Salty, sweet, and packed with protein, these Peanut Butter Protein Cookies are a filling way to enjoy a classic cookie. Made with peanut butter, chocolate chips, and your favorite chocolate protein powder, these nutty cookies are sure to satisfy every time!
Protein powder cookies
Let’s be honest, peanut butter cookies are addicting! They’re sweet, salty, and perfectly chewy. Whenever I make my Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies , Peanut Butter Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies , or Peanut Butter Blossoms , I find it hard to stop myself from eating too many.
Thankfully, Peanut Butter Protein Cookies always swoop in to save the day! Packed with luscious peanut butter and chocolate protein powder , these cookies taste just like a classic peanut butter cookie but fill you up quickly to prevent further snacking.
These protein powder cookies make for a great on-the-go snack, post-workout treat, or even dessert on nights when dinner didn’t quite scratch the hunger itch. They’re quick and easy and can be made from start to finish in under 30 minutes. All you need are 12 pantry staple ingredients you probably already have in your cupboard!
Make a fresh batch for friends or store them away for an easy snack. I personally like to keep a bag or two of these high-protein peanut butter cookies in my freezer to nibble on anytime I’m feeling snacky between meals.
How to make peanut butter protein cookies
These one bowl peanut butter protein cookies are a sweet and filling snack that can be whipped up in less than 30 minutes. All you need to get started are a few ingredients, a hand mixer, and a hot oven:
In a large bowl , cream together the butter, peanut butter, sugar, light brown sugar, egg, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
Add the flour, chocolate protein powder, baking powder, salt, and baking soda to the peanut butter mixture and mix until combined. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Use a cookie scoop or a spoon to form your cookie dough into 1-inch balls and place them on a cookie sheet (I like using silicone baking mats ). Use a fork to gently push each cookie ball down twice, making a criss-cross pattern.
Bake the cookies until the edges are golden brown. Let them cool on a wire rack, then dig in!
Tips for the best protein cookies
Don’t overmix the cookie dough – You only want to mix the wet and dry ingredients together until everything is just combined. Overmixing will lead to tough or dry cookies.
Sift the dry ingredients – I recommend sifting your dry ingredients so you don’t end up with any lumps of flour or protein powder in the cookies.
Choose your peanut butter wisely – The type of peanut butter you use will greatly affect the texture and flavor of your finished protein cookies. I recommend using an all natural creamy peanut butter for the best nutty flavors. You can also use crunchy all natural peanut butter for texture, replace it with almond butter, or use sunflower seed butter as a nut free option.
Use any protein powder you like – There are plenty of options to choose from! I like the flavor of chocolate protein powder but almost any flavor of vegan or whey protein will work.
Need more protein powder recipes? Try my Chocolate Protein Powder Oatmeal and Strawberry Protein Smoothie .
Storing and freezing peanut butter cookies
To store : Store the cooled baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the fridge for 10 days.
To freeze the unbaked cookie dough: Roll the dough into 1-inch cookie balls, place them on a cookie sheet, and transfer it to the freezer. When they’re frozen solid, transfer the dough balls to a ziploc bag and freeze for up to 2 months. The cookies can be baked from frozen but may need a few extra minutes in the oven
To freeze the baked cookies : Place any leftover peanut butter protein cookies in an airtight container or ziploc bag and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Looking for more chewy cookies to snack on?
- Chewy Confetti Cookies
- Apple Pie Cookies
- Soft Gingerbread Cookies
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peppermint M&M Cookies
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Ingredients
- ▢ 1/2 cup butter melted
- ▢ 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- ▢ 1/2 cup sugar
- ▢ 1/2 cup brown sugar
- ▢ 1 egg
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- ▢ 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- ▢ 1/4 cup chocolate protein powder
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- ▢ 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 2 cookie sheets with nonstick spray.
- Mix butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg and vanilla together until creamy in a large bowl.
- Add flour, protein powder, baking powder, salt, and baking soda to mixture. Continue to mix until a cookie dough mixture forms.
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Roll into 1 inch balls and place cookies on baking sheet. Use the back of a fork to make a criss-cross appearance on every cookie. Sprinkle each cookie with additional sugar on top.
- Bake for 12-13 minutes or until slightly golden brown around the edges.
Peanut Butter Protein Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup chocolate protein powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 2 cookie sheets with nonstick spray.
- Mix butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg and vanilla together until creamy in a large bowl.
- Add flour, protein powder, baking powder, salt, and baking soda to mixture. Continue to mix until a cookie dough mixture forms.
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Roll into 1 inch balls and place cookies on baking sheet. Use the back of a fork to make a criss-cross appearance on every cookie. Sprinkle each cookie with additional sugar on top.
- Bake for 12-13 minutes or until slightly golden brown around the edges.
Recipe Created by Pamela Reed for brooklynfarmgirl.com
Once you bite into these crumbly peanut butter thumbprint cookies with a raspberry jam center, you will never stop with just one! They are the perfect mix of salty, nutty, and sweet and are just melt-in-your-mouth delicious!
The Perfect Holiday Cookies
Is it even Christmas without endless amounts of cookies in your kitchen? There’s Peanut Butter Blossoms Cookies , Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies , M&M Cookies , Christmas Donut Cookies , Snowball Cookies and so many more cookies !
When it’s Christmas time, Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies are always on our menu! Don’t get me wrong, you can have it any time of the year you want, but these festive cookies are just perfect for the holidays.
Place them in a decorative box, tie it with some pretty ribbons and add a handwritten card, and you have a lovely, thoughtful gift to give to your family and friends. Oh yeah, and be sure to save some for yourself too! 🙂
Ingredients You’ll Need
It does not require much to make them! All you need are a few baking essentials, and you can make a whole batch in just 20 minutes!
- Creamy peanut butter- did I already say how I love PB? I like using the creamy variety for a smoother dough.
- Butter – adds a rich flavor and makes the cookies melt in your mouth!
- Sugars- I used both granulated white sugar and brown sugar for this recipe. Adding brown sugar gives the cookies a rich caramel-like sweetness that I really like!
- Egg- binds all the ingredients together.
- Vanilla- adds another layer of flavor to the cookies. Its delicate aroma and taste work perfectly with the peanut butter flavor.
- Flour- I used all-purpose for this recipe to achieve that soft and crumbly cookie texture.
- Baking powder + baking soda- are used as leavening agents to give cookies a nice rise.
- Salt- a pinch will further enhance the peanut butter flavor!
- Raspberry jam- I love its sweet and tart flavor! It is perfect for making classic thumbprint cookies. However, feel free to use other jams like Apricot , Strawberry , and Blueberry or for a citrusy taste try my lemon curd .
How to Make Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies
You will only need 5 minutes to get these babies ready for the oven! The aroma of baking cookies will fill your kitchen and will have everyone in your house champing on the bit to get a hold of some! They are so easy to make that you can have your kids join in the fun! Wouldn’t they just love making those thumbprint indents on the dough?
Preparations:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prepare 2 cookie sheets by spraying with nonstick spray or putting down silicone baking mats .
Steps
Make the cookie dough . Place the melted butter, peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and blend them together using a hand mixer until the mixture is creamy and fluffy. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and continue mixing until a sticky dough forms.
Shape them up! Scoop a portion of the dough and make 1-inch dough balls. In a shallow bowl, add sugar and roll the dough balls until evenly covered. Place them on the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake! Place the baking sheets into the oven and set the timer for 14 to 15 minutes.
Add the jam filling. Now the fun part! Make a small indent in the middle of the cookies using your thumb or a small spoon. Then fill it up with raspberry jam! Let them cool and harden before serving!
Tips when Making Thumbprint Cookies
- Do not over-mix your dough. Just mix until all the ingredients come together and become light and fluffy. An over-mixed dough will result in dry and tough cookies- exactly what we do not want!
- Coat your hands with water or oil when rolling the sticky dough. This will make it easier to shape them.
- Place the dough balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. They will spread as they bake.
- When you press the cookies to make an indention in the middle, some edges may crack slightly, which is fine. If you want to prevent this from happening, make the indentions right after you pull them out of the oven, when they are still very pliable. I urge you to use a spoon, though; they are pipin’ hot!
Make-ahead Cookies
You can make the dough ahead of time and freeze it to use for later. Cover it in plastic wrap and pop it in the freezer. Homemade cookie doughs can stay frozen for up to 3 months. Let it stand at room temperature for 4-6 hours before rolling them into balls.
Storing Thumbprint Cookies
To store, allow them to completely cool first. Then place them in airtight cookie jars or containers. They should be at their optimal state for up to a week if they last that long!
Possible Variations
I use the peanut butter cookie base to make different types of cookies! You can also try making Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies by swapping the jam with Hersey’s Kisses, sprinkles or making chocolate peanut butter blossoms . For Valentine’s day, try making my Chocolate Covered Cherry Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies- they are divine!
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Ingredients
- ▢ 1/2 cup butter softened
- ▢ 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- ▢ 1/2 cup sugar
- ▢ 1/2 cup brown sugar
- ▢ 1 egg
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- ▢ 1 1/4 cups flour
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
To roll cookies/for top:
- ▢ 1/2 cup sugar
- ▢ 1/2 cup raspberry jam or other flavor of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 cookie sheets by spraying with nonstick spray or putting down silicone baking mats.
- In a large bowl cream together butter, peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla with a hand mixer until fluffy.
- Mix in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until a cookie dough forms.
- Place 1/2 cup of sugar in a small shallow bowl. Shape cookies into 1 inch balls, roll in sugar and place on prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake for 14 to 15 minutes until slightly browned.
- Once out of the oven, press thumb or small spoon into the center of each cookie to create a small well where the jam will go. Fill with a teaspoon of jam.
- Allow to cool for a few minutes to harden, and then serve (and eat them all!). Enjoy!
