The fitness world has a protein problem. There’s a rising emphasis on making foods with higher protein to make them more “macro-friendly,” basically meaning they hit more nutritional targets in the macronutrient categories—proteins, fats, carbohydrates—with fewer calories. As more macro-friendly recipes have made their way to the internet, fitness influencers have found a way to sneak protein powder and cottage cheese into nearly everything. Though these recipes promise a protein-boosted dessert, many turn out to be diabolical. We tested several viral recipes to see if they were worth any of the effort. Here are the results.
Protein Cosmic Brownies 3/10
While the macros on this recipe are insane (21 grams of protein per serving), so is the texture and overall taste of the brownie. The batter is a nice consistency, and straight out of the oven, the soft chocolatey aroma is a nice touch. However, the addition of the icing and the brownies once cooled combine for a texture that is genuinely awful. It’s overwhelmingly moist, almost waterboarding your mouth, and completely overshadowing the mildly pleasant chocolate flavor. For someone craving a Cosmic Brownie, this completely misses the mark, ending up way more expensive because of the use of protein powder and artificial sweeteners instead of flour and sugar.
Recipe
Protein Brownies (@michaelkory on TikTok)
Makes 9 brownies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup flour
- 3 scoops whey chocolate protein powder
- Used: whey vanilla
- ¾ zero calorie sweetener
- Used: monk fruit sweetener
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- Used: a little extra bc whey vanilla
- ½ tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- ¾ cup Core Power Elite Protein Shake
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup canned pumpkin
- ¼ cup light melted butter
- 2 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Icing:
- ½ cup fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt
- Used: unflavored + splash of vanilla extract
- 2 scoops chocolate whey protein
- ¼ cup zero calorie sweetener
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- Sprinkles
Instructions:
Add flour, whey powder, sweetener, cocoa, baking powder, and salt to the bowl and whisk. Add protein shake, eggs, canned pumpkin, melted light butter, melted coconut oil, and vanilla and mix to make batter.
Add batter to a greased pan (8×8) and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool on the counter for 30 minutes.
Mix icing ingredients and spread on cooled brownies. Top with sprinkles and refrigerate for one hour before serving.
Cottage Cheese Protein Dough 4/10
Cottage cheese does not belong in anything sweet, but this attempt at cookie dough is so flavorless it’s hard to tell. Somehow, the texture is both grainy and overly smooth, though blending the ingredients makes the recipe passable. Although it’s definitely no cookie dough replacement, this is surprisingly less orally offensive than it sounds. If you enjoy ginger ale, Lay’s original chips, or room temperature water, the blandness of this dish may appeal to you.
Recipe
Cottage Cheese Protein Cookie Dough (@jakecohen on TikTok)
Ingredients:
- 1 pound low fat cottage cheese
- 2 tsp vanilla
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup protein powder
- 2 cups almond flour
- Note: You can just blend the almonds to make flour
Instructions:
Blend cottage cheese, vanilla, & maple syrup.
Transfer to a bowl and mix in protein & almond flour.
Finish with chocolate chips to preference.
Enjoy?
Cinnamon Donuts 6/10
These cinnamon donuts stick out because they are incredibly simple to make and very low in calories (54 kcal per donut). But compared to the real thing, they’re not great. The oat flour in the recipe is a sore point, making the dish overly mushy. Overall, the dish feels like the ultimate almond mom dessert. Its only redeeming quality is the substitution of real cinnamon sugar for the topping. The Greek yogurt also creates an oddly sour aftertaste. Maybe if these were made in a proper donut pan, they could be better, but the taste does not warrant financial investment in such tools.
Recipe
Ingredients:
- 40g oat flour (blended oats)
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
- 15g natural sweetener
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- Dash of salt
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 egg
- 100g vanilla yogurt
- Used: Greek yogurt + vanilla extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
In a bowl, add oat flour, cocoa, natural sweetener, cinnamon, and a dash of salt. Mix to avoid lumps.
Add egg, Greek yogurt, and vanilla, and mix until a thick consistency forms. Add the mixture to a donut pan.
Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cool and flip over before taking out.
For cinnamon sugar topping, add some natural sweetener and cinnamon to the bowl. Coat each donut and enjoy!
Greek Yogurt Cinnamon Dough Bites 8/10
Not only is this recipe one of the easiest to make, but it just feels classic. The Greek yogurt creates a slight sourness in the dough that makes the recipe really flexible and able to be dressed up with garlic butter or powdered sugar. The texture is bread-like, and the additions of butter and cinnamon sugar deliver a great bite of cinnamon pretzel. Compared to regular bites, it’s lower calorie and higher protein—and still just as good. It’s a must-try.
Recipe
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 cup flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- Butter and cinnamon to taste
Instructions:
Add all ingredients to the mixing bowl and use a paddle attachment at medium speed until the dough ball is formed. Can be hand-mixed if needed.
Roll dough into a log and cut into bite-sized pieces, and spray with avocado oil or cooking oil of choice.
If using an air fryer, place them at 350 degrees for eight to 10 minutes, shaking them around halfway through. If using the oven, heat to about 400 degrees and cook for 12 to 17 minutes or until golden brown (ish).
Take out and allow it to cool somewhat. Pour melted butter and cinnamon over bites to taste.
Oreo Cheesecake 7/10
For those rare people who crave cheesecake, this recipe is an excellent option. The texture is thick and smooth, very similar to the real thing. However, the crust, made with a heavy pour of almond milk, stays quite moist and contributes nothing. A crushed bar would be a better topping to provide the much needed crunch. While real Oreos are a little on the sweeter side, the cheesecake is not too sweet and keeps a good balance between having some nutritional value and actually being delicious.
Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 Nature Valley Crunch Bar
- ¾ tbsp almond milk
- 1 scoop protein powder (best: vanilla, but flexible)
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- ½ tbsp light cream cheese
- 2 Oreos
Crush bar in wrapper and pour into cup.
Gradually add milk to the cup and continuously mix and crush together until the crust is formed.
In a separate bowl, mix protein powder, yogurt, cream cheese, and one crushed Oreo. Mix until combined and thickened.
Pour mixture into cup and top with crushed Oreo. Place in the fridge for three hours or until set (can be left overnight).
High Protein Chocolate Cups 7/10
These cups offer a delicious mixture of creamy filling and a hard chocolate exterior. The filling is fairly sweet, but not overloaded with a lot of sugar. The filling is a little liquidy, making the texture slightly unpleasant, and it’s hard to get the cups to be the perfect amount of frozen. Besides those issues, though, these cups are perfectly delectable. One of the better-looking desserts, they’re easy to make and fairly satisfying.
Recipe
Ingredients:
Filling:
- 1 cup yogurt (recommends coconut, can use Greek yogurt for more protein)
- 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
- ¼ cup nut butter (we used PB fit powder and water, yummy)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips
- 3 tbsp almond flour
- Pinch of salt
Chocolate coating:
- 1 ½ cups chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions:
Melt 1 ½ cups chocolate chips and 2 tbsp coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring often. Alternately place in the microwave for 30 second to one minute intervals and stir.
In a small mixing bowl, combine all the filling ingredients.
Use melted chocolate to coat the edges of the muffin layer. For mess-free cups, freeze for 30 seconds, then coat with another layer, freezing again for one minute.
Divide protein mixture between cups and top off with more melted chocolate.
Freeze for at least 15 minutes, and enjoy.
