5 19 Published Mar 05, 2024, Updated Jun 20, 2024
Why I Love This Protein Cookie Dough Bark
Easy – You only need 5 ingredients and less than 10 minutes to make this recipe. The hardest part is waiting for the bark to chill in the freezer. Protein – Each piece has 4 grams of protein, which is pretty good for a cookie dough treat. Delicious – This bark is seriously addicting! It tastes like real deal cookie dough. You’ll want to have it on hand at all times, trust me!
Ingredients Needed
As I mentioned, you only need 5 main ingredients for this recipe (not including the water). I bet you already have everything in your kitchen right now. Here’s what you need:
almond flour – a gluten-free and grain-free flour that’s the base of our bark along with the protein powder. My favorite brand is Bob’s Red Mill super fine almond flour. plant-based vanilla protein – I’ve made this recipe with both Truvani and Sun Warrior vanilla protein powder and both worked great. I wouldn’t recommend using whey protein powder for this recipe because it soaks up liquid differently and you’ll probably end up with wet cookie dough bark. coconut oil – we’re using this in the dough to help moisten it as well as to help melt the chocolate chips. It also makes the chocolate thinner and easier to spread over the dough. honey or maple syrup – adds natural sweetness to the dough without refined sugars. water – helps to moisten the dough without extra oil. chocolate chips – we’re adding chocolate chips to the dough as well as melting some for the chocolate topping. I love Lily’s chocolate chips for a low-sugar option. flaky sea salt – this is optional, but I love the salty + sweet combo. My go-to is Maldon sea salt flakes.
How to Make Protein Cookie Dough Bark
Step 1: Add the almond flour, protein powder, melted coconut oil and honey or maple syrup to a medium mixing bowl and stir until the dough is combined. Add one tablespoon of water at a time, until the cookie dough is sticking together well. You want it moist, but not too wet! Step 2: Add chocolate chips to the dough and mix to fully incorporate. Step 3: Press the dough into a rectangle shape onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Step 4: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the remaining chocolate chips with coconut oil in 15-second increments until fully melted. Step 5: Spread the melted chocolate over the cookie dough, then immediately sprinkle with flaked sea salt, if desired. Transfer the baking sheet to the freezer to set for about 30 minutes-1 hour. Once the bark is solid, cut it into 12 pieces and enjoy!
Dietary Substitutions
Nut-free: If you need this recipe to be nut-free you could try substituting the almond flour with oat flour, but you might need to use less as oat flour doesn’t soak up as much liquid as almond flour. I haven’t tried this so I’m not 100% sure how it’ll turn out, but let me know if you try it in the comments below! Low-sugar: For those monitoring sugar intake, replace the honey or maple syrup with a sugar-free liquid sweetener like stevia or monk fruit syrup. Adjust to taste since the sweetness level can vary. Vegan: Use maple syrup and make sure you’re using vegan chocolate chips.
Protein Cookie Dough Bark Variations
I love this recipe as is, but there are so many different ways you can customize this cookie dough bark. Here are some ideas:
Peanut butter: Mix in 1-2 Tablespoons of peanut butter to the dough for a peanut butter cookie dough bark. If doing this, you might not need as much water to get the dough to stick together. Double chocolate: Use chocolate protein powder instead of vanilla for a double chocolate cookie dough bark. Espresso: Mix 1-2 teaspoons of instant espresso powder into the dough for a subtle coffee flavor that pairs with the chocolate perfectly.
How to Store Leftovers
In the fridge: Place the cookie dough bark in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to one week. In the freezer: For longer storage, you can freeze this cookie dough bark in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months, although I doubt it’ll last you even a week (only speaking from experience here!). When you’re ready for a treat, just grab a piece from the freezer and enjoy! No need to thaw first.
More Protein-Packed Treats to Try
Frozen Cottage Cheese Bark Protein Ice Cream Protein Brownies Protein Cookies Protein Cookie Dough Peanut Butter Protein Pudding
Be sure to check out all of the dessert recipes on EBF!
