30+ Tasty Protein Powder Recipes (Not Shakes!)

November 21, 2023 Stan

These easy protein powder recipes make the perfect tasty meals to aid your weight loss and muscle gain. This list has got you covered for a delicious high-protein breakfast or dessert. Whether your favorite flavor is vanilla, chocolate or strawberry, I bet you’ll find your new favorite treat.

What can I do with my protein powder?

For inexperienced protein powder users, seemingly inert dust equals a thick, questionably delicious meal replacement. You need only add some plant milk and berries in the blender to whip up a protein shake. However, more experienced foodies know that this magic substance adds a low-calorie source of flavor and protein to otherwise plain recipes, like overnight oats or pancakes, energy bites or cookies.

Protein Powder Recipes

To find more tasty vegan high protein recipes, see our high protein vegan meals, silken tofu, weight loss, TVP, soy curl, smoked tofu and high protein vegan breakfasts roundups.

Protein Powder Recipes for Breakfast

1. Vegan Protein Overnight Oats

Your overnight oats become morning comfort food when you combine every kid’s favorite gooey mouthful of deliciousness, peanut butter, with a dollop of maple syrup. A dash of vanilla or chocolate protein powder to finish it off gives it stick-to-your-ribs staying power. You’ll be stuffed ‘til lunch!

2. Vegan Protein Powder Pancakes

vegan protein powder recipes — Photo: The Conscious Plant Kitchen

Here’s one sneaky way extra protein can infiltrate your kid’s pancakes. Just whip up his favorite flapjack recipe and toss in some pea powder when no one’s looking. This powder has all the nutritional punch of peas without the green that kids – and even some adults – hate. A drizzle of syrup makes it right as rain.

3. Blueberry Protein Oatmeal Cups

Let’s grab the elephant in the room by the tusks. Some people find the texture of protein powders to be a bit off-putting. For them, these blueberry numbers work just fine. Oatmeal beefs up the texture and flavor, while the blueberries offer a burst-in-your-mouth WOW factor that’s worth sinking your teeth into!

4. Banana Protein Powder Muffins

Banana Protein Muffins — Photo: Okonomi Kitchen

If your blood sugar gets all spikey and temperamental when you eat bananas, a hefty dose of high-quality protein calms the sugar high down. In this case, vanilla protein powder adds a sugar-calming yet tasty effect to the recipe. If you’re really daring, try substituting chocolate powder for a naughty taste kick.

5. Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal

Who says apple pie belongs only on the dessert menu? We don’t. That’s for sure, especially considering what a treat like this apple pie baked oatmeal brings to your breakfast table. Applesauce and honey give it that pie-like quality, while a dose of protein powder keeps your blood sugar steady all morning.

6. Vegan Protein Powder Waffles

Vegan Protein Waffles — Photo: One Clever Chef

With famous waffle places like The Waffle House, these morning staples sometimes get a bad rap as unhealthy greasy spoon kind of fare. We’d like to put that myth to rest by offering up these ever-so-healthy AND delicious protein waffles. Protein powder gives them their “oomph,” while rolled oats, bananas and maple syrup make them worthy of seconds.

7. Mocha Protein Oatmeal

On those mornings when the coffeemaker can’t make enough java to give you that kick you rely on, try this delish mocha protein oatmeal. Best of all, with ingredients like brewed coffee and chocolate protein powder, it’ll be done cooking by the time your second pot of coffee’s done brewing.

8. Baked Oats 4 Ways

This recipe proves what vegans have long known. Oats make for one of the most versatile and tasty dessert ingredients around. In this case, the recipe gives you four yummy options, including chocolate chip.

Protein Powder Recipes for Desserts & Baking

9. Vegan Chocolate Protein Mug Cake

Who said you must give up treats like mug cakes when you go vegan? This tiny cup really packs a chocolate punch. A few chocolate chips plus cocoa powder AND some thick chocolate protein powder make this treat a triple-chocolate threat.

10. Flourless Vegan Protein Brownies

If wheat belly’s got you down, then you know what a bummer it is to turn down your favorite brownie recipe. The solution, of course, lies in finding the perfect flourless brownie recipe, like this one, to restore your chocolate-loving mojo! Ingredients like bananas, apples, chocolate chips, and protein powder give it a sweet, slightly fruity kick.

11. Vegan Chocolate Protein Powder Cookies

Vegan Chocolate Protein Cookies — Photo: Purely Kaylie

You won’t want to pass up this dessert if you count peanut buttercups among your favorite candies. These cookies combine peanut butter and chocolate-flavored protein powder into one chewy, peanut buttercup-y mouthful!

12. Vegan Protein Cinnamon Rolls

Word has it that if you want to sell your house, you should have bread baking in the oven while would-be homebuyers tour your home. We disagree. A batch of these deceptively sweet cinnamon rolls baking in the oven is the best way to get a John Hancock. Consider them an ethical form of foodie bribery!

13. Flourless Vegan Protein Bread

Artisan breads make breakfast so delish and so easy. They have a downside, though. They sometimes come at a hefty cost to your health with ingredients like gluten and eggs, but not this flourless, vegan protein bread. With chocolate chips in every bite, it’s nothing but delish!

14. Chocolate Protein Powder Pudding

Chocolate Protein Pudding — Photo: Bites of Wellness

Finding an exceptional chocolate pudding recipe for many vegans is as elusive as stumbling upon the Holy Grail. However, this chocolatey pudding recipe tastes so great you’ll believe that you’ve found the Grail and are eating your dessert out of it! The secret to its taste lies in the generous scoops of chocolate protein powder and fresh cocoa.

15. Oat Flour Protein Crepes

For kids, there are pancakes for breakfast. For adults, there are crepes, and for vegan adults, there are these oat flour protein crepes. They bring the same sophistication to the table as their non-vegan counterparts but with more flavor and nutrients!

16. Vegan Chocolate Protein Cookies

Easy Vegan Chocolate Protein Cookies — Photo: Cruelty-Free Crystal

If you’re certain you could duke it out with Cookie Monster in a cage fight to see who’s the biggest cookie lover, then you won’t want to miss out on these easy chocolate protein cookies. They’re infused with protein powder and plenty of peanut butter and chocolate flavor to give them a real punch.

17. Protein Donuts

Don’t say we didn’t warn you. These donuts fall into the seriously addictive category. It’s easy to scarf down a baker’s dozen in about 10 minutes flat and then ask for seconds. They’re so yummy!

18. Vegan Protein Banana Bread

Despite your best-laid plans, your bananas are dangerously close to an extinction-level event, but with the right recipe, rescue stands just around the corner. With generous helpings of bananas, plus mega portions of chocolate chips, this is the right recipe to help you salvage those bananas!

19. Zucchini Protein Muffins

Zucchini is a wonder fruit of the garden and your breakfast table. It, along with some vanilla protein powder and a handful of chocolate chips, makes these muffins a sweet and chewy treat in the morning.

20. Protein Blueberry Crumble

Those who grew up eating cobbler will appreciate this protein blueberry crumble. It combines cobbler’s crisp, crusty goodness with flavorful bursts of fresh blueberries in every bite. However, some vegan custard kicks this recipe up a notch, making it even better than cobbler on its best day.

21. Vegan Chocolate Protein Cake with Yogurt

Some desserts deserve to be old standbys, and chocolate cake certainly belongs to the best list of old standbys. This chocolatey recipe packs all the taste of the homemade chocolate cake you grew up with but adds healthy elements, like plant yogurt and protein powder, to make it guilt-free.

22. Vegan Protein Lemon Loaf

Lemon loaf is light enough to serve at a proper English afternoon tea and sweet enough to satisfy the most ardent dessert lover on the planet. What sets this lemon loaf recipe apart from others is the protein powder, making it not only light and tasty but healthy as well.

23. Vegan Protein Chocolate Sauce

Some of the best desserts combine stand-alone ingredients, like sliced apples or strawberries, with chocolate dip, everyone’s favorite sweet. For a savory alternative, try serving the chocolate dip with pretzel sticks or cubes of vegan cheese.

Protein Powder Snacks

24. Vegan Protein Powder Cookie Dough

Protein Cookie Dough — Photo: Eat with Clarity

If you thought you had to give up the naughtiest of naughty treats, raw cookie dough, because you turned on to veganism and off to eggs, think again! This vegan protein cookie dough has all the lick-your-fingers decadence that old-fashioned cookie dough has, plus gobs of protein. Best of all, there are no eggs.

25. Peanut Butter Protein Balls

Peanut butter is among the pantry staples most vegans keep in their cupboards. While none of us will turn down a great PB-and-J sandwich, we all know that peanut butter really shines as a dessert staple. This no-bake recipe turns your peanut butter into a decadent dessert in about as much time as it would take for you to whip up a regular peanut butter sandwich.

26. Lemon Protein Balls

These lemon protein balls taste like lemon-kissed sunshine and take only a few minutes to whip up. Toss them in the fridge or freezer for those days when you need a pick-me-up when the sun’s hiding behind life’s stormy clouds.

27. Birthday Cake Protein Bites

These no-bake birthday cake protein bites mean that, just like Alice in Wonderland, you can enjoy your unbirthday 364 days a year! A dose of vanilla and almond flavoring, plus cute birthday cake sprinkles, make these treats a wonder to behold!

Protein Powder Bars

28. Dark Chocolate Protein Bars

Who needs a can of Popeye spinach when you can get the same nutritional power punch in a candy bar? Granted, these dark chocolate protein bars don’t exactly qualify as true candy bars because, with 45 grams of protein, they’re way too healthy. Consider them a decadent way to satisfy your hunger and build some real muscle simultaneously.

29. No Bake Vegan Raspberry Protein Bars

No Bake Raspberry Protein Bars — Photo: Hummusapien

It’s 10:00 a.m., and a serious case of the hangries has snuck up on you at work. The problem is that lunch is still two hours away from where you sit now. The solution to your hangries – and the potential firing that could come from them – lies in these easy no-bake protein bars. It’s best to keep two on hand for emergencies.

30. Chocolate Raspberry Protein Bars

If ever, as a vegan, you’re stumped for an answer when someone asks, “But where do you get your protein,” just point them to a dish of these tasty chocolate raspberry bars. They taste as naughty as a candy bar but possess a powerful protein punch!

Smoothies with Protein Powder

31. Green Protein Smoothie

32. Pumpkin Spice Protein Smoothie

33. Berry Protein Smoothie

Protein Powder Recipes FAQ

What should I mix protein powder with?

Truly, if time is of the essence, adding protein powder to plant milk gives you a meal-replacement shake or smoothie in just a few minutes. However, for savvy and adventurous vegan pastry chefs, it brings a certain nutritional je ne sais quoi to muffins, cookies, soups and more. In other words, it becomes part of the ingredients list for these recipes.

What can I mix with protein powder to make it taste good?

If your protein powder earns an “A+” for nutritional value but a “D” or “F” for flavor, know that you have lots of yummy flavor-enhancing options. For a more flavorful smoothie, toss in fresh berries, organic vanilla beans or extract, peanut butter powder, coconut flakes or honey. In fact, any of the items on the previous list of ingredients dress up the flavor of protein powder when you’re baking, too.

Is protein powder actually healthy?

It depends on the powder and how you consume it (and how much!). You must read the label with a few pointers in mind.
– Avoid powders with lots of added sugar.
– Skip powders with additives.
– Stick to a plant-based powder, like pea, soy or pumpkin powders.
– Choose powders that have been nutritionally tested.

Should I drink protein shakes every day?

It’s maybe better to ask if you CAN drink protein shakes every day. The answer to both questions is about the same. Drinking protein shakes daily is safe. However, it’s best to use protein powders as a supplement and to eat mainly whole-food versions of protein, like tofu or beans.

How to add protein powder to a recipe: