WHITE CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN PROTEIN COOKIES
I can’t get enough of these soft-baked White Chocolate Pumpkin Protein Cookies! I don’t know about you, but I think white chocolate and pumpkin are a match made in heaven. There’s something about the rich pumpkin and warm spices combined with melty white chocolate that I just can’t resist! I may or may not have eaten half the batch the first day (luckily half the batch is just 400 calories)… and these are full-sized cookies!
Protein substitutions
For these cookies, I used Quest Protein Powder in Vanilla Milkshake. Any whey protein powder will work in this recipe, but some work better than others. Whey blends combining whey isolate, casein, and milk protein work best for baking. Whey concentrate would be my second choice. Whey isolates are the absolute worst for baking! They tend to make baked goods weird and spongey or dry and mealy. This said after 5 years of baking with various whey protein brands!
You could also try a vegan protein in this recipe, but you will probably need extra liquid since plant-based protein powders tend to be more absorbent.
Flour substitutions
I used coconut flour to keep the carbs down, you can substitute twice as much (half a cup) of the following flours: all-purpose flour, brown rice flour, cake flour, cassava flour (Paleo), oat flour (oats blended into flour), gluten-free baking flour, sorghum flour, spelt flour, or whole wheat pastry flour.
You can also substitute half a cup of flour for the protein powder if you don’t have it (you just may need a couple tablespoons more sweetener).
Sweetener substitutions
I use my favorite brown sugar monk fruit sweetener, which is calorie-free measures 1:1 like sugar! If using Truvia Brown Sugar or Splenda Brown Sugar, these are not calorie-free, and they’re also twice as sweet as sugar. Make sure to use half as much (one-quarter cup)! You can also substitute half a cup of coconut sugar or regular brown sugar if you’re not worried about the added sugar 😉
Erythritol, monk fruit, or baking stevia will work in this recipe, but the cookies won’t taste as rich as using the brown sugar alternative. You might want to add a couple drops maple extract for added flavor!
Other substitutions
Before you ask, there is no substitute for pumpkin in this recipe! However, you can use 1 ½-2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. The egg white can also be substituted for one whole egg, two tablespoons of ground flax in one-quarter cup of warm water, or a vegan egg replacer.
For extra buttery goodness, I went with a vegan buttery spread, but unsalted butter or ghee would work too. You can also try nut butter, though I haven’t tested it in this specific recipe.
Feel free to use dark chocolate chips instead of white chocolate chips, or butterscotch chips, nuts, cranberries, whatever!
Here’s the printable recipe for these White Chocolate Pumpkin Protein Cookies! Kindly leave a comment below to let me know how you liked them 🙂
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White Chocolate Pumpkin Protein Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (60g) vanilla whey blend protein powder* I used Quest brand in Vanilla Milkshake
- 1/4 cup coconut flour* or 1/2 cup all-purpose, gluten-free, or oat flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar alternative I used one that measures 1:1 like sugar
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon*
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg*
- 1/4 tsp. ground ginger*
- 1/8 tsp. ground cloves* or use 1 1/2-2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice instead of individual spices
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt optional
- 2/3 cup canned 100% pure pumpkin
- 1/4 cup (2 large) egg whites
- 3 tbsp. buttery spread melted
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. maple extract optional, recommended if not using brown sugar alternative
- 1 oz. white chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips
*See blog for more substitutions.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Whisk together dry ingredients (through salt) in a medium mixing bowl.
- Mix in wet ingredients (through extract) until smooth.
- Stir in white chocolate chips (or semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly spray with cooking spray, then drop batter by rounded tablespoons onto sheet.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown underneath and cooked through (I flattened my cookies with the back of a spatula right after they came out to make less "fluffy").
- Let cool 5-10 minutes and enjoy!
- Store any leftovers in the fridge up to one week or the freezer up to one month (no preservatives).
Notes
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