• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Our Plant-Based World
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About Us
  • Books
  • Juices
  • Categories
  • Mains
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About Us
    • Books
    • Juices
    • Categories
    • Mains
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Sweets & Desserts

    Vegan Protein Cookies Recipe (4 Ingredients + Gluten-Free)

    Updated: Dec 20, 2022 by Gustavo De Obaldia

    Written by Gustavo De Obaldia

    You crave something sweet but healthy, fast and grabbable, something that is so good that you can have a reward after going to the gym, still getting your protein out of it. These vegan protein cookies are made in 13 minutes, with only 3 minutes hands-on, without making a mess in the kitchen. Still with me?

    vegan protein cookies hero.
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Comments

    These chocolate protein cookies are an easy snack, holiday treat, or healthy dessert made with vegan chocolate chips, nut butter, protein powder, and your favorite sweetener. Easy peasy! Take them to the gym, the office, or a picnic.

    Jump to:
    • 🧾 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 🍪 Substitutions
    • 📖 Variations
    • 🍽 Equipment
    • 🥡 Storage
    • 💡 Top tips
    • 🥛 How to serve
    • ❓ FAQ
    • 📚 More healthy snacks recipes
    • 🍫 More chocolate recipes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews and Comments

    🧾 Ingredients

    Here’s what you need to make the protein cookies: protein powder, nut butter, sweetener, and a pinch of salt to add depth of flavor.

    vegan protein cookies ingredients on a wooden choppin board.
    • Protein powder - we chose chocolate protein powder to make these cookies double chocolatey. It will work if you use plain or vanilla-flavored protein powder, but you can add a teaspoon of raw cocoa powder to reach the same result.
    • Natural peanut butter - we love using creamy peanut butter and chocolate; who doesn't? This ingredient helps to bring the cookie dough together. You won't even need vegan butter, as the fat content of nut butter is enough.
    • Sweetener - we used maple syrup; we love the delicate and characteristic flavor it adds to desserts. Also, they help to add humidity, so the cookie dough is easy to shape.
    • Chocolate chips are optional, but we think these cookies rock with chocolate chips. Get the small ones and make sure they are marked vegan.
    • Maldon salt - completely optional. We love the combination of salt and chocolate. In a candy bar, ice cream always goes well. You can add it directly to the dough, crush it, or use fine sea salt. We like adding Maldon flakes on top of the cookies. Both methods work.

    See the recipe card for quantities.

    We use Complement's Organic and 100% Naturally Sourced Chocolate Protein Powder for these cookies and our smoothies. If you'd like to try it, use the promo code PBWORLD10 at check-out to enjoy a 10% discount.

    🔪 Instructions

    This gluten-free, vegan cookie recipe involves just a couple of simple steps.

    Hint: If the peanut butter is not easily stir-able (ubiquitous if you are using natural nut butter, almond, or cashew butter), gently warm it on the microwave or Bain Marie to soften.

    mix all the vegan protein cookies ingredients.

    Step 1: Combine the peanut butter with the remaining ingredients and stir to form a cookie dough texture.

    form a ball with the cookie dough.

    Step 2: Form a ball with the cookie dough.

    Hint: Preheat the oven before getting started to have it ready as soon as you finish up shaping the balls.

    divide the cookie dough in small balls.

    Step 3: Divide the cookie dough into four to six pieces and make cookie dough balls. You can use your hand or a cookie scoop.

    put the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet and press with your fingers.

    Step 4: Put the cookie dough balls separated on a lined baking sheet with parchment paper. Then gently press into cookie shapes with your fingers or the bottom of a spoon.

    the cookies should be separated.

    Step 5: Separate the cookies so they can cook evenly.

    put the cookies to bake on a preheated oven.

    Step 6: Add extra chocolate chips if you like, and bake the cookies in a preheated oven for 8-10 minutes.

    vegan protein cookies recipe featured.

    Step 7: Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack so they don't continue cooking. Let them cool completely.

    Hint: you can have no-bake cookies as-is or bake them; I prefer to bake them briefly to harden them up.

    🍪 Substitutions

    To make peanut butter chocolate chip cookies vegan, you only need to make sure you get both protein powder and chocolate chips that are vegan since nut butter and sweeteners are naturally vegan.

    • Unsalted Peanut butter: almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower butter, macadamia nut butter, pumpkin seed butter, or another allergy-friendly nut-free option. I like to make peanut butter protein cookies.
    • Chocolate chips -  are optional, but I think they make a fantastic addition; you can also replace them with vegan chocolate chunks. It’s also OK to substitute an equal amount of raisins, sultanas, or dried cranberries.
    • Maple syrup - we like keeping things as natural as possible, so we avoid white sugar and use either maple syrup, agave nectar, or date paste. For sugar-free protein cookies, you can also use brown sugar, coconut sugar, or erythritol monk fruit.
    • Protein powder - instead of protein powder, you can use any other flour, even all-purpose flour. Remember that to make vegan, gluten-free peanut butter cookies, you need to use gluten-free flour such as almond flour.

    Also, these are dairy-free peanut butter cookies because we don't use whey protein, a derivative of dairy products. Always use a plant-based protein powder to ensure your protein cookies are lactose-free.

    Hint: If you use liquid sweeteners, you may need to add more protein powder, so the cookie dough is firm enough.

    tower of cookies with a dairy-free milk glass.

    📖 Variations

    • Peanut butter - We like using creamy peanut butter, but you can use crunchy peanut butter to have a bite.
    • Vanilla extract - add ¼ teaspoon if you love vanilla.
    • Extra antioxidants - you can add a flax egg
    • Chopped peanuts - add some if you like some crunchy texture on your vegan peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.

    🍽 Equipment

    1. Bowl - to mix your ingredients.
    2. Baking dish - any oven-resistant tray will work.
    3. Parchment paper - to place the cookies before baking them. We prefer using a baking silicone mat (affiliate link), to limit waste.

    🥡 Storage

    Store these peanut butter chocolate chip cookies in a BPA-free airtight container or cookie jar at room temperature for up to 3 days. You might notice that they will harden a little but are still delicious.

    You can freeze your peanut butter chocolate cookies in an airtight container, but it doesn't stand up well to freezing for more than 3 months.

    💡 Top tips

    Because there are a substantial amount of vegan protein powders, and they do not all act the same way in recipes, some kinds of protein powder may require more peanut butter if your dough is too dry or more protein powder if it’s too wet. Adjust a little at a time to achieve a cookie dough texture.

    Always use dark chocolate to make your recipes healthier.

    🥛 How to serve

    Have these chocolate chip protein cookies with a glass of your favorite dairy-free milk, such as homemade almond milk, soy milk, cashew milk, or oat milk.

    This hot chocolate almond milk will do the job if you are all about chocolate.

    We also enjoy having these cookies with vegan golden milk as a cozy fall season mid-afternoon snack.

    ❓ FAQ

    Are protein cookies healthy?

    This comes back to the ingredients. Most store-bought protein bars have unspeakable ingredients; that's one of the reasons to make your own. We carefully choose organic sources like nut butter, protein powder, pure maple syrup, and minimally processed vegan chocolate chips to make the most healthy protein cookie.
    Also, the smaller they are, the fewer calories and less protein. Adjust the cookie size to your health goals.

    What type of protein powder??

    You can use your favorite protein powder. We like using either plain or chocolate flavored 100% organic and vegan protein sources, made with chickpeas, peas, almonds, and seeds.
    We like complement's plain and chocolate flavors.

    Use the promo code in the Recipe Card notes for a 10% discount on your chocolate protein powder (affiliate link).

    📚 More healthy snacks recipes

    • plate with two empanadas, one of which exposing the apple filling.
      Vegan Apple Empanadas
    • chocolate pumpkin cake portion on a serving plate.
      Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Cake(No-Bake, Only 5 ingredients!!)
    • Baked Vegan Sherry Pie with a Slice Removed - A fully baked pie with a slice removed, showing the cherry filling and golden crust.
      Vegan Cherry Pie
    • carrot hummus without tahini.
      Creamy Carrot Hummus without Tahini

    Try our healthy truffle balls, no-bake pumpkin protein balls, chocolate protein balls made with the almond pulp, no-bake fig bars, homemade vegan granola bars, 3-ingredient oat milk chia pudding, and hazelnut-flavored bars.

    Savor a tasty, 69-calorie mini blueberry muffin that you can prepare in under 25 minutes!

    Try our pre-workout smoothie, which is also an excellent snack before exercising!

    🍫 More chocolate recipes

    Try out our vegan chocolate milk made with almond milk, dark chocolate chia pudding, 3-ingredient low-calorie protein balls, and vegan lava cake.

    ⭐ If you try these vegan chocolate chip peanut butter cookies, let us know! 💬 Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag us @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

    📋 Recipe

    vegan protein cookies recipe featured.

    Easy 4 ingredient Vegan Protein Cookies (Gluten-Free)

    Author: Gustavo De Obaldia
    You just need four ingredients and a few minutes to whip up these delicious protein cookies! They're vegan, gluten-free, and delicious!
    4.9 from 12 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 2 minutes mins
    Cook Time 8 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Snack, Sweet
    Cuisine American, Healthy
    Servings 6 large cookies (6 medium)
    Calories 231 kcal

    Equipment

    glass mixing bowls.
    (affiliate link)
    Glass mixing bowl (affiliate link)
    baking silicone mat.
    (affiliate link)
    baking silicone mat (affiliate link)
    our favorite rectangular silver baking tray.
    (affiliate link)
    Rectangular Baking Tray (affiliate link)

    Ingredients
     
     

    • ¼ cup peanut butter creamy ~ 2 ¼ oz
    • ¼ cup chocolate protein powder 36 g
    • ¼ cup vegan chocolate chips optional, or raisings, crushed peanuts
    • 3 tablespoon maple syrup or agave syrup

    Optional

    • Pinch maldon salt flakes, or kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Directions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Stir all ingredients in a mixing bowl to form a cookie dough texture.
    • Break into four to six pieces (depending on how big you want your cookies), roll into balls, then press into cookie shapes with your hands or a cookie scoop.
    • Bake the cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat for 8 minutes.
    • Cool down before handling, as the firm up while cooling.

    Video

    Notes

    Nutrition was Calculated for 4 cookies.
    If you divide the dough into 6 cookies, the nutrition changes as follows:
    150 Kcals, 16 g Carbs,  5 g protein, and 8 g fat.
    Chocolate Protein Powder (affiliate link)
    OURPBWORLD10 at check-out to enjoy the benefit. 

    Nutrition Facts

    Calories: 231kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 9gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 88mgPotassium: 142mgFiber: 2gSugar: 18gVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 2mg
    Did you make this recipe?Tag @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram and Hashtag it #ourplantbasedworld so we can see what's cooking!!
    Nutrition Facts
    Easy 4 ingredient Vegan Protein Cookies (Gluten-Free)
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    231
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    13
    g
    20
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    4
    g
    25
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    4
    g
    Sodium
     
    88
    mg
    4
    %
    Potassium
     
    142
    mg
    4
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    24
    g
    8
    %
    Fiber
     
    2
    g
    8
    %
    Sugar
     
    18
    g
    20
    %
    Protein
     
    9
    g
    18
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    3
    mg
    4
    %
    Calcium
     
    36
    mg
    4
    %
    Iron
     
    2
    mg
    11
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutritional Disclaimer

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our full Nutritional Disclosure here.

    Affiliate Disclaimer

    Please note that some of the links here are affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. I recommend all of the products listed because they are companies I have found helpful and trustworthy.

    gustavo de obaldia headshot.
    Gustavo De Obaldia
    Website |  + postsBio

    As the lead content writer and recipe developer at Our Plant-Based World, he combines his passion for health and sustainability with a Plant-Based Nutrition Certification to create accessible, delicious vegan recipes. His expertise in plant-based cooking supports the blog's mission of fostering a healthier, environmentally conscious lifestyle through simple and seasonal dishes. His commitment to making vegan cooking enjoyable and inclusive for everyone shines in each recipe and article.

    • Gustavo De Obaldia
      https://ourplantbasedworld.com/author/gustavodeobaldia/
      Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing
    • Gustavo De Obaldia
      https://ourplantbasedworld.com/author/gustavodeobaldia/
      Creamy Carrot Hummus without Tahini
    • Gustavo De Obaldia
      https://ourplantbasedworld.com/author/gustavodeobaldia/
      Easy and Protein-packed Yellow Lentil Wraps
    • Gustavo De Obaldia
      https://ourplantbasedworld.com/author/gustavodeobaldia/
      Juice for Bloating Relief Shots

    More Plant-Based Dessert Recipes

    • baked chocolate oatmeal portion served on a plate.
      Baked Chocolate Oatmeal
    • sweet potato cake sliced and piled.
      Easy Sweet Potato Cake
    • chocolate-covered pumpkin protein balls in a plate.
      Healthy Pumpkin Protein Balls (No-Bake Snack)
    • gluten-free pumpkin cookies with spice and cake mix.
      Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies (4 ingredients)

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      4.92 from 12 votes (6 ratings without comment)

      Leave us a comment or feedback Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Liz

      March 02, 2024 at 2:51 pm

      5 stars
      These cookies are so tasty

      Reply
      • Our Plant-Based World

        March 02, 2024 at 3:56 pm

        thank you! we are glad you liked them!

        Reply
    2. Nancy

      January 05, 2023 at 11:21 am

      5 stars
      Hey this was delicious! Love that it was protein rich and didn’t taste chalky!! Printed !

      Reply
    3. Tara

      December 20, 2022 at 10:27 pm

      5 stars
      Not only are these cookies so tasty but they are a protein-packed comfort treat!

      Reply
    4. Tayler

      December 20, 2022 at 8:21 pm

      5 stars
      I made these cookies for some vegan friends and they loved them! The perfect addition to their cookie tray!

      Reply
      • Gus

        December 21, 2022 at 3:08 pm

        Thanks for your review, Tayler. I am glad your vegan friends liked the healthy treats!

        Reply
    5. Kathryn

      December 20, 2022 at 5:06 pm

      5 stars
      These protein cookies are so delicious and make the BEST snack or dessert! Making another batch of these this week, thanks so much!

      Reply
      • Gus

        December 20, 2022 at 5:10 pm

        I am glad you liked them Kathryn, we love making a batch every week as well!

        Reply
    6. Beth

      December 20, 2022 at 4:53 pm

      5 stars
      These cookies are just the way I like them, fast and fabulous! Yum!

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Natasha and Mitri headshot. Modern Sidebar.

    Welcome To

    Our Plant-Based World!

    Natasha and Mitri here, dishing out a bounty of easy, wholesome and tasty vegan recipes along with some natural alternatives to nourish and care for your hair and skin. Brace yourselves for a delightful journey!

    More about OPBW →

    Trending Recipes

    • crispy mediterranean tofu air fryr recipe fatured.
      Crispy Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets with Mediterranean Marinade

    • Vegan Empanadas
      Vegan Empanadas

    • juice pulp in jar featured.
      What to do with Juice Pulp + Recipes

    • Indian style Brussels sprouts curry featured.
      Indian Style Spiced Brussels Sprouts Curry (Vegan)

    Winter Hits

    • drink to boost immune system, and fight cold and flu
      Drink to boost Immune System, Best Juice for Cold and Flu

    • lemony winter risotto featured
      Lemony Winter Risotto

    • beet carpaccio salad with vinaigrette.
      Beet Carpaccio Salad

    • Coconut pineapple Thai Curry featured image.
      Vegan Coconut Pineapple Thai Curry

    Footer

    Subscribe for latest recipes!

    Sign Up!
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Affiliate Links Disclaimers
    • Nutritional Disclaimer

    ↑ back to top

    Copyright © 2025 Our Plant-Based World

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.