High Protein Coffee Brownies with Transformation Protein

Thick, rich, and deliciously indulgent these dark coffee brownies are packed with protein! Made with mostly healthy ingredients and topped with a creamy coffee frosting, these chocolate protein brownies will become your go-to dessert in no time.

If ever there was a dessert classic it would be brownies. So why not have your cake and eat it too by whipping up these coffee brownies!

Made for all the coffee lovers out there (aka busy moms) who need a pick me up in the middle of the afternoon. Instead of reaching for the nearest sugar fix, keep a batch of these protein brownies on hand. It's actually a super effective hack because treating yourself can boost your energy.

As a Certified Nutrition Coach, I love that it has all the indulgence of a sweet treat, your favorite coffee flavor, and protein to give you some actual fuel in one place. Learn more about the benefits of a high protein diet and why you want to amp it up!

This blog post and brownie recipe has been sponsored by Transformation Protein, my newest obsession! I wanted to do a Transformative Protein Review because they have powders that not only taste good but have high-quality ingredients to give maximum fuel.

Ingredients You Need

Skip the espresso powder, unsalted butter, and cocoa powder for this brownie recipe and you'll still experience a classic chocolate flavor.

Almond flour: the base of these coffee brownies, make sure to use almond flour so that it blends smoother and doesn’t leave a gritty texture (learn the difference between almond flour and ground almonds).

Coconut flour: called a figure competitor's best friend because it gives all the satiety of carbohydrates but is actually a great fat! Learn the difference between coconut flour and almond flour.

Sugar: I like to use finely ground cane sugar here but any white sugar you have on hand is perfect.

Ground and fresh coffee: use a blend you absolutely love as the flavor will come through quite well. Most recipes will use espresso powder and though that can work too, regular coffee granules is just fine.

Protein powder: you need to use Transformation Protein’s Chocolate Lava Cake for these brownies. Not only does it create a rich and decadent texture, but it gives the brownies a sweet flavor. You can use the vanilla blend only (and still skip the cocoa powder) because there is chocolate in the brownie batter. Learn more about choosing a protein powder for your goals.

Oil: This is what subs for unsalted butter in most recipes. I use avocado oil as it has a higher heat point than olive oil. That said, dairy-free, unsalted butter may work but hasn't been tried.

Eggs: part of the protein punch make sure your eggs are at room temperature before mixing them in.

Chocolate chips: make sure the ones you use are dairy-free as needed. I like Enjoy Life Chocolate chips for that reason.

Salt: the tiniest bit goes a long way so measure, don’t eyeball!

For the frosting: the coffee frosting on the chocolate protein brownies is made from three ingredients only. You need canned coconut milk, vanilla protein powder, and cooled coffee.

How To Make Them

Expert Teaching Tips

If your eggs are cold when you try to mix them in, the batter won’t mix as well or bake properly. Basically, it alters the texture.

Don’t mix the coffee frosting until you’re ready to serve the brownies if possible.

The coffee brownies won’t look cooked at all when you pull them out from the oven. That’s what you want! They firm up when cooling.

The kind of protein powder you choose can and will affect the texture and flavor of the coffee brownies. Because Transformation Protein is partially collagen based, it doesn’t absorb too much liquid in the protein brownies.

Using a straight pea protein blend will make the brownies much drier and less rich.

Storing Coffee Brownies

Wait until the coffee brownies have cooled before storing them. Once cooled, store them in the brownie pan wrapped with plastic wrap or an airtight container.

Make ahead: if you’re making these chocolate protein brownies ahead of time, don’t frost them until you need them.

Store the brownies on the counter, unfrosted for up to 3 days.

Once they have the coffee frosting on top, store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. Though they can be eaten right out of the fridge, they do firm up a bit.

Either let the brownies come to room temperature before eating or heat them up ever so slightly for maximum decadence.

You can store protein brownies in the freezer in a sealed container for 1-2 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight and follow the directions above.

Transformative Protein Review

These coffee brownies were made with both Transformation Protein’s Chocolate Lava Cake Protein and their Vanilla Ice Cream Protein (for the frosting).

Know that you can use the vanilla in the brownie base, and it’ll still be delicious.

This dairy-free protein powder is the best choice for us moms who want to “have our cake and eat it too”.

The reason I was excited to work with Transformation Protein is because their powders are made from a blend of egg white protein and collagen protein (in addition to other ingredients).

Collagen is an amazing source of protein (learn more about collagen vs protein powder) and tends to cause far less bloat than traditional protein powders.

Plus, unlike a regular pea protein, these blends don’t absorb too much liquid making them super easy to bake with (and there’s no gritty taste!!!).

Plus, the powders tend to be alarmingly tasty which is always a plus.

If you want to make your health a priority and step up your game but still want to enjoy delicious things, Transformation Protein is the protein powder for you.

Topping The Coffee Brownies

I personally enjoy the coffee protein frosting in the recipe card below. With 3 ingredients it’s crazy simple to whip up and adds an espresso-like flavor to the protein brownies.

However, I’ve also topped these with dairy-free chocolate ganache, dairy-free caramel sauce, protein buttercream, and cream cheese frosting (both of those last ones I added espresso powder- yum!).

Honest to God the flavor works with all of the frostings, it just depends on how indulgent you want to make them.

Frequently Asked Questions About Protein Brownies

Other Protein Brownie Recipes You’ll Love

• Two bite peanut butter protein brownies
• Flourless protein brownies
• Dairy-free protein brownies (chewy!)
• Fudgy Protein Brownies