These Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies are soft, chewy and so easy to make when you’re craving something sweet. Made with simple ingredients like oat flour, yogurt and chocolate chips, they’re a delicious snack with around 7 grams of protein per cookie.
What I particularly love about this recipe is that you don’t need peanut butter or any other nut butter to get a soft, satisfying protein cookie. Instead, yogurt binds the dough together and adds moisture, helping to keep the cookies soft without making them overly rich. They’re the kind of easy snack I love having around when I have a sweet tooth but still want a little extra protein.
Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies
These chocolate chip protein cookies are soft, chewy and packed with chocolate chips, while still giving you a little extra protein. They’re made with simple ingredients including oat flour, whey protein and yoghurt, and you don’t need any peanut butter or nut butter to get a soft, satisfying cookie.
The yoghurt helps bind the dough together while adding moisture, which gives these cookies their soft texture. I use whey protein powder in this recipe, and I’ve found it works particularly well without making the cookies overly dense or dry.
They’re also really easy to make. You just mix the ingredients together in one bowl, shape the dough into cookies and bake them on a baking sheet until lightly golden.
Why You’ll Love These Protein Cookies
- Soft and chewy: The yogurt helps keep these cookies soft and tender rather than dry or crumbly.
- Made with whey protein: I use whey protein in this recipe, giving each cookie around 7 grams of protein.
- No peanut butter or nut butter: Yogurt binds the dough together, so you don’t need peanut butter or any other nut butter.
- Easy to make: These cookies come together in one bowl with just a handful of simple ingredients.
Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to make these chocolate chip protein cookies. Here’s what you’ll need and a little more information about the ingredients that affect the final texture. You can find exact measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Oat flour: Oat flour gives these cookies their soft, slightly chewy texture. You can buy ready-made oat flour or make your own by blending rolled oats into a fine flour.
- Whey protein powder: This is the protein powder I use for this recipe and the one I recommend. It adds protein while also contributing to the structure of the cookies.
- Baking powder: A little baking powder helps the cookies rise slightly as they bake, keeping them from being too dense.
- Sugar or sweetener: A small amount adds sweetness to the dough. You can use whichever granulated sugar or sweetener you normally use for baking. I use coconut sugar.
- Yogurt: Yoghurt is really important in this recipe because it provides the moisture that brings the dough together. It also replaces the peanut butter or nut butter often used in protein cookie recipes, helping to keep these cookies soft and chewy.
- Salt: A pinch of salt balances the sweetness and helps bring out the chocolate flavour.
- Chocolate chips: These add little pockets of chocolate throughout the cookies. You can use dark, milk or dairy-free chocolate chips depending on your preference.
What Protein Powder Works Best?
Whey protein is what I use for this recipe and the option I’d recommend. It gives the cookies a soft, tender texture, although the dough can be slightly sticky before baking. Whey protein can also dry out if the cookies are overbaked, so keep an eye on them towards the end of the baking time.
Plant-based protein powder and casein behave differently because they absorb more moisture than whey. They may result in a thicker or drier dough, so I wouldn’t recommend substituting them without adjusting the recipe. If you haven’t tested a particular protein powder, it’s safest to stick with whey for the recipe as written.
The finished dough should be soft, hold together easily and be easy to shape. If it looks dry or crumbly, add a little more yoghurt rather than adding extra oat flour.
How To Make Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies
These cookies are really simple to make and don’t require any complicated equipment.
1. Mix the dry ingredients.
Add the oat flour, whey protein, baking powder and salt to a mixing bowl. Stir until everything is evenly combined.
2. Add the yoghurt.
Add the yogurt and mix until a soft cookie dough forms. The dough should hold together easily and be soft enough to shape. If it feels dry or crumbly, add a little more yogurt.
3. Add the chocolate chips.
Fold the chocolate chips through the dough until they’re evenly distributed.
4. Shape the cookies.
Divide the dough into 8 portions and shape each one into a cookie. Place them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving a little space between each one.
5. Bake.
Bake at 180°C for 13-15 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden and set. Be careful not to overbake them, as whey protein can dry out when baked for too long.
6. Cool.
Leave the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. They’ll firm up as they cool while staying soft and chewy.
Tips & Notes
- Use whey protein: This is the protein powder I use and recommend for these cookies. Other types can work, but they may change the consistency of the dough.
- Check your dough: Protein powders absorb moisture differently. The dough should be soft and easy to shape. If it feels dry or crumbly, add a little more yoghurt.
- Don’t overbake: The cookies should be lightly golden and set around the edges. Overbaking can make them dry, particularly when using whey protein.
- Let them cool: The cookies will be quite soft when they first come out of the oven. Let them cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet so they can firm up while staying soft and chewy.
- Make them your own: You can use dark, milk or dairy-free chocolate chips depending on your preference.
- Serving suggestion: Try warming one up for a few seconds and serving it with a scoop of ice cream. Warm, chocolatey cookie + cold, creamy ice cream = such a good combo.
Protein Cookies Without Peanut Butter
A lot of protein cookie recipes use peanut butter because it adds moisture and fat while helping bind the ingredients together. These cookies take a different approach: there’s no peanut butter or nut butter of any kind. Instead, yogurt provides the moisture needed to bring the dough together while helping create a soft, chewy texture.
If you prefer peanut butter protein cookies, you can use peanut butter instead, but I wouldn’t recommend replacing the yoghurt with peanut butter at a 1:1 ratio. Peanut butter has a very different consistency and fat content, so it will change the texture and moisture of the dough. The same applies to other nut butters, and you may need to adjust the yogurt to get a dough that’s easy to shape.
How Much Protein Is In These Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies?
Each cookie contains approximately 7.1 grams of protein based on the whey protein powder used to calculate the recipe’s nutrition.
The exact amount will vary depending on the protein powder you use, as different brands contain different amounts of protein per serving. Whey, casein and plant-based protein powders can therefore give you slightly different amounts of protein per cookie. For the most accurate figure, check the nutrition information on your particular protein powder.
Per cookie, the approximate macros are:
- 112 calories
- 4.1g fat
- 10.7g carbohydrates
- 7.1g protein
How To Store Protein Cookies
Room temperature: Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge if you prefer to keep them chilled.
Freezer: Freeze in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag.
Reheating: For a softer, freshly baked texture, microwave a cookie for 10-15 seconds before serving. If frozen, allow it to thaw first before reheating.
Chocolate Chip Protein Cookie FAQs
Yes! Whey protein is actually the type I use for this recipe and the option I’d recommend. It gives the cookies a soft texture, although the dough may be slightly sticky before baking. Avoid overbaking them, as whey protein can become dry when exposed to too much heat.
Protein powder absorbs moisture, and different types and brands can behave differently. If your dough is dry or crumbly before baking, try adding a little more yogurt until it becomes soft and easy to shape. Overbaking can also make protein cookies dry, so stick to the recommended baking time and remove them once they’re set.
I wouldn’t recommend simply leaving the protein powder out. It contributes to both the protein content and the structure of these cookies, so removing it will change the consistency of the dough and the finished cookies.
For the best texture, I recommend using oat flour. If you only have rolled oats, you can blend them into a fine oat flour before making the recipe. Using whole rolled oats will give the cookies a different texture and may affect how well the dough holds together.
Here are some more high-protein recipes for you to try:
- Protein Peanut Butter Cups
- High Protein Chocolate Mousse
- Easy Chickpea Protein Bars
- Chocolate Protein Bars Recipe
- Protein Powder Pudding Recipe
Hey! If you make this recipe, I would love it if you could leave me some feedback and a rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in the comment section at the bottom of the page! Also, let me know on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest! I can’t wait to hear your thoughts and see your photos!
Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies
Equipment
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
Ingredients
- 100 g Oat Flour blended oats (¾ cup + 1 tbsp)
- 40 g Protein Powder (½ cup)
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 15 g Sugar or Sweetener (1 tbsp)
- Pinch of Salt
- 125 g Yogurt (½ cup)
- 60 g Chocolate Chips (⅓ cup)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the oat flour, whey protein powder, baking powder, salt and sugar or sweetener to a mixing bowl. Stir until evenly combined.
- Add the yoghurt and mix until a soft cookie dough forms. The dough should hold together easily and be soft enough to shape. If it feels dry or crumbly, add a little more yoghurt.
- Fold the chocolate chips through the dough until evenly distributed.
- Divide the dough into 8 portions and shape each one into a cookie. Place them onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden and set. Be careful not to overbake them, as whey protein can dry out when baked for too long.
- Leave the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. They will firm up as they cool.
Video
Notes
- I recommend using whey protein powder for this recipe, as this is what I use. Different protein powders absorb moisture differently, so the amount of yoghurt may need adjusting if you use plant-based or casein protein.
- The dough should be soft and easy to shape. If it looks dry or crumbly, add a little more yoghurt.
- Don’t overbake the cookies, as this can make them dry.
- You can use dark, milk or dairy-free chocolate chips depending on your preference.
Nutrition
Let me know in the comments below if you make my Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies!
next time use eggs
Thanks for the suggestion! 😊 Eggs would definitely change the texture of these, but I appreciate the idea!
These were so good! I added some olive oil and divided the amount of chocolate. Next time I won’t add chocolate because they were so good without it too. Maybe some seeds could also fit. Thank you
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! I love the idea of trying them without the chocolate too, and seeds would be such a good addition. Thanks for sharing what you tried! 🤍
My girlfriend and I are obsessed with these! I’ve made them like 5 times now in the last week lol. I’ve found they form a sort of bread like crust, and have started making them in little bar/mini loaf form and this recipe is amazing as mini loafs!!!
Ahh I love this so much 😂 And honestly, mini loaf form sounds amazing! I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the recipe enough to make it five times in a week. Thank you for sharing!