Protein Cookies
7
Published Feb 24, 2022, Updated Jun 12, 2023
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These peanut butter protein cookies are soft, chewy and made with just 5 simple ingredients! They’re flourless, naturally sweetened and pack in 10 grams of protein per cookie!
Lately I’ve been trying to find more creative ways to sneak in protein. And what better way than a delicious cookie, am I right?! Not only are these protein cookies tasty, but they require minimal ingredients and are seriously so easy to whip up. They’re perfect for a pre or post workout snack, but I’ve also been enjoying them for dessert!
Why You’ll Love This Protein Cookie Recipe
- These protein cookies are made with just 5 simple ingredients that you probably have in your kitchen!
- They come together in no time and only one bowl is needed. Yay for minimal dishes!
- They’re gluten-free, dairy-free and one cookie has about 10 grams of protein.
- These cookies make for a great grab-and-go snack, post-work out treat or even dessert.
Ingredients Needed
- vanilla protein powder – I used the Sun Warrior Vanilla Warrior Blend for this recipe, which worked great! It’s vegan, soy-free, sugar-free and doesn’t taste chalky at all! Another fave of mine is the Nuzest protein powder.
- peanut butter – you want to use natural, drippy peanut butter not a thick peanut butter spread. I usually go for the store brand and read the label to make sure it just one or two ingredients, the nuts and salt.
- maple syrup – we’re using maple syrup as the sweetener in this recipe, which is one of my favorite natural sweeteners. Just be sure to use pure maple syrup, not the artificial kind labeled “pancake syrup” and made from corn syrup… NOT the same!
- eggs – helps to bind the cookies together… and adds extra protein!
- chocolate chips – I really like Lily’s chocolate chips because they’re dairy-free, lower in sugar and still have a great flavor.
How to Make Protein Cookies
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together your vanilla protein powder, maple syrup, peanut butter, and eggs. Fold in your chocolate chips. Using a Tablespoon or cookie scoop, drop Tablespoon sized balls of dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Use your fingers to form the cookie shape.
Bake at 350ºF for 9-10 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown. Cool on baking sheet a few minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Substitutions
- peanut butter – want to swap the peanut butter for a different nut or seed butter? Go for it! Any natural creamy nut or seed butter will work. Almond butter, cashew butter or tahini would be great options.
- maple syrup – you can swap the maple syrup with any liquid sweetener like agave, honey, monk fruit maple, etc. I don’t recommend swapping the liquid sweetener for a dry sweetener like coconut sugar or cane sugar as it will likely change the consistency of the cookies.
- protein powder – these cookies haven’t been tested with anything besides protein powder, so I don’t know what a good substitute would be. If you’re looking for a chocolate chip cookie recipe that doesn’t call for protein powder, I suggest making my healthy chocolate chip cookies instead.
- eggs – I haven’t tried this recipe with flaxseed eggs or chia seed eggs, but I bet it would work as a replacement binding ingredient to make these cookies egg-free or vegan. Let me know if you try it!
- chocolate chips – feel free to swap the chocolate chips with another mix-in of choice like raisins, shredded coconut or chopped nuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! There is no dairy, flour, refined sugar or artificial ingredients in these cookies. Plus, one cookie is packed with 10 grams of protein each, so they’re definitely healthy in my book!
This recipe makes 16 cookies and each cookie has 10 grams of protein. This will likely vary depending on the protein powder you use.
When people ask about certain foods or recipes being “healthy” the follow up question is “will this food help me lose weight”? In general, I don’t think there are foods that should be designated as weight loss foods. Having said that, following a balanced diet with high protein and plenty of fiber generally does help with weight loss and prevent mindless snacking.
These protein cookies could be a breakfast replacement if you don’t have time for a full meal or are a great snack option. I like to have one as an afternoon snack… you know, when that 3:00 PM hunger rolls around! But they’re also a great post-workout snack as well. The protein helps repair and rebuild your muscles!
I recommend using a plant-based protein powder with minimal ingredients. I used Sun Warrior protein powder for this recipe, but I also love Nuzest protein powder. Both don’t have a chalky taste and the ingredient list is minimal. You really can’t taste the protein powder in these cookies at all and they have a great texture! I haven’t tested these cookies with a whey protein, pea protein or hemp protein blend so I’m not sure if the consistency would change at all. Let me know if you try any of these options in the comments below!
How to Store Protein Cookies
After allowing the cookies to cool completely, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to one week and freezer for up to 3 months. If you freeze the cookies, just make sure you use a freezer-safe container and let them thaw before enjoying!
More High Protein Snacks to Try
- Coconut Protein Balls
- Easy Protein Bars
- No Bake Protein Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Protein Cookies
- Protein Mug Cake
- Easy No Bake Protein Balls
- No Bake Protein Cookies
- Protein Cookie Dough
- Protein Chia Pudding
- Cottage Cheese Cookies
Popular Cookie Recipes to Try
- Almond Flour Cookies with Chocolate Chips
- Chocolate Chip Tahini Cookies
- Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies
- Banana Oatmeal Cookies
- Lemon Almond Flour Cookies
- Almond Cookies
Be sure to check out all of my protein recipes and the full collection of cookie recipes here on EBF!
Protein Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter, (almond butter or cashew butter also work)
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vanilla protein powder, I used Sun Warrior vanilla
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips , I like Lily's dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, add all ingredients except chocolate chips and stir to combine.
- Fold in chocolate chips.
- Using a tablespoon or medium cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll dough into 16 balls. Each cookie should be about 2 Tablespoons of dough. Flatten with fingers or a fork to form a cookie shape.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown. Cool on baking sheet a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- Peanut butter: Any natural creamy nut or seed butter will work. Almond butter, cashew butter or tahini would be great options.
- Maple syrup: You can swap the maple syrup with any liquid sweetener like agave, honey, monk fruit maple, etc. I don’t recommend swapping the liquid sweetener for a dry sweetener like coconut sugar or cane sugar as it will likely change the consistency of the cookies.
- Eggs: I haven’t tried this recipe with flaxseed eggs or chia seed eggs, but I bet it would work as a replacement binding ingredient to make these cookies egg-free or vegan. Let me know if you try it!
- Chocolate chips: Feel free to swap the chocolate chips with another mix-in of choice like raisins, shredded coconut or chopped nuts.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So delicious!! I’ve been searching for a different type of post-workout snack and these are excellent.
I made these with almond butter and Sprouts brand Salted Caramel pea protein + instant espresso for a caramel macchiato situation. So good, thank you!!
Yum! A caramel macchiato protein cookie sounds amazing, thanks for sharing your swaps, Em!
How come no one has a cookie with out chocolate chips in them. I want a cookie I can leave in the hot car and eat after my run without it melting all over the place.
Hi! You can totally leave the chocolate chips out of this cookie and they will still be great.
Yum! I love how simple and delicious these cookies are. I used sunflower butter and actually skipped the maple syrup (it seems like a crime, I know) because I wanted a (very!) low sugar cookie and they turned out great! Thanks for another fabulous recipe!!
SO delicious! Thanks so much for sharing your version of these cookies and I am so glad to hear how great they turned out for you. Appreciate your review & star rating, it means the world to me!