Gingerbread Protein Cookies Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

These gingerbread protein cookies deliver the warm flavors of the holiday season in a healthier cookie that you can feel good about eating. The dough gets its flavor from molasses, vanilla protein powder, and a full blend of warm spices, then a Greek yogurt and cream cheese frosting goes on top to keep everything light. Each cookie comes in around 190 calories with 12g of protein, which makes it the ideal for enjoying gingerbread without the excess sugar or calories.

Why I Keep Making This

• Oat flour is the structure here, and it bakes up soft and chewy where wheat flour would make the cookies tough and crumbly.
• The vanilla protein powder goes into the dough and the frosting, which is how the cookies land at 12g of protein without tasting chalky.
• Molasses and maple syrup carry all of the sweetness, so there’s no refined sugar in this recipe at all.
• The 20 minute chill is what helps keeps the dough scoopable and also helps the cookies hold their shape.
• This recipe follows a similar structure to myChocolate Chip Protein Cookies, but with gingerbread spices and a protein frosting.

Ingredients

• Egg. The binder that keeps the dough scoopable instead of crumbly.
• Molasses (unsulfured). This is what makes them taste like gingerbread. The unsulfured kind is the standard for baking and it keeps the flavor mellow.
• Maple Syrup. It rounds out the sharpness of the molasses so the cookies taste sweet instead of bitter.
• Butter or neutral oil. Melt it first, since it goes straight into the wet ingredients. A neutral oil like coconut oil also works just as well if you want to skip the dairy in the dough.
• Vanilla Extract. The vanilla ties the sweet and spicy flavors together. Full-strength extract beats the imitation stuff, which leaves a chemical aftertaste.
• Oat Flour. This is the structure that helps keep the cookies soft and chewy, which is exactly what a frosted gingerbread cookie needs.
• Vanilla Protein Powder. This is the main contributor to the 12g of protein per cookie. Vanilla is the right flavor for both the dough and the frosting.
• Ground Cinnamon. Part of the classic warm spice blend that defines the flavor.
• Ground Ginger. Ginger is another classic spice used for ingerbread, more present than the cinnamon even if you don’t notice it separately.
• Ground Nutmeg. It adds the deeper, warmer note that plain cinnamon and ginger don’t.
• Ground Cloves. The cloves keep the spice blend from leaning too sweet and give it that classic holiday edge.
• Baking Soda. Just enough leavening for the cookies to spread a little instead of staying dense.
• Salt. A pinch lifts the sweetness and the spices without adding significant sodium.
• Milk (optional). I would only use this if the dough is too dry. You just need to add 1 tablespoon at a time, which usually lands at 1 to 3 tablespoons total.
• Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt. The base of the frosting and a big chunk of the protein in this recipe. Stick with plain non-fat greek yogurt for a healthier macro-friendly profile.
• Cream Cheese (full fat). It softens the Greek yogurt and gives the frosting that rich, tangy texture that plain yogurt can’t reach on its own.

The Case for Making This

• Each cookie has 12g of protein and about 190 calories, which makes it a macro-friendly dessert you don’t have to plan around.
• There’s no refined sugar in it. The molasses and maple syrup carry all of the sweetness, and they’re the only sweeteners in the whole recipe.
• The warm spices and the Greek yogurt frosting give it real holiday flavor any time of year, not just December.
• It keeps for up to 5 days in the fridge, and both the frosted and unfrosted cookies freeze well, so batch making makes sense.
• If you want another warm spice protein dessert, the Protein Cinnamon Rolls are another solid dessert that also uses a protein frosting.

Pairing Ideas

• A cup of black coffee. The bitterness cuts through the sweet, spiced flavor.
• A glass of cold milk, if you want a more indulgent pairing.
• If you really love gingerbread, you could pair it with a Gingerbread Protein Shake for a high protein gingerbread treat.
• Another batch of cookies for a holiday spread, since the Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies work well next to these in a lineup of cookies to bake.

Ways to Make This Yours

• Oil for butter. Swap the butter for a neutral oil if you want the cookies to keep a little longer on the counter.
• Skipping the cream cheese if you want to save on calories. You’d just blend the Greek yogurt, protein powder, and vanilla together.
• Keep it gluten-free. If you follow a gluten-free diet, look for certified gluten-free oat flour, since regular oat flour can pick up cross-contamination at the mill.

Before You Make This

FAQs

Equipment Needed

• Medium Cookie Scoop
• Nonstick Baking Sheet
• Parchment Paper Roll
• Wire Cooling Rack
• Glass Mixing Bowl

Recipe

Gingerbread Protein Cookies

These gingerbread protein cookies pack 12 grams of protein per cookie with molasses, vanilla protein powder, and a light Greek yogurt frosting. They bake for just 8 to 12 minutes, taste like the holidays, and keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. It's an easy dessert for when you want something sweet that still fits your macros.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Chill Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 10 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 190

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

Cookies:

• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons molasses (unsulfured)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons melted butter or neutral oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup oat flour
• 1/4 cup vanilla protein powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 to 3 tablespoons Milk optional if the dough is too dry

Protein Frosting:

• 1 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder
• 4 oz cream cheese full fat, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Directions

 

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine all of your wet ingredients and mix until it’s smooth and creamy.
3. Add your dry ingredients and mix until a thick dough forms with no dry spots left behind.
4. If the dough is crumbly, add the milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it holds together in a ball when you pinch it, usually 1 to 3 tablespoons total.
5. Chill the dough for at least 20 minutes so it’s easier to scoop and the cookies hold their shape. Use a medium (1.5 tbsp) cookie scoop to portion the dough into 10 balls on your prepared baking sheet.
6. Lightly flatten each one with your fingers or the back of the scoop since they won’t spread a ton in the oven. Bake on 325°F for 8 to 12 minutes, ideally closer to 8 to 9. The edges should look set and the tops just dry, and the centers should still feel soft.
7. Let the cookies cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack, then cool them completely before frosting.
8. While the cookies cool, take out a bowl to mix your frosting.
9. Add all of the frosting ingredients and mix until it’s completely smooth. Set it aside for now.
10. If the frosting is too thick to spread, loosen it with milk 1 teaspoon at a time and then chill it for 30 minutes to firm up.
11. Spread about 2 tablespoons of frosting on each cooled cookie. The batch makes around 2 cups, so use 2.5 tablespoon swirls if you want to frost all 12 with nothing leftover.
12. Store the frosted cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, and the unfrosted ones keep at room temperature for a few days too. Both freeze well, and the frosted ones thaw in the fridge overnight whenever you want one.

Nutrition Facts