No-bake Chocolate Protein Cookies

Cookies.  Protein.  No-bake.   Yeah, right.  Believe it or not, this odd pairing is actually possible.  Even better, it can be whipped out in less than 10 minutes.

Besides my cheesecakes and peanut butter chickpea energy balls that I adore, no-bake snacks (or desserts) have often seemed unpalatable.  They look a little too gooey, and there’s just something delectable to be said about oven-baked goodies.  But times have changed, and I am now a fan 🙂

My family makes literally everything from scratch: almond milk, bread, granola, the list goes on.  So when my brother came back from a hard soccer game, and there were no snacks in the fridge, I whipped up this recipe.  It has minimal ingredients that are an easy find in the pantry, which is always a plus for the chef.  At the same time, it’s essentially protein masked with the yumminess of a cookie – a plus for the eater!  Each cookie has 4 grams of protein (a traditional oatmeal cookie usually has only 2), but spoiler alert: you’ll be wanting more than just one.

Aside from the protein, what are some of the other star ingredients in these cookies?

• Coconut Oil: It’s a great fat!  What’s there not to love?  It increases the HDL cholesterol (healthy), and also helps convert the LDL (“bad” cholesterol) into good cholesterol.  It helps promote healthy heart health 🙂  Coconut oil is also easy to digest and helps improve energy and endurance – awesome for athletes!
• Coconut Sugar: This sugar has a lower Glycemic index (35) than normal table sugar (60).  Glycemic index is a measure of how quickly foods raise blood sugar levels.  It also has less fructose than normal sugar.
• Oats:  One of the shining qualities of oats is their soluble fiber, beta-glucan.  Beta-glucan reduces LDL, blood sugar, and insulin response.  It also helps increase the feeling of fullness.