Peanut Butter Protein Cookies (2024)

ByAmee Livingston January 14, 2016April 20, 2023 Updated: April 20, 2023

A simple recipe for delicious protein cookies made with peanut butter, egg, maple sugar, and Quest protein powder. My kids gobbled these cookies up with no complaints. Actually, they loved them and went back for seconds. You won’t feel a bit deprived when you eat one of these healthier peanut butter protein cookies.

There’s very little sugar in these peanut butter protein cookies. They are sweetened with a small amount of maple sugar, a natural sweetener made from pure maple sap, and the sugar-free sweetener in the protein powder. If you can’t find maple sugar in your area (I shared a link to my favorite maple sugar brand on Amazon), you can substitute it with light brown sugar. They both turn out great. I would caution against using coconut sugar because it can make them too dry.

For the protein powder, I used Quest’s peanut butter protein powder with great results. You can also use the Quest vanilla protein powder. I cannot guarantee the same results with another protein powder, they are not all created equal when it comes to baking. These delicious cookies can satisfy your sweet tooth and help you hit your protein goals without sabotaging your diet. Enjoy!

Ingredients you’ll need

• Creamy Peanut Butter- make sure to use creamy peanut butter that spreads easily, not natural peanut butter where the oil separates. This is very important for success with this recipe.
• Maple sugar- Maple sugar is my favorite natural sugar alternative that adds depth and sweetness to cookie recipes. A little goes a long way. I use Coombs maple sugar and you can buy it here on Amazon. You can also use light brown sugar as a substitute.
• Egg- for binding the cookie dough and adding a bit more protein.
• Vanilla- go with a good quality vanilla extract for the best flavor.
• Protein powder- Quest peanut butter protein powder is my go-to for this cookie recipe. Quest vanilla protein powder works great here as an alternative. You can always try this recipe with your favorite protein powder, but I cannot guarantee the same results.

How To Make Peanut Butter Protein Cookies

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2. Mix all ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.

Step 3. Roll into tablespoon-size balls and place onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Press down on the center with a fork and repeat to make the criss-cross pattern. Sprinkle with a little coarse salt or coarse raw sugar, if desired.

Step 4. Bake for 10 minutes until firm (do not overbake!). Cool and enjoy!

Recipe tips

• I don’t recommend pure natural peanut butter for this recipe where the oil tends to separate from the nut butter. It will make them too dry. Use no-stir peanut butter that’s creamy that contains added oil to give them a better texture. I have used Simple Truth Organic peanut butter, and Jif Natural peanut butter with great success.
• I don’t recommend using an unflavored protein powder in this recipe. Using a flavored sweetened protein powder allows for a reduction in added sweetener to the recipe, so make sure you are using a protein powder that you love the taste of if you don’t go with the Quest brand.
• Make sure that the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before removing them from the pan to keep them from falling apart.

Storing and freezing

These cookies are best stored in a covered container in the freezer. They are perfect eaten straight out of the freezer and will keep for up to 3 months.

Variations

• Use a no-stir crunchy peanut butter for added texture
• Top cookies with a pinch of coarse salt or raw sugar
• Stir in mini semi-sweet chocolate chips or mini white chocolate chips

More protein dessert recipes

Fudgy Protein Brownies

Protein Rice Crispy Treats

Protein Pudding

Protein Tiramisu

Tropical Protein Ice Cream

Casein Cookies

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