These healthy chocolate protein cookies are gluten free, dairy free, can easily be vegan and are high in protein, filling, and super delicious! A great snack any time of day!
Healthy Chocolate Protein Cookies
I’ve been meaning to revamp this healthy protein cookies recipe for a long, long time and am so happy I can finally tick it off my to-do list. I actually first posted these cookies in 2013… I still can’t believe that NITK will be 6 years old this August! They have been a favourite of mine for ages and the recipe was first inspired by a local grocery store here in Edmonton that makes the coveted “Cosmic Cookie”.
Like those Cosmic Cookies, my version is loaded with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, unsweetened coconut, flax seeds, raisins, nut butter, and dark chocolate chips but they also contain more superfood additions! Rich, aromatic cocoa powder, mineral-packed hemp seeds, and protein-rich collagen peptides are also in the mix. Everything works together to make some pretty amazing treats.
I’ve taken out the “cosmic” and named my cookies “protein cookies” because they really do pack a protein punch… and quite a few calories (ha!). This is why I do recommend to enjoy these cookies in moderation, one (…ok, maybe two) cookie is seriously filling and will definitely power you up for a workout, busy day, or monumental to-do list.
I legitimately felt like I had fuel pumping through my legs the other day when I ate one of these cookies and then took Hemsley for a nice brisk walk in her stroller…and I don’t drink coffee, so I know I couldn’t attribute my extra energy to any caffeine, I swear it was the P O W E R cookie!!
Ingredients in Healthy Chocolate Protein Cookies
Rolled oats and oat flour make these cookies fibre-rich and naturally gluten-free and wonderfully chewy and soft. They really are packed to the brim with healthy goodness and have amazing flavour and texture.
If you are vegan or vegetarian, a simple swap of the collagen peptides for a plant-based protein powder will do the trick, but I love that either way (collagen or plant-based) these cookies are well balanced with a mix of complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and protein!
Other ingredients include a bunch of seeds, coconut, nut butter, and chocolate chips! A great way to add flavour, texture, and even more nutrition and healthy fats to these delicious protein cookies.
Summer is in full swing and for us this means a lot of days spent outside, on-the-go, biking, hiking, running, and soaking up the sunshine so these Chocolate Protein Cookies are the perfect, healthy snack/treat to have in-tow for a boost of energy and nourishment along the way.
I hope you’ll make a batch to enjoy too!
Chocolate Protein Cookies Gluten Free
These healthy chocolate protein cookies are gluten free, dairy free, can easily be vegan and are high in protein, filling, and super delicious!
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups quick oats
- 1 1/4 cups oat flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup collagen peptides powder (or a chocolate vegan protein powder
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- 3/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/4 cup whole flax seeds
- 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
- 3/4 cup coconut palm sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup sultana raisins
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
- 2 tablespoons natural nut butter of choice (or sunflower seed butter if you need nut free)
- 1/3 cup avocado oil
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line two baking pans with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl combine all of the dry ingredients.
- In a separate large bowl combine the wet ingredients.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, you'll need to use some muscle for this!
- Portion the cookie dough using a rounded 1/4 cup measuring cup and place each cookie onto the lined baking tray, you should make 1 1/2 dozen cookies total.
- Gently flatten the cookies before baking.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom
- Let the cookies cool completely then enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 260Total Fat: 13gCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 4gSugar: 12gProtein: 10g
Nutrition information is not always accurate.
*Recipe adapted from Planet Organic Cosmic Cookie
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More Protein-Packed Recipes You’ll Love!
- Vegan Protein-Packed Cookie Dough Overnight Oats
- Best-Ever High Protein Banana Bread
- Blueberry Banana Protein Pancake Bowls
- Vegan Protein Gluten-Free Banana Muffins
Have a beautiful Sunday!
Christal // NITK
I know these are protein powder cookies but wondering if I could sub it with something else. I have used some of the other ingredients listed to make my own protein powder in the past, so could I just use more of the flax, hemp seed powder etc?
I’m probably going to make them that way anyway, as I’m far too impatient to wait for a reply before I do! I’ll let you know how it turns out and it I change up anything – for some reason, adding a banana is here somewhere sounds amazing *shrugs* but I’m no foodie.
Hey Melissa! You could swap out the protein powder for an additional 1/4 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of rolled oats. I hope they turned out for you 🙂
Thank you so much for your recipes. I have tried a couple now and my family has enjoyed them. I made these last night, changing only a little. I ended up making 52 tbsp size cookies, each about 100 calories. Baked for 10min.
Fantastic, the mini versions are great for on-the-go and a little snack 🙂
Avocado oil in cookies?! That actually sounds FABULOUS. I love how protein-packed and antioxidant-rich these cookies are! Wouldn’t stop at one cookie!
Yes!! That was one of the swaps I made for these revamps! I LOVE how the avocado oil adds in healthy fats but doesn’t add in any odd flavour!
I’m thinking these are looking like the perfect thing to meal prep for breakfast… 🙂
Thanks Brittany! They are so great for breakfast too!
Thanks!
These are fabulous. I make a few changes and will continue to make them and experiment for fun (ex. next batch will be GF). I use avocado oil, hemp hearts in place of flax, some mini choc chips in lieu of raisins and whey powder plus some extra raw cacao, for instance. They are very versatile and handle plenty of change-ups. When I remember to use seed butter instead of PB my daughter can take these to school (she loves them!).
Awesome! SO glad you enjoy them Krista, and yes they are a super versatile cookie!
Thank you for this recipe! I was searching around for the best Whole Foods-style power cookie recipe and this one comes closest! I made a few changes that I’m sure changed the healthiness of the recipe (i.e. made it way less healthy): subbed two eggs for the water, added dark chocolate chips, used whole wheat instead of spelt, did a quarter cup of PB and molasses and added a tsp of baking soda and baking powder. Baked smaller sized cookies for about 8 mins and they were great! Thanks again for the recipe 🙂
Great adaptations! So glad you enjoyed!
Made these last night and they turned out absolutely perfect!! I did make a few adjustments:
– I substituted raisins for cranberries (might even try dried cherries next time)
– Added 1/4 cup chia seeds
– Added 1/2 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
– Sprinkled salt flakes over the top (since most of the nuts I used were raw and I needed a salt factor)
– And because I am lazy, I spread the batter on a baking sheet and cut them into bars instead of making individual cookies
Such a great on-the-go snack/late night craving alternative! Will defiantly make again!
Fantastic substitutions!! I love that they turned out as bars – a great idea!
can all this sugar be replaced with something healthier?
Hi Hanna, are you referring to the 3/4 cup coconut palm sugar? If so, you can reduce it if you wish, but it’s quite a small amount for the size of the batch of cookies – also, coconut palm sugar is a healthier form of sugar as it is natural and unrefined thus it releases slower into the blood stream when consumed and does not cause a spike in insulin or blood sugar levels as white or brown sugar does. If you wanted to go totally sugar free you could use a cup-for-cup Stevia which may alter the taste a bit but will omit the calories that the sugar gives the cookies.
Thank you
Have you tried Chia seeds instead of flax? I am planning a bike trek and would like something portable a high calorie with some protein. I think these will do the trick! They look amazing.
You could definitely do chia instead of the flax!! Let me know how it goes!