Cookies for breakfast? Yes! These Oatmeal Protein Cookies are not “cookies” in the traditional sense but more like a delightful cross between a traditional cookie and a muffin top. They’re soft, chewy, and scrumptious!
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My go-to portable breakfast option.
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.
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 in these cookies, including oats, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and nut butter.
Think of these oatmeal protein cookies 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.
5 Star Review
“I made those cookies this weekend as part of my weekly meal prep and they are DELICIOUS!”
— Lisa —
My Tips for Perfect Oatmeal Protein Cookies (+ A Few Variations)
- Use a Ripe Banana. It adds lots of natural sweetness to these cookies! (Banana is also used in these Healthy No Bake Cookies.)
- Make Sure Your Protein Powder Is Tasty. If it’s yuck in a smoothie, it’s not going to make these protein cookies taste good either! I love this protein powder (and you can get 10% off with code WELLPLATED at checkout)!
- Try Making Them Vegan. Readers have reported being able to make these protein cookies without eggs by swapping them with two flax eggs.
- Adjust the Sweetness to Your Tastes. If you would like a sweeter cookie you can increase the amount to suit your taste. Honey or agave may also be used.
- Swap Out the Peanut Butter. 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.
More Protein-Packed Breakfast Ideas
- Just like these oatmeal protein cookies, my Vegan Protein Bars are a great breakfast on-the-go!
- You won’t believe how fluffy and perfect these Protein Pancakes are! I like to keep a batch in my freezer for busy mornings.
- Cottage Cheese Eggs are rich, creamy, and super EASY. If savory breakfasts are your jam, you’ve got to try them!
Oatmeal Protein Cookies
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 4 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 22 cookies
Video
Made with banana, peanut butter and protein powder, my oatmeal protein cookies deliver 10 grams of protein per serving. Great for meal prep!
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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
Serving: 1(of 22)Calories: 150kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 5gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 88mgPotassium: 164mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 28IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 1mg
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Hi Erin, I am a big fan of your recipes, but I am not a big fan of bananas – do you have any idea of what I could try substituting the bananas in the recipe with? Thanks!
Tara, this is a tough one, because bananas both bind the cookies and add sweetness. You could experiment with mashed avocado, applesauce, or pumpkin, but all of those would probably need more sugar since they are not sweet. If you are looking for a protein-packed snack, I love these cookie dough protein balls. They are delicious and don’t have any banana: https://www.wellplated.com/no-bake-protein-balls/.
Great recipe! I like that they don’t call for protein powder and that they’re low in added sugar, yet taste sweet with the banana! I used a random mix of coconut and sorghum flours instead of oat flour since that’s what I had on hand and they turned out great. Safe to say your recipe is versatile! Looking forward to having these before my morning workouts!
Melissa, I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies! Thanks so much for giving them a try and sharing your swaps!
just made these this morning! were fantastic, definitely more of a bran muffin top than cookie. i loved them- they are fantastic given the healthy ingredients. my family thought they were too healthy and weren’t fans of them heh. Thank you again!! :)
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed them! Thank you so much for taking the time to give them a try and report back!
I made these eggless with flax eggs. And on the second batch I left out the sweetener altogether. They were perfect. Thank you for the inspiration.
Pam, thanks for sharing how they went with flax eggs! I’m glad you enjoyed them—thanks so much for taking the time to leave this awesome review!
I really do not care for dried fruit of any kind. Can I replace both with 1/4 cup of chocolate chips do you think?
Hi Grace, yes, you could experiment with other add ins, like chocolate chips, instead of the dried fruit! I hope you enjoy the cookies.
I added 1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate chips, more cinnamon and salt. Will let you know how it goes!
I hope you enjoy, Sandra!
I subbed pumpkin for the banana. I meant to add more honey but forgot and it still turned out great. Maybe because honey is sweeter than maple syrup? Anyhow, thanks for the great recipe!
Brittany, I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies! And thanks for reporting back about the pumpkin swap!
I made this recipe and added the all naturally flavored Whey Leaner Protein Chocolate Protein Powder to them and they were delicious and held together well.
Whey Leaner Protein
https://ebanutrition.com/product/chocolate-flavored-whey-protein-2lbs/
That is great to hear Cody! Thanks for letting me know how they came out!
Hi, Erin:
This recipe is nothing short of amazing! Not only delish, but as a daily breakfast, its kept me satisfied for hours. That is a huge accomplishment for any food, breakfast or otherwise! I must confess that I didn’t quite make your exact recipe. I needed to make a few tweaks simply because I didn’t have everything on hand. So, here is what I used:
Only one banana in the house, so I used mashed blueberries to make up the difference. (This made them an odd, dark shade of purply/brown, but the taste was great!)
No chia seeds, so I used ground flax seeds.
No raisins, so I used only dried cranberries. Also, I’d misread the directions, so I added a cup of them, not just a half cup. Oops/Yum!
No breakfast bar has ever kept me fired up all morning, like this amazing cookie/muffin. Thank you, thank you for this recipe, Erin!!
Laura, I am SO happy to hear this! Thanks for trying it and taking time to leave this fabulous review! Your tweaks sound super duper yummy (especially the blueberries!)
Was looking for a healthier alternative to the protein cookies at the gym, these are perfect! I add almonds and walnuts to make it extra nutty and jam instead of maple syrup. Perfect recipe, thank you for introducing me to oat flour!!
I’m glad you love them! Thanks for taking the time to report back, Estera!
Great recipe!!! Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this kind review, Abi!
Loved it! Thank you so much!
I left out the pepitas, raisins and cranberries as I wanted to bring the sugar content down and didn’t have pepitas. Replaced with a small tablet of 70% chocolate (35gr) broken into small pieces. Used 1.5 tsp of honey instead of the maple syrup as it suits my tastes better. This came out not very sweet but that’s exactly what I like :).
Since it had less chunky ingredients, I let it set overnight in the fridge and it came out great! End result is chewy, thick cookies, perfect for breakfast!
Thanks again!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Camélia! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I think you can add a good amount of protein powder to these. I added 2 full scoops of Orgain vegan vanilla – probably about 6 tablespoons – and they’re still soft and fluffy and yummy.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them, Kev! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
We have been making these cookies for awhile and wanted to share some substitutions. Since we have a peanut allergy we use almond butter. Also to be grain free we have found 1/4 cup coconut and 1/2 cup almond flour does a lovely job and a brief restnis all that is needed since the coconut absorbs so much liquid and the batter can be baked without 4 hours in the fridge. (Like resting about 5 min while i preheat the oven.) Thank you for a great breakfast alternative!
I’m so happy that you’ve enjoyed them, Michelle! Thank you for sharing this kind review and your swaps!
So good. Perfect texture and taste. I’ve put 3 tbsp of maple syrop and I used dates instead of cranberries. I left the batter in the fridge overnight and there were perfect. I will be making them on repeat for sure!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the cookies, Noemie! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Proving once again that this recipe is so versatile, I tried it with pumpkin seed butter!
Bought it as it is nut-free and higher in protein than peanut butter but was a bit anxious about baking with it and then I thought about this recipe!
It turned out great, quite tasty and moist. Didn’t use any add-ins because I wasn’t sure how it would turn out and what would go well with pumpkin seed butter. If you know of any winning pairings would appreciate it if you could share.
Thank you!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them, Camélia! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I just made these and subbed Buckwheat flour for Oat flour (higher protein and still gluten free). First, they’re fantastic. Second, if you use Buckwheat flour there’s no need to wait before baking. I baked them immediately and they puffed up perfectly and made a nutty, slightly chewy cookie.
Hi Jenn! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I made them this evening with 2/3 almond flour and 1/3 coconut flour. I used currents, raisins and walnuts. These were all ingredients I had on hand. Mine were not too liquidy and I am busy in the morning so I baked them right away. They look and taste good, like a thick cookie!
Hi Susan! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I made those cookies this weekend as part of my weekly meal prep and they are DELICIOUS! I followed the recipe exactly how it is written but I added 1 tablespoon of vanilla protein powder. I also refrigerated the batter over night. The consistency is perfect.
My husband took one to work today and text me to tell me to keep this recipe! 😊
Hi Lisa! So glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for this kind review!
Could these be made as cookie bars? Any suggestion as to the pan size and bake time? Thank you.
Hi! Since I’ve only tested the recipe as directed, I can’t say for certain. If you decide to experiment with it, I’d love to hear how it goes! You may also enjoy checking out my Healthy Granola Bars.
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!!
I followed the recipe exactly and refrigerated for 4 hours. They came out perfect! My bake time was 12 minutes. Will definitely make these again.
So glad to hear, Stephanie! Thank you!