Why You’ll Love Them
They taste amazing. My son tasted a batch of these cookies after school last week, and told me they are the “best cookies” I’ve ever made. If that’s not a ringing endorsement, I don’t know what is. They may help to stabilize blood sugar. Research suggests that increasing your protein intake may help to improve your blood glucose response. Adding protein powder to the recipe doesn’t negatively impact the flavor, so these treats might help keep you feeling full, too! They are allergy friendly. Inspired by my flourless peanut butter cookies, this recipe doesn’t require any butter, oil, or flour. The protein powder adds structure, along with the egg and peanut butter, so you don’t need any added gluten or dairy. (If you are serving someone with a nut allergy, try using sunflower seed butter, instead.) They are easy to customize. Adding chocolate chips to these cookies makes them taste like the real thing, but you can skip the refined sugar by adding in crunchy walnuts, or a dried fruit like raisins, instead.
Ingredients You’ll Need
When shopping for a protein powder, be sure to look for one that is unsweetened for the best results. Vanilla and chocolate protein powders may negatively affect the flavor. (I tested a batch with vanilla protein powder, and my kids wouldn’t eat them!) For the exact same results as you see here, try using Garden of Life Unflavored Plant-Based Protein Powder (affiliate link), which is what I originally tested this recipe with. It does not taste delicious on its own, since it has no added sweetener, but it is perfect in these cookies! I imagine you could also use an unflavored whey protein powder, pea protein powder, or even collagen, if you keep one of those options on hand.
How to Make Protein Cookies
- Mix the dough. In a large bowl, combine the protein powder, coconut sugar, peanut butter, egg, and baking soda. Mix well, until a thick cookie dough is formed. Add in the chocolate chips (or any other add-ins you love) and mix again to distribute them.
- Bake. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a tablespoon or 1-ounce cookie scoop to scoop the protein cookie dough onto the pan. This cookie dough won’t spread much on its own, so use your hands or a fork to flatten the dough, just like you would a traditional peanut butter cookie. Bake the cookies at 350ºF for 8 to 10 minutes, until they puff up and look lightly golden around the edges.
- Enjoy! The cookies will be fragile when they first come out of the oven, so let them cool on the pan for at least 15 minutes. They will firm up as they cool, and then they are read to eat! (Pro Tip: Press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops while the cookies are warm from the oven, if you want them to look more appealing.) You can serve them at room temperature for a more tender texture, or chilled directly from the fridge, if you prefer a slightly crispier cookie. These cookies will be slightly crumbly, since they are gluten-free, but the texture will melt-in-your-mouth. (Almost like a shortbread cookie!) Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Or you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Remove the cookies from the freezer the night before you plan on serving them, if you’d like them to soften up again. Looking for more healthy dessert ideas? Try Protein Balls for another high-protein treat, Almond Flour Cookies, date brownies, or the healthiest cookies ever for a fruit-sweetened option. If you try these high protein cookies, please leave a comment and star rating below! I always appreciate hearing your feedback, and any substitutions you try will help other readers.
