Nutrition is the focus of many of our recipes, especially when they come into play in our food choices.
But sometimes, it can be hard to have the willpower to eat healthy while indulging in something sweet or savory.
One place where you don’t have to give up on a little flavor is in your protein cookie dough.
It’s a fun way to incorporate extra protein into your diet, and you can make it with any kind of cookie dough flavor you want.
The best part about protein cookie dough is that it can be made with almost any mix-in ingredient you desire.
You can add chocolate chips or dried fruit for an extra burst of sweetness, and try other flavors like cookies ‘n cream or chocolate chip.
The options are endless!
Because protein makes up the bulk of your body, it’s a good idea to add as much as you can to your cookie dough recipe.
Protein is important for every cell in your body, and it also serves as a building block for muscle tissue.
It’s especially useful in regulating stress and making sure that your body functions properly.
The three main types of protein are:
Skeletal muscle: Skeletal muscles contain proteins called actin and myosin.
Their job is to move around the body and provide strength.
Adipose (fat) tissue: Adipose tissue is where fat cells live.
As a result of the conversion of glucose into triglycerides, adipose tissue is responsible for storing energy in the form of fat.
Immune system: The immune system’s main job is to protect you from disease, infections, or other health problems by destroying potentially harmful cells and organisms.
A lot of the time, the only thing separating healthy protein cookie dough from its equivalent tastier cookie dough is the addition of some additional ingredients.
So when it comes to picking a flavor, you’ll need to consider how much protein you want in your cookie dough.
For example, if you’re looking to create a protein cookie dough recipe for your kids, make sure you give them three tablespoons of protein.
For example, if you’re making a chocolate chip protein cookie dough recipe, you’ll only need one tablespoon of chocolate chips.
If you have your heart set on a certain flavor, though, then don’t forget about the variety of mix-in options that all offer extra nutrition and taste!
The main ingredients for cookie dough are simple: some flour and sugar, a little butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt.
But there are other ingredients that can enhance both the recipe and your health.
You’ll need some additional baking powder, baking soda, and unflavored gelatin to help make the dough rise.
(You can also use cornstarch if you’re vegan.) Milk or nondairy milk is necessary for its moisture.
And, of course, you’ll also need protein powder to give the cookie dough its protein boost.
What is the best way to mix the ingredients together?
There are several ways to mix protein cookie dough, depending on what kind of equipment you have in your kitchen.
If you don’t have a stand mixer or a mixer at all, a hand mixer can be used, but it won’t be as uniform and smooth.
A bowl and a spoon or spatula are the best materials for mixing protein cookie dough.
So many steps, but so worth it! The first thing to do is make sure your ingredients are ready and waiting in a bowl.
The next step is to mix the protein cookie dough.
Here’s how:
- Pour the egg whites and other ingredients into a bowl.
- Mix well with a whisk or a mixer until smooth.
- Add the almond flour and mix well.
- Mix in the chocolate chips or other ingredient(s) of choice.
The cooking time of protein cookie dough depends on whether you choose to mix in dried fruit or any other sweetener.
However, it’s usually a much shorter cooking time than usual.
If the protein cookie dough is mixed with chocolate chips, it will take about 10 minutes to cook.
And if the protein cookie dough has no additional sweetener, it takes about 15 minutes to cook.
For example, in my chocolate chip protein cookie dough recipe, I use almond milk as my liquid ingredient.
This takes about 15 minutes to cook.
What temperature should the oven be set to?
First, set your oven to the appropriate temperature.
You want to make sure you don’t overheat this cookie dough.
Overheating essentially means that the protein powder is cooking, which can quickly change its consistency.
You don’t have to use a thermometer to find out the proper temperature; just press your thumb firmly against the middle of the pan as if you were pressing down on it with your fingers.
As your thumb heats up, check the back of your hand.
If you feel any heat, there is probably a problem.
The best way to store protein cookie dough is in an airtight container so that it doesn’t become watery over time.
While you can refrigerate the dough for a few days, better storage results from keeping it in the freezer.
You can make and store the dough up to one week ahead of time, adding about 30 minutes to your prep time.
Just keep it in the freezer until you’re ready to bake.
Are there any substitutions or variations that can be made to the recipe?
There are so many different ways you can change up this protein cookie dough recipe.
You can add chopped nuts or shredded coconut, or even just leave them out.
You could also swap in any kind of protein powder to make it even more healthy and tasty.
But, we’re going to focus on a few of the ones that taste best when paired with this recipe.
Sure.
You can add extra chocolate chips, different kinds of dried fruit, or other cookie dough flavorings to make the recipe really your own.
The combinations are endless, and it’s fun to experiment with different combinations.
Make sure you bake the protein cookie dough in separate pans so that the flavors don’t mix.
This is a common occurrence when you bake multiple types of dough in one pan.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup protein powder
- 1/2 cup peanut butter or any nut or seed butter
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter and maple syrup. Slowly stir in the protein powder until the mixture is thick and crumbly.
- Using a tablespoon, add enough water to maintain a thick consistency. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips.
- Enjoy right away, or chill for 30 minutes for a firmer edible cookie dough.
Video
Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.