A chewy and intermediate moisture bar that uses a dairy-based binder and methods of making thereof. The bar comprises: - A dry base selected from grains, nuts, granola and oats； - A dairy based binder including 3 to 14 percent dairy protein, 16 to 35 percent water and less than 0.1 percent non-dairy binding ingredients based on the weight of the dairy based binder. The dairy protein to moisture ratio is less than 0.5 such that the dairy-based binder includes 2 to 5 times as much moisture than dairy protein, the dairy-based protein blended with the dry base； - 3 to 9 percent total dairy protein, 10 to 40 percent total water, and a total dairy protein to total moisture ratio of less than 0.5 such that the bar includes 3 to 5 times as much total moisture than total dairy protein so that the dairy protein is sufficiently hydrated effective to function as a binder to form the dry base in to a moist and chewy self-supporting bar shape； and - Wherein the dairy-based binder and the chewy and intermediate moisture bar are not exposed to temperatures above 68 degrees Celsius.
