These no bake protein bites are my go-to freezer snack, and now they come in two flavors. I took my almond-butter-meets-protein-powder base, pressed it into a silicone ice cube tray instead of rolling it into balls by hand, and built two completely different cookie-inspired flavors on top of that one simple method: a Thin Mint version with a peppermint chocolate shell, and a S’mores version loaded with marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers.
Both start with the same easy method — a nut butter and whey protein base pressed (not rolled) into a silicone ice cube tray, then frozen until set. They’re fudgy, cold, and packed with protein, with zero oven time and just a mixing bowl required. It’s one protein bites recipe, two totally different treats, and neither one requires sticky hands or a food processor.
Why You’ll Love These Protein Bites
- No rolling required: Unlike almost every other protein ball/bite/square recipe out there, this dough gets pressed into a silicone ice cube tray instead of rolled by hand — less mess, more consistent portions.
- Two flavors, one method: Thin mint and s’mores use nearly the same technique and freezer time, so you can make both in one session.
- Nut-butter based: A straightforward almond butter or cashew butter base — no blending or food processor needed, just stir and press.
- Freezer-friendly: A make-ahead snack that holds its shape and texture all week.
I’ve tested protein balls, protein bars, and protein bites for this site for years, and the ice-cube-tray press is the method I keep coming back to — it solves the sticky-hands, uneven-balls problem that every rolled recipe has.
The Pressed Format: How It Works
Both flavors of these no bake protein bites start with the same base logic: a nut butter, a whey protein powder, and maple syrup, mixed by hand, then pressed — not rolled — into a silicone ice cube tray and finished in the freezer until set. A silicone ice cube tray gives you perfectly even, freezer-safe portions without the sticky-hands rolling step every other protein ball recipe requires.
Nut butter’s natural oil content is what makes the base moldable without any binder beyond whey protein and maple syrup. Your nut butter should be drippy and well-stirred — oil and solids fully recombined — since separated nut butter straight from the jar won’t bind properly. Check out my guide to the best protein powder if you want more recommendations on which whey to use.
The one trick I always repeat when I teach this method: fully stir your nut butter before you start. If the oil’s still separated from the jar, your bites won’t set right — that’s the number one mistake I see people make with any nut-butter-based no-bake recipe.
Thin Mint Protein Bites
This flavor is built on a fudgy drippy almond butter and vanilla whey base spiked with peppermint extract, then topped with a poured coconut oil, chocolate chip, and chocolate whey layer and finished with flaky sea salt. That two-layer structure — a fudgy base plus a poured chocolate topping — is what makes this protein bites recipe taste closer to a candy bar than a typical protein ball.
Peppermint extract dosage matters more than people think: a little goes a long way, and it’s easy to over-add it, which reads as toothpaste-y if you’re not careful. Stick to the amounts in the recipe card for both the base and the chocolate layer, and you’ll land on an authentic Thin Mint flavor instead of an overpowering one.
S’mores Protein Bites
These no bake protein bites start with a creamy cashew butter and vanilla whey base, folded with mini marshmallows, chopped dark chocolate, and broken graham crackers instead of poured on top. It’s a campfire treat you can make with a mixing bowl and a freezer.
A couple of things worth knowing before you make these: mini marshmallows can get firm and chewy once frozen solid, so if you want a softer marshmallow bite, let these sit at room temperature for a few minutes before eating, or store the batch in the fridge instead of the freezer once set. And some cashew butter separates in the jar — the oil floats to the top — so make sure it’s fully recombined before you start mixing, or the dough won’t set correctly.
Featured Ingredients
- Drippy almond butter: The base of the Thin Mint bites. It must be drippy and pourable — if yours has separated, use a hand mixer to recombine it before measuring.
- Creamy cashew butter: The base of the S’mores bites. Fully stir it smooth before measuring if the oil has separated in the jar.
- Vanilla whey protein powder: Builds the fudgy base layer in both flavors without any chalky taste. I use Teras Whey, but any vanilla protein powder you love will work. Check out my guide to the best protein powders for more recommendations.
- Peppermint extract: A little goes a long way. There’s ¼ teaspoon in the Thin Mint base and ⅛ teaspoon in the chocolate topping — double-dosing both layers is what gives these the authentic Thin Mint flavor.
- Mini marshmallows, dark chocolate, and graham crackers: Folded into the S’mores base for that classic campfire flavor in every bite.
Ingredient Notes
- Nut butter: Use a drippy, well-stirred almond butter for Thin Mint or a creamy cashew butter for S’mores. Natural nut butters that have separated in the jar should be fully recombined before measuring.
- Protein powder: Vanilla or chocolate whey both work as written. A plant-based powder may absorb more liquid and yield a drier dough — add a splash of milk if needed.
- Maple syrup: Can be swapped for honey in either flavor without changing texture.
- Graham crackers: Standard graham cracker sheets work; a gluten-free graham cracker swap keeps the S’mores flavor gluten-free.
Troubleshooting: Why Won’t My Protein Bites Hold Together?
Too dry or crumbly: The nut butter likely wasn’t fully stirred or recombined before mixing. Stir in an extra teaspoon of nut butter or maple syrup until it holds together when pressed.
Too oily or loose: This is usually a very drippy or high-oil nut butter. Add a touch more protein powder, one teaspoon at a time, until it firms up.
The pressed-square format is actually more forgiving of a slightly looser dough than hand-rolled balls, since the tray gives it structure while it sets in the freezer. Every nut butter behaves a little differently — some jars are drippy, some are thick and separated. My fix is always the same: stir it completely smooth first, and adjust with a touch more nut butter or protein powder rather than fighting the dough as-is.
Thin Mint (freezer, recommended): Store in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 1–2 months. The chocolate topping seals the top layer, and these are best eaten straight from the freezer.
S’mores (freezer): Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month. For the softest marshmallow texture, store in the fridge instead of the freezer — up to 1 week — since frozen marshmallows firm up and get chewy.
More Protein Snack Recipes
Yes — if you don’t have a silicone ice cube tray, use a small square or loaf pan lined with parchment, press the dough in evenly, and cut into squares once set. You can also roll the dough into balls by hand, though you’ll lose a little of the neat, uniform shape the tray gives you. I like the tray because it’s genuinely the fastest, least messy way I’ve found to portion these.
The main difference is technique, not really ingredients — most protein ball recipes, like my peanut butter protein balls, call for rolling a sticky dough into balls by hand, while these get pressed into a silicone ice cube tray and popped out as clean squares. It’s less messy and gives you a more consistent portion every time.
Yes, any well-stirred, drippy nut butter works in either flavor — peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, or a different almond or cashew butter are all fine swaps. Just make sure it’s fully stirred and not separated straight from the jar, or the dough won’t hold together as well.
This almost always comes down to the nut butter not being fully stirred before you started — the oil and solids need to be completely recombined. Stir in an extra teaspoon of nut butter or maple syrup until the dough presses together easily.
Yes, vanilla or chocolate whey both work well here. Plant-based protein powders tend to absorb more liquid, so you may need an extra splash of milk or maple syrup to get the same consistency.
Both flavors keep in the freezer for 1–2 months in an airtight container. If you want the S’mores marshmallows to stay soft rather than firm up, store those in the fridge instead, where they’ll keep for about a week.
Thin Mint Chocolate Topping
Thin Mint Finishing Topping
Thin Mint Protein Bites
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond butter, vanilla protein powder, maple syrup, and peppermint extract. Stir until smooth and well combined.
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Using a silicone ice cube tray, scoop about 1/2 tablespoon of the almond butter mixture into each cube cavity. Press the mixture firmly into each cube using the back of a spoon or your fingers.
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Add the coconut oil and chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after each interval, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
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Add the chocolate protein powder and peppermint extract to the melted chocolate. Stir until fully combined and smooth.
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Spoon 1-2 teaspoons of the melted chocolate mixture over each almond butter cube, spreading it evenly to cover the top.
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Transfer the tray to the freezer and let the bites set for at least 30 minutes until completely firm. Top with flaky sea salt, then pop each bite out of the tray.
S’mores Protein Bites
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the cashew butter, vanilla protein powder, and maple syrup. Stir until smooth and well combined. If the cashew butter has separated in the jar, fully recombine the oil and solids before measuring.
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Fold in the mini marshmallows, chopped dark chocolate, and broken graham cracker pieces until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
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Using a silicone ice cube tray, scoop about 1-2 tablespoons of the mixture into each cube cavity. Press the mixture firmly into each cube, filling each cavity up to the rim.
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Optionally top each bite with a few extra mini marshmallows, chocolate pieces, and graham cracker crumbs.
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Transfer the tray to the freezer and let the bites set for at least 1 hour until completely firm. Pop each bite out of the tray and transfer to a freezer-safe bag for storage.
Thin Mint bites store in the freezer for up to 1-2 months in an airtight container — the chocolate topping seals the top layer and these are best enjoyed straight from the freezer.
S’mores bites store in the freezer for up to 1 month, but for the softest marshmallow texture, store in the fridge instead (up to 1 week) — mini marshmallows firm up and get chewy when frozen solid.
Nutrition information shown below reflects the Thin Mint flavor; nutrition for the S’mores flavor will vary due to different ingredients.
Calories: 191 kcal, Carbohydrates: 11 g, Protein: 6 g, Fat: 15 g, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 8 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by: The Wooden Skillet
