Home > Breakfast > Protein Breakfast Cookies Protein Breakfast Cookies December 26, 2019 | 50 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. No baking required for these easy Protein Breakfast Cookies, made to look and taste like a cinnamon roll! They’re loaded with good ingredients and (optionally) drizzled with melted white chocolate. Protein Breakfast Cookies These protein-packed breakfast cookies are flavored to taste like a cinnamon roll and they’re my latest obsession. I’ve been meal prepping these almost every Sunday for weeks now and I thought it was time to share. The base is adapted from a recipe my sister texted me — one of her favorite energy ball recipes. When I told her I’m trying to increase the amount of protein in snacks (instead of always snacking on this white chocolate Chex mix) she suggested those energy bites. They’ve got so much protein in them, from the almond butter to the buttermilk pancake mix, to the actual protein powder. But the best part about these breakfast cookies? They are so flavorful and can actually pass for a healthy-tasting cookie. I mean, my boys inhale these, which is saying something for the flavor. Ingredients None of the brands I mention below are sponsoring this post or website; they are just what I use and love in these protein breakfast cookies. Almond butter: I like using all-natural almond butter in these Protein Breakfast Cookies. My favorite is Justin’s® vanilla almond butter, but their plain almond butter is delicious as well. Pure maple syrup: Maple syrup is high in antioxidants and nutrients (like zinc, magnesium, calcium, and potassium). Maple syrup has a higher concentration of minerals and antioxidants, with fewer calories than honey. (Read more about health benefits here.) It also contributes a good cinnamon roll flavor to these bites. Vanilla protein powder: To keep these bites from tasting chalky or like protein powder, use a good stevia-sweetened Whey protein (or whatever protein is YOUR favorite). I personally like the Optimum Nutrition Gold® standard whey vanilla protein powder best. Kodiak Cakes® Power Cakes Buttermilk Mix: This mix is made of whole wheat flour, oat flour, and lots of protein, so it makes a great base for these bites. Alternatively, I have had success by using half almond flour and half oat flour in place of the mix. The bites need to chill a little to set up with the oat flour and almond flour, but they work! Ground cinnamon: Hence the cinnamon roll flavor! Vanilla extract: Optional ingredient, but it adds a nice subtle flavor. Fine sea salt: The salt balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors — don’t leave it out! How to make Protein Breakfast Cookies These steps correspond to the numbered photos above. Combine all the ingredients into a large bowl. Stir the mixture; it’s thick and will seem like it’s not coming together, but keep stirring (or use a hand mixer to speed up the process). Here’s how the dough looks when everything is combined. Use a small cookie scoop (I use a 1-inch one) to form balls. Shape all the dough into miniature balls — you can stop here and eat these as energy bites (another one of our favorite ways to enjoy this recipe) or… Flatten the balls to make small cookies. Add melted white chocolate mixture to a small bag and pipe on the cookies. Repeat until all the cookies have a cinnamon roll swirl. More healthy snacks: Healthy Blueberry Muffins with Greek yogurt No-Bake Energy Bites protein-packed granola bites Chocolate Protein Balls with almonds and oats Pumpkin Protein Shake reader favorite! Fat Bombs Keto friendly snack FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Protein Breakfast Cookies 5 from 8 votes - Review this recipe No baking required for these easy Protein Breakfast Cookies made to look like a cinnamon roll! They're loaded with good ingredients and (optionally) drizzled with melted white chocolate. SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Protein Breakfast Cookies 5 from 8 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe No baking required for these easy Protein Breakfast Cookies made to look like a cinnamon roll! They're loaded with good ingredients and (optionally) drizzled with melted white chocolate. Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack Cuisine American Keyword cinnamon breakfast cookies Prep Time 20 minutes Total Time 20 minutes Servings 41 cookies Calories 41kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $4.27 Ingredients▢ 1/2 cup almond butter▢ 1/2 cup pure maple syrup▢ 2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes Buttermilk Mix▢ 1 scoop (1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon vanilla protein powder▢ 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract▢ 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon▢ 1/8 teaspoon fine sea saltOptional white chocolate drizzle▢ 1/4 cup white chocolate chips▢ 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil▢ 1/16 teaspoon ground cinnamonUS - Metric USMetric InstructionsCOOKIES: In a large bowl combine the 1/2 cup almond butter, 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, 2/3 cups + 1 tablespoon Kodiak mix, 1 scoop protein powder, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt. Mix well with a hand mixer or a wooden spoon.SCOOP: Use a 1-inch cookie scoop to measure out the dough; you should get around 40 balls. You can stop here and enjoy these as protein bites or keep going to make the cookies.FORM: Press the balls flat and form into a small cookie shape. Place on a parchment-paper-lined tray. OPTIONAL WHITE CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE: In a small bowl combine the 1/4 cup white chocolate chips and 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil (measure when melted). Microwave in bursts of 15 seconds, until melted and smooth. Stir in the 1/16 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Transfer to a small bag and cut a tiny tip off the end corner. Pipe a swirl on top of all the cookies. STORAGE: Allow the white chocolate to harden at room temperature. Then cover cookies tightly and store in the fridge or freezer. I put them in small airtight bags in the freezer and transfer a bag at a time to the fridge to enjoy. Nutrition FactsServing: 41cookies | Calories: 41kcal | Carbohydrates: 5.2g | Protein: 1.3g | Fat: 1.8g | Cholesterol: 0.1mg | Sodium: 30.8mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 2.9g We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
WHOA. I’m pretty enamored with these. If I COULD, I would eat cinnamon rolls daily, but obviously can’t because, skinny jeans…so these cookies it is! Reply
Haha exactly! Cookies instead of cinnamon rolls will have to do 🙂 And they are pretty dang good! Reply
I am a big fan of anything cinnamon and love the sound of these no-bake cookies! Love how fast they are to make and my skinny jeans will definitely be thanking you twenty-eight or maybe a gazillion times too 🙂 Reply
SUCH a good idea, and a great use of protein powder. I’m one of those people who needs sweet things for breakfast, so I always struggle with how to make a healthy eat in the morning. Reply
These are so great! I love no bake cookies, and with a little extra protein, how could you go wrong? Reply
Cookies for breakfast, sign me up!! Chelsea these look so delicious, I need to make these ASAP! Thanks for sharing, pinned 🙂 Reply
Oh my! No bake? Cinnamon Roll? This sounds like a perfect mix! I am glad I live in a big family otherwise I would eat all of them by myself. I know I would! Love the blog! I will be stopping back soon. Reply
Oh, I love the idea of healthy cookies. These would be such a treat for breakfast! I need to get me some of that protein powder! I am so really glad you invented these. 🙂 Reply
These cookies sound so delicious, Chelsea, and that darling swirl makes them look even more irresistible! Pinning! Reply
You have the best breakfast cookie recipes Chelsea! I love how healthy but yummy these look! (No fun eating healthy food that doesn’t taste good! 😉 ) Reply
My husband is obsessed with cinnamon rolls, OBSESSED! We’re both trying to watch our weight right now, and these would be perfect in our diet! Reply
Haha! Seriously our husbands have the same taste buds I’m convinced. Cinnamon rolls are my hubby’s favorite too! Reply
WHAAAAT??!!! geeeenius!!! omgosh I love that these are like cinnamon roll cookies that are healthy! YUM! Reply
I love these!! Thank you for such a great recipe! I had a different flavored protein powder on hand, so I used it instead and it worked great. I make a double batch of these on Sunday while baking my peanut butter oatmeal cookies. These become our healthy protein snacks for before and after exercise/sports for the whole family. I have to limit everyone to one or they would eat the whole batch!! Thank you for sharing! Now, on to try your No Bake Double Chocolate Breakfast Cookie………. YUM Reply
So glad these were so well enjoyed! Thank you for the comment Sarah 🙂 I hope you love the double chocolate breakfast cookies!! Reply
Maybe I missed it, but do you have the nutritional information or macros for this recipe? Thanks! Reply
Recipe sounds de-lish! Will definitely try it. Am a post Bariatric patient looking for high protein options in cookies and other snacks. Actually have cinnamon bun powder on hand so this looks like a good fit for me, but I have a suggestion for your blog. Start including nutritional values in it. Folks like me really need that kind of thing to read before trying a recipe. I can take the recipe and input the ingredients into a tool such as that on Allrecipes.com or other cooking sites, but if I have the nutritional value per serving up front, it saves me oodles of time. Just a thought. Reply
I haven’t tested other options so I don’t want to suggest something that potentially wouldn’t work. I don’t know what other oil would work in place of the coconut here, since coconut will solidify nicely and keep that white chocolate topping solid. Reply
I don’t have protein powder and am not looking to get any. If I would like to modify to not have the protein powder, what would you suggest? Increase the pancake mix (by the 1/4 c + 1 T)? Or ok to just cut that out? Thanks! Reply
Unfortunately I don’t think these work super well without the protein powder. The protein adds a lot of flavor and sweetness so they’d probably be pretty bland without it. You could increase the pancake mix, I’m just not sure how flavor would be. Reply
