Baking with Protein Powder: 8 Easy Recipes to Try (2024)

Incorporating protein powder into your diet does not have to be boring. Here are several recipes to get you started baking with protein powder.

You're working hard to follow a healthy diet and lifestyle, but sometimes you want that piece of cake. If only there were a way to enjoy dessert without compromising your fitness goals...

That's whereprotein powdercomes in.

You can make many of your favourite desserts healthy by baking with protein powder instead of flour. Not only will this help you add more protein to your diet, but it also allows you to indulge in your favourite treats (without all the guilt).

Following a healthy diet doesn't mean you never get to enjoy dessert again. Below are some tasty recipes that will help you get some extra protein.

Beginner Tips for Baking With Protein Powder

When baking with protein powder, there are a few things to keep in mind to make your desserts turn out as rich and delicious as the less healthy versions. For example, using protein powder as a substitute for flour in a recipe can work great, but too much protein powder could cause your baked goods to come out a little tough.

Some recipes will turn out better with more added protein than others, so sometimes a little trial and error is in order. Generally speaking, you don't want to substitute more than a third of the flour in a recipe. Recipes should include moisture and fats to prevent the treat from drying out.

The composition of protein powder can significantly impact the outcome of baked goods.Different protein powders have varying protein concentrations. Higher protein content can affect the texture and moisture of baked goods. Too much protein powder can result in a dense or tough texture.

While most of these recipes usewhey protein, many protein powder recipes can substitute for plant-based orvegan protein powderinstead. Likewise, it is a matter of experimentation and determining what proteins meet your tastes and nutritional needs.

Important Note:The protein powders listed in this post may assist in the building of lean muscle tissue/mass when combined with regular weight/resistance training and a healthy balanced diet. Please note that certain protein powders may not be right for you. Always read and follow the label and consult a healthcare professional for more information.

1. Protein Mug Cakes

Baking with Protein Powder: 8 Easy Recipes to Try (1)

Mug cakes made with protein powder are a great way to beat cravings without letting your diet fly out the window. Plus, they are a single serving, which means you won't be tempted to binge on leftovers later.

Even better, you can make mug cakes in the microwave in just a minute! A basicvanilla mug cakeis a simple and easy protein powder recipe to keep your sweet tooth in check.

Ingredients:

  • One scoop ofvanilla protein powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbspcoconut flour
  • 1 tbspgranulated sweetener
  • 1/4 tspvanilla extract
  • 1 tspdark chocolate chips(optional)
  • 1/2 cup milk of choice
  • 1 large egg

Instructions:

Pour the mixed ingredients into a greased coffee mug, microwave until done (about 1-2 minutes), and enjoy! Thankfully, mug cakes are a flexible recipe, so you can experiment with different flavours of protein and fun add-ins like cinnamon or sprinkles.

2. Protein Powder Pancakes

One clever way to cut the gluten and sneak more protein into your diet is swapping wheat flour for chickpea flour and protein in your pancakes. This light and fluffy protein pancake recipe is an all-time favourite and will surely make for a delicious Sunday morning breakfast.

Ingredients:

  • 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 cup chickpea flour (or any other gluten-free flour)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup oat milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions:

In one bowl add ingredients to a mixing bowl (you can add a tablespoon of honey if you want your pancakes to be sweeter). Whisk together until there are no pockets of powder. Warm a pan at medium heat and scoop 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Flip once the bubbling on the batter has slowed or stopped. Top with butter and maple syrup and enjoy!

3. Protein Muffins

Baking with Protein Powder: 8 Easy Recipes to Try (2)

Muffins fortified with a few scoops of protein powder are a clever way to have a treat for breakfast (or any time of the day, really). One batch of muffins can provide you with healthy breakfasts or snacks for the week.

Ingredients:

  • 2 scoops ofprotein powderin any flavour of your choice
  • 1/2 cupalmond flour
  • 1 tspbaking powder
  • 1/2 cupnut butter(such as peanut, almond, or cashew)
  • 1 cup applesauce (unsweetened)

Instructions:

Pour the mixture into a lined muffin tin and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Finally, add fruit, nuts, orchocolate chipsfor even more deliciousness.

4. Protein Cookies

Baking with Protein Powder: 8 Easy Recipes to Try (3)

Who doesn't get excited about cookies? Healthy cookies are doubly exciting, and there are tons of protein powder recipes for cookies out there.

Here is a simpleprotein cookie recipethat can be tweaked to suit your needs or satisfy any particular craving you might have.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cupprotein powderin your flavour of choice
  • 2 cupsoat flour
  • 1 tspbaking soda
  • 1/4 tspsalt
  • 1 tspvanilla extract
  • 1/2 cupsugar
  • 1/4 cupdark chocolate chips
  • 6 tbsp softened butter
  • 1 egg

Instructions:

Roll the dough into balls and flatten slightly on a baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees, and you'll have warm, delicious cookies that provide an added boost of protein to your diet.

5. No-Bake Protein Balls

Protein balls are an easy and fun dessert recipe that you can customize in endless ways. Four main ingredients make up the base of protein balls. Mix up a base of these ingredients and then jazz it up however you want!

Ingredients:

  • protein powder
  • rolled oats
  • nut butter
  • honey

Instructions:

Get creative with your ingredients. Try different protein powder flavours and other mix-ins like chocolate, nuts, and fruit to find a unique combination you love. You can adjust measurements depending on how well your mixture sticks together. Store in the fridge for about 30 minutes or until they set.

6. Protein Candy

Baking with Protein Powder: 8 Easy Recipes to Try (4)

Yes, you read that right. You can make healthy candy with protein powder! These no-bake peanut butter cups make delicious protein powder desserts that will satisfy even the strongest chocolate cravings.

Chocolate Layer Ingredients:

  • 2 tbspchocolate protein powder
  • 1/4 cupcocoa powder
  • 2 tbspsweetenerof choice
  • A pinch ofsalt
  • 1/4 cup milk (almond or skim)
  • 1/4 cup low-fat Greek yogurt

Peanut Butter Layer Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cupPB2
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tbspsweetenerof choice
  • A pinch ofsalt

Instructions:

In a separate bowl, mix the peanut butter layer.

Line a mini muffin tin and pour about a teaspoon of the chocolate mixture into each section. Then, top that with some of the peanut butter mixture, and finish each one off with another layer of chocolate. Finally, put the peanut butter cups in the freezer until they are firm enough to remove from the tin and enjoy!

7. Protein Powder Brownies

Baking with Protein Powder: 8 Easy Recipes to Try (5)

Speaking of chocolate, no list of protein powder desserts would be complete without brownies.This treatis fudgy, delectable, and packs a protein punch.

Ingredients:

  • 1 scoopchocolate whey protein powder
  • 2/3 cupalmond flour
  • 1/2 cupcoconut oil
  • 2/3 cupcoconut sugaror another sweetener
  • 1/2 tspvanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cupsdark chocolate chips
  • 2 eggs

Instructions:

Pour the mixture into a greased 8x8 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until done.

8. Protein Bars

The creamy peanut butter and crunchychocolate chipsblend with the rest of the ingredients to create the ideal post-workout snack.

If you continuously find yourself snacking on chips, cookies, or other sugar and fat-filled treats, then you'll love this healthy swap. Not only can you whip these together in under 10 minutes (they are no-bake!), but they also keep you full for hours. Goodbye, late-night cravings!

Find the full recipe below.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cupold-fashioned rolled oats
  • 2 tbspextra virgin coconut oil
  • 1/2 cupprotein powderof your choice
  • 2 tbsphoney
  • 3 tbsppeanut butter
  • 3Well Told Stress Fighter Capsules(just the powder)
  • 2 tbspdark chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup dairy-free milk

Instructions:

Add all ingredients to a large flat container. Mix ingredients until thoroughly combined. Next, flatten the mixture using the back of a spoon and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Slice into rectangular bars and enjoy!

What Protein Powder is Best For Baking?

Wondering which protein powder is best for baking? Try either a whey protein concentrate powder or soy protein powder for the optimal texture in your baked goods. You can also try baking with pea protein powder.

Here are 3 protein powders to choose from:

1. Kaha Nutrition New Zealand Whey Isolate

2. Botanica Perfect Protein Vanilla Pea Protein

Find Your New Favorite Healthy Treat

Baking withprotein powderis a great way to upgrade your favourite desserts to fit in with a healthy lifestyle. Experiment with different types and delicious flavours of protein powder to find your new go-to treat.

Don't forget to save this post for later!

P.S. Leave a comment below letting us know which recipe you are most excited to try! Maybe it's the protein muffins or the protein mug cake... Either way, we'd love to know.

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Baking with Protein Powder: 8 Easy Recipes to Try (2024)

FAQs

How to use protein powder in baking? ›

As a general rule, if you are baking with protein, if you have a larger amount of the other dry ingredients to the protein, it will be more successful. It's also really important to include some wet ingredients to add moisture, especially when baking with whey which absorbs the liquid used in the recipe.

What does protein powder replace in baking? ›

Protein powder can be used as a substitute for flour when baking. So whether you're looking for an alternative due to dietary restrictions or just want something different from your usual baking routine—swapping out regular flours for protein powder is definitely worth trying at least once!

What happens to protein powder when you bake it? ›

The cooking of protein powders has the same results as the cooking of all types of proteins: the nutritional values remain the same. With cooking, therefore, the quality of the proteins does not change and the nutritional properties do not change. The only aspect that can be slightly modified is their digestibility.

What is the best protein to add to baking? ›

Best Protein Powders for Baking
  • Whey Protein Isolate: This form of whey protein has a high protein content, low carbohydrate and fat content, and is relatively neutral in flavor. ...
  • Casein Protein: Due to its slower digestion, casein protein can provide a creamy texture to baked goods.

What does protein do in baking? ›

Protein's vital role in baking. Like any good actor, protein can play many parts. First, it's an essential component of a healthful diet. But especially important in bakery applications, protein performs as a dough conditioner, structuring agent and moisture controller as well as in myriad other roles.

Can you put protein powder in the oven? ›

cooking with protein powder doesn't destroy it, it does denature it, and it is 100% safe! So go bake some protein bars, cheesecake, cookies, make some protein oatmeal, or anything else your sweet tooth desires.

What is the best protein powder to replace flour? ›

Almond Protein Powder: As mentioned above, almond flour/protein powder is one of the best flour alternatives on the market. You can go savory with pizza dough, pasta, and bread or sweet with cookies, cakes, and baked goods.

Can you put protein powder in bread? ›

Whey protein does well in most baked goods. Try adding it to your pancakes, muffins or waffles. It's an amazingly easy way to turn your favourite sweet foods into something healthy. And why not try adding whey protein next time you bake bread.

How to add protein to all-purpose flour? ›

Read the back of your AP flour package. It will either say 3 or 4 g of protein per 30 g serving. That works out to between 10 and 13.3%. Add just enough vital wheat gluten to bring the total protein percentage in your flour up to 13–14%.

Can you put protein powder into pancake mix? ›

Protein Pancakes

Simply prepare the pancake mix as usual, and then stir in a scoop of protein powder. Mix well to ensure the protein powder is fully incorporated. For more protein power, try Krusteaz Buttermilk Protein Pancake Mix.

Why can't you heat protein powder? ›

When whey protein gets hotter than 160°F (71°C), it starts to break down. If you put it under direct, prolonged heat, it can make the amino acids harder for your body to digest and use.

What are the rules for baking with protein powder? ›

this means that if your recipe requires 1 ½ cup of flour, you can use up to ½ cup of protein powder instead of flour. To simplify things a bit, think about it in these terms: Your batter should not be more than ½ protein powder. Don't Fear Fat – Remember, fat is a macronutrient – meaning that you need it.

How much protein powder to substitute for flour in baking? ›

Although you can replace part of the flour with protein powder, you should never replace more than ⅓ of the flour with protein powder. Ideally, you should be aiming to replace just ¼ of the flour with protein. Anything above will get you a dry texture.

What protein is easiest to cook? ›

Chicken. Whole chicken breasts can be cooked up in less than a half hour thanks to essential recipes like Pan-Roasted Chicken Breasts. But by cutting chicken breasts into cubes for classic Creamy Chicken Marsala or pounding them thin for Chicken Katsu or Quick Chicken Piccata, the meat comes to temperature even faster.

Can protein powder be added to recipes? ›

Baked goods – Protein powder is great for baking recipes, too, such as muffins, baked oats, and cookies. Oatmeal – Simply mix a scoop of protein powder in with your oats, add your favorite fruits and nuts, and you've got a filling and protein-packed breakfast to fuel your day.

Can you add protein powder to bread dough? ›

Whey protein does well in most baked goods. Try adding it to your pancakes, muffins or waffles. It's an amazingly easy way to turn your favourite sweet foods into something healthy. And why not try adding whey protein next time you bake bread.

Can I add protein powder to boxed muffin mix? ›

Yes, you can add protein to a box muffin mix. Whey protein powder will mix well into most basic batters, such as protein pancake recipes and cake mix. You will likely need to add a liquid or fat of some type, such as natural peanut butter or vegetable oil, to thin the batter.

Does heat destroy whey protein? ›

Your body is still absorbing the same amount of protein, whether you're eating it cooked or not. More specifically, cooking or heating protein powder at or above 160 degrees Fahrenheit is when whey starts to break down, according to research published in the Journal of Dairy Research.

References

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