3 Quick and Easy High Protein Desserts
Confession. I have a huge sweet tooth. Maybe that stems from my Midwest upbringing where dessert naturally followed dinner every night, or maybe it’s just me. Either way, I’m always looking for fun options that balance my health and wellness goals with my love for something sweet at the end of the day. Or let’s be real – at any point during the day.
Can I please just have my cake and eat it too? 😊
My focus has shifted from seeking hyper low-calorie foods to prioritizing simple, minimally processed, protein-packed choices. Protein supports my goal to build and maintain lean muscle mass while also being satiating.
These three recipes are my current favorite go-tos and contain a generous amount of protein per serving. Enjoy!
Blackberry & Honey Yogurt Parfait
If you’re looking for a quick fix to your sweet tooth and protein needs, nothing is simpler than this fruit topped Greek yogurt option.
The honey is optional but highly recommended!
If you’re not a fan of Greek yogurt, you can swap it out with another type of yogurt but try to pick one with a high protein content that’s low in sugar.
The beauty of Greek yogurt is you get almost 20 grams of protein in one serving. My go-to is a 0% fat Greek yogurt with no added sugar. I use this yogurt in other dishes, but I primarily consume it with my favorite fruit on top. It’s been a lifesaver when I need a quick protein pick-me-up before or after the gym, or a light dessert at night.
Still not sold on Greek yogurt? If you’re just looking to satisfy your dessert cravings, blackberries drizzled with honey is delicious and offers more nutritional benefits than your standard slice of cake or store-bought cookie.
Recipe
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt (ideally one that’s low in sugar and high in protein)
- ¾ cup blackberries, rinsed and dried
Optional:
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- Cinnamon
- Granola (ideally a mix that’s low in sugar and high in protein)
To serve, add yogurt to a bowl. Stir in vanilla extract if using. Top with blackberries. If adding honey, drizzle over the blackberries. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon if desired. Toss a handful of granola on top if you want an extra crunch.
Protein Profile
Depending on the brand of yogurt you use, this simple and refreshing parfait provides upwards of 18 grams of protein per serving.
Chocolate Lovers Protein Ice Cream
Who doesn’t love chocolate ice cream? This classic treat can be enjoyed anytime of the year, but it’s especially refreshing after a hot and sweaty gym session or at the end of a warm summer day.
Prior to creating this recipe, I was hooked on a popular protein ice cream brand. It’s low calorie, low fat, and has a decent amount of protein. However, it’s sweetened with erythritol and lately I’ve been concerned this sugar alcohol may not be the best choice for my body. I’m slowly trying to wean off all the products I consume regularly that contain this ingredient.
Sadly, that meant saying goodbye to my beloved chocolate ice cream! I had to find an alternative asap. I was determined to invent my own version of a rich, chocolatey, protein-filled ice cream.
Disclaimer, I use the words “ice cream” loosely here. The base of this recipe is ice, so perhaps shake is a better term. If you can overlook the consistency, this recipe ticks so many boxes – it’s fast and easy, tasty, and best of all, it delivers triple the amount of protein compared to commercial options!
You can also modify the recipe in so many ways to suit your personal tastes. While I am perfectly content with pure chocolate ice cream, I also love tossing in some cherries for a dark chocolate cherry twist. Another flavor option is adding peanut butter powder to the base, or even swirling in straight peanut butter after blending, and then sprinkling on a few mini chocolate chips.
Recipe
- 1 and ½ cups ice
- 1 serving of vanilla or chocolate protein powder (look for one that has at least 25 grams of protein per serving and ideally no artificial sweeteners)
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons egg whites
Optional mix-ins and/or toppings:
- Powdered peanut butter
- Peanut butter
- Mini chocolate chips
- Maraschino cherries (I’ll admit, these don’t bring much to the nutrition game, but one or two in moderation is something I can live with)
- Frozen cherries
- Raw honey
- Cinnamon
To make, combine base ingredients with any optional mix-ins in a blender and blend until smooth. Spoon into a bowl and add toppings if desired. Eat immediately. This melts quickly. 🙂
Protein Profile
Just the base ingredients alone will get you a whopping 30 grams of protein!
Peanut Butter Cookie Cake in a Bowl
Any peanut butter cookie fans out there? Do you prefer your peanut butter cookies crunchy or soft? While I wouldn’t turn away the crunchy variety, I love a large, soft, peanut buttery cookie that almost melts in your mouth.
Growing up, my sisters and I baked regularly, and peanut butter cookies were often in rotation. We liked to throw in chocolate chips for that extra, ooey-gooey deliciousness.
Fast forward to single adulthood, and baking cookies isn’t high on my to-do list. Not because of time restraints (although I avoid dirtying a bunch of dishes unless absolutely necessary), but mainly because having a dozen cookies sitting around feels like playing with fire.
Peanut butter alone is such a rich food. Does that mean you should never eat peanut butter again? Heaven forbid! Yet, for a good chunk of time I was afraid to open a jar of peanut butter for fear of the calories. That’s when I started using powdered peanut butter. It has that beloved peanut flavor, but a much lower calorie and fat profile.
Nowadays, I’m trying to live a more balanced lifestyle, which means having a healthier relationship with food. Life is short – why spend years being afraid of peanut butter? Especially when it tastes so good and contains nutritious protein!
So, some days I open that jar of peanut butter and enjoy it in proper portions. Other days I stick with the powdered variation and that’s okay too.
Making this peanut butter cookie cake in a bowl works great for me because it’s a single serving, so easy to throw together, and you only dirty one dish!
For this recipe, I use powdered peanut butter because it serves two purposes as both flavor and a flour replacement. But feel free to add actual peanut butter too. It would be great drizzled on top.
Something to keep in mind is that the final texture may vary based on the type of protein powder you’re using. The first time I made this recipe, I used a protein powder that does not bake well. No matter how long I cooked my mixture, the consistency stayed runny, almost like a mouse. That might sound unappetizing, but it was incredibly tasty! Instead of a peanut butter cookie cake, I had peanut butter “fluff” and I was there for it! I will definitely make that version of this recipe again.
The second protein powder I tried resulted in a firmer cake-like texture, although it’s still light and springy due to the egg whites and baking powder. (Tip – if you’re like me and prefer your cookies on the underdone side, so they’re nice and gooey, reduce the cooking time.)
Chocolate chips are optional but really make this dessert sing, so I highly recommend adding them. I used to use sugar-free mini chocolate chips, but I’m trying to cut out artificial sweeteners these days. As a replacement, I picked up some chocolate chips with minimal ingredients. While they do contain sugar, I personally am okay with that. Use what works best for you.
One last note, this cookie cake is filling! I find it a little too heavy after dinner, so I like to whip it up before heading to the gym. It gives me a nice boost of energy and I love the high protein content. We’re talking around 40 grams of protein! It would also make a great recovery snack.
Recipe
- 1 serving of vanilla protein powder
- 3 tablespoons powdered peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons liquid pasteurized egg whites
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ – ½ cup water (or replace water with milk / milk alternative)
Optional
- 1 tablespoon chocolate chips
To make, combine dry ingredients in a bowl and mix. Add wet ingredients and stir until combined.
Microwave for 20 seconds. Remove and add chocolate chips. Reheat until desired consistency is reached. Shorter baking times will result in an ooey-gooey, doughier consistency.
Protein Profile
Varies on brands and selected options, but this contains anywhere between 37-42 grams!
Planning to try one of these quick and easy, protein-packed recipes? Please let me know how you enjoyed them in the comments! 🙂