These peanut butter protein cookies are hands down the best protein cookie I’ve made to date. They’re melt-in-your-mouth soft and have an amazing balance of chocolate chips and peanut butter flavor.
The recipe includes two variations for all purpose and almond flour, with both versions have around 140 calories, 10 grams of protein, and 3 Smart Points per cookie. I’ll run through the ingredients and questions about modifying your peanut butter protein cookies below before you get to the printable recipe card.
Ingredients for Peanut Butter Protein Cookies
Protein baking is tough so I’d highly recommend using the ingredients as called for, if possible. I do my best to make recipes with a handful of staple ingredients. So if you want to do more baking with protein powder, you can find tons of recipes on my blog with the ingredients in this recipe.
Protein Powder
These peanut butter protein cookies call for PEScience Select Whey + Casein. I always like to mention, weighing your ingredients is highly recommend with baked goods. Protein powder and flour can vary wildly from one scoop or cup to another. Using a food scale ensures you’re using the correct amount.
If you’re a fan of my recipes, using the same ingredients makes life much easier. You can use my affiliate discount code mason to take 15% off PEScience products if you want to give it a try!
If you’re using a whey-only protein powder, you may need to modify the amount as casein is a bit thicker. My biggest tip for using another protein powder would be adding the final wet ingredient (apple sauce) one tablespoon at a time. You may not need the full amount to hydrate your cookie dough.
All Purpose or Almond Flour
If you need a lower carb, gluten free peanut butter protein cookie, the almond flour will be the way to go. I couldn’t tell much difference between the two versions of this recipe. The almond flour cookies might be slightly softer (in a good way).
You can substitute one for one with either flour for your protein cookies. This isn’t always the case with these two but more often that not, they’re close to a one to one swap.
Swerve Brown Sugar
Swerve is a non-glycemic, zero-calorie sweetener made from erythritol. The nutrition facts include the carb content from the label but no calories. If you use real brown sugar in its place, the carb content should remain the same, but the calories and Smart Point totals will increase a bit.
Peanut Butter and Apple Sauce
The apple sauce in these protein cookies serves as a lower calorie fat replacement. Instead of using another 1/4 cup of peanut butter (about 400 calories worth), the apple sauce keeps the cookies soft and only adds about 25 calories.
If you’re thinking about using powdered peanut butter to reduce the fat content, you’re welcome to try it. But I wouldn’t cut too much fat from the cookies or they’ll be tough and dry. I used powdered peanut butter in my peanut butter chocolate chip protein cookies but used light butter and canned pumpkin (a substitute for apple sauce) to keep them soft.
And in case you’re wondering, these peanut butter protein cookies blow the other cookies out of the water.
White Chocolate Chips
Feel free to use any chocolate chips you’d like for your protein cookies. And if you wanted extra chocolatey cookies, add a tablespoon or two extra.
I think that’s about it for ingredients. If you have more substitution questions, drop a comment below.
Final Notes for Peanut Butter Protein Cookies
One of the most important tips I can give for protein powder baking, other than using a food scale to weigh ingredients, is to under bake. If you see a bake time range, always start with the lower end. And if it’s your first time making a recipe, keep an eye on it during baking.
Okay, you’re ready to bake! If you try these peanut butter protein cookies, snap a photo and tag me on the ‘gram or share it in my free Facebook group.
White Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Cookies
Simple peanut butter white chocolate chip cookies with 10 grams of protein each.
Ingredients
- 2 scoops (62g) PEScience Select Protein Powder, vanilla
- 1/4 C (30g) All Purpose Flour, or equal parts almond flour
- 1/4 C (48g) Swerve Brown Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 6 Tbsp (99g) Creamy Peanut Butter
- 1/4 C (60g) Unsweetened Apple Sauce
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 Tbsp (28g) White Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Mix the dry ingredients, making sure to break any brown sugar lumps down, before adding the peanut butter, apple sauce, and vanilla extract. Stir until a dough begins to form.
- Fold the chocolate chips into the dough.
- Divide the dough into 8 pieces and press each between your palms to flatten. (Spray your hands with cooking spray to prevent sticking.) Place the cookies on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 6-8 minutes until the bottoms begin to slightly brown around the edges and the tops are still slightly soft in the center.
Notes
- Per cookie with almond flour: 145 calories, 10g of protein, 13g of carbs, and 9g of fat
- Both versions have 3 Smart Points per cookie.
- For other ingredient modification notes, see post above.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Protein Cookies Serving Size: 1 Protein CookieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 140Total Fat: 7gCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 10g
Nutrition information does not include carbs from the zero-calorie Swerve Brown Sugar.
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Nikki Lane
Monday 13th of September 2021
I have made these cookies every week (sometimes 2x) for the past year as my evening snack. They are AMAZING!! I've played with different chips, with Lily's salted caramel chips being my favorite and lower calorie. The recipe is permanently burned into my brain! lol Thank you so much for all your amazing recipes. These will continue to be a staple in my house!
Mason Woodruff
Wednesday 15th of September 2021
Thanks for the glowing endorsement, Nikki!
Lea T
Wednesday 7th of October 2020
These are one of my favorites! Literally one of the best tasting protein cookie recipes. They didn’t come out dry like a lot of protein desserts and still tasted like a real cookie.
I brought them to a family gathering and no one noticed they had protein in them. Even the kids approved- I call that a success! I swapped with all different protein flavors and still amazing every time.
Deanna
Monday 10th of August 2020
These cookies are awesome!! Also I experimented with powder PB, it totally works too! Very moist cookies!!
Mason Woodruff
Tuesday 11th of August 2020
Good to know powdered peanut butter doesn't dry them out too much. Thanks for experimenting!
Kari
Monday 20th of July 2020
I love this recipe! The cookies were my favorite for a long time, but now I just eat the dough! I love cookie dough and finding a good protein one was hard, so one day I left out the baking powder of this one and never looked back! I just make the dough and then add however many mini chocolate chips i want to, each time I eat it! So good and saves time on baking!
Cassie Rothenberg
Thursday 16th of April 2020
I used this recipe as a base to try some combinations of diff flavors, and it’s the most similar to the real thing than any other recipe I’ve tried. I do 1 serving each time versus a batch, but the applesauce is absolutely key! My fav combo is light butter instead of pb, and add in some slivered almonds, almond extract and butter extract.