FROSTED PROTEIN SUGAR COOKIES (VEGAN)
With Christmas rounding the corner, I just had to re-make these Frosted Protein Sugar Cookies! They deserved better photos and I also tweaked the cookie and frosting recipes just slightly to make them even more irresistible. Despite being called “sugar” cookies, these cookies actually have ZERO sugar! Don’t worry, they still have all that sweet buttery flavor, a tender, soft-baked texture, and the best sugar-free vanilla icing. And guess what? You can eat all six cookies for just under 440 calories (a couple didn’t make it to the photo shoot)!
If you like low-calorie vegan cookies that taste amazing, you might also like my Chocolate Peppermint Protein Cookies, Protein Jam Thumbprint Cookies, White Chocolate Cranberry Protein Cookies or my favorite Protein Gingerbread Cookies!
Protein powder substitutions
This cookie recipe uses LIV Body Lean Vegan Protein in Cake Batter, which is a plant-based pea protein powder. I love that it’s free of artificial ingredients with added super foods and still tastes awesome! You can use my code “NOEXCUSES” for 20% off all LIV Body products 😉
I’ve also tested a pea and pumpkin blend as well as soy isolate. You can *try* whey or casein in this recipe, just reduce the baking time by 3-4 minutes so they don’t dry out. Better yet, I actually have a sugar cookie recipe specifically for whey!
Flour substitutions
I used gluten-free baking flour in this recipe, but feel free to substitute all-purpose flour, brown rice flour, cake flour, cassava flour (Paleo), oat flour (oats blended into flour), sorghum flour, spelt flour, or whole wheat pastry flour. You can also swap the protein powder for one-quarter cup (30g) of additional flour.
Sweetener substitutions
To sweeten these cookies, I used my favorite organic stevia-erythritol blend. It’s calorie-free and twice as sweet as sugar with no bitter aftertaste. If using baking stevia, granulated erythritol or regular sugar, you will need to use twice as much to get the same amount of sweetness.
Other substitutions
For richness and buttery flavor, I used a combination of vegan buttery spread and cashew butter. You can use regular unsalted butter if you’re not vegan! Aquafaba, or the liquid from canned chickpeas, makes a great stand-in for egg white, but vegan egg replacer, or one egg white will also work. Finally, pure vanilla extract makes these cookies extra rich and flavorful.
Sugar free icing
For the icing, I used powdered monk fruit sweetener (confectioner’s erythritol or powdered sugar will also work), unsweetened almond milk (any milk will do), vegan buttery spread, and allulose syrup.
Allulose syrup is naturally derived from figs, raisins, jackfruit, and kiwi. It’s sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan, kosher, and non-GMO! Allulose syrup does have carbs, but it’s technically calorie-free and has no impact on blood sugar. You can also use agave syrup, light corn syrup, or simple syrup as they’re clear and neutral in flavor (you’re using a very small amount).
Here’s the printable recipe for these vegan Frosted Protein Sugar Cookies. I’d love for you to rate and/or comment below if you make this recipe
This post contains affiliate links and is sponsored by LIV Body.
Frosted Protein Sugar Cookies (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 25 g vegan vanilla protein powder* I used LIV Body brand in Cake Batter, code "NOEXCUSES" for 20% off
- 2 tbsp. calorie-free sweetener* I used one that's twice as sweet as sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp. gluten-free baking flour*
- 1/8 tsp. baking soda
- Dash salt
- 1 1/2 tbsp. vegan buttery spread* melted
- 1 1/2 tbsp. cashew butter*
- 2 tbsp. aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas) or 1 large egg white
- 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Frosting:
- 1/3 cup powdered calorie-free sweetener* I used a powdered monk fruit that measures 1:1 like sugar
- 1 tsp. allulose syrup* or light corn syrup or agave
- 1-2 tsp. unsweetened almond milk*
- 1/2 tsp. vegan buttery spread* softened
- 1/8 tsp. pure vanilla extract
*See blog above for substitutions.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Whisk together dry ingredients (through salt) in a small mixing bowl.
- Add wet ingredients (through vanilla) and mix until a thick, rollable dough is formed.
- Roll out dough 1/4" thick between two sheets of parchment, then use cookie cutters in the desired shapes.
- Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
- While cookies cool, mix frosting ingredients until smooth. Spoon into a sandwich bag with one corner cut off (or a piping bag) and decorate cookies once completely cool to the touch. Leftover cookies will keep in an airtight container at least one week.
Notes
Also in Blog
CHOCOLATE PEANUT PROTEIN CANDY BARS (VEGAN)
PUMPKIN CHIP PROTEIN BREAD (GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE)
This Pumpkin Chip Protein Bread has a rich, tender texture full of pumpkin spice and chocolate chips (no dry protein bread here). The kids and I can't get enough! Best of all, it's gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free and easily made egg-free and vegan.
