Flavors Tried: Blueberry Cobbler, Chocolate Caramel Pecan, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Cookies & Cream, Chocolate Coconut
Price: $29.99 for 12 ($2.50 per bar)
Nutrition (for Blueberry Cobbler): 160 Calories, 7g Fat, 30g Carbs (3g Net Carbs), 16g Protein
By now everyone has heard of Quest Bars.
I’ve reviewed and ranked every flavor of Quest Bars, so if you have somehow been living under a rock and are unfamiliar, you can check that out.
I’ve also reviewed Quest Candy Bars, which come with less protein but an enhanced flavor and texture, much like actual candy bars.
I thoroughly enjoyed both Quest Bars and Quest Candy Bars, and Quest Hero bars fall somewhere in between the two.
Quest Hero Bars are like a protein bar and candy bar mixed into one mutant love child. If you don’t like the thick & chewy nature of Quest bars, these protein bars are very different. They have a soft and chewy core, most flavors are topped with some kind of thick caramel layer, and then they are wrapped up in a chocolate coating.
Nutritionally, Quest Hero Bars are quite impressive, especially given their large size…
The flavors all contain anywhere from 160-200 calories and 15-18g protein.
A large protein bar with just 160 calories and 16 grams of protein is extremely impressive, especially considering Quest Candy Bars contain 200 calories and just 12 grams of protein.
But impressive macros mean nothing if they don’t taste good, so let’s dig into each flavor individually.
Chocolate Caramel Pecan Quest Hero Bar
The very first thing you notice about these bars is the unique interior- it contains a Rice Krispy-esque base, similar to that of ONE Crunch bars, and there is a generous caramel layer on top of it.
You’re not quite going to get a Rice Krispy Treats texture, but it is still soft and crumbly inside. It’s a bit thick and chewy, but nowhere near the level that regular Quest Bars are on.
The caramel layer is thick and stretchy, which is a rarity among protein bars, but this bar definitely tastes like a protein bar.
You can smell the protein when you open the bar (similar to chocolate protein powder) and you definitely taste it in the chocolate coating.
I really enjoy this bar overall for the unique textures, but you would never be fooled into thinking you’re eating a chocolate bar- it is most definitely protein.
Peanut Butter Quest Hero Bar
Next up is Peanut Butter. Its texture leans more toward dense, yet it retains that crispy, chewy experience.
Based on the photo above, you can tell that it’s a bit thicker than the caramel pecan variety. The lack of a caramel layer in this one is a real bummer – I missed the textural contrast that I got in the other bar.
The peanut butter flavor here is pretty spot-on, not ground-breaking, but thankfully it doesn’t taste extremely artificial like some other peanut butter protein bars I’ve tried. On the calorie front, it’s the heaviest at 200, but also leads the pack in protein with 18 grams.
If there was a creamy peanut butter layer in this bar, it would be 100x better. As it currently stands, this one is only okay.
Cookies & Cream Quest Hero Bar
Much like the peanut butter Quest Hero bar, the cookies & cream bar lacks any kind of caramel layer, which is a letdown.
However, I absolutely love the white chocolate coating on this one. It’s nice and thick and provides the perfect sweetness to balance out the bitter chocolate interior.
The black cocoa flavor inside of this bar isn’t as Oreo-like as I was hoping for. When I tried Lenny & Larry’s Cookie-fied Bar, the flavor immediately reminded me of Oreos and knocked me off my feet. This one didn’t give me that same feeling, although it still had good flavor overall.
This protein bar reminds me of Fit Crunch’s Milk & Cookies bar- not mind-blowing, but solid.
The thick white chocolate coating on this bar definitely earns it some extra points.
Blueberry Cobbler Quest Hero Bar
Blueberry Cobbler is by FAR my favorite of the Quest Hero bars, and it’s not particularly close.
Right off the bar, the interior seems softer than the other flavors. It’s still denser than a Rice Krispy Treat, but much closer to that soft & delicate texture than the other flavors.
The blueberry taste is very prominent in the thick, gooey caramel layer, and the white chocolate coating is thick & generous.
If you like blueberry, this bar won’t disappoint you, and I get the least protein taste out of all of them. Considering how Quest nailed their Blueberry Muffin protein bar, it isn’t a surprise that they nailed this one, too.
This one feels like the perfect morning treat if you like to start your day with blueberry muffins or blueberry pancakes, and it’s the flavor that I have gone back to buy numerous times.
Plus, this one is only 160 calories, which is extremely generous given the large size of the bar.
Chocolate Coconut Quest Hero Bar
I didn’t originally include the Chocolate Coconut flavor in my review, because I have historically not loved protein bars with coconut flavor. But, when I came across this one at the checkout aisle, I felt I didn’t have a choice.
To my surprise, I actually enjoyed this protein bar quite a lot. The coconut flavor is subtle, which is a good thing for me, but it definitely won’t give you Mounds vibes if that’s what you’re after.
In terms of texture, this flavor is very similar to both the chocolate caramel pecan and blueberry cobbler flavors, but it is even softer.
The contrast between the thick caramel layer and the crumbly & crunchy base is really, really enjoyable.
But, much like the other flavors, there’s a distinct artificial taste in the chocolate itself. You don’t get that bitterness or aftertaste that artificial sweeteners tend to provide, but you can definitely taste that protein in it versus a true chocolate coating in a candy bar.
While the flavor doesn’t blow me away, the texture is enough to bring me back to this one. Yes, even for someone who doesn’t love coconut.
Quest Hero Bars: Final Thoughts
When it comes to the calorie-size ratio, the Quest Hero bars score quite high. However, they won’t sweep you off your feet with their flavors.
They have unique textures, with a crispy, crumbly interior and thick caramel layers, offering a refreshing change if you’ve grown bored with regular Quest bars.
These won’t fool you into thinking they’re candy because you can definitely taste the protein. Yet, they’re very enjoyable snacks.
If you’re a protein bar newbie, I wouldn’t recommend these as your starting point due to the protein taste. However, for the protein bar connoisseurs (like yours truly), these are a fun addition to your snack arsenal.
I’d definitely recommend starting with one of the flavors containing caramel, such as blueberry cobbler, chocolate coconut, or chocolate caramel pecan. The thick caramel layer definitely takes the experience to the next level over the other flavors.
All in all, I would put Quest Hero Bars between regular Quest Bars and Quest Candy Bars in terms of flavor. So if you’ve tried either (or both) of those other products, you should have a great sense of how you’ll feel about these protein bars.
