 20g of protein with 190 calories isn't too bad either.”
“I buy Pure Protein Bars at Costco. They are my favorite. I find the Kirkland Bars to be too chewy. I have not tried the others you have shown here. I also like the Robert Irvin Bars.”
Main Praise
Brookie channels what Pure Protein fans already like: a dessert‑leaning bite with real staying power for the calories.
The protein‑to‑calorie ratio is excellent for the price, which is why you see so many people calling these their “go‑to” bars and rating them highly at scale (think tens of thousands of reviews).
The texture—soft center with chocolatey crisps—lands closer to a candy bar than a chalky gym brick, and that alone expands its audience beyond hardcore macro trackers. Across independent reviews, the pattern holds: satisfying, easy to keep in a gym bag or desk drawer, and reliably filling for a quick post‑workout or 3 p.
m. snack.
It’s also gluten‑free, which broadens who can enjoy it without sacrificing protein density.
Main Criticism
Taste is polarizing across Pure Protein’s lineup, and Brookie won’t be immune: some reviewers love the candy‑bar vibes; others find the brand dense, overly chewy, or a little chalky. A few dramatic outliers report off‑notes (one person even claimed a “fishy” smell in another flavor), which suggests batch variability or just personal sensitivity to the protein blend.
The bigger, more consistent drawback is the ingredient approach—maltitol and other sugar alcohols plus sucralose keep sugar low but can bother sensitive stomachs, especially if you double up. It’s not vegetarian due to gelatin, and it contains dairy, soy, peanuts, and almonds, so allergen‑avoiders should steer clear.
Fiber is modest, which means it fills you up on protein but won’t help much on the fiber front.
The Middle Ground
So which is it: sneaky dessert or sneaky disappointment? The most balanced read is this—if you value macros, price, and a sweet profile, Brookie delivers exactly what it promises.
The fudgy center and cocoa crisps give it more personality than the brand’s plainer chocolate flavors (one Reddit commenter said they had to “choke down” a different chocolate bar, which tracks with flavor‑to‑flavor variability).
On texture, the truth sits between “candy bar” and “chew toy”: it’s softer than many budget bars but still dense enough that taking your time (or pairing with coffee) helps. As for the engineered sweeteners, they’re the tradeoff that keeps sugar at 2g—great for avoiding a sugar spike, not so great if polyols don’t agree with you.
And while Amazon’s Brad calls them the best for the price, Jody Jackson’s note about roof‑of‑mouth stickiness is also real. The open question is your tolerance: to sweetness style, to chew, and to sugar alcohols.
If those land fine, the value proposition is hard to beat; if not, no amount of macros will change your mind.
What's the bottom line?
Pure Protein Brookie is a mass‑market dessert‑style bar with smart macros: 19g of mostly dairy‑based protein, 180 calories, and only 2g of sugar. The flavor leans chocolatey and indulgent, and the texture—a soft core with crisp bits—will feel familiar if you’ve ever taken a detour down the candy aisle. The cost of entry is a long, engineered ingredient list that includes sugar alcohols and sucralose, plus common allergens and gelatin.
If you’re comfortable with that tradeoff, this is a practical, tasty way to get meaningful protein without a sugar crash. If you want a shorter ingredient list, more fiber, or you’re sensitive to polyols, look elsewhere. But for budget‑friendly protein that feels like a treat, Brookie earns its spot in the gym bag.
Condensed listicle blurb: Pure Protein Brookie — a budget dessert‑style pick with 19g protein, 180 calories, and 2g sugar. Gluten‑free but not vegetarian (gelatin).
Sweetness comes from sugar alcohols and sucralose, which some find chewy or GI‑unfriendly. Great as a post‑workout or sweet‑tooth fix when you want real protein without a sugar surge.