These Peanut Butter Protein Cookies include 15 grams of protein per cookie and are a magical combination of peanut butter, chocolate, and oatmeal. A lovely option for those looking to meet daily protein goals, these cookies are an excellent grab and go snack.
After sharing my 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, many people asked if there was a way of increasing the protein count.
As a big fan of high protein desserts myself, I decided to develop a new version of the cookie that keeps macros in mind.
What we have here is a higher protein, lower carb and lower fat peanut butter chocolate chip cookie that is perfect for everyday snacking.
Because these cookies are loaded with protein, we run into a similar situation that many high-protein treats exhibit. They are not as chewy, gooey, and luscious as regular cookies. Some might call them dry.
If you’re okay with the fact that these cookies are not designed to be an exact replica of regular cookies, please do proceed.
Otherwise, if you aren’t okay with the tradeoff of protein for richness, you can stick with my original recipe that I linked above.
There is always an option to modify the recipe to create richer flavor and gooeier texture if you’re okay with lowering the protein content. See the recipe adaptations section below for some options.
Love protein infused treats? Also try my Oatmeal Protein Pancakes.
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for these high protein cookies, because each one serves an important function. You can find the full ingredient list at any local grocery store.
Peanut Butter Protein Cookies Ingredients:
Eggs: A couple of eggs give rise to the cookies and help bind them together.
Creamy Peanut Butter: Peanut butter brings rich flavor and also moisture to the cookies. Peanut butter also provides fat and protein. I like using well-stirred natural peanut butter.
Plain Greek Yogurt: Adding moisture and protein without any fat, plain Greek yogurt is a fun little secret ingredient here. I use unsweetened plain yogurt, but you can also go with vanilla yogurt if you’d like.
Pure Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla extract brings warm flavor to the cookies.
Quick Oats: Oats bring a fun texture to the cookies in addition to some complex carbohydrates and structure.
Protein Powder of Choice: The majority of the protein in these cookies comes from protein powder. Select a protein powder you know you love because you’ll be able to taste it in these cookies.
I stick with unflavored unsweetened protein powders such as goat whey protein powder or egg white protein powder, but you can also use any type of protein powder you like.
Vanilla whey protein powder, peanut butter protein powder and birthday cake or cake batter protein powder are all great options.
Vegan protein powder such as hemp protein powder or pea protein are great for those who prefer not using animal based protein powders.
Granulated Sweetener of Choice: Pick your favorite granulated sweetener to sweeten these cookies. Monk fruit sweetener (or sugar-free sweetener of choice), coconut sugar, brown sugar, and cane sugar are all great options.
I calculated the macros based on sugar-free sweetener, so if you use a different kind of sweetener, you will need to re-calculate the macros for the updated calories and carbs.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda: The leavening agents here. Baking powder and baking soda give rise to the cookies and ensure they hold together nicely.
Sea Salt and Ground Cinnamon: Salt enhances all of the flavors in the cookies, and ground cinnamon brings a lovely warmth.
Chocolate Chips: Add your favorite kind of chocolate chips for added sweetness and some goo! Sugar-free chocolate chips are a great option for lower carbohydrates, and that is what I recommend for these cookies.
Otherwise, semisweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips and dark chocolate chips are all lovely.
The macros are calculated based on sugar-free chocolate chips so you will need to re-calculate them if you use sugar-sweetened chocolate chips.
Looking for ways you can customize this tasty cookie recipe? Here are some ideas.
Recipe Adaptations:
- Use almond butter or cashew butter instead of peanut butter.
- For a richer tasting cookie, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of melted butter or organic grass-fed ghee.
- Use 1 cup of peanut butter instead of ⅔ cup for richer peanut butter flavor.
- Omit the chocolate chips for lower calories and sugar. I personally prefer the chocolate chip version.
- Use 1 cup of chocolate chips instead of ⅔ for extra sweetness.
- Add ⅔ cup of chopped walnuts, chopped pecans, sunflower seeds, or macadamia nuts for a nutty crunch.
- Replace the protein powder with almond flour if you don’t have protein powder on hand. This will decrease the protein content, but will provide a chewier texture.
- Make an oatmeal raisin version by replacing the chocolate chips with raisins. Dried cranberries are a great option too!
Now that we’ve covered the basic ingredients, let’s bake some cookies!
How to Make Peanut Butter Protein Cookies:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Mix the eggs, peanut butter, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract together in a large mixing bowl until they are completely combined and creamy.
Note: These ingredients are easier to stir together if they are all at room temperature. Use an electric hand mixer if you have one on hand.
Add in the oats, protein powder, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (the dry ingredients). Mix until combined and a dough forms.
Fold in the chocolate chips.
Drop mounds of dough onto the baking sheet, leaving some room between each mound for the cookies to grow.
The cookie dough will remain in the same shape throughout the baking process, so make cookie shapes out of the dough.
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are slightly golden brown.
Allow the cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes before eating.
Store cookies in a large zip lock bag or an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
You can store the cookies at room temperature for two days following preparation but any time beyond that, I recommend refrigeration. For longer term storage, freeze in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
The next time your sweet tooth is chatting, whip up these chocolate chip protein cookies.
These protein powder cookies include less added sugar, healthy fats, and a whole lot of deliciousness.
Whether you’re achieving fitness goals or are simply trying to prioritize more protein, these healthy cookies are a deliciously satisfying snack.
This oatmeal protein cookie recipe is a delicious treat with the all of the best flavors.
Nutrition Information:
When made into 10 large cookies, each cookie contains 256 calories, 15 grams of fat, 27 grams of carbs, 2 grams of sugar, and 15 grams of protein.
The complete macronutrient breakdown is available in the recipe card below.
I used sugar-free monk fruit sweetener and sugar-free chocolate chips to prepare the recipe so if you use sugar and regular chocolate chips, you will need to recalculate the macros using a website or app such as My Fitness Pal or Cronometer.
Looking for more high protein baked goods? Here are some reader favorites.
More High Protein Treats:
- Protein Banana Bread
- Blueberry Protein Muffins
- Protein Overnight Oats
- Double Chocolate Banana Baked Protein Oatmeal
- Cottage Cheese Cheesecake
Cookies with benefits, here we come!
Peanut Butter Protein Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup unsweetened creamy peanut butter
- 1 (5.3-oz) container plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups quick oats
- 1/2 cup protein powder of choice
- ⅔ cup granulated sweetener of choice *
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 2/3 cup sugar-free chocolate chips or regular chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the eggs, peanut butter, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract together in a large mixing bowl until they are completely combined and creamy. Note: These ingredients are easier to stir together if they are all at room temperature. Use an electric hand mixer if you have one on hand.
- Add in the oats, protein powder, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (the dry ingredients). Mix until combined and a dough forms.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Drop mounds of dough onto the baking sheet, leaving some room between each mound for the cookies to grow. The cookie dough will remain in the same shape throughout the baking process, so make cookie shapes out of the dough. Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are slightly golden brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes before eating.
Notes
Nutrition
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Have you ever used allulose for sweetener? wondering how it would work in these?
Hi Sandy! Allulose works great in these cookies, as do other types of sugar-free sweeteners like monk fruit sweetener 🙂 Hope you enjoy!