Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

High Protein Cookies

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I’ve made High Protein Cookie Dough…

So the logical thing to do is make High Protein Cookies! Duh!

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High Protein Cookies

High Protein Cookies

~These cookies are high in protein because of the garbanzo beans. Don’t shy away from it, though, because it tastes fantastic! Dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, and, of course, sugar-free

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, well-rinsed
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup nutbutter (I prefer making it a Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough by using peanut butter)
  • 1/4 cup nondairy milk (I used almond milk. Water will probably work, too)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

  1. First, drain and wash chickpeas well. Make sure they are well-washed so that the cookie dough doesn’t taste like beans.
  2. Add all the ingredients except chocolate into a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Adjust liquid as needed. Stir in chocolate chunks.
  3. Drop dough by Tablespoonfuls on an un-greased cookie sheet.
  4. Bake at 400* for 15 minutes or until the bottoms are nice and brown.
https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/06/15/high-protein-cookies/

These cookies make fabulous “protein bars.” I eat them before and after I work out. For my taste buds, they are perfect because I love bitter chocolate and non-sweet peanut butter. However, those who do not like unsweetened things may not like the flavor. I suggest adding a mashed banana to the batter. Not only would it taste fabulous, but it would add a bit of sweetness.

 

Health Benefits
  • Chocolate: Click HERE for a post I did about all the benefits of chocolate.
  • Chickpeas: Click HERE for a post I did about all the benefits of chickpeas.
  • Peanuts: These legumes are full of protein with 7g per ounce. They also have a great monounsaturated fat content that helps your heart and brain. Peanut is a good source of Coenzyme Q10 which protects the heart during the period of lack of oxygen example high altitudes and clogged arteries. It also has a high antioxidant and high niacin content that helps in the recovery of cell damage and provides protection against Alzheimer’s disease and age-related cognitive problem.

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day: 

After you work out do you crave carbs, fat, or protein? Do you crave sweet or savory?

I am always hot and sweaty after I work out, so I crave cold drinks like smoothies or a V8.


Reader Interactions

Comments

  6. these look really interesting but exactly how much protein is in each cookie?! I would be really interested in tasting them! I crave different things depending on the workout, honestly! after strength, I usually crave high fat & higher protein… after running, I crave carbs. Totally appropriate, which is odd!

  7. Alright, you have my attention! I made a sugar free peanut butter cookie a few weeks ago. I DID happen to add in ripe banana to sweeten it.

    It was not very sweet but it gave that that feeling that I got to have a cookie. Funny part was my toddler inhaled them.

    so I need to give this a shot. I also have been needing to make a protien kind of snack! I’ll let you know how they turn out!

  10. I’ve been wanting to try and bake with garbanzo flour with awhile, but this is such an easy substitution and there’s always a can of chickpeas in the pantry!

    After I work out I definitely crave salty stuff like tomato juice or pretzels. I know it’s because I’ve sweated out electrolytes and I should replenish them with a watered down sports drink, coconut water or chocolate milk, but I’ll more than likely have a bag of pretzels over coconut water in the house.

  11. These are basically the answer to my search for the perfect after workout homemade snack! I still haven’t really figured out what I crave after a workout, but I find that I need to eat something solid (usually with some kind of grain or legume) or I’ll be hungry for hours after.

    Can’t wait to try these!

  12. Whenever I get a craving it is almost always a craving for sweet food. Which is why I am drawn to your recipes – they are sweet from natural fruits and grains, but not from sugar! I love it!

    • Technically peanut butter cookies are bean cookies. I’ve always cringed when I heard of beany treats, until I found out that peanuts are beans(legumes) also, and I just LOVE peanut butter cookies, so that’s what I’m making out of these beauties, because they just look scrumptious.

  15. I crave lots of fresh produce, most likely because my body wants to be rehydrated. I love smoothies, and lots of fresh fruit or a big crisp salad, yum!

  17. those cookies look great! if i wasn’t so gassy, i’d jump on them! i made my parents some cornbread w/ pureed beans – maybe i’ll do some bean cookies for father’s day! 🙂 can’t hurt to pass along the health!
    post workout i definitely crave huge, cold protein smoothies!

  19. OH MY! I just pulled these out of the oven, they are so amazing! Thank you so very much. I just used un sweetend cashew and half almond butter, un sweetend carob chips. I went with what I had. These are going to be a regular in my kitchen. I am so sensitive to sweetness now that I am off sugar. Perfect! I just found your site and I am so excited… Thank you again.

  20. I made these cookies last night and my husband liked them. I used about 2.5 ounces of chocolate (he’s not as big of fan), peanut butter and a banana. If I make them again, I will use salted peanut butter or add salt, throw in about 1/2 tsp of chipolte or cayenne chili, and some cinnamon. Maybe some cranberries. They were a bit bland for my taste and I found them very filling and satisfying for a mid-morning snack. The way I made them, they made about 18 cookies and I calculated were 89 calories each.

    • Hey Jane!

      Glad the cookies turned out well. They are really versatile so you could literally make them any flavor you like! I did use salted peanut butter, so I should make that clear in the recipe. I like to think of them more as energy cookies rather than real cookies…they also taste SO good with extra peanut butter on top 😀

  21. I’m so glad I found your blog! I’m trying to give up sugar for good and I really need positive bloggers like you in my life! This cookies look delish! Do you ever use maple syrup or coconut palm sugar? Or are you totally sugar-free?

    • Hey Christy!

      I am completely sugar-free! You can read more about it in my about page, but no, I do not use any syrups or coconut sugar. Good luck on your sugar-free!

  22. Great recipe! You’ve just given me a million ideas! 🙂

    I usually want fats or proteins after a good workout. For some reason I often wind up wanting an egg.. so I’ve had a millions random food combos with an egg on top lol. DELISH!

  23. Definitely going to try this! I’ve never used chickpeas for dessert before, and it’s high time I did. 😉 And it’s great cause I absolutely LOVE cookies, and what better way to replenish myself after a workout than a few (or a handful…) of these?!

  26. I made these last night and added a tbsp of agave nectar and used unsweetened choc. chips to see if i could get my roommate to eat them b/c she recently went gluten free. I used PB as well.
    I don’t know if I cooked them on the wrong rack in the oven, but the tops and bottom were done but they are a little soft in the middle… Are they supposed to be that way or should they be cooked all the way through. I tried baking them for an extra 5-7 minutes at 375 on the upper rack but still pretty soft/gooey in the middle…. any suggestions?

    • Hey Jenn!

      Personally, I like them a bit gooey in the middle, but if you don’t, then keep cooking them longer and spread the cookies out more (flatter shapes instead of round mounds of dough). I’ve also made them cooked through, and they turn out fine if you do this.

      Hope this helps!

  27. I just made these…

    I needed almost 2x the liquid to get it to blend properly, and even then my blender almost died on me (and it didn’t look as blended as I’d have liked). This would probably be MUCH easier in a food processor, but I don’t have one.

    Because of the extra water, the cookies needed an extra 5 minutes in the oven to brown and came out a bit more crumbly than I’d have liked.

    But they taste pretty good and I’ll definitely be making them again!

    • Hi Anne!

      Hmmmm…I bet it is a blender issue. I would definitely try using a food processor because the batter needs to be thick in order to stick together properly. I have made the mistake of putting in too much liquid, too, and they were crumbly. If you have a stronger blender or food processor, I would try making it with that. But I’m glad you liked the way they taste! I hope they turn out better next time!

  28. Hiya, Alex!

    It’s Erica from Cornfreelifestyle. This cookies looks amazing! I’m going to try them this weekend and I’ll add a link to your post on my blog!

    I’ve been avoiding sugar for a few weeks now and I tried some apple juice last night. I don’t think my body likes sugar anymore. Now I know!

  29. Alex,
    I just made these today and they were a huge hit with my family! I did not divulge that they were made with beans, just called them peanut butter and they loved them.

    I did add 1 tbsp honey as another commenter suggested as they are not eating sugar free and would certainly have been turned off otherwise and a few choc. chips, but just that little bit of sweetness was enough to win them over. I would definitely make them again.

    • Hi Christy!

      I am so glad your family enjoyed them! Yay! And yes, there is nothing wrong with a little honey now and again. Honey does have some great health benefits (I just can’t eat it. My body doesn’t react well). Glad your family can enjoy a healthy treat! This makes me extremely happy.

  32. Hi there. I just made these today. Clever! I love unusual recipes. I followed the recipe exactly. They came out sooooo good. Next time, I want to try almond butter instead. And maybe carob chips. I’ll see which version I like better. Thank you for this recipe. I really happy I found your blog site.

  33. I made these tonight. I substituted the chopped chocolate with cocoa chips (~1/2 cup) and non-dairy milk with whole milk. Hit the spot. Who would have ever thought that all you need is a can of garbanzo beans for a flour substitute? Thanks for the recipe. What a creative way to make mini protein bars! : )

  34. Hi Alex! How many cookies did you get with the way you made the recipe? How long will they survive in the fridge?

    Can’t wait to try them for a post workout snack!!

    • Hi Iris,

      It completely depends on how big you want them. I’ve made really small cookies and it made 100! And I’ve made large cookies where it made about 2 dozen. Plan on it filling up 1-2 large cookie sheets. Mine usually last about a week in the fridge (maybe more, but I always eat them all by then!). If you find that you are not going to finish all of them in a week, I would freeze them and then defrost when you want them.

      let me know how they turn out!

  35. These are nothing short of amazing. My 8yr old just asked if he could take them to school and he added “if there is any left”.
    What a fantastic way to actually ENJOY chickpeas! So glad I found and tried this recipe. Thank you!

    • Thank you for asking this Nancy! I was dying to know if you used canned or dry. I just found this recipe and blog via Pinterest and I can’t wait to try these. I can see I’ll be spending the rest of my night looking up recipes 🙂

  38. can you bake them in a pan like brownies?? Mine were delicious as cookies, but sooo soft and almost cake like….just curious.

  39. Oh my. I ALSO love bitter cocoa and peanut butter. I have made so many recipes from things like peanuts mixed with cinnamon stevia and a bit of butter (which could be substituted no doubt) and tastes so good! Oh I love your site because it’s so fun and the food looks GOOD. When I come home from Africa I want to try these things out! Also…I used chickpeas once to make pizza crust and it was delicious! So cool to see someone else committed to sugar free food and gluten free and health in general! 🙂

    • Leanne,

      Yay for bitter chocolate and pb! Have a safe flight home, and thanks so much for the sweet comment 😀

  41. Just wondering how many calories are in these? And how many does it make, how many grams per cookie ?

    • Mala,

      I haven’t made these in a while, so I am not exactly sure how many cookies this made. I do remember it making a lot, though. I plugged the ingredients into a calorie counter and if you made 30 cookies, it would be 75 calories per cookie. The calorie count would of course increase or decrease depending on how big you make your cookies. Hope this helps!

  42. Hi Alex, I’m not a big peanut butter fan and never tried other nut butters before, but was wondering if you had any suggestions on what to replace this with, as I’d love to have a chickpea cookie recipe in my kitchen. Thanks!

    • Shirley,

      You could definitely try another nut butter, but the flavor wouldn’t be as strong. I would suggest adding a few pureed dates to the mix to boost the sweetness and flavor a bit.

  43. Really enjoyed these cookies! I love chocolate, peanut butter and bananas. It’s the first thing I’ve made off your site and I plan to make them again. I added the banana and got 18 medium sized cookies from the recipe. Thank you!

  44. I notice you use A LOT of nut butter. It’s in like all your recipes. I’m just dying to try them but I have a small question. What peanut butter do you use as I can’t seem to find a sugar free one? Please answer quickly as I want to make your delicious recipes as soon as possible. 🙂

    • Kate,

      I use smucker’s natural peanut butter, it only has 2 ingredients-peanuts and salt. Enjoy!

  45. I’m so confused, I did the math on the protein if you make 18 cookies there are only 3.09 grams of protein. how are these high protein cookies?

  46. I can’t believe how healthy these are, they’re so good! I don’t have a huge sweet tooth, but do like somewhat sweet things. I added some raisins to sweeten up the unsweetened chocolate in these. Really great and filling snack 🙂

  47. These are so good, especially with a mashed banana and raisins 🙂 Could you potentially freeze them to save for longer? I’m on a rotation diet where I have to rotate the foods I eat. Otherwise, how long would you say they keep in the fridge?

    I love your site…Thanks for all these recipes!!

    • Hi Nicki,

      Sorry for the delay in response, your comment was lost in my spam folder. I’ve never tried freezing them, but I am sure it would probably work. They last about 5 days in the fridge.

  49. I just came across your website as I have been searching for healthy sweet treats to make as I currently have gestational diabetes so not only do I need things will little to no sugar, I need things with low carbs.
    not sure if this is really suitable for diabetics.

    • Glad you liked them!! Also taste good in bar form, and you may add pureed dates for more sweetness. I tried commenting on your site, but it didn’t seem to work fyi 🙂

  52. I just made a batch of these because I’m trying to increase the amount of legumes I eat. I used peanut butter. I also added a half cup of sugar which the peanut butter cookie recipe I usually use calls for. They are too sweet. Next time I’ll use a banana instead. I think I’ll add a bit of chickpea flour too to get the dough consistency just the way I like it.

    I cooked dried chickpeas in my slow cooker last evening and this was the first recipe I’ve made with them. I’m looking forward to playing with your cookie recipe in the near future. Thanks!

    I can’t believe there are chickpeas

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