Increasing the amount of protein in my breakfasts has been one of the most positive, lasting healthy diet changes I’ve made over the past few years and I have today’s Oatmeal Protein Cookies to thank for it.
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As odd as it sounds, I find that as long as I have a good serving of protein first thing in the morning, I make better dietary choices all day long.
These Protein Overnight Oats and these Peanut Butter Protein Bars are two of my favorite easy ways to add extra protein to my breakfasts, and these lightly sweet, nutty oatmeal protein cookies have quickly become another.
With 10 grams of protein for two small cookies, they energize my body and keep me full all morning long (so do these Peanut Butter Protein Cookies).
In addition to protein powder, I focused on including a variety of accessible and affordable naturally high-protein ingredients, including oats, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and nut butter.
5 Star Review
“I made those cookies this weekend as part of my weekly meal prep and they are DELICIOUS!”
— Lisa —
How to Make Oatmeal Protein Cookies
Cookies for breakfast? Yes! These oatmeal protein cookies are not “cookies” in the traditional sense but are more like a delightful cross between a traditional cookie and muffin top.
Think of them as a healthy breakfast cookie that’s higher in protein than most (like these Quinoa Breakfast Bars). They’re simple to make, freezer-friendly, and infinitely adaptable.
The Ingredients
- Banana. Help bind the cookies together, adds moisture, and a healthy serving of fiber and potassium. (Banana is also used in these Healthy No Bake Cookies.)
- Peanut Butter. Sneaks in additional protein to the cookies and infuse them with wonderful peanut buttery goodness (like in these No Bake Granola Bars).
- Protein Powder. If you prefer cookies without protein powder, you can swap oatflour. I love this protein powder (and you can get 10% off with code WELLPLATED at checkout)!
- Eggs. For richness, tenderness, and softness. The eggs also help the eggs puff and rise in the oven.
- Maple Syrup. For subtle sweetness. If you would like a sweeter cookie you can increase the amount to suit your taste. Honey or agave may also be used.
- Chia Seeds. For texture, crunch, AND 6 grams of protein per tablespoon. They’re my secret to loading these cookies (and these Vegan Protein Bars) with plant-based protein without resorting to using protein powder.
- Flaxseed Meal. Be sure to purchase ground flaxseeds, not whole ones.
- Vanilla + Cinnamon. Adds depth of flavor and a heavenly aroma.
- Baking Soda. For lightness, lift, and softness.
- Oats. Loaded with more protein than wheat flour and also considered gluten-free. Make sure to check your labels to ensure your oats come from a gluten free facility if this is a concern for you.
- Mix-Ins. These easy oatmeal protein cookies are endlessly versatile. My favorite mix-in combination is a blend of pepitas, dried cranberries, and chocolate chips. Feel free to get creative and use your favorites or what yo have in your patnry. (This Energy Balls | The Ultimate Recipe Guide is also a great resource for flavor inspiration.)
Storage Tips
- To Store. Store leftover cookies at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerate for 1 week.
- To Freeze. Freeze the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Recommended Tools to Make This Recipe
- Cookie Scoop. My favorite tool for making uniformly-sized cookies of all kinds.
- Cookie Sheets. These have been my loyal cookie-making companion for years. They’re truly the best.
Cookies! Now part of a balanced breakfast.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a peanut allergy and need to avoid peanut butter, readers have reported making these successfully with almond but and pumpkin seed butter. I’m sure another allergy-friendly nut butter would also work. Make sure to make sure any ingredient you swap for was processed in a peanut-free facility if allergies are a concern.
Readers have reported being able to make these protein cookies without eggs by swapping them for the equivalent of two flax eggs.
Oatmeal Protein Cookies
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Ingredients
- ¾ cup mashed banana about 2 large
- ½ cup peanut butter or other nut butter of choice or sunflower seed butter
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup* or honey or light agave
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup vanilla protein powder or swap oat flour
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed meal
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ½ cup chopped toasted walnuts pepitas, or almonds
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate chip
- ¼ cup reduced-sugar dried cranberries
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, peanut butter, and eggs until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla and maple syrup.
- Sprinkle the baking soda, cinnamon, protein powder, flaxseed, and chia seeds over the top. Stir to combine.
- Fold in the oats, walnuts, chocolate chips, and cranberries. The batter will look very liquidy.
- Place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill and set for at least 4 hours, or for the thickest cookies, cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight.
- When ready to bake, place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. With a large cookie scoop or spoon, portion the batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet. If needed, shape them lightly with your fingers so that they are round and very slightly flat on top.
- Bake for 9 to 12 minutes, until the cookies feel nearly set on the top and edges and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (they will look underbaked but will set up more on the baking sheet). Let cool on the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Notes
- TO STORE: Store leftover cookies at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- *FOR SWEETER COOKIES: As written, these cookies are not super sweet. If you desire a sweeter cookie, add 1 tablespoon of additional maple syrup.
- This recipe was updated in March 2025 – the original version called for 3/4 cup oatflour in place of the rolled oats, flaxseed, and protein powder. It also called for 1/4 cup raisins instead of chocolate chips. Feel free to play around! To make your own oat flour, pulse 3/4 cup oats in a food processor until they are well ground.
- ***TIP: I found that 4 hours of refrigeration time was sufficient for the cookies to set and be thick and puffed like in the photos. Ben’s mom found that she needed to chill them overnight or the cookies came out flat. The thickness may vary with your oven, but if you want to be 100% sure of having thick, puffy cookies, I’d suggest overnight refrigeration.
Nutrition
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I was looking for a breakfast cookie full of protein and fiber but not too sweet. This was perfect! I used all dried cranberries instead of raisins. Will definitely be making this often! Thank you!
Hi Esther! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I did add two scoops of protein powder to thicken it up instead of refrigerating and they were super yummy! I’m confident they would have tasted just as amazing without the protein powder though. Thank you for this recipe!
Hi Joyce! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Hi:
I haven’t made these yet, wondering which ingredient added the trans fat?
Thanks
Hi Judith! I’d check with your doctor or nutritionist if you have specific questions or concerns about any recipe. I’d hate to give you advice that isn’t correct and want to be safe!
I am so happy I found this recipe, I like how easily I can adapt it. I used date syrup instead of maple so yummy and I replaced one of the tablespoons of chia with flax.
Hi Diana! So happy to hear it worked out for you! Thank you for this kind review!
I made this with a few adjustments. First, I substituted ground flax seed for the chia. The biggest change, instead of sitting in the fridge for hours, I poured it into an 8×8 greased baking pan, topped it with unsweetened coconut and cooked immediately. Baking soda begins to activate in the presence of moisture, so immediate bake made sense. I ended up with a light, fluffy and very moist cake that holds together incredibly well despite the lack of gluten. This earns my first 5 star rating. Amazing recipe.
Glad it worked out for you!
I’ve made this recipe 5 times now. I’ve tried it with peanut butter and recently a batch with sunflower seed butter. This recipe is a keeper! I make it and let it sit overnight in the frig, it really thickens up. And I did not like the cookie form so I’ve been using a mini muffin pan – the recipe makes 24 per batch. This recipe is really forgiving to any mix-ins you prefer too – Coconut flakes, dried cherries, diced prunes, flaxseed, sunflower seeds.
Thanks so much Susan!
I have been looking for a not too sweet protein cookie recipe and this is really a great one! I added protein powder too and couldn’t taste it. I also added ground flax and used dried unsweetened tart cherries. Love these!
Thank you Peggy!
My dough and the cookies turned green. I kept the refrigerated the dough overnight. The only think I did differently was used raw pepitas instead of toasted. Is that what made them green?
I’m sorry to hear that, Janet. I have no idea why the mixture would be green, but since the raw pepitas is what what changed in the recipe that could be the culprit.
Hi, thanks for this recipe, I was looking for a treat to get more fibre and protein. I did add a scoop and a bit of chocolate plant protein powder it did add a nice chocolatey taste. You are right, not very sweet which was ok with me. I didn’t add raisins or dried fruit but plan to add along with some nuts next time.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Dale! Thank you!
These cookies are my breakfast go to! I sub 1/4 cup of flour with vanilla protein powder and they work out great. I sometimes also add dark chocolate chips. Thanks!
Love that it worked out for you, Macy! Thank you!
I’ve been making these breakfast cookies but I think the recipe recently changed? There were no chocolate chips or flax in the old recipe. Is it possible to get the old recipe? I wish I had written it down!
Hi Joanna! We’re constantly updating and improving recipes. The original recipe called for 3/4 cup oat flour instead of the rolled oats, flaxseeds, and protein powder. They also called 1/4 c raisins instead of chocolate chips, and mentioned pepitas vs.other nuts. Otherwise, they are the same, and this recipe is super flexible so you are welcome to play around too! Thank you!!