Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Protein Cookies
These taste like summer sunshine trapped inside of cookies! Store any leftovers inside of an airtight container for up to 5 days on the counter or at least a week in the refrigerator to preserve their chewy texture — if they last that long!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (28g) coconut flour (measured like this)
- 2 scoops (84g) vanilla whey protein powder (really important – read Notes before beginning!)
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp xanthan gum
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp (9g) poppy seeds
- 1 tbsp (3g) lemon zest (about 1 medium)
- 1 ½ tbsp (21g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg white, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp (45ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 medium)
- ¼ cup (60mL) agave
- 2 tbsp (24g) Swerve granulated erythritol
- 2 tbsp (24g) Truvia
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, protein powder, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, poppy seeds, and zest. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the lemon juice and agave. Mix in the Swerve and Truvia until completely dissolved. Stir in the coconut flour mixture until completely 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 parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Drop the cookie dough into 12 rounded scoops onto the prepared baking sheet, and flatten to between ¼” to ½” thick. Bake at 325°F for 11-13 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Notes
IMPORTANT PROTEIN POWDER NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: This recipe was specifically designed for Jamie Eason's Lean Body for Her vanilla whey protein powder. Unfortunately, it's no longer sold in stores. However, this protein powder and this protein powder are both really similar.
Most protein powders behave differently in baking recipes, especially when it comes to absorbing moisture. If you substitute a different whey-based protein powder for the one I used (or the two similar options above), measure by the grams per scoop of your particular protein powder. You may need to add more protein powder if the batter is too wet OR more milk if the batter is too dry.
Do not substitute plant-based protein powder; it tends to be much more absorbent and will most likely result in dry, crumbly muffins.
IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s really important to measure the coconut flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Coconut flour is very absorbent, so too much will dry out your cookie dough and make it crumbly.
COOKIE DOUGH CONSISTENCY NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: If the cookie dough looks too dry, add 2 teaspoons of milk at a time until everything comes together. If it looks too wet after letting it rest, add 1 teaspoon of coconut flour at a time until the texture is thicker.
XANTHAN GUM NOTES: Xanthan gum helps hold the cookies together and make them chewy. You can omit it, but the cookies will have a different texture.
LEMON NOTES: Measure the lemon zest and lemon juice by tablespoons or grams/mL. Do NOT measure by "medium lemon" since not all "medium" lemons are the exact same size!
I used Meyer lemons while testing and developing this recipe. They're sweeter than classic lemons and not quite as acidic. I highly recommend using them, if you can!
SWEETENER ALTERNATIVES: Honey or pure maple syrup may be substituted for the agave.
Swerve and Truvia are both granulated no-calorie sweeteners. You may use all of one or the other (ie 4 tablespoons of Swerve and no Truvia – or vice versa!). You may substitute your preferred granulated sweetener instead, but depending on the exact brand and sweetener that you use, it may change the consistency of the cookie dough. (See "Cookie Dough Consistency" note above!)
For more tips and answers to all other questions, including substitutions, see my Protein Powder Recipes: Tips & FAQ page.
{gluten free, dairy free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie, lower carb, high protein}
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.