Keto Peanut Butter Protein Cookies Recipe

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Finally, you can make a keto protein cookies recipe that bakes up soft and chewy — just like a store-bought cookie! These chocolate chip peanut butter protein cookies swap in healthy ingredients that fit low carb macros, but keep all the taste and texture you want in a soft cookie.

This protein cookie recipe is a modification of my classic flourless peanut butter cookies. I just added some protein powder and chocolate chips, and adjusted the ratios.

If you like adding protein powder to your treats to make them healthier, be sure to also try my protein muffins, peanut butter protein balls, protein donuts, and protein bars.

Whether you’re following a low carb or keto lifestyle, or simply trying to eat healthier, there are lots of unexpected benefits to these chocolate chip protein cookies. Protein keeps us full and satisfied, and it’s the building block of the cells in our bodies. And, this particular high protein breakfast cookie recipe has the best kind of protein… collagen! Collagen makes up 1/3 of the body’s protein. It benefits loads of systems, from hair and skin to digestion and joints.

Paleovalley Bone Broth Protein is my favorite source of clean collagen to power my day — it mixes easily into smoothies, coffee, and batters (like this one for low carb protein waffles!). Plus, it has a neutral flavor, comes from 100% grass-fed cows, and dissolves easily in everything from coffee to protein cookie dough. It creates the perfect healthy cookie!

Peanut butter protein cookies next to bag of Paleovalley Bone Broth Protein powder

Get The Best Protein For This Recipe Here

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What Are Protein Cookies?

Protein cookies have the sweetness and chewy texture of traditional cookies, but with the healthy benefits of added protein! Protein usually replaces some of the flours used in other cookie recipes. You can find a variety of ingredients in these cookie recipes, including honey, raisins, oats, or coconut sugar.

For this rich and chocolaty recipe, we’re using one of my very favorite protein sources — bone broth protein — and keeping it keto friendly with nut butter and a keto approved sweetener. The collagen makes a great stand-in for gluten to make them soft and chewy!

Are protein cookies good for you?

Not all protein cookie recipes are created equal. While they can be good for you, some protein cookie recipes and brands are ultra high in calories, added sugar, white flour, or questionable protein sources. Always check your labels and nutrition info to know for sure!

That’s why I’m so excited about these healthy protein cookies — they contain such high quality ingredients that I feel good after eating them!

Nutty, chocolaty flavor
Moist and chewy texture
Just 10 minutes to prep
2.1 grams net carbs and 6.7 grams of protein per cookie
Naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, keto friendly, and high fiber
Makes a delicious treat, snack before workouts, or even healthy breakfast!

Peanut butter protein cookies in a stack

Ingredients You’ll Need

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for protein powder cookies, what each one does in the recipe, and substitutions. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Paleovalley Bone Broth Protein Powder – The cleanest collagen source for this recipe! It comes from 100% grass fed and grass finished beef bones, and doesn’t use harsh chemicals or solvents like many other collagen brands.
Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – My favorite sweetener for soft cookies. Not only does it taste like sugar, it also locks in moisture and helps keep the cookies soft. If you like brown sugar flavor, swap in Besti Brown Sweetener instead. Other granulated sweeteners can also work — check my sweetener conversion calculator.
Sea Salt – Balances the sweet flavor in the keto protein cookies.
Peanut Butter – Creamy works best! You can also use almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or any nut or seed butter you prefer — just make sure it has no added sugar and only contains ground nuts or seeds. Another thing to watch for is the consistency: Be sure that your nut butter is thick and creamy, like this one. The runny kinds will make your cookie dough too runny.
Eggs – Large eggs are the right size for this protein cookie recipe. If you want to make them vegan, you can try substituting flax eggs.
Vanilla Extract – Feel free to experiment with other extracts here if you like.
Sugar-Free Dark Chocolate Chips – Use any variety you like, as long as they’re free of sugar, but I prefer this brand.

How To Make Protein Cookies

This section shows how to make protein powder chocolate chip cookies with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

Mix dry ingredients. Stir protein powder, sweetener, and salt together in a large mixing bowl.

Dry ingredients for a protein cookie recipe mixed in a bowl

Add wet ingredients. Whisk egg in the side of the bowl to incorporate yolk and white before mixing fully with dry ingredients. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla, until smooth.

Egg whisked within bowl next to dry ingredients

Wet ingredients for keto protein cookies mixed with dry ingredients to form dough

Add chocolate chips. Fold into the dough until incorporated.

Chocolate chips folded into cookie dough

Scoop. Using a cookie scoop, take tablespoonfuls of dough, pressing into the scoop, and release onto a parchment paper lined pan. Press dough down with the palm of your hand or the bottom of a wet glass until flattened to 1/4 inch.

TIP: You can sprinkle more chocolate chips on top if you like. This isn’t necessary, but makes the finished cookies look prettier. Just press them gently into the dough.

Bake. Keto protein powder cookies are ready when semi-firm and not sticky on top. Cool completely on the pan, or transfer to a cooling rack after the first 10-15 minutes of cooling.

Cookies scooped and flattened on baking sheet

Fully baked protein cookie recipe on baking sheet

Tips For The Best Protein Cookies

It doesn’t get much easier than this easy protein cookie recipe! But if you want the best protein cookies, here are a few tips to nail ’em:

Mix by hand or with a food processor. The above instructions show how to do it by hand, but you can also use a food processor instead at each mixing step. Just be sure you fold in the chocolate chips by hand at the end.
Press the dough into the cookie scoop. You certainly don’t have to use a cookie scoop, but I prefer it to save time and make cookies uniform in size. This is the one I use. If you do use a cookie scoop, make sure to press the dough into it before releasing. Otherwise, it will crumble when you release it onto the baking sheet. If you are not using a cookie scoop, just press the dough together into a ball before flattening on the baking sheet.
Make your protein cookies the same size. A uniform size and thickness will allow them to bake evenly, so that you don’t have some burning while others aren’t even done.
Mix up the fillings. The possibilities for add-ins are endless with these easy protein cookies! One of my favorite add-ins are nuts for crunch, like walnuts or even peanuts to complement the peanut butter. But really, anything that goes with peanut butter and chocolate would be delicious.
Rotate during baking, if needed. For some ovens, it may also help to rotate the pan halfway through, if you notice that the cookies aren’t baking evenly.
Cool before handling. Like many low carb cookie recipes, these cookies are best after they have cooled. This helps them firm up, so they don’t fall apart. They are worth the wait!
Experiment with bone broth protein. The basic recipe for chocolate chip peanut butter protein cookies uses this unflavored bone broth protein (a big improvement from collagen peptides, which undergo extreme processing and come from animal hides instead of bones). Try a scoop or two in any of your favorite cookie recipes to amp up the clean protein!

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your peanut butter protein cookies in an airtight container at room temperature on the counter for 2-3 days, or in the refrigerator for 7-10 days.
Freeze: Freeze cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper until solid. Transfer to an airtight container or zip-top bag and place back in the freezer. When ready to enjoy, thaw at room temperature or warm gently in the microwave.

If you like this chocolate chip protein cookies recipe, you’ll love these classic keto cookies too!

Tools To Make Keto Protein Cookies

Paleovalley Bone Broth Protein – The best source of clean, grass-fed protein for baking and healthy recipes.
Cookie Scoop – Ideal for measuring cookies of the same size.
Sheet Pan – My favorite baking sheet for cookies and so many other uses.

Peanut Butter Protein Cookies

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Ingredients

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1/3 cup Paleovalley Bone Broth Protein Powder ▢
1/2 cup Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend (or any granulated sweetener) ▢
1/4 tsp Sea salt ▢
1 cup Peanut butter (no sugar added) ▢
2 large Eggs ▢
1 tsp Vanilla extract ▢
1/3 cup Sugar-free dark chocolate chips ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, stir together the protein powder, sweetener, and sea salt.
Add the egg and whisk at the edge of the bowl to mix the yolk and white, before mixing in with the dry ingredients. Add the peanut butter and vanilla, and stir until smooth.
Fold in the chocolate chips.
Scoop the cookie dough using a medium cookie scoop, and press the dough into it before releasing onto the lined baking sheet. Squash the cookie dough balls with the palm of your hand or the bottom of a wet glass, to about 1/4 in (~1/2 cm) thickness.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are semi-firm and not sticky on top. Cool completely to firm up more.

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Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 cookie

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 132

Fat 9.9g

Protein 6.7g

Total Carbs 3.4g

Net Carbs 2.1g

Fiber 1.3g

Sugar 0.6g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keywords: protein cookies

Calories: 132 kcal

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98 Comments

AR
0 March 1, 2023Reply

You usually say to use a food processor, but could a stand up mixer work instead?
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 March 1, 2023Reply
  
  Hi AR, Yes, that would work.
- Kate
  0 March 10, 2023Reply
  
  Yummy! Did not use chocolate chips, instead crushed peanuts! It doesn’t affect my blood sugar so real keto! Thank you! Also subbed pea protein vanilla flavor and did not add vanilla. I used a stand up mixer also.
Sande Southworth
0 July 14, 2022Reply

Wehre do I get Paleovalley Bond Brother Protein Powder?
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 July 15, 2022Reply
  
  Hi Sande, You can find the Paleovally Protein Powder here.
  - Li
    0 July 19, 2022Reply
    
    Can I use whey or pea protein powder instead?
    - Wholesome Yum D
      0 July 19, 2022Reply
      
      Hi Li, I have never used either of those in this recipe.
    - Kate
      0 March 23, 2023Reply
      
      I used it, it works
William
0 June 4, 2022Reply

Fantastic … mcgorkle great helpful.. practical! Keep up the excellent work!!!🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃
Laura Van Bellinger
0 January 8, 2022Reply

Can you use regular protein vs bone broth?
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 January 11, 2022Reply
  
  Hi Laura, I think you could use regular protein powder as long as it’s unflavored.