Nearly every year, I forget that my corner of the world skips straight past spring. The weather gives us about two weeks of mild 60-70° temperatures before hurtling into the 80s, 90s and 100s. (The same rapid transitions happens in the “fall” too… We wear shorts from late February clear through early November!)
Although I hate the cold, launching into the summery heat this early makes my late-morning runs a little interesting. My shoulders already possess a lovely razor-back tan, and my thoughts always turn to smoothies, slushies, and ice cream by the end of my route.
…which is downright dangerous since there’s a frozen yogurt shop located barely half a mile from my home! As I jog down the last street, the stoplight acts like Pavlov’s bell. I start craving a big bowl of chocolate froyo topped with juicy strawberries, chocolate chips, and fudge sauce—even though that completely defeats the purpose of a long, healthy run! (There’s a reason I never carry cash…)
Because chowing down on celery sticks instead would be pure torture (I’m picturing that scene from Miss Congeniality where Sandra Bullock begrudgingly hands over the donuts and bites down on a celery stick… anyone else remember that?), I decided to compromise with these…
Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies! They’re sweet and satisfying, full of melty chocolate chips, and contain 65% more protein than your usual chocolate chip cookie and less than half of the carbs!
Sound too good to be true? It totally isn’t! I swapped out regular all-purpose flour for coconut flour. Coconut flour is much more absorbent than all-purpose, so we’ll only use a third of the amount of stereotypical cookie recipes. That really helps cut down on carbs and calories!
Vanilla protein powder makes up the rest of the dry ingredients. It obviously adds the big protein boost (and almost no carbs!). This is the one I used, and I haven’t tested these cookies with any other brands. Not all protein powders absorb liquids equally. If your cookie dough seems too dry, add more milk. If it seems to wet, mix in a little more coconut flour.
Look at all of those chips! I’m a huge chocoholic (it’s why I’m writing a chocolate cookbook!), so I never skimp on those. I recently tried these dark chocolate chips, and holy moly… I don’t think I’ll ever go back to the yellow bags! Those chips—and other fancier, more expensive ones—stay melty for hours after the cookies come out of the oven and whenever you reheat a cookie in the microwave. (About 7 seconds, if you were wondering.)
Pure… Chocoholic… Bliss… And the perfect motivation to finish a run!
| Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies | | Print |
- ¼ c (28g) coconut flour (measured correctly)
- 2 scoops (84g) vanilla whey protein powder (I used Jamie Eason's Lean Body for Her)
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp xanthan gum
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp (14g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ c (60mL) agave
- 2 tbsp (26g) Truvia
- 2 tbsp (24g) granulated Swerve
- 1 tbsp (15mL) unsweetened cashew or vanilla almond milk
- 2 tbsp (30g) dark chocolate chips (such as these)
- 1 tbsp (15g) miniature chocolate chips
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, protein powder, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil or butter, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the agave, Truvia, and Swerve until completely incorporated. Mix in the milk. Add in the coconut flour mixture, stirring until fully incorporated. Let the cookie dough rest for at least 10 minutes.
- While the cookie dough rests, preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Fold the dark chocolate chips and half of the miniature chocolate chips into the cookie dough. Drop the cookie dough into 12 rounded scoops onto the prepared baking sheet, and flatten to your desired thickness and width with a spatula. Gently press the remaining miniature chips into the tops. Bake at 325°F for 9-11 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Truvia and Swerve are both no-calorie, plant-based sweeteners that measure just like sugar. You may substitute your favorite sweetener instead; you’ll need the equivalent of ¼ cup of sugar. Other sweeteners may change the consistency of the cookie dough, so see the paragraph above on how to adjust that.
Any milk will work.
These cookies will stay fresh for up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container. They also freeze really well! To quickly thaw, reheat individual cookies in the microwave for 30 seconds on 30% power.
For more tips and answers to all other questions, including substitutions, see my Protein Powder Recipes: Tips & FAQ page.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie, low carb, high protein}
More protein cookie recipes from other food bloggers…
♥ Trail Mix Protein Bar Cookies by Averie Cooks
♥ Flourless Peanut Butter Protein Cookies by Eating Bird Food
♥ Chocolate Protein Cookies by Fit Foodie Finds
♥ Chocolate Protein Powder Cookies by Nutritionist in the Kitch
All I gotta say is I would not be complaining about a rapid transition into summer 😛 <3
Then come visit already Lee!!!!! 🙂
I’d rather run a half marathon in 90 degree weather than eat a stick of celery! These cookies look amazing and well worth the indulgence without all of the extra calories. YUM!
Oh my gosh Erin — I’m picture just how much water I’d drink running a half in weather like that. Basically an entire ocean! 😉
These are totally my kind of cookie! I adore coconut flour, and chocolate is always a win. You are smart to not carry cash on your runs! HA.
Thanks Brittany! Goodness knows how much I’d spend on froyo if I did… 😉
Hi! Tried it right now and the texture came out like a muffin. What should i change?
It means a lot that you tried my recipe, David! I’m happy to help solve that muffin-like texture. In order to do so, I have some questions for you! 🙂
Did you make any substitutions or modifications to the recipe, including those listed in the Notes section?
What protein powder did you use?
Did you use a kitchen scale or measuring cups/spoons to measure the ingredients, especially the flour, protein powder, and agave?
How thick were your cookies after you flattened them with a spatula just prior to baking in Step 3?
How long did you bake your cookies?
Were the centers of your cookies completely firm to the touch when you removed them from the oven?
I know I just asked a LOT of questions, but I’ll have a much better idea of the culprit once I know your answers to all of them!
Thank you for the quick response!
– I used the coconut butter
-i used a kitchen scale.
-i used Supper Effect protein powder (84g).
-i used vanilla almond milk.
-baked 9 min’, took one out, and baked the others for 11 to see the difference.
9 was better.
-im new in baking so i didnt flattened them well enough, the got really puffy while baking. I think i should split it for 2 trays of 6 cookies each.
-the texture was all spongy like a muffin. The center of the cookie was also very spongy.
What is really important to mention- the taste is great! Only the texture were problematic
I’m so glad you liked the flavor, David! Between flavor and texture, flavor is usually the harder thing to fix, so it’s a relief to hear you enjoyed the way these tasted. 🙂
I just tried researching the Super Effect product line. The website appears to be in Hebrew, so I’m guessing these might not be products that are available in the US. Is that the case? I could easily be wrong or looking at the wrong website though!
My main goal was to find the nutrition info label of the protein powder that you used to compare it to the one that I used. Do you happen to have that info available? If so, how many grams are in one scoop of your vanilla whey protein powder? Also, how many grams of fat, carbohydrates, and protein are in one scoop?
When using your kitchen scale, did you weigh the agave? (Just want to confirm!)
I think there are two contributing factors, but I’ll know whether that’s true once I see your answers to my follow-up questions above!
I did used the scale for the agave.
I can send you the nutritional information, and also would love to keep consulting with you in a more comfortable format. Can we speak on Facebook chat or something like that?
Thanks for sharing about the kitchen scale and agave, David! The best way for me to help with recipe questions is through the comments section here on my blog. If you leave another comment with the protein powder’s full nutrition information, I’ll compare it to the one I use to determine whether it affected the texture of your cookies. 🙂
I know what you mean by a quick transition–I’m already starting to wear dresses! Love chocolate chip cookies that are also good for you!
I need to start pulling out my dresses from the back of my closet Lisa — they’d be perfect for this warmer weather! Thanks for the reminder!
Hi Amy! Can’t wait to try these !!
Should I leave the cookie dough in the fridge overnight before baking them?
No, chilling the cookie dough overnight isn’t necessary. I always write that step into the recipe instructions if it is. 🙂 I really hope you enjoy the cookies!
I am planning to order the scale you suggest (turns out it will be mandatory for gluten-free baking, etc.). But in the meantime, about how much, approximately, is two scoops of protein powder? I’m going to try making these cookies with one of the protein powders I have on hand. I imagine they have different densities than yours anyway. And every brand seems to have a different size scoop anyway!
Does the protein powder need to be whey protein isolate? Or will a slightly flavorless protein powder with a mix of whey, soy, and couple others potentially work? I know you can only say for sure regarding the brand you use, but do you have general feedback regarding protein powders in your baked goods? Thanks!!
Scoops differ between brands. Each container of protein powder generally comes with its own scoop to measure, and you’re right — the weight of the scoop will differ because of it. I think most scoops are around ¼ cup, but start with less to be safe since different protein powders absorb different amounts of liquid. As long as the protein powder is whey-based, it should probably work for these cookies. I hope you enjoy the cookies Shawna!
Hello! Is it acceptable to make these (and your other protein baked goods) without xantham gum? Or is there a substitute?
Thank you in advance.
The xanthan gum is what imitates gluten’s structural properties. In my protein cookie recipes, it makes the cookies as chewy as traditional ones made with wheat flour, and in my protein muffin recipes, it makes the muffins lighter in texture (they’d be denser without it). You’re welcome to omit it, but the texture of your baked goods will differ. I’d love to hear what you think of these cookies if you try them! 🙂
Amy, I’m delighted to find your blog so I can make healthy, beneficial treats. However, all your recipes seem to use different protein powders, which I have found to be quite out of my budget. I bought the humongous container of the one used in your carrot cake protein muffins, which cost me about $44. Do you publish a list of all the recipes that use that powder? I’d like to use it up before I buy some other brand. Thank you!
I’m honored that you’d like to try more of my protein powder recipes, Debbi! You can find all of my recipes that should work with the whey-based one I used in my carrot cake protein muffins recipe here. You can use that protein powder to make these chocolate chip cookies too!
In the future, the best way to find a specific recipe (or recipes that use a specific ingredient!) is to click on the “Recipes” tab at the top of my blog or to type a few keywords into the Search Bar (located on the right side, if you’re viewing on a computer, or the bottom of my blog, if you’re viewing on a mobile device). That will give you an answer much quicker than waiting on me! 😉
I’d love to hear what you think of these protein cookies if you end up making them! 🙂
Amy,
Quick question. Can I substitute the coconut oil for avocado or olive oil? Also, can I substitute the agave for sugar free maple syrup?
Thanks,
Maria
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Maria! I don’t recommend olive oil (unless you really like its flavor!) because it usually has an olive-like aftertaste that overpowers the sweetness of these cookies. I’m severely allergic to avocados, so I don’t know whether avocado oil will work. If you use sugar-free maple syrup, your cookies will be more cakey or bready in texture, rather than moist and chewy, because sugar-free maple syrup is water-based. Their sweetness level should remain about the same though!
I’d love to hear what you think of these protein cookies if you try making them!