Six ingredients make up these homemade apple cinnamon protein cookies to make a low fat and high protein snack, pre-workout or post-workout option, or healthy breakfast or dessert. Each homemade protein cookie has 4 grams of protein and they are gluten-free and dairy-free.
It’s practically fall and that means apples, pumpkins, baking, soups and stews, and cozy recipes! I’m not much of a baker, but love to playing around with it.
Enter homemade apple cinnamon protein cookies! As easy as mixing all 6 of the ingredients up, forming them into cookies, and baking. My kind of baking recipe if you ask me.
One thing I think of when fall rolls around is apples. I don’t really get into pumpkin until October, but once September hits, I’m all about all the apples. We used to go apple picking all the time and come home with pounds and pounds of them.
Apple and cinnamon are one of my go-to combos when I am in need of a snack. I usually sprinkle an apple with cinnamon and dip it in peanut butter or yogurt. Or sometimes both if I am feeling really fancy. So I figured why not take those flavors and make them into a cookie.
I love adding oats to cookies since they make a great binder and contain fiber and complex carbs. And since I’m not the best baker, oats are usually easy to use and play around with.
I threw in some egg whites and protein powder to up the protein and add some vanilla flavor, applesauce for binding, and salt to cut the sweetness and viola. Easy and healthy homemade protein cookies!
Homemade apple cinnamon protein cookies
These protein cookies are super easy to make – only 6 ingredients (salt doesn’t count!) and everything is just thrown together in one bowl! They work great for snacking, pre or post-workout (protein and carbs plus not too much fat), breakfast, or dessert!
Apple cinnamon protein cookies ingredients:
- rolled oats
- egg whites
- apple
- apple sauce
- protein powder – I used Ka’Chava Vanilla – you can use that link for 15% off!
- cinnamon
- salt
First, chop your apple. Add all your ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix together until well combined.
Next, using a tablespoon, scoop out a heaping scoop (about 1 1/2-2 tablespoons worth) of the batter and form it into a cookie. The mixture will be slightly wet but still binds together.
Place cookies on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until set.
Let cool for a few minutes and enjoy! It’s really that simple. The texture is soft and chewy, almost like baked oatmeal, but in cookie form. They are so good and so easy and are gone in just a couple of days in our house! I store them in the fridge to keep them fresh.
What is a good substitution for protein powder when baking?
The protein powder is what helps give these cookies a protein boost. Ka’Chava, the protein I used also has carbs and fat, so if you don’t want that, you can use whatever kind you like. Just note it will change up the calories/macros some.
I understand that not everyone likes protein powder or uses it. Some substitutions that you can use for protein powder are:
- flour – coconut, whole wheat, almond, oat flour, or whatever kind you like!
- oats – you can always add more oats to help absorb the liquid
I haven’t tried these, so I am not sure if they work. You will have to play around with it some until you get the consistency you like. Again, just note this will change up the macros and they probably won’t have as much protein!
Substitutions for apple cinnamon protein cookies
These cookies are pretty straight to the point and you can’t substitute too many things, but here are a few things that might work:
- fruit – feel free to change out the fruit for whatever you have on hand
- spices – change out the cinnamon for whatever spices you are feeling! Pumpkin pie spice, ginger, cardamom, or clove would be delicious! Just adjust according to taste.
- eggs – you can use whole eggs instead of egg whites. Usually, 3 eggs whites equal 1 whole egg, so I would go for 2-3 whole eggs
- protein powder – I have made these protein cookies with a few kinds of protein powder. I like using a vanilla-flavored one as it adds some flavor to the cookies. I think most kinds will work, I just don’t think collagen will work as it will dissolve into the mixture too easily. Ka’chava brand that I use acts almost like flour. See above if you don’t want to use protein powder.
More healthy protein snacks
- Homemade Perfect Bar Recipe
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins
- No-Bake Walnut Protein Brownies
- Coffee Protein Smoothie
- Sweet Potato Blueberry Protein Muffins
- Chocolate Protein Smoothie
Apple Cinnamon Protein Cookies
ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups old fashioned rolled oats (125 grams)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce (122 grams)
- 1/2 cup egg whites
- 1/2 packed cup vanilla protein powder (60 grams)
- 1 1/2 cups diced apple (160 grams/1 small-medium)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- salt, to taste
instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add all ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine. Using a tablespoon, scoop out a heaping scoop of the mixture and place it on a lined baking sheet. Press down and form into cookie shape if needed.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the mixture is set. Let cool for a few minutes. Top with an additional sprinkle of cinnamon and enjoy.
video
notes
nutrition
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Jessica Loyd says
These are so tasty! I added some chocolate chips to a few and topped with a maple cinnamon sugar for the kids. I like the consistency of these cookies. These will be great for a pre-workout snack or with my breakfast for a sweet treat.
Kelly says
OMG yum!! Love those additions, especially the maple cinnamon sugar. I love them for pre-workout too! Glad you enjoyed them Jessica and thanks for trying!
Gina B. says
This recipe is fantastic! We used two large eggs and increased the oats to 1 1/3 cups to balance out the extra liquid. They were perfectly baked at 12 minutes. Easy, delicious, and healthy 🙂
Kelly says
So glad the whole egg substitute works! Thanks for trying them Gina!
apurva says
What can I use instead of egg whites ?
Kelly says
Whole eggs would work just fine! I would say probably 2 large eggs would be a good substitute. The nutritional breakdown will change slightly with a little more fat using whole eggs. Hope you enjoy!
Samantha says
These are hands down the best healthy cookies I’ve ever had and they fit perfectly in my macros. I was so grateful to find a recipe that didn’t have banana or peanut butter! These cookies are super moist and have great texture. I’ve made them about 10 times so far, sometimes just a quarter of the recipe for a few cookies as a night snack. I vane churros flavoured protein powder right now and it’s absolutely perfect for this recipe. Thanks so much for sharing these are a staple part of my diet now!
Kelly says
So happy to hear that Samantha!! That protein sounds like a great addition as well! Thank you for trying them 🙂
Red says
These cookies stay nicely moist and a bit crumbly. A bit of salt enhances the flavor. I refrigerated after cooled, then I add a sprinkle of fresh cinnamon right before eating. I might try blueberries!
Kelly says
Oh love the blueberry idea! Glad you liked them Red!
Joan Entwistle says
Do they freeze well?
Kelly says
I haven’t tried it, but I would imagine they would be fine to freeze. Then you can just defrost and heat up in the microwave for a couple seconds to warm through. Let me know if you try them Joan!
Jessica says
Love this recipe!!!I made them and they are delicious! I used vanilla protein powder and vanilla but if you want extra sweetness honey or raisins would be good. The whole point is to have cookie that’s healthier and less sweet though so these definitely do the trick!
Kelly says
So happy to hear that Jessica and glad you liked them! I love the addition of honey or raisins too! Thank you for trying them 🙂
Michelle H. says
These cookies taste so good and are done in under 20 mins., making them a perfect weeknight bake, This is definitely a recipe I will make over and over again. I also love that these can be altered by using different mix ins,
Kelly says
Thanks Michelle, so glad you liked them! I agree, it’s so easy to change up the flavors. Thanks for trying them!
Ashley says
These are so delicious! I used Muscle Milk vanilla creme protein powder because it was on-hand. Still very tasty and super easy to make! My 10-year-old really likes them too! Not sure they will last until morning 😉
Kelly says
Yum, that sounds delicious! So glad the kid liked them too! My husband ate them up before I even got any haha!
Michelle H. says
These turned out so good and were done, start to finish, in less than 20 mins. I will for sure make these cookies again and again. It is also one of those recipes that can be altered with different mix ins. My only addition to this recipe is I added a teaspoon of vanilla. SO good.
Kelly says
Love the addition of vanilla, that was probably so good! Glad you liked them Michelle!