These chocolate chip cookies are chewy, sweet, and so yummy. On top of it all, high in protein, vegetarian, and gluten-free. Perfect little treat when you want a bit of a healthier dessert.

Crunchy with a soft center and dotted with delicious chocolate, these cookies are packed with protein too!

A chocolate fix is sometimes needed, and when you can add it to something delicious AND nutritious, it’s going to be a winner!

Perfect for any time of the day, these Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies are a great ‘pick me up’ and a tasty partner to a cup of coffee or a glass of ice-cold nutty milk.

These have an added bonus – they are also gluten-free!  So, if you are avoiding gluten and want a traditional chocolate chip cookie to munch on, take note of this recipe and keep it safe.

These Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies can be made Vegan too. They need no eggs, and you can just switch the honey to maple syrup and the butter to a plant-based one. 

Ingredients You’ll Need

Vanilla protein powder (3 tbsp) –  You can use your own favorite brand here; just try and source one with no added artificial sweeteners. 

You also don’t have to use a vanilla-flavored one if you don’t have one. This is the vanilla protein powder I’m using.

Oat flour (2/3 cup) – You can make your own if you have a high-speed blender.  Just blend some rolled oats until as smooth as possible.  Avoiding gluten? Make sure your oats/oat flour is certified gluten-free.

Baking powder (1/4 tsp) – This is needed for these cookies to rise and keep a delicious soft center.

Unsalted butter (1/2 cup) – Try and source an organic, grass-fed variety as the flavor is so creamy! 

Avoid any ‘spreads’ here if you can, as these cookies have the best result with a good quality block variety.

Vanilla bean paste (1 tsp) – This stuff is lovely and brimming with vanilla seeds.  Feel free to use vanilla extract instead.

Honey (1/4 cup) – Use a runny variety here for the best results. You could also use maple syrup if you would rather.

Chocolate chips (1/4 cup) – The best ones for this recipe would have at least 70% cocoa solids to give you a delicious crunch of rich, chocolatey flavor.

Sea salt (1/4 tsp) – You can use table salt, but sea salt is a little better for you.

How to Make Protein Chocolate Chip Cookies

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and if you like, you can brush with a bit of oil too, just be sure nothing sticks.

Place the protein powder, oat flour, and baking powder in a bowl and stir to combine.

Step 2. In a separate bowl, add the butter, vanilla bean paste, and honey.

Using an electric mixer, like this one, or you can use a food processor, whisk the ingredients together until you have a light and fluffy batter.

Step 3. Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl and mix well with a spoon to combine.  The mix should become thicker and drier, ready to be made into cookies.

Step 4. Next, add your dark chocolate chips and sea salt to the dough and fold them in with a spoon to evenly mix through.

Step 5. Using a cookie scoop, make 9 cookies and place them evenly spread on the baking tray you have prepared. You can use a spoon if you like and make cookie shapes that are even and round.

Step 6. Now it’s time to bake them in the oven for 10-12 minutes until cookies are golden brown but slightly soft in the center.

Finally, remove from the tray and let them cool down on a wire rack before serving.

What Makes Cookies Chewy or Crispy?

Many things can alter a cookies’ texture; the oven temperature, ingredient types, ingredients quantities, and added baking sodas and powders.

If you have very high sugar content in a recipe, you will get a crispier result. Meanwhile, the sweetener softens in the oven and usually spreads on the tray; it then crystalizes and hardens on cooling.

If you have used solid butter, when cool, those cookies will tighten up again to form something a little firmer than using other types of fat that have provided more moisture content.

How to Store Chocolate Chip Cookies?

These Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days.

If you don’t want to eat them all at once, you can also freeze these cookies.  If you wrap them individually and freeze them, it makes it so easy to just remove one when you fancy it.

It will defrost quite quickly on the worktop in about 20—30 minutes.

Other Recipes You Might Like

• Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies
• Banana Protein Cookies
• Oatmeal Raisin Protein Cookies
• Peanut Butter Protein Cookies
• Coconut Flour Protein Cookies
• Oatmeal Protein Cookies with Blueberries
• 5-Ingredient Protein Mug Cake
• Coconut Protein Balls
• Pumpkin Protein Balls
• High Protein Desserts