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These delicious peanut butter protein cookies bake up soft and tender and are so easy to make. You would never guess that they are healthy, vegan, and gluten free!

Looking to increase your protein?

These peanut butter protein cookies are a delicious way to do so! They are full of wholesome ingredients and happen to be vegan and gluten-free, but you would never know it. They bake up soft and tender, and are absolutely addicting!

Plus they are so fast to whip up and you don’t even need a mixer for this recipe. So let’s talk ingredients…

Peanut Butter Protein Cookie Ingredients

To make peanut butter protein cookies, you will need the following ingredients:

• Peanut Butter– Shelf stable peanut butter (such as Jiff) works best for this recipe. But all-natural (drippy) peanut butter works as well. If using the drippy type of peanut butter, you may not need to add a splash of milk.
• Vanilla Protein Powder–  I use this vegan protein powder, but any type should work. The type I use is sweetened, so if you use an unsweetened one you may want to add a touch more sugar to your liking. 
• Oat Flour– You can buy oat flour at most supermarkets or you can make your own by blending old-fashioned oats in a blender until the oats become a fine powder (about 30 seconds to a minute). Store your oat flour in an air-tight container for up to three months. 
• Tapioca Flour–  Tapioca flour acts as a binder and thickener. It’s a great product to have in a vegan kitchen or any kitchen for that matter. I use this brand and it’s pretty easy to find.
• Brown Sugar– A touch of brown sugar gives these cookies just the right amount of sweetness. Although feel free to omit the sugar or substitute erythritol for sugar free.
• Baking Powder– Baking powder will give the cookies a slight rise when baking.
• Salt– a touch of salt helps to bring out the other flavors.
• Applesauce– Unsweetened applesauce keeps the cookies extra moist without any added oil. But don’t worry, these cookies don’t taste like applesauce at all.
• Vanilla Extract– Vanilla extract is optional so you can omit it if you choose.
• Milk of Choice-Depending on the peanut butter and protein powder that you use, you may or may not need a touch of milk (plant-based or dairy milk will work). The dough will seem dry but keep stirring it and it should come together. If it’s still too dry start with a half tablespoon of milk and go from there. Be careful not to add too much or the dough will be too sticky to roll. I only needed 1/2 tablespoon of almond milk.

How to make Peanut Butter Protein Cookies

These cookies are fast and easy to make. Follow these instructions:

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• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the protein powder, oat flour, tapioca flour, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
• In a medium size mixing bowl, using a large spoon stir together the peanut butter, apple sauce, and vanilla extract.
• Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix together until all ingredients are incorporated. The batter will seem dry at first, but keep stirring until it comes together. Depending on the type of peanut butter and protein powder that you use, you may need to add a splash of non-dairy milk. Start with a half of a tablespoon and go from there. You don’t want the dough to become too sticky to roll.
• Using a heaping tablespoon, roll the dough into balls and place each one on the prepared baking sheet. Use a fork to press the dough balls in a criss-cross pattern.
• Bake for 11-12 minutes. The cookies will appear very soft and not done, but they will set as they cool. Leave them on the baking sheet to finish setting for another 10 minutes. Don’t remove too early or they may fall apart.

Tips & Storage

• Silicone baking mats work great for this recipe and for most cookie recipes. They are worth the investment as you can use them over and over again instead of buying parchment paper.
• If your house is warm, you may want to place the dough in the refrigerator for a few minutes to firm up before rolling.
• When making the criss-cross pattern your fork may stick to the dough. If this happens, you can simply dip your fork in a bit of flour each time.
• Store your cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. Peanut butter protein cookies freeze well for up to three months.

Want more delicious and healthy snacks?

Try these:

• Salted Honey Pumpkin Seed Bars

• Low Fat Vegan Peanut Butter Pudding

• Skinny Vegan Blueberry Muffins

• Vanilla Protein Banana Bread

As always, please let me know how you like the peanut butter protein cookies in the comments. Your feedback means a lot to me, and your star ratings encourage other readers to give this recipe a try.

Enjoy!

Crystal