Special K (Kellogg’s)
Chocolatey Chip Cookie Dough
TL:DR
In 2 Sentences
Think cereal bar meets candy bar: a doughy center with chocolatey chips, fortified like a breakfast bar, yet delivering 12g of protein at 180 calories.
When to choose Special K (Kellogg’s) Chocolatey Chip Cookie Dough
Sweet-tooth afternoons, quick pre- or post-walk bites, and on‑the‑go snacking when taste and convenience matter more than maximal protein or a short, whole‑food ingredient list.
What's in the Special K (Kellogg’s) bar?
Special K’s Chocolatey Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bar leans into dessert cues—alkalized cocoa, chocolatey chips, and a hit of vanilla—while delivering a snack‑size 12 grams of protein. That protein comes mostly from soy protein isolate with a small assist from whey, so it’s vegetarian but not dairy‑free.
The carbs skew more confection than whole grain: sugar and corn syrup are supported by sugar alcohols and polydextrose for softness, with small additions of oats and wheat starch. Fats come from a blend of soybean and palm oils (plus the chips), with a little from almond and peanut flours, keeping total fat modest.
At 180 calories it’s a lighter bar, but it lives on the sweeter end of the protein‑bar spectrum. If you imagine cookie dough—rich, sweet, soft—that’s exactly how this formula behaves.
- Protein
- 12 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 21 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Calories
- 180
Protein
1215MIDMost of the 12 grams of protein come from soy protein isolate, a highly refined but complete plant protein; a bit of whey and nut flours round it out. Soy isolate offers a solid amino‑acid profile (generally a notch below whey for muscle), and the whey inclusion means milk is present. The total is snack‑level compared with many bars, better for bridging meals than replacing one.
Fat
69LOWFat comes from a vegetable‑oil blend (soybean, palm, palm kernel) and the chocolate chips, with smaller contributions from almond and peanut flours. That mix tilts toward more saturated fat from palm/palm kernel, while soybean and nuts add unsaturated fats—overall still a modest 6 grams. Here, fat mainly supports texture and shelf life rather than showcasing olive‑ or avocado‑style oils.
Carbs
2120MIDThese 21 grams of carbs are built on refined sweeteners and binders—table sugar and corn syrup for quick sweetness and stick—plus polydextrose (a synthetic fiber) and sugar alcohols to keep the doughy chew. A little oat and wheat starch appear but play supporting roles. Expect faster energy with some buffering from the added fiber; if polyols bother your stomach, keep it to one bar at a time.
Sugar
94HIGHThe 9 grams of sugar come mainly from sugar, corn syrup, fructose, and the chocolatey chips—there’s no fruit in the mix. Extra sweetness comes from sugar alcohols and a touch of stevia, which lowers the labeled sugar while keeping the bar quite sweet. That blend can temper the blood‑sugar punch a bit versus all sugar, but polyols can cause GI rumblings for sensitive folks.
Calories
180210LOWAt 180 calories, this sits on the lighter side for protein bars. Most energy comes from carbohydrates (including sugar alcohols), with 12 grams of protein and 6 grams of fat providing the rest. Think sweet snack with some protein support rather than a full meal replacement.
Vitamins & Minerals
The double‑digit vitamin and mineral numbers are from fortification: calcium carbonate and reduced iron lift calcium and iron to 25% DV, while added vitamins A (palmitate), C (ascorbic acid), E (acetate), and D3 provide the rest. These nutrients are coming from a premix rather than the base foods. Useful for topping up, though not a stand‑in for produce and whole‑food variety.
Additives
The soft, cookie‑dough bite is engineered with modern helpers—polydextrose for bulk, glycerin and sorbitol for moisture, maltitol for sugar‑like sweetness, pectin for structure, and soy lecithin to keep it all cohesive. These are highly refined ingredients chosen to deliver sweetness, texture, and shelf stability. They do their job, though sugar alcohols can be a digestive speed bump in larger amounts.
Ingredient List
Defatted soybean flakes
glucose
Soybeans
Oil palm fruit
Sugarcane and sugar beet
Cacao beans treated with alkali
Soybeans
Vanilla orchid beans
Cow's milk
Corn or wheat
What are people saying?
Sources
Range
“I recently bought some strawberry special k protein bars while on vacation and I forgot how good they were! Then I looked at the nutrition label and it was 9g fiber and 12g of protein.”
“The special k protein bars are pretty good, I think 12 grams of protein for a little less than 200 calories.”
“You should try the strawberry special k ones if you haven't already!”
Main Praise
Across Amazon and Reddit, the most consistent win is taste. Reviewers call these bars “really tasty” and easy to eat, with a chewy, cereal‑bar bite that many prefer to chalky, high‑protein options.
At 180 calories with 12g of protein, they slot neatly into a quick breakfast or afternoon holdover; several folks say they curb appetite until the next meal. Price and availability help the cause—you can find them in most grocery aisles—and the line averages about 4.
5 stars across a couple thousand ratings. The Cookie Dough flavor leans sweet and nostalgic, and despite the blend of sugar alcohols and a touch of stevia, there’s little lingering aftertaste.
Fortified vitamins and minerals are a small bonus for habitual snack‑on‑the‑run people.
Main Criticism
On the flip side, 12g of protein is snack‑level; several reviewers push back on the “protein bar” branding and note it won’t replace a meal. Texture can be polarizing: a few Amazon buyers called certain flavors dense or “playdough‑like,” and one Redditor said a recent batch seemed thinner and crumbly.
If you prefer minimally processed ingredients, the cocktail of syrups, fiber additives, and sugar alcohols won’t thrill you; some people also report GI rumblings from polyols. It’s not a low‑carb pick, and it’s off the table for many with allergies—there’s soy and dairy in the mix, plus wheat and nut flours.
The Middle Ground
Put together, the simplest read is this: Special K’s Cookie Dough bar behaves like a sweet cereal bar that happens to carry 12g of protein.
Taste‑first reviewers like Matt at Cheat Day Design praise the flavor and easy chew, while critics at Human Food Bar see the long ingredient list and call the whole concept over‑marketed.
NEAROF found a different flavor in the line dry and grainy, which underscores a truth here: flavor experiences vary, and sweetness is the through‑line. If your goal is a minimally processed, 20g‑plus protein brick, this isn’t it.
If you want something that scratches a dessert itch with some protein support, this fits. Even detractors concede convenience; even fans admit it’s unabashedly sweet.
As one Redditor joked they’d “just eat a cookie”—fair—but this is the cookie‑adjacent option that plays nicer with hunger and macros.
What's the bottom line?
If you like the sounds of a soft, chocolate‑chip‑studded bar that eats like a cereal treat and quietly adds 12g of protein, Special K’s Chocolatey Chip Cookie Dough is an easy, affordable pick. It shines as a between‑meal bridge or chocolatey afternoon fix at 180 calories—sweet first, protein second. If you want fewer additives, more whole‑food ingredients, or bigger protein per bite, look elsewhere.
Watch the allergens (soy, milk, wheat, nuts) and, if sugar alcohols bother you, stick to one bar and see how you feel. Otherwise, enjoy it for what it is: a comfortingly sweet snack with a helpful protein assist—not a miracle, but a practical win on a busy day. Condensed listicle take: Dessert‑leaning cereal‑bar texture with 12g protein at 180 calories; great grab‑and‑go sweet snack, not for low‑carb or additive‑averse eaters.