Protein cookies are a terrific idea in theory—but unfortunately, they often suffer in execution, turning out crazy-dry and, frankly, flat in the flavor department. That said, we’ve got a big, chewy, gooey surprise for you. Four of them, actually!
These recipes, from Andréa Marchese of Andréa’s Protein Cakery, make for protein cookies that actually taste like cookies. Even your grandma would approve.
With a handful of kitchen staples and healthy baking ingredients, these treats are macro-friendly and easy to make. So grab your go-to tub of protein, fire up the oven, and whip up one (or all four) of these classic twists.
Double Chocolate Protein Cookies
*Makes 6 cookies
Per cookie: 105 calories, 4g carbs (2g fiber, 1g sugar), 7g fat, 7g protein
You’ll need:
3 tablespoons almond butter (45g)
1 large egg, whole
1 scoop Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey in Extreme Milk Chocolate (32g)
2 tablespoons cacao powder (11g)
2 tablespoons almond flour (14g)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (2g)
sprinkle of stevia powder, to taste
pinch of sea salt
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Use a fork to mix together almond butter and egg. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. (Use your hands to fully combine!) Divide dough into six pieces, roll each piece into a ball, and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Press each ball to flatten them into that cookie shape.
Bake for 4 minutes, and check to see if the cookies are done—they’ll be puffy when cooked through. They may need 1 to 2 minutes more, so keep a close eye on them and remove from the oven as soon as they’re cooked so they don’t dry out. Let the cookies cool on a wire cooling rack and enjoy! These can be left at room temperature overnight, or refrigerated for longer storage.
Notes: Protein-infused almond butter is not recommended, as it will change the texture of the cookies. Since whey protein tends to give baked goods a cake-y texture, using almond flour can help maintain that classic chewy bite you look for in a cookie, so substituting in other flours is not advised.
Classic Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies
*Makes 6 cookies
Per cookie: 130 calories, 8g carbs (1g fiber, 2g sugar), 9g fat, 8g protein
You’ll need:
3 tablespoons cashew butter (48g)
1 large egg, whole
1 scoop Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Vanilla Ice Cream (31g)
1/4 cup almond flour (28g)
2 teaspoons erythritol (8g)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (2g)
sprinkle of stevia powder, to taste
2 tablespoons chocolate chips (30g)
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Mix together the cashew butter and egg. Add whey protein, almond flour, sweeteners, and baking powder. Mix well with a fork. Add chocolate chips, and mix to combine. Spoon dough onto parchment-lined baking sheet to make six cookies. Flatten each cookie. (They won’t spread while baking like traditional chocolate chip cookies).
Bake for 6 minutes, and check to see if the cookies are done—they’ll be puffy when cooked through. They may need 1 to 2 minutes more, so keep a close eye on them and remove from the oven as soon as they’re cooked so they don’t dry out. Let the cookies cool on a wire cooling rack and enjoy! These can be left at room temperature overnight, or refrigerated for longer storage.
Notes: Protein-infused cashew butter is not recommended, as it will change the texture of the cookies. Since whey protein tends to give baked goods a cake-y texture, using almond flour can help maintain that classic chew bite you look for in a cookie, so substituting in other flours is not advised.
Oatmeal Raisin Protein Cookies
Per cookie: 110 calories, 8g carbs (1g fiber, 3g sugar), 6g fat, 5g protein
You’ll need:
2 tablespoons coconut oil, softened (28g)
1 large egg, whole
1 scoop BodyTech Whey Tech Pro 24 French Vanilla (29g)
1/4 cup almond flour (28g)
1/2 cup rolled oats (48g)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (2g)
1/2 teaspoon ceylon cinnamon (1g)
sprinkle of stevia powder, to taste
1 (1 oz) box of raisins (28g)
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Mix together the coconut oil and egg. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the raisins. Mix well with a fork. Then fold in raisins. Spoon onto parchment-lined baking sheet as 8 cookies. Shape and flatten each cookie.
Bake for 6 minutes, and check to see if the cookies are done—they’ll be puffy when cooked through. They may need 1 to 2 minutes more, so keep a close eye on them and remove from the oven as soon as they’re cooked so they don’t dry out. Let the cookies cool on a wire cooling rack and enjoy! These can be left at room temperature overnight, or refrigerated for longer storage.
Notes: Refined coconut oil does not have that coconut-y taste, and lets the remaining flavors shine in these cookies. You can also use just a half-box of raisins to reduce the carb count, if desired. Since whey protein tends to give baked goods a cake-y texture, using almond flour can help maintain that classic chew bite you look for in a cookie, so substituting in other flours is not advised.
Related: The Easy Way To Pump Up The Protein In Your Oatmeal
Peanut Butter Protein Cookies
*Makes 8 cookies
Per cookie: 116 calories, 5g carbs (1g fiber, 1g sugar, 1.5g erythritol), 8g fat, 7g protein
You’ll need:
1/2 cup natural peanut butter (128g)
2 large egg whites (66g)
1 packet/scoop BodyTech French Vanilla Micellar Casein (33g)
1 tablespoon erythritol (12g)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (2g)
1/4 teaspoon ceylon cinnamon (0.5g)
1/8 teaspoon sea salt (0.75g)
sprinkle of stevia powder, to taste
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Use a fork to mix together the peanut butter and egg whites. Add remaining ingredients, and mix well. (Use your hands to fully combine!) Break dough into 8 pieces, and gently roll each piece into a ball. Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet, and press with a fork for that traditional criss-cross design.
Bake for 10 minutes, and check to see if the cookies are done—they’ll be puffy when cooked through. They may need 1 to 2 minutes more, so keep a close eye on them and remove from the oven as soon as they’re cooked so they don’t dry out. Let the cookies cool on a wire cooling rack and enjoy! These can be left at room temperature overnight, or refrigerated for longer storage.
Notes: Protein-infused peanut butter is not recommended, as it will change the texture of the cookies. If using liquid egg whites, use the gram equivalent (66g) rather than the tablespoon equivalent on the carton. Also, this recipe was created for casein protein powder, so using whey will yield very different results, and is not recommended.