Quest Nutrition
Apple Pie
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
A rare fruit-forward protein bar that still hits 20g of protein at only 170 calories, with real dried apple and cinnamon for a convincing “pie filling” flavor while keeping sugar very low.
When to choose Quest Nutrition Apple Pie
Great for a post-workout or between-meal sweet-tooth fix when you want high protein without a sugar spike. Best if you’re gluten-free and comfortable with dairy, almonds, and modern low-sugar sweeteners.
What's in the Quest Nutrition bar?
Quest’s Apple Pie Protein Bar gets its muscle from a dairy duo—milk protein isolate plus whey protein isolate—bringing 20g of complete protein (top-tier for the category) in a relatively light 170-calorie package.
Carbs land above average, but they’re mostly engineered fibers (soluble corn fiber, polydextrose) and sugar alcohols rather than flour or syrup, which keeps sugar to just 2g; that’s great for steady sweetness, though some people notice GI rumbling from polyols.
Fat stays modest at 6g, largely from almonds with smaller hits of butter and palm kernel oil. For the “apple pie” moment, you get real dried apple and cinnamon, brightened with a touch of malic/citric acid and rounded with natural flavors—more apple-pie-filling than bakery crust.
- Protein
- 20 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 24 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Calories
- 170
Protein
2015HIGHThe 20g of protein come from milk protein isolate and whey protein isolate, with a supporting role from sodium caseinate. This mix delivers a high‑quality, complete amino acid profile while staying low in lactose for many people. If you’re sensitive to dairy, note the clear milk allergen here.
Fat
69LOWAt 6g total fat, most comes from almonds (primarily heart‑friendly monounsaturated fats), with smaller amounts from butter and palm kernel oil to cue that pie‑like richness and give structure. That means a lean overall fat load with a tilt toward saturated fats from the butter/palm kernel side. If you prefer mostly unsaturated oils, know that the almond contribution is the cleaner piece here.
Carbs
2420MIDThe 24g of carbs are built from refined fibers (soluble corn fiber, polydextrose) plus erythritol and glycerin for sweetness and softness, with a little real carbohydrate from dried apple. Think engineered, lower‑glycemic carbs rather than whole‑grain energy; they tend to deliver steadier blood sugar than sugar syrups. A minority of people get bloating or laxity from sugar alcohols and certain fibers, so pace your first try.
Sugar
24MIDSugar stays at 2g, mostly from the dried apple and trace lactose in the dairy proteins. The sweetness you taste is carried by a blend of a sugar alcohol (erythritol) plus high‑intensity sweeteners (sucralose and stevia), which cuts added sugar but relies on highly refined sweeteners. If you’re sensitive to polyols, start with half and see how you feel.
Calories
170210LOWAt 170 calories—low for the category—this bar leans protein‑forward. Calories primarily come from the dairy proteins and a modest 6g of fat; many of the listed carbs are low‑calorie fibers or polyols, not fully digestible starches or sugars. It’s a light, post‑workout or between‑meal option rather than a full meal replacement.
Vitamins & Minerals
Calcium lands around 10% Daily Value, thanks to the milk protein isolate and sodium caseinate. Beyond that, this isn’t a vitamin‑or‑mineral play—the fortified acids you see in the apple ingredient are there to protect color, not to meaningfully raise vitamin C.
Additives
Expect a modern low‑sugar bar tool kit: refined fibers for bulk, glycerin to keep it soft, lecithin and xanthan for texture, and a trio of non‑sugar sweeteners to hit apple‑pie sweetness without syrup. Malic and citric acids sharpen the tart apple note; ascorbic acid helps the fruit stay bright. It’s a longer, more processed ingredient list than a whole‑foods bar, used here to keep calories and sugar down while preserving flavor and shelf life.
Ingredient List
Skim cow milk
Cow's milk whey
Almond tree seeds
Corn or wheat starch
Corn or cassava
lemons
Fats and oils
Corn starch
Oil palm fruit
Cow's milk casein
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“I personally love the quest bars. They don’t really taste like the real thing, but they’re a reasonable facsimile. They are nicely soft and chewy and if any particular bar has icing, it is also on the bottom. They do have big chunks of chocolate in them, if applicable. If you’re a sweet tooth person who’s trying not to eat like an asshole these definitely scratch that itch. And a super high protein/calorie ratio for a bar like this. My favorites are Cookie Dough, Raspberry White Chocolate, Lemon Cake, Birthday Cake. Be aware that a lot of people do NOT agree on my picks though haha. Least favorites are the brownie and peanut butter chocolate. Kinda nasty. Best to grab a bunch of singles and give them a try and see which are for you. Also their peanut butter cups are BANGING and their cookies are really good. Just keep an eye on the nutrition facts”
“Quest bars are perfect. A goodly amount of protein in a tasty bar. I’m mad they quit making my favorite from years ago, peanut butter supreme. I don’t like the ones with chocolate coating as much. When I did Adkins I ate them daily. They are high quality.”
“I just want to express my love of them. I really look forward to them every morning like I would a muffin or brownie. I love them melted and I love them cold. I mostly love that they keep me full for hours and hours by some magical science probably called fiber. Who else agrees?”
Main Praise
Fans praise Quest for feeling like an actual treat that keeps you full for hours—20g of protein plus lots of fiber will do that. The Apple Pie flavor reads true to name for many people: warm cinnamon, a little tang from the apple, and a dessert-like chew.
Across reviews, the macro profile is a consistent win: big protein, modest fat, and low sugar in a convenient bar you can find almost anywhere. Several tastings (and a Men’s Health nod) call out the lack of chalkiness compared to old-school protein bars.
And when the bar is fresh, the texture lands soft and pliable—some even warm it for a more “bakery” moment.
Main Criticism
The same low-sugar playbook that makes Quest appealing—erythritol for sweetness, plus sucralose and stevia—turns off a chunk of eaters. A noticeable minority report GI issues from the sugar alcohol/fiber combo, especially if they eat bars quickly or stack them with other sweeteners.
Texture is polarizing: some find it pleasingly chewy; others call it tacky or plasticky, and stale stock can go from chewy to tooth-testing. Ingredient purists also point out the long, highly processed list.
And flavor loyalty is hit-or-miss—one person’s favorite is another’s “never again. ”
The Middle Ground
Here’s where the truth likely sits. If you value fullness, macros, and dessert-like flavor accuracy, Quest is tough to beat; Bon Appétit’s editors even called the brand freakishly true-to-flavor.
But if you’re sensitive to sugar alcohols or prefer ultra-minimal ingredients, you may join the crowd that finds a lingering sweetener note or tummy rumblings.
Texture seems to hinge on freshness and expectations: Men’s Health testers didn’t get chalkiness, while a Guardian taste test slammed a different Quest bar as tacky—two very different takes, likely reflecting both bar variant and age on shelf.
Reddit threads echo this split; one fan eats them daily, another swears off the entire line.
Practical tip that resolves a lot of drama: check the best-by date, warm the bar for 5–10 seconds if it’s firm, and start with half a bar if you’re new to sugar alcohols.
If those tweaks make the experience click, Apple Pie can feel like a cozy win in a very light 170-calorie package.
What's the bottom line?
Quest Nutrition’s Apple Pie Protein Bar is a modern dessert-style bar: 20g of complete dairy protein, 170 calories, real dried apple and cinnamon, and just 2g of sugar achieved via erythritol plus sucralose and stevia. It fills you up, tastes convincingly like its name, and fits easily into a high-protein day—so long as you’re on board with a processed ingredient list and the possibility of GI quirks. Freshness matters for texture; check dates and warm briefly if needed.
If you tolerate sugar alcohols and like a soft-chewy, sweet, bakery-adjacent bar, this is a reliable, widely available pick. If you want short-ingredient-list purity or you’ve had issues with polyols, look elsewhere. Allergens to note: milk, almonds, and soy lecithin.
Listicle blurb: A cozy, cinnamon-forward pick with real dried apple—20g protein, 170 calories, 2g sugar. Sweetened with erythritol/sucralose/stevia; gluten-free but contains milk, almonds, soy lecithin. Great if you like a chewy dessert-y bar and tolerate sugar alcohols.