8 High-Protein Desserts That Taste Like Happiness

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by Isadora Baum
Craving something sweet but don’t want to trash your healthy-eating efforts? With these high-protein dessert recipes, you can keep it clean and get your cookie, brownie, and fudge fix on all day, every day. (Okayyy, maybe not that often.)
See you never, excess added sugar, processed fats, and empty-calorie desserts!

1. High-Protein Chocolate Cake Donut Holes​

If you love the glazed chocolate cake Munchkins from a certain coffee joint, these 58-calorie donut bites by Mason Woodruff are about to change your life.
Made with ingredients like vanilla protein powder, coconut flour, and vanilla Greek yogurt, each bite packs 5.5 grams of protein. (So you can go ahead and eat a whole fistful knowing you’re fueling your muscles.)
Plus, they’re sweetened with erythritol, so sugar stays low—and you side-step the sugar high and crash that usually strike post-donut.

2. Raspberry Chocolate Chip Protein Brownies​

For just 100 calories a pop, these gooey vegan and gluten-free brownies from Ambitious Kitchen taste just as indulgent as chocolate raspberry truffles.
Related: 8 High-Protein Snacks Nutritionists Love
Chocolate whey protein powder bumps up the protein (five grams per brownie), while simple ingredients like oats, unsweetened cocoa powder, honey, coconut oil, and chocolate almond milk keep things guilt-free.

3. Paleo Almond Butter Cookies​

Thanks to eggs and almond butter, these paleo-friendly cookies from A Saucy Kitchen pack six grams of protein a piece. Dietitian Maggie Michalczyk, R.D., loves that the recipe uses simple ingredients, so you can treat yourself rest assured that you’re doing your body good.
Crispy around the edges and super-soft and chewy in the center, they’re a great go-to when cravings strike.

4. Low-Carb Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkshake​

Watching your carbs? This rich milkshake from Sweet as Honey is loaded with fiber, healthy fats, and protein to keep you satisfied.
The shake gets its 16.9 grams of protein from chia seeds, peanut butter, and yogurt—and boasts a thick, creamy texture. It’s basically a healthy, liquid peanut butter cup.

5. Healthy Protein Donuts​

If you’re in the mood (and have the time) to bake, you won’t regret whipping up a batch of Food Faith Fitness’ soft, fluffy donuts.
Made with oat flour, plain Greek yogurt, and vanilla whey protein—and sweetened with coconut sugar—they’re far more nutritious than your average donut shop treat.
Perfectly powdery and satisfying, each 150-calorie donut contains 6.6 grams of protein.
Just keep in mind that they’ll need to cool for two hours after baking, so be patient!

6. Vanilla Cheesecake Paleo Protein Smoothie​

Good-for-you cheesecake? Sign us up. This cheesecake smoothie from Paleo Running Momma contains zero added sugar, so you can feel good sipping on it for dessert—or breakfast!—daily.
The shake, which gets its sweetness from fiber-rich dates, blends coconut and almond milk with vanilla extract, protein powder or collagen peptides, and a little lemon juice. Then, cashews make the blend extra creamy and thick.
A serving of collagen lands the smoothie’s protein somewhere around 15 grams of protein, while a scoop of whey or plant-based protein brings it up to around 20.

7. Keto Peanut Butter Protein Bites​

Keto or not, you’ll love these peanut butter protein bites from Wholesome Yum.
Thick, creamy peanut butter combines with Ancient Nutrition Vanilla Keto Protein (or Ancient Nutrition Multi Collagen Protein), vanilla extract, and erythritol for a sweet dessert or snack you can throw together in 10 minutes.
Related: 5 Keto Dessert Recipes You Need In Your Life
For a little crunch, add some chopped peanuts—or swap creamy PB for chunky.
Every no-baking-required bite contains four grams of protein.

8. Chocolate Fudge Brownie Protein Bars​

Next time you’re feeling creative, make yourself a batch of Chocolate Covered Katie’s fudgy homemade, no-bake protein bars.
Made with clean ingredients like unsweetened cocoa powder, maple syrup or honey, coconut oil, and vanilla extract, these bars get a protein boost from black beans and chocolate protein powder. “I love the use of black beans in a dessert like this because it also increases the fiber and vitamin and mineral content,” says Michalczyk. (Don’t worry, you won’t even know the beans are there.)
Each bar comes in at 129 calories, 7.3 grams of protein, and loads of chocolatey flavor