Vegan protein cookies are a delicious and healthy snack (or dessert!) that gives a great source of plant-based protein. With a blend of only a few ingredients, these vegan cookies come in at 9 grams of protein.
Plus, you can customize them to your liking with fun additions like dried fruit or nuts. If you’re looking for a healthier treat to curb your sweet tooth, keep this recipe on hand!
The perfect option for busy moms on the go. These vegan protein cookies help you stay energized throughout the day with 9 grams of protein. Or, if you do them into protein cookie butter you bump that up to 24 grams!
As a Certified Nutrition Coach, I love that these cookies are a snack moms can feel good about grabbing (or handing off to hangry kiddos!)- just like these Snickerdoodle protein cookies. Learn more about the benefits of a high protein diet and why you want to amp it up!
Recipe Highlights
Dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan these cookies check all the allergy-friendly boxes.
Natural sugars: the cookies are only sweetened with dates and a hint of maple syrup (just like most of these vegan protein desserts!).
Easy to make: they whip up in about 25 minutes and are ready to go.
Tasty: they come out with a chewy texture which makes them a wicked way to bust a craving.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Most of the items you should have on hand if you have a well-stocked gluten-free pantry. Which makes these vegan protein cookies even more awesome!
Shredded coconut: gives a chewy texture to the gluten-free cookies as well as some sweetness. If you use sweetened coconut the cookies will be a bit sweeter.
Vegan protein powder: The brand you choose will affect the flavor and texture of the protein cookies- just like these 3 ingredient protein cookies.
Dried dates: cut the sugar and opt for the sweetness of dates instead!
Nut butter: I’ve made these vegan protein cookies with peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, and almond butter. All were delicious so use what you have on hand. Peanut butter and chocolate obviously pair deliciously.
Maple syrup: opt for the real stuff as it gives them a better flavor.
Mini chocolate chips: this adds a bit of sweetness as well as makes the inside of the vegan cookie somewhat fudgy in nature (yum).
Baking powder: helps the protein cookies rise.
Dairy-free milk: almond milk will be the most popular but we use homemade hemp milk as it’s what we have on hand most frequently.
How To Make Them
- Soak the dates in warm water for 15 minutes then drain.
- Add the dates, maple syrup, and nut butter into a mini food processor and combine until mostly smooth.
- Mix together the baking powder, coconut, and protein powder in a small bowl.
- Add the date mixture into the bowl and then the dairy-free milk.
- Mix well.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and mix more until everything is coated.
- Portion onto a lined cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Important Teaching Tips
The cookies don’t look done coming out of the oven. Let them cool fully before devouring them. They firm up a bit in the fridge too.
Notice the difference in colors of the cookies, some use chocolate protein powder and others use vanilla. Both are delicious.
You can sub out chocolate chips for pecans or dried fruit if you like to switch up flavors.
If you need to make the vegan protein cookies recipe nut-free, use Sunbutter in place of peanut butter.
Store the vegan protein cookies in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
Choosing A Protein Powder
The kind of vegan protein powder you choose will affect both the taste and texture of the cookies.
Learn more about choosing protein powder for your goals.
This cookies recipe uses a vegan protein powder and taste best with Botanica protein powder. Another option that would work well is Orgain protein.
These protein powders both absorb liquid like a traditional vegan protein powder but not excessively like some fermented brands. Plus, they taste great on their own.
Having a straight based pea protein or a fermented pea protein powder will make these cookies far too dense and chalky.
Frequently Asked Questions About Vegan Protein Cookies
Vegan protein powder is a great way to bump up the intake of baked goods. However, it does tend to absorb more liquid than whey protein powder. So long as there is adequate liquid, baked goods will come out delicious. Know that different protein powder blends will result in different textures though as some are pea based and some are brown rice-based.
Protein cookies are a great way to bump up daily protein intake while enjoying something sweet. They can easily be worked into any macro requirements.
I don't think so, no. Whey protein doesn't absorb liquid the same way vegan protein powder does so I'm not sure that the cookies would hold together.
Other Protein Cookies You'll Love
- Crispy protein cookies
- Protein cookie dough
- Peanut butter chocolate chip protein cookies
- Lemon protein cookies
- Carrot cake collagen cookies
Chocolate Vegan Protein Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 10 dates Soaked in warm water for 20 minutes
- ⅓ cup Vegan protein powder
- ¼ Shredded coconut
- ⅓ cup Almond butter
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 2 tbs Avocado oil
- 2 tbs Maple syrup
- 2 tbs Almond milk
- 2 tbs Mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Soak the dates in war water for 15 minutes then drain.
- Add the dates, maple syrup, and nut butter into a mini food processor and combine until mostly smooth.
- Mix together the baking powder, coconut, and protein powder in a small bowl.
- Add the date mixture into the bowl and then the dairy-free milk.
- Mix well.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and mix more until everything is coated.
- Use a trigger ice cream scoop to portion the cookies onto a lined cookie sheet. Press down slightly.
- Bake for 15 minutes then remove from the oven.
- They come out super soft so let them cool on the pan fully and they’ll firm up.
Notes
- The cookies don’t look done coming out of the oven. Let them cool fully before devouring them. They firm up a bit in the fridge too.
- You can sub out chocolate chips for pecans or dried fruit if you like to switch up flavors.
- Store the vegan protein cookies in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
- I like this vegan protein cookies recipe best with chocolate protein powder and peanut butter but vanilla protein powder works too.
- If you need this recipe to be nut-free, sub the nut butter out with Sunbutter instead.
- The recipe makes 10 small cookies or 8-9 medium ones. Each serving is 2 cookies.
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Lisa says
I'm always looking for ways to use vegan protein as I don't care for the taste alone. These cookies are a perfect morning treat.
fitasamamabear says
The taste can be funky lol definitely great to hide it!
Gina says
These are so good! Love how easy and nutritious they are for a sweeter snack!
fitasamamabear says
Nice to have the option!
Jessica says
I was really worried I'd undercooked these at first, but after cooling and putting away in the fridge they ended up with the perfect fudgy texture. So glad I didn't leave them in the oven any longer!
fitasamamabear says
Yes!! They look super soft coming out of the oven but it's so worth it. Glad you liked them
Jane says
These are so good! I love the texture and the flavor. The only thing is I feel like they could use a little more protein, but that's just me.
fitasamamabear says
Totally get you there, adding more made them taste funky lol so I stuck with flavor here.
Sara Nelson says
These were SO good! I used SunButter instead of almond butter and whole milk instead of almond milk (due to allergies), and they worked great.
fitasamamabear says
Sun butter is amazing eh?!