Chocolate Protein Cookies made with six healthy ingredients! Layered with chia, flax, peanut butter and banana, these scrumptious snacks are gluten free, dairy free, low calorie, Paleo and vegan. A simple post workout snack! Gluten Free + Paleo + Vegan + Low Calorie
Chocolate Cookies!!! Need I say more?
And these aren’t just any cookies, these are YUMMY Chocolate Protein Cookies!
Once upon a time, I deprived my body of protein. I would workout, workout, workout then I would feed my body one egg white. But truthfully, I didn’t know better.
Of the three macronutrients, protein is commonly the one most are not getting enough of, particularly women and those who are fitness newbies. Personally I think macro nutrition should be part of standard education because it’s so important for everyone to understand and even more now with the obesity epidemic.
Eventually I realized through tracking my calories the errors of my ways and that I needed a lot more protein to recover, restore and rebuild muscle tissue from my workouts. Once I tweaked my diet, not only did I recover faster but I also saw better results from my workouts. Not to mention protein is a great way to tame the hunger monster. Cookies are too…hint…hint!
But I didn’t add just any protein because quality matters and when it comes to protein powders, I’m very picky. I will only do plant-based ones that are low in sugar, are gluten and lactose free with minimal ingredients. I know! It’s a lot to ask for and it’s probably why it took me so long to find one, but Vega was worth the wait! Now it’s been in my life a couple years and I couldn’t imagine life without it.
Awhile back Vega sent me their new Vega Sport Performance Protein. I loved it so much I put it in a Chocolate Protein Cookie. And this isn’t just any chocolate cookie either. For only having 6 ingredients, this cookie’s got game. Made with banana, chia, flaxseed, peanut butter and chocolate it’s the perfect balance of carbs, protein and healthy fat!
Now I know what you’re thinking. Protein? Why protein in a cookie?
One of the simplest baking hacks is swapping flour for protein powder (for those who didn’t know that). The KEY is making sure it’s a protein powder you like because no cookie is going to cover up a bad protein powder. Just sayin‘.
Protein aside, who’s going to say no to a CHOCOLATE cookie? I don’t know about you, but I could eat a cookie any time of day. Morning, noon or night.
Now for the fun part! My friends at Vega are giving away one tub of their protein powder to one lucky reader. Enter below for a chance to win. Giveaway will be open through this Sunday. I’ll be crossing my fingers for you!
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Chocolate Protein Cookies
Chocolate Protein Cookies made with six healthy ingredients! Layered with chia, flax, peanut butter and banana, these scrumptious snacks are gluten free, dairy free, low calorie, Paleo and vegan. A simple post workout snack! Gluten Free + Paleo + Vegan + Low Calorie
Ingredients
- 1 banana small, ripe
- 2 tsp chia seeds
- 1/4 cup golden flax seeds
- 1 tbsp peanut flour
- 1 cup vanilla protein powder
- 2 tbsp mini chocolate chips soy & dairy free
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a standing or hand mixer, mash the banana until creamy. Then add the chia and flax seeds and blend until well combined.
To the batter, add protein powder and peanut flour (measured the right way) and mix until just combined. Do not over mix or it will become firm and hard.
Fold in chocolate chips to the batter by hand.
Use an ice cream scoop to measure 6 cookies onto the baking sheet. With the palm of your hand, spread them into a circular shape as these will not spread or rise on their own.
Bake cookies 8-9 minutes until firm and edges are browned.
Remove cookies from the baking sheet with a spatula and place on a wire rack to cool 10 minutes prior to devouring.
Recipe Notes
Use a good protein powder that's low sugar, that you like and would drink with water. A bad protein powder will equal a bad cookie.
For Paleo, substitute almond, sunflower or cashew flour for the peanut flour.
Measure the flour and protein powder the right way to avoid dry and crumbly cookies.
Custom Meal Plans
Work with Megan to develop a custom macro or standard meal plan to reach your goals.
What I Used For The Recipe
I always knew about macros and stuff from nutrition classes in school, but something that I’ve definitely learned over the years is how to get the biggest bang for my buck absorption wise for my body
Oh I would love to hear more about that!
These looks amazing and so healthy too! I definitely wind up eating enough protein but early on eating Paleo I hadn’t yet figured out how to get enough carbs! Luckily that’s no longer a problem and it was an easy fix once I learned how to prepare plantains and potatoes in so many ways 🙂
I never thought about carbs being an issue because vegetables have a lot of carbs, but I suppose greens don’t have that many. Plantains all the way!
Now THIS is my kind of post-workout snack! I want to sink my teeth into one of these cookies RIGHT now! 🙂
Who would want a cookie after a workout? Thanks Blair!
I am definitely going to make a batch of these cookies! They look great.
Thank you!
yum!!! I am craving a cookie now!!
Haha a side effect of blogging!
I am seriously so in love with this new Vega protein. It’s all I use now, they did an amazing job!! Can’t wait to try these cookies, they might make an appearance at The Healthy Dish Co – everyone loves chocolate cookies!!
YAY for the Health Dish Co! I’m so excited for you.
This is great bc I’m almost out of the same protein powder. Also, these look magically delicious!
Someone has Lucky Charms on the brain lol!
I agree, cookies are great any time of the day (or night). And chocolate, always yes 🙂
I’ve never used protein powder, but I’ve heard amazing things about Vega so I’d love to try eventually!
Oh you need to! Sometimes I try others for fun, but they don’t even compare.
yum! these look simple and I love the nutritional stats
Thank you!
I know this all well. Lost weight young. Back them it was about salads & no fat or protein. Learned from my mistakes!!!!
COOKIES!!!!
I knew you would be on board with the cookies!
I’m not sure I’ve necessarily done anything wrong (although I’m actually sure I’ve done lots wrong!); it’s just always a work in progress.
Great attitude!
I love the simplicity of this recipe! Simple recipes are my favorite.
I try really hard to make sure I get enough protein otherwise I just feel terrible.
I’m ALL about the simple.
These cookies look delicious….healthy, yet sweet enough to satisfy my want for a desert!
Yes! That was what I was trying to do.
Looks yummy I need a new protein powder!
Perfect timing!
I love when I see a yummy recipe and have everything on hand! Making these asap.
I was JUST thinking about how I wanted a chocolate or chocolate chip cookie. This recipe is the perfect guilt free way for me to enjoy that cookie. YUM!
Those cookies sound so yum! Can’t wait to make them! Also, added protein is a plus. I get enough protein in my diet because I love eggs, yogurt, nuts and beans and eat these foods daily. I wish i knew more about incorporating more healthy fats and protein in my diet in high school…I can’t believe all the carbs alone i consumed back then! Love ur blog. Very inspirational!
I love this protein powder – one of the best that Vega has come out with yet. Thanks for offering the giveaway!
Craving them right now! Yum!
I’m allergic to milk, so I would LOVE to try Vega’s protein powder! This cookies look so tasty!
I gotta try these. I need a new cookie. Thanks a lot
My biggest hurdle was realizing that low calorie processed food was not the key…..higher calorie whole foods has melted away pounds faster than anything. We now eat a 95% paleo diet!
That’s awesome you’ve found what works for you!
Oh yes I TOTALLY eat enough protein lol! But my biggest mistake that I am still trying to fix is improper form while strength training, because I always wanted to push myself way past my threshold. After a knee injury, I’m learning to change and accept.
For a long time, I had the opposite problem. Just did the same thing over and over and never increased weights or reps. Be careful with that injury!
I love cooking with Vega! My favorite is banana egg Vega pancakes. It helps to get the protein in!
I am trying to find my way again. And adding these as a post work out sound delicious. Now I have to search for this Vega sport. I have tried their smoothie mixes before
I love protein powders…good ones that is! But sometimes they are definitely hard to come by! I tried Vega Protein as a sample in the past, but really want to try their new formula! Their stats look amazing. I had a slip-up with my diet not knowing about healthy fats and carbs…but now I’ve learned my share! Thanks for posting such amazing recipes!
Allergic to peanuts. What do you recommend on place of pb powder?
Almond flour, potato flour, quinoa flour, oat flour. I haven’t tried them, but that would be what I’d try. Keep in mind the calories will be different.
Yum these look delicious!
Mine turned out like pancakes almost. Taste amazing, but do not look like the picture. Wondering if I used too much protein or if it was the PB2 instead of Peanut Flour? How many grams is your scoop of protein? Let me know, as I would love to perfect this recipe.
Using PB2 won’t matter for the way they look. For them to look like cookies you have to form them into cookies before baking. Did you form them into cookies and set them up a bit on the baking sheet or did you just plop batter onto the cookie sheet and bake? If you plop batter on the baking sheet and don’t form them into a cookie shape and press them up a bit before hand they will bake flat. As a matter of fact, even if you do this they will still flatten in the refrigerator after you bake them. This is just how it is when you bake with protein powder.
What is peanut butter flour? I am from Australia and have not heard of this before. I am going to try these out.
Hi! Just wondering what I could use to substitute for the flax seeds ? Thanks !
There really isn’t a substitute. You could try chia seeds. An egg or coconut oil might work, but I’m not sure how much as I’ve not tried it.
What can I substitute the banana with. I don’t like bananas. Otherwise, they sound delicious. Thanks.
You don’t taste the banana in these cookies. I haven’t tried other substitutions. I recommend you experiment subbing pumpkin or applesauce.
Can’t wait to try these. Love that you have photos of the ingredients since some are new to me 🙂
Glad it was helpful!
These have potential, but they were SUPER dry. When I was mixing the dough it was like crumbly crumbs. I added just enough almond milk to help it come together but should have added more, and maybe an egg. The flavour was ok. If I made these again, I would add an egg and maybe some baking soda (1/4 tsp) because they were also quite heavy. Maybe some vanilla or cinnamon for extra flavour.
If you use a different protein powder, then you should expect the texture to be different. You’re the first to say you didn’t like them. Everyone usually says they love these.
I’m confused by this recipe. I tried it and, after I added the flour and protein powder, banana and other ingredients were not nearly wet enough to draw in the powdered ingredients. I had a bowl of powder with a wet spot. I added water and that gave me a consistency I could work with. I just had to bake them longer. They were a bit crumbly, but not terribly so. Good flavor, too.
Hi Ben, it sounds like your banana may not have been ripe enough or you did not measure properly. The note in the recipe shows you how. It’s so important when baking vegan, paleo, gluten free, etc. to measure a specific way. Also, did you watch the video before making? The video shows what the consistency should look like and how everything comes together super easy. Glad you liked the flavor!
Did you use ground or whole flax seeds?
I used these.
I am allergic to flax seed. Is there something else U can substitute?
I would try an egg or 1/2 tbsp of coconut flour.