These birthday cake protein cookies are made with vanilla protein powder and rolled in sprinkles. They are gluten free, dairy free and nut free, but you'd never know!
There are two things I can count on my kids always loving: anything with chocolate chips or sprinkles!
I mean, I don't blame them. Chocolate is just amazing. And sprinkles? Sprinkles are irresistibly fun, playful and eye catching.
These birthday cake protein cookies are adored by my children. First, because they're covered in sprinkles, but also because they have a lovely vanilla flavor. While they're made with protein powder, you can't taste it or tell that they're healthier than your average cookie.
Why You'll Love these Gluten Free Protein Cookies
- gluten free and grain free - made with a grain free plant based protein powder and coconut flour
- paleoish - the sprinkles are not 100% paleo, but all other ingredients are!
- dairy free - made without butter and without whey protein
- healthier than your average cookie - lower in sugar, with an extra boost in protein
- easy to make - always a must for me!
These birthday cake cookies are made with vanilla protein powder, sweetened with coconut sugar and covered in colorful sprinkles. Furthermore, they are soft, with a slightly crisp exterior, but moist center. These easy protein cookies are a recipe the whole family is sure to enjoy!
Ingredients
Here's what you need to make these protein birthday cake cookies:
- palm shortening (or any type of butter/butter alternative)
- coconut sugar
- egg
- vanilla extract
- plant based vanilla protein powder
- coconut flour
- baking soda
- salt
- sprinkles (preferably, dye-free and naturally colored)
Palm Shortening
For dairy free and paleo friendly recipes, I like using palm shortening. My favorite shortening is from Nutiva. It is made with a blend of palm oil and coconut oil. The best alternatives would be another plant based butter or grass fed butter if you tolerate dairy.
Protein Powder
I used Sprout Living's Vanilla Lucuma Epic Protein to make these cookies (discount code bakeitpaleo saves you 20%). Most plant based protein powders should work as a substitute. However, I do recommend substituting by weight (given in grams) to ensure more accurate results. I have not tried an animal based protein powder, so cannot say how the cookies would turn out.
How to Make Birthday Cake Protein Cookies
This is a one-bowl cookie recipe - simple and easy! Here's what you need to do:
- First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the shortening, coconut sugar, egg and vanilla.
- Using a spatula or wooden spoon, mix in the protein powder, coconut flour, baking soda and salt.
- Let the batter sit for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Grab a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop the dough. Each cookie is about 1 rounded tablespoon in size. Roll the dough into a ball and coat it in sprinkles. You can roll the entire ball in sprinkles, or leave the bottom without. Place the cookie dough on the lined baking sheet.
- Put the cookies in the oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven, cool for 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
Storage
Store these birthday cake protein cookies in a sealed container in the fridge, for up to one week. For longer storage, keep them in a baggie in the freezer, up to one month.
FAQ
While protein cookies may be healthier than your average cookie, they are still considered a dessert and should be eaten in moderation. The best way to determine how healthy a cookie is to look at the list of ingredients and the amount of sugar. These birthday cake protein cookies are made with gluten free, wholesome ingredients and rolled in dye-free sprinkles. I would consider them a healthy dessert, but still something to have in moderation.
I recommend a plant based protein powder for this cookie recipe. Whey proteins bake differently and may not give desirable results.
I have not tested this recipe without an egg or with an egg substitute. However, if you try, let me know how it turns out in the comments below.
You can replace the coconut sugar in this recipe for a sugar free sweetener (like monk fruit) to make these cookies low carb and keto friendly.
More Cookies with Protein Powder
Print
Birthday Cake Protein Cookies (Gluten Free)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 23 minutes
- Yield: 1 dozen cookies
Description
These birthday cake protein cookies are made with vanilla protein powder and rolled in sprinkles. They're gluten free, dairy free and nut free!
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup palm shortening, softened (66g)
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar (56g)*
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup plant based vanilla protein powder (58)**
- 2 Tbsp coconut flour (14g)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅓-½ cup sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the shortening, coconut sugar, egg and vanilla.
- Using a spatula or wooden spoon, mix in the protein powder, coconut flour, baking soda and salt.
- Let the batter sit for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Scoop the cookie dough (each cookie is about 1 rounded tablespoon in size), roll it into a ball, then roll the dough in sprinkles. You can roll the entire ball in sprinkles, or leave the bottom without. Place the cookie dough on the lined baking sheet.
- Put the cookies in the oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven, cool for 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
- Store cookies in a sealed container in the fridge for up to one week. For longer storage, keep in a baggie in the freezer, up to one month.
Notes
*Use monk fruit sweetener or another sugar-free granulated sugar for a low carb option
**I used Sprout Living's Vanilla Lucuma Epic Protein. Code bakeitpaleo gets you a discount on any Sprout Living purchase.
Katie
Love these protein cookies! Enjoy!