Flourless Chocolate Protein Cookies

Just one bowl, a handful of clean ingredients and about 20 minutes stands between you and these *amazing* Flourless Chocolate Protein Cookies. Packed with oodles of protein, these cookies are the perfect nutrient-loaded addition to any lunch box, snack plate, or to enjoy for healthy dessert.

Let’s just be honest here……I totally had you guys at chocolate, didn’t I? It’s cool. I had myself at chocolate too. 

I’ve created a monster in the kitchen, friends. All my fostering my daughter’s love of cooking has backfired on me in that baking is all she wants to do with our free time together. Seriously. Whether it’s after school or a lazy weekend afternoon, this girl grabs her step stool and adorable little apron and asks to bake something together….usually muffins. Totally sweet and endearing to realize how much the apple doesn’t fall far from this naturally nurturing tree, but I do like to do things other than baking muffins.

Like cookies! I never get tired of baking those.

These cookies came about one of those lazy Sunday afternoons when Alice was chomping at the bit to stir and create something in the kitchen. 

“Let make peanut butter muffins! They’re my favorite.” She said, already in the fridge grabbing the PB jar.

“Let try something different! How about we make some healthy cookies for our lunch boxes!” I suggested, dying to try something a little different.

“Yay! Cookies” she cheered. You never have to work too hard to sell a 5 year old on the idea of cookies. 

A plan quickly took form in my head. I like to make sure that whatever I put in lunch boxes is truly nourishing. School and work is not the time to have a grumbling belly and come down from a carb high, so I wanted to make a cookie that was loaded with protein and clean ingredients. Something that would really pack a punch and contribute to a meal instead being its finale.

I decided to make the cookies out of:

• Nut butter or tahini 
• Whole eggs
• Protein powder
• Applesauce
• Unsweetened cocoa powder and a few chocolate chips
• a few other clean goodies to make these suckers extra tasty

Okay, before I go any further. Let’s talk about protein powder. Protein powder is an awesome thing to have on hand to add a little oomph to a smoothie, chia pudding, oatmeal, or (in this case) baked good. However, not all protein powders are created equal. Many (most actually) have a lot of fillers and bizarre chemical-sounding ingredients with an aftertaste to match. No bueno. My favorite protein powder is Rootz Paleo Protein Superfood.

I really love Rootz because all of their ingredients are super clean, simple, and as close to nature as it gets (my philosphy for food, in case you missed my tag line). Their Paleo Protein Superfood has an awesome flavor (chocolate banana nut for the win!) and boasts all kinds of amazing ingredients like flax seeds, bee pollen, spirulina, and maca root (just to name a few). It’s a really easy way of getting all kinds of nature nourishing goodness into my family’s foods in a delicious way.

Love flourless confections? Try my Flourless Peanut Butter Muffins too!

Disclaimer: Thank you to Rootz for sponsoring this post! My promise to you, my readers, is to only promote content and products that I truly believe in and buy myself. All opinions stated in this post are my own.

And now for these cookies. Oh brace yourselves friends….these cookies……

Makes a dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup nut butter OR for a nut-free option use tahini or sunflower seed butter
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 1 scoop Rootz Paleo Protein Superfood powder
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder
• 1/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (here is the brand I used)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2. Combine all ingredients except for the chocolate chips in a medium mixing bowl. Stir until everything is well combined. It will resemble a batter more than a cookie dough. That’s okay.

3. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Spoon heaping tablespoons of batter (or a cookie scoop like I enjoy using) onto your lined baking sheet.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the surface of the cookie is dry and slightly firm. 
6. Enjoy!

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