Homemade vegan protein cookies are a healthier, more affordable alternative to store-bought protein cookies and bars. With pea protein powder, cocoa, and unrefined sweeteners, you'll love how naturally wholesome these are. Plus, each 125 calorie cookie contains almost 9 grams of plant-based protein!
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Why You'll Love Homemade Protein Cookies
My husband is (or was) a fan of those Lenny & Larry's Complete Cookies. So I set out to create a healthier, more affordable option, and I have to say, mission accomplished!
Since my vegan protein cookies don't contain enriched wheat flour, palm oil, gums, or refined sugar, they don't taste exactly like any of the Lenny & Larry's cookie flavors, but honestly I think they taste better!
These protein cookies taste like real food. They're moist from mashed banana, lightly chocolatey, not overly sweet, and thanks to peanut butter and pure pea protein powder, they're very satisfying.
And these contain almost twice as much protein as Lenny & Larry's!
Flavor-wise these remind us of my Oil-Free Banana Brownies, which are one of my most popular healthy dessert recipes. The combination of cocoa and banana is just too scrumptious.
So how do these stack up nutrition-wise? Let's take a look...
Protein Cookie Nutrition Facts
Half of a Lenny & Larry's Complete Cookie is considered 1 serving, and per serving they contain:
- 210 calories
- 6 grams fat (3 grams saturated)
- 8 grams protein
- 30 grams carbohydrate
- 12 grams sugar
For comparison's sake, let's call two of my Vegan Protein Cookies a serving because that's similar to the number of calories in half of a Lenny and Larry's Complete Cookie.
Per 2 cookies, these contain:
- 257 calories
- 10 grams fat (2 grams saturated)
- 17 grams protein!
- 30 grams carbohydrate
- 17 grams sugar
Of course, we all know that macros don't tell us whether a food is healthy or not. It's about so much more than that.
But I wanted to highlight exactly how much protein these cookies contain since there are a lot of athletes, bodybuilders, etc, who make an effort to take in more protein than us average folks.
I would certainly rather eat these 9-ingredient wholesome cookies that DON'T contain all of the unwanted stuff and have TWICE as much protein. Feels like a win to me!
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Ingredient Notes
To create a delicious cookie that didn't need a lot of added sugar, I decided to use ripe bananas as the base of the recipe. So in case you're curious about substitutions, I haven't tested these any other way than with banana.
I did make a completely different version one day with almond flour and applesauce, and they had potential! But we really enjoy the flavor bananas bring to the recipe, so they won out in the end.
- 2 very ripe bananas - the sweeter and more fragrant the bananas, the tastier the cookies will be.
- peanut butter - substitute another nut or seed butter, if needed.
- coconut sugar - or other granulated sweetener such as cane sugar, date sugar, or brown sugar.
- vanilla extract - adds nice flavor and aroma. Sometimes I like to add a bit of almond extract, too.
- pea protein powder - I use Anthony's brand unsweetened pea protein. If you choose a sweetened, flavored protein powder you can reduce the amount of sugar slightly, and add a few more oats or other dry ingredient if the dough seems too moist.
- oats - regular, old fashioned rolled oats add fiber and complex carbs and make these cookies even more satisfying.
- cocoa powder - you can use regular or Dutch process unsweetened cocoa.
- baking powder
- mini or regular chocolate chips - these are optional but delicious! Enjoy Life brand makes dairy-free, allergy-friendly mini chocolate chips that work well here.
See the recipe card below for amounts and full instructions.
How to Make Vegan Protein Cookies
- First, peel and mash the bananas. Whisk in the sugar, vanilla, and peanut butter.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the pea protein powder, baking powder, cocoa powder, and oats. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, and fold in the chocolate chips, if using.
- Scoop up approximately 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie. If you have a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop that makes it easy. Just put two scoops of dough in your palm, squeeze them together, and roll it into a smooth ball.
- Gently flatten each cookie into shape, then use a fork to flatten them even more and create a criss-cross pattern on top.
- Bake the cookies in a preheated 350 degree oven for 12 to 14 minutes.
And that's it! You just made delicious, healthy protein cookies that you can snack on all week long.
Tip: Notice how thick the dough is in the photo above. Bananas bind the protein cookies together and sweeten them naturally. The protein powder also helps with binding, since we're not using eggs or regular flour.
Variations
- other protein powders - instead of plain pea protein, use your favorite sweetened protein powder (we love vanilla), and reduce the sugar. With less sugar if the dough is too wet, mix in more oats, cocoa, or a spoonful of any flour.
- other nut/seed butters - Instead of peanut butter try almond butter or tahini, or use sunflower seed butter for a nut-free option.
- peanut butter protein cookie - replace the cocoa with powdered peanut butter (like PB2).
- additions - instead of chocolate chips try dried cranberries, currants, raisins, or chopped nuts.
How to Store and Freeze
Once the cookies are completely cool, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
The cookies are fine at room temperature for the day-like if you plan to pack them for work, school, hiking, or running errands. Otherwise, I recommend keeping them refrigerated.
More Ways to Use Pea Protein
Now that you have pea protein powder on hand, you might be curious about other ways to use it.
Unflavored and unsweetened pea protein is neutral in flavor and surprisingly versatile. You can incorporate it into many different recipes like smoothies, baked goods, pudding, sauces, and oatmeal.
Here are a few more ideas:
- Add pea protein powder to energy balls like these almond pulp bites.
- Mix it into chocolate banana baked oatmeal or this creamy breakfast farro.
- Make protein overnight oats.
- Use it in homemade Go Macro protein bars.
- Stir it into cereal and vegan granola.
- And for dessert, enjoy some vegan protein ice cream!
Top Tips
- For the best flavor, use bananas with plenty of dark spots, and don't forget the chocolate chips!
- Be sure to stir natural peanut butter very well before measuring so that it doesn't make the dough too oily.
- If the dough seems too moist, add a touch more protein powder, cocoa, and/or rolled oats, and mix well.
I hope you enjoy these vegan protein cookies as much as we do! If you try the recipe please leave a comment and a star rating below to let everyone know how they turned out!
More High Protein Snacks
Recipe
Vegan Protein Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed very ripe banana (about 2 medium-large bananas) - They should have a lot of spots and smell very sweet.
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup natural peanut butter, salted - Stir very well before measuring; If using unsalted peanut butter, add ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt.
- ¾ cup pea protein powder, plain/unsweetened
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ⅓ cup mini vegan chocolate chips (see Notes) - Check for allergens, as needed.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Place bananas in a mixing bowl, and mash with a fork. Whisk in the vanilla, coconut sugar, and peanut butter.
- In a medium-size bowl whisk together the pea protein, cocoa, baking powder, and oats. If using unsalted peanut butter be sure to also add ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt.
- Pour dry ingredients into wet, and stir to combine. The dough should be very thick. If it seems too moist, mix in a bit more protein powder and rolled oats. Fold in the chocolate chips, if using.
- Scoop up a scant 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie. I like to use a small cookie scoop (1.5 Tbsp). Put two scoops of dough in your palm, squeeze them together, and roll into a smooth ball. Use your palms to gently flatten each cookie into a thick patty. Place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart (these don't spread in the oven). Use a fork to create a criss-cross pattern on top of each one, further flattening them into a cookie shape.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until the bottoms are golden. Allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before storing.
Notes
- refined sugar-free - use grain-sweetened carob chips or Hu brand chocolate.
- other protein powders - instead of plain pea protein, use your favorite sweetened protein powder (we love vanilla), and reduce the sugar. With less sugar if the dough is too wet, mix in more oats, cocoa, or a spoonful of any flour.
- peanut-free - sub almond butter or tahini, or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free option.
- Double peanut protein cookie - replace the cocoa with powdered peanut butter (like PB2).
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and ingredients used.
Grace says
Hi Lori.
Your chocolate cookies are the best. They really do taste like a brownie. My husband and I are enjoying them so much. I love the clean ingredients they you use in your recipes!
Laura Kasha says
Made these last night and they were great. The only problem I came across was that it was dry. I added organic unsweetened soy milk as I read another person had done and that worked. The peanut butter I used was not drippy like when you open a new container which I think is needed for this recipe. I replaced sugar with organic monk fruit. Excellent taste. Will make again.
Lie says
These were great! I've been looking for simple and vegan protein cookies that are healthy but also need time in the oven. I like to take them with me so all the non-bake ones are too sticky/inconvenient.
For me the dough was a bit too dry to handle, but I added a splash of soymilk and that fixed it. I think water should work fine too. I made 16 cookies with it because it was easier to divide that way and they are the perfect size for an afternoon snack in place of a protein bar.
Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Betsy says
This recipe has been amazing for my child that is doing an elimination diet. I make them with sun butter because we are avoiding nuts right now. Having protein cookies on hand made the first couple of weeks so much easier as we worked out just how much protein my kid needs to not get hangry. I make these at least once a week and my child wants me to keep making them even when the elimination diet is over. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Nick Michalak says
My batter ended up really wet, making it difficult to shape the cookies as described in the recipe. I wonder if it would help to include 1-3 hour dough refrigeration step.
Lori Rasmussen says
Hi - yes, chilling the dough wouldn't hurt, but since the only real wet ingredients in the recipe are banana and peanut butter, it's hard to figure out how the cookie dough ended up that wet. By chance did you use a different type of protein powder or possibly mis-measure the dry ingredients? The only other possibility I can think of is that the oil in the peanut butter wasn't mixed in, and so you ended up with too much oil. I've made this recipe many times, including today! And have double-checked both the standard and Imperial measurements. If anything, this cookie dough leans toward dry, as explained in the instructions. The only fix for too much moisture would be to add more cocoa, protein powder, or some type of flour.
Kellie Henaghan says
Wow - absolutely delicious flavour and texture. I substituted sugar for Stevia, and used Stevia chocolate. They are the perfect treat, and I'm a fussy baker.
Carole says
Have been wanting to try these cookies for a while, and decided today was the day. Super quick to put together and bake. Tasty, chocolatey, and full of protein. Used same ingredients and amounts as in the recipe. Turned out exactly like the picture. Great addition to any meal that needs a protein boost. Will definitely make them again.
susan says
Is it possible to sub a protein powder I have on hand?
Also different subject -
Do you have any peanut butter powder recipes?
Thank you
Lori says
Hi Susan,
Yes, other protein powders work, too. If it's already sweetened you may want to reduce the sugar in the recipe.
I'm glad you asked about powdered peanut butter. I don't currently have any recipes that use it but have been meaning to create some. You can incorporate it into thee cookies in place of the protein powder.
Anna says
You can just reconstitute the Peanut butter powder with the instructed amount of water and use as per regular Peanut butter. Great way to cit the fat way down!!
Leah says
Let me start by saying I’m not vegan.
I did, however buy some chocolate flavour vegan protein powder and discovered it was very different in many ways from my regular stuff and I didn't like the taste of the protein powder at all. THESE COOKIES ARE AMAZING! A great way to utilize that pea protein powder! I used 1 cup of powder and added a tablespoon of cocoa powder. I also added an egg. Oh, and I used regular light peanut butter too. A few adjustments but I’m obsessed with these cookies!!
Clarissa says
Any suggestions on how to not eat all of the dough before it makes it to the oven?
Lee Kaplan says
Cut the dough in half right after you mix it and freeze one half?
Ashley says
Just made these, so good! My 10 year old nephew is enjoying too. I used Vega chocolate protein and greens powder, 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder it worked well. Thanks for the recipe!
Kate Walsh says
Hi so I've just made these and they're in the oven I only made 10?? I followed recipe using my tblspn measure x3 to form the ball. I had to spray oil on my hands to form the balls otherwise it stuck. I found the ingredients difficult to measure out as my scales don't do small grams, have you or anyone doubled up on the amounts?? I'll let you know how they taste.
Jill Z says
Hi,
My cookie batter turns out very runny. So they bake really flat and are kinda sticky. Despite this they taste great. But I can’t figure out why the dough isn’t dryer. There’s no way I can mold it with my hands. The only difference in ingredients is that I used whey protein powder. Suggestions? Thanks so much!
Lori says
Hi Jill,
Glad you like the flavor! As far as the consistency of the batter, it's possible whey protein doesn't absorb as much moisture as pea protein. That makes sense to me, although I don't have any experience with whey so it's really just a guess. The great thing about cookies like this is it's pretty easy to adjust the moisture level. Adding a small amount of any dry ingredient can reduce the stickiness of the dough, something like oat flour, coconut flour, or almond flour.
Jill Z says
Thank you so much for the quick response Lori! Appreciate it! I’ll try pea protein next time. I just didn’t have it on hand. Cheers!
Christine says
Oh yes, whey does not absorb liquids like plant-based protein powder does! I tried making overnight oats with my non-animal whey (whey fwrd) and they turned to soup 🙁