It's cookie season and these Cookies & Cream Protein Cookies bring an unexpected twist! Low in sugar, gluten free, dairy free, higher in protein and totally flourless! Each crunchy chocolate cookie is topped with cream frosting and crumbled sandwich cookies. Yum!
Did you know? The polyphenols in dark chocolate may help lower some forms of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol when combined with other foods like almonds and cocoa. (source)
Protein recommendation
For these scrumptious cookies, I used LIV Body Lean Vegan Protein in their newest Cookies & Cream flavor. Their pea isolate is free of artificial ingredients and loaded with probiotics and antioxidant superfoods. Feel free to use my code "SARAHWILKINS" for free shipping on all LIV Body orders!
You can use any chocolate-flavored vegan protein for this recipe, or a whey blend if you add an additional flour (whey is less absorbent than pea protein). I have not tested this recipe with collagen or egg white protein, so cannot promise the result.
Sweetener recommendation
For these cookies, I used a sugar free brown sugar alternative but you can use any sweetener that measures like sugar. For a stevia-free sweetener, I like this one! You can also use granulated erythritol, baking stevia, or coconut sugar. If using pure stevia or monk fruit extract, please refer to the brand's conversion chart.
Butter substitutions
I used almond butter and vegan butter for a soft, chewy texture in these cookies. Feel free to swap the almond butter for sunflower seed butter, cashew butter, or tahini (sesame seed butter). The vegan butter can also be swapped for virgin coconut oil, coconut butter, or unsalted butter (which isn't dairy-free).
The recipe also calls for one egg white, but there are many things you can substitute for vegan! Try an equivalent amount of vegan egg replacer, two tablespoons of aquafaba (chickpea liquid), or one tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with two tablespoons of warm water.
Cream frosting
For the cookie frosting, I simply combined dairy free cream cheese (like Kite Hill or Tofutti), sugar free powdered sweetener, and a tiny bit of pure vanilla extract. You can use any powdered sweetener that measures like sugar :)
It's cookie season and these Cookies & Cream Protein Cookies bring an unexpected twist! Low in sugar, gluten free, dairy free, higher in protein and totally flourless! Each crunchy chocolate cookie is topped with cream frosting and crumbled sandwich cookies. Yum!
Ingredients
50g (7 tbsp.) chocolate vegan protein* (I used LIV Body brand, code SARAHWILKINS for free shipping)
3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Special Dark cocoa)
3 tbsp. sugar-free sweetener* (I used one that measures like sugar)
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup almond butter*
3 tbsp. vegan butter* (or coconut butter)
3-4 tbsp. unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
2 tbsp. (1 large) egg white*
1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract (optional)
Cream frosting:
3 oz. dairy free cream cheese, softened at room temp (like Tofutti or Kite Hill)
6 tbsp. sugar free powdered sweetener* (I used one that measures like sugar)
1/8 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 medium (or 9 mini) chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
*See blog post above for notes.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Whisk together dry ingredients (through baking soda) in a medium mixing bowl.
Add wet ingredients (through vanilla) and mix until a soft dough is formed.
Roll dough into twelve tablespoon-sized balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or coated with cooking spray. Press down slightly to flatten.
Bake cookies in preheated oven for 8-12 minutes, or until soft but fully set.
While cookies are baking, combine frosting ingredients and mix until smooth.
Take cookies out of the oven and let cool completely/
Once cookies are cool, spread with frosting and sprinkle with crushed sandwich cookies.
Enjoy! Leftover cookies will keep in the fridge in a sealed container for at least a week, or in the freezer for at least a month.
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