Finding the Best Protein Powder for Baking

An experiment to see how different types of protein powder affect cookies and which works the best

Start with a basic cookie recipe (pictured below) and swap the flour out 1:1 for 9 different types of protein powder to see how the recipe turns out. Let's get into it!

The Experiment:

Whey Protein Concentrate

01

Result: A gritty cookie that was crispy on the outside but spongy inside.

Whey Protein Isolate

02

Result: A chewy & gummy cookie with a strong protein powder flavor

Whey Protein Blend

03

Result: Slightly greasy & gritty, but the potential to make a great crispy cookie with a longer bake time

Casein Protein Powder

04

Result: The cakiest and thickest (minimal spread) cookie in these trials, and very dry overall

Whey & Casein Protein Blend

05

Result: A soft cookie-dough-like interior but no outside crisp. Best overall flavor of all the trials

Collagen Protein

06

Result: An inedible, sticky cookie with zero structure that is impossible to pick up

Egg White Protein

07

Result: A very light-colored cookie and extremely gummy with an eggy/salty flavor

Plant-Based Protein

07

Result: Extremely dry and crumbly cookie with a strong Earthy flavor

Which type is best? It depends on the recipe! To learn more about each type of protein and how to adjust your recipes for each, be sure to check out the full post!

I did the same experiment for chocolate cupcakes, so you can see which protein powder worked best in that experiment, too.

What about cake recipes?