If you're looking for vegan cookies that are packed with protein and chocolate chips, you've found the perfect recipe! No one will guess that these are vegan protein cookies when they try them! They are super soft and gooey with crispy edges. Almond flour and vegan vanilla protein powder are the secret ingredients that make the best no-chill cookie dough, which happens to be naturally gluten-free, too. It's definitely one of our favorite vegan protein powder recipes.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- These pea protein cookies are high in protein with 1 cookie having about 10g of protein!
- It makes the perfect after-workout snack or afternoon snack if you have a sweet tooth. Unlike other snacks, these cookies will actually keep you full until your next meal.
- This is a no-chill cookie recipe! If you've ever made regular chocolate chip cookies, you know how annoying it can be to chill the cookie dough for an hour. This vegan protein cookie recipe can be made in less than 15 minutes and popped in the oven right away.
- Unlike many other vegan protein cookies recipes, this one is made without bananas, oats, coconut flour, peanut butter or almond butter. It's also dairy-free, egg-free and gluten-free.
Key ingredients and substitutions
Flax eggs are made from ground flax seeds combined with water. Their gel-like texture acts as a binding agent and replaces the eggs in vegan cookies. Always keep ground flax seeds and flaxseed meal in the fridge to prevent it from getting rancid.
Almond flour is actually high in protein and therefore perfect to make homemade protein cookies. Combined with vegan protein powder, it provides a fluffy and gooey texture. You can buy almond flour or make your own by blending whole almonds in a high-speed blender.
Vegan vanilla protein powder is incredible in baked goods and is such a great alternative to gluten-free flour. You'll only need small amounts because it absorbs moisture very quickly, which is great because we all know that vegan protein powder isn't cheap. So far, we have only tested the recipe with this vegan protein powder, which is based on pea protein and cannot recommend any substitution. You could however use the chocolate protein powder from Nuzest's digestive protein line. You can read more about this protein powder and why it's actually the only one we would recommend below.
Coconut oil prevents the protein cookies from being dry and brittle. You can replace it with vegan butter (in sticks or blocks, not vegan butter spread) if you prefer.
Coconut sugar will slightly sweeten the cookies and mask the taste of the pea protein that is unpleasant to certain people. Plus, it improves the texture of the cookies. You can use regular white or brown sugar if needed.
Almond milk can be substituted by any other plant-based milk alternative.
Chocolate chips are what make these cookies irresistible. Make sure to use vegan chocolate chips. Most dark chocolate chips with more than 60% cocoa are vegan.
The protein powder we recommend and WHY!
The vegan protein powder we use and recommend is the Digestive Support Protein by Nuzest made from golden peas. Here are a few of the reasons why we LOVE this protein and feel comfortable recommending it.
- If you're on a vegan diet, this vegan protein powder is a great alternative to whey protein. It contains 18 to 21 grams of protein per 2 scoops (25-gram serving).
- It has by far the cleanest ingredients compared to other vegan protein powders on the market. It's free from gums, artificial sweeteners, (natural) flavorings and fillers. We love that the ingredients list is very minimal and focuses on the essentials: pea protein isolate, coconut sugar, organic vanilla beans, L-glutamine and probiotics.
- It's easily digestible and conceived for people with digestive issues. Bethany Ugarte, recipe developer and cookbook author, who battled IBS for years has helped formulate this product in a way that is easy on the digestive system. It's fortified with L-glutamine and probiotics (Bacillus coagulans) to promote gut health.
- The protein powder is incredible for baking. It's very absorbent and behaves slightly like oat flour. It's lightly sweetened and won't impact the sweetness of your baked goods. The advantage is that it already contains real vanilla beans, which adds a subtle flavor to your vegan protein recipes!
You can read more about the protein powder and its reviews here.
Elo's tips
- We highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients as even slight variations in weight can drastically impact the texture of the cookies.
- Use melted but cooled coconut oil. Melt your coconut oil on defrost function in the microwave if it's solid at room temperature or if you store it in the fridge. The defrost function allows the coconut oil to melt without getting too hot. If it got too hot, place it in the fridge for 10 minutes. Melted but cooled coconut oil provides the best cookie texture.
- Do not overbake the cookies. They will harden and they texture will continue to improve as they cool down.
- Wait until they are cold before eating them as the texture improves while they cool down.
- To take these cookies on the go, pack them in a small snack box or wrap them in wax paper (or plastic wrap).
How to make vegan protein cookies (+ pictures)
Make the flax egg. If necessary, ground some flax seeds in a coffee grinder, spice grinder or small blender until you obtain a fine powder. Add a tablespoon of ground flax seeds to a small bowl and pour in 2 tablespoons of warm water. Give it a good mix and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until it thickens and forms a gel.
Combine the dry ingredients. Add the almond flour, vegan protein powder and a pinch of salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
Melt the coconut oil. If your coconut oil is solid, melt it in the microwave on defrost function for 15 sections. This allows the coconut oil to melt while remaining relatively cold.
Add in the wet ingredients. Create a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the melted coconut oil, flax egg, coconut sugar and vanilla extract. Start whisking. When it gets thick, add in the plant-based milk and combine the ingredients with a spatula.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
Fold in the dark chocolate chips with a rubber spatula. The cookie dough should be very thick (see pictures).
Form the cookies. Use an ice cream scoop to form cookie dough balls and place them on a baking sheet that you previously lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Press them flat with the palm of your hands until they are about 0.6 inches (1,5 cm) thick.
Bake the cookies. Bake the cookies for 8 minutes on the middle rack of your pre-heated oven. They should be golden brown when you take them out.
Frequently asked questions
You can keep these vegan protein cookies in an air-tight container or Ziploc bag for 2-3 days.
Let's be honest, most protein cookies are still cookies that are made with sugar and some sort of fat. They are not necessarily more healthy because they contain protein powder. The advantage of protein cookies is that protein keeps you full for longer. If they are relatively low in sugar, protein cookies are perfect to satisfy sweet cravings while keeping you full for several hours.
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The recipe
Vegan Protein Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 1 flax egg 1 tablespoon ground golden flax seeds + 2 tablespoons warm water
Dry ingredients
- 1 cup (110 g) almond flour
- ⅓ cup (40 g) vegan vanilla protein powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pinch of salt
Wet ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) melted and cooled coconut oil sub vegan block butter
- ¼ cup (40 g) coconut sugar sub brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons plant-based milk
- ¼ cup (40 g) dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) fan.
- Make the flax egg by mixing the ground flaxseeds with the water. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes until a gel forms.
- In a bowl, combine the almond flour, protein powder, baking soda and a pinch of salt (see step-by-step pictures in post above).
- If your coconut oil is solid, melt it for 15 seconds in the microwave on defrost function. That way, the coconut oil will be melted but not too hot.
- In a larger mixing bowl, whisk the melted coconut oil and the coconut sugar. Add in the vanilla extract and the plant-based milk.
- Add the dry ingredient to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. You don't need to chill the cookie dough.
- Scoop cookie dough balls onto a cookie sheet that you lined with parchment paper using a 2 tablespoons cookie spoon. Press it flat with the palm of your hand until it's about 0,6 inches (1,5 cm) thick.
- Bake the cookies for 8 minutes until golden brown.
- Let the cookies cool down on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Let them cool completely before eating.
Notes
- We highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients as even slight variations in weight can drastically impact the texture of the cookies.
- Let cool the cookies completely before eating them as the texture improves while they cool down.
Nutrition
More vegan protein powder recipes
Coming soon!
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