I try to hit over 100g of protein every day, and I refuse to give up dessert to do it. These are 31 high-protein desserts I actually make and eat and they're all made without protein powder! They get their protein from real ingredients like cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, hemp hearts, and nut butters.

Jump to:

• Our Top 10 Protein Dessert Picks at a Glance
• Cookies & Bars
• 1. Easy Protein Chocolate Chip Cookies
• 2. Healthier Peanut Butter Blossoms
• 3. Lemon Cottage Cheese Cookies
• 4. No-Bake Chocolate Cookies Without Protein Powder
• 5. Gluten-Free Protein Cookies
• 6. Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispies
• 7. Almond Croissant Blondies
• 8. Homemade Protein Bars Without Protein Powder
• 9. Homemade Protein Twix Bars
• 10. Oatmeal Protein Cookie
• Cakes & Pies
• 11. Protein Pancake Coffee Cake
• 12. Greek Yogurt Cheesecake
• 13. Protein Carrot Cake
• 14. Protein Strawberry Shortcake
• 15. Banana Protein Cake
• 16. Greek Yogurt Key Lime Pie
• 17. Lemon Ricotta Rolls
• 18. Cottage Cheese Cinnamon Rolls
• No-Bake & Quick Treats
• 19. Peanut Butter Truffles
• 20. Protein Chocolate Mousse
• 21. Silky Cottage Cheese Chocolate Mousse
• 22. Protein Tiramisu
• 23. Smores Cottage Cheese Protein Cookie Dough
• 24. Strawberry Greek Yogurt Icebox Cake
• 25. Protein Puppy Chow
• Frozen Treats
• 26. Frozen Yogurt S'mores Clusters
• 27. Caramel Apple Yogurt Bark
• Protein Balls & Bites
• 28. Fudgy Cottage Cheese Brownies
• 29. Monster Cookie Protein Balls
• 30. Chocolate-Filled Zucchini Muffins
• 31. Apple Cider Donut Holes
• Ingredients That Add Protein to Desserts (Without Protein Powder)
• What desserts are high in protein?

I'm a NASM-certified nutrition coach (CNC), and I genuinely believe you can have dessert and still hit your protein goals without resorting to powder. And these recipes are proof!

Our Top 10 Protein Dessert Picks at a Glance

Short on time? Here are our 10 best high-protein desserts ranked by protein-to-calorie ratio so you get the most protein for the fewest calories.

Cookies & Bars

1. Easy Protein Chocolate Chip Cookies

288 cal · 6g protein per cookie

These chocolate chip cookies are super quick and easy to make. They're soft, gooey, and have 6g of protein per cookie! That's largely thanks to the use of hemp hearts, which are small enough to barely notice, but they pack in a lot of protein.

2. Healthier Peanut Butter Blossoms

133 cal · 5g protein per cookie

My healthier peanut butter blossoms are easy to whip up in just 15 minutes with no chill time and a short bake time. They have 5g of protein as opposed to standard cookies, which have around 2, and for the same calories.

3. Lemon Cottage Cheese Cookies

208 cal · 6 protein per cookie

Cottage cheese in cookies sounds weird, but it actually works great in this recipe! These are soft, lemony, and bright - 6g of protein per cookie, all from real ingredients. I keep a batch in the freezer pretty much at all times.

4. No-Bake Chocolate Cookies Without Protein Powder

225 cal · 8g protein per cookie

If you want a protein cookie but don't want to turn on the oven, these are it. Chocolate, peanut butter, hemp hearts, and oats - 8g of protein per cookie. Mix, shape, freeze, done.

5. Gluten-Free Protein Cookies

374 cal · 11g protein per cookie

These chocolate chip cookies use almond flour to make them gluten-free and high-protein! So if you need a gluten-free dessert that has 11g of protein per serving, these cookies are for you.

Pro tip: Top them with a little bit of sea salt to bring them to the next level and really amplify the flavor.

6. Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispies

315 cal · 10g protein per bar

Peanut butter and hemp hearts give these cereal bars a protein boost, resulting in 10g of protein per bar.

This dessert is sweetened with honey, so it has a smooth texture that almost melts in your mouth. They're a great treat to keep on hand or bring to a party to share!

7. Almond Croissant Blondies

276 cal · 10g protein · 5g fiber per bar

Calling all nut enthusiasts. With 10g of protein per bar, these almond croissant blondies make a sweet and tasty treat.

Chickpeas, almonds, and hemp hearts give these bars their protein and also 5g of fiber! They're definitely on the healthier side, but are delicious enough to be considered dessert.

8. Homemade Protein Bars Without Protein Powder

272 cal · 10g protein per bar

Mix, press into a pan, chill, and you've got homemade protein bars with 10g of protein! No baking, no powder, all whole ingredients. These are great for meal prep - I usually make a batch on Sunday and grab them all week.

9. Homemade Protein Twix Bars

306 cal · 6g protein · 5g fiber per bar

These healthy homemade Twix bars use dates to sweeten them, so no refined sugars here! They have 6g of protein and 5g of fiber per bar, so you can feel better about enjoying them.

They're the perfect combination of chocolate, caramel, and peanut butter to make a homemade candy dessert.

10. Oatmeal Protein Cookie

184 cal, 5g protein per cookie

These oatmeal protein cookies are chewy, chocolatey, and finished with flaky sea salt. They get their 5g of protein per cookie entirely from hemp seeds and oats! No powder, no chalky aftertaste. Get ready to be obsessed!

Cakes & Pies

11. Protein Pancake Coffee Cake

430 cal · 18g protein per slice

This recipe is the perfect cross between pancakes and coffee cake. It uses our protein pancake batter poured into a cake pan with a cinnamon sugar layer and crumb topping. It's got a super tender texture, sweet filling, and 18g of protein per slice with no protein powder!

12. Greek Yogurt Cheesecake

340 cal · 15g protein per slice

Making this creamy and smooth cheesecake is super easy, and it only has 5 ingredients! Greek yogurt is the key ingredient that gives this cake a whopping 15g of protein per slice.

13. Protein Carrot Cake

482 cal · 15g protein per slice

With a tangy cream cheese frosting whipped up with high-protein goat cheese, this protein carrot cake recipe boasts 15 grams of protein. There's no protein powder, and the batter is made in one bowl.

This carrot cake is packed with warm and punchy flavors like ginger and cardamom, and can easily be made gluten-free!

14. Protein Strawberry Shortcake

325 cal · 15g protein per serving

With just 5 ingredients and 15 minutes, you can make this strawberry shortcake that has 15g of protein!

15. Banana Protein Cake

262 cal · 10g protein per slice

Craving a sweet treat that will hold you over and help you meet your protein goals? Look no further than my banana protein cake recipe without protein powder. This tasty treat has 10g of protein and is made with filling ingredients like hemp seeds, bananas, and Greek yogurt!

16. Greek Yogurt Key Lime Pie

258 cal · 8g protein per serving

Made with just a few simple ingredients, these Greek yogurt key lime pies are a slice of summer heaven! They take just 15 minutes of work, have 8g of protein, and can be kept in the freezer for months to always have something yummy on hand.

17. Lemon Ricotta Rolls

517 cal · 18g protein per roll

Light, fluffy, and bursting with lemon flavor, these rolls have 18g of protein per roll! Made using the same process as classic cinnamon rolls but with ricotta cheese for a protein boost.

18. Cottage Cheese Cinnamon Rolls

405 cal · 14g protein per roll

Made with no protein powder, these cottage cheese protein cinnamon rolls are the best you'll ever have! They are made using the same process as classic cinnamon rolls, but with less fat and 14 grams of protein.

They are fluffy, gooey, and so, so delicious. Enjoy them as a dessert, for brunch, or as a meal-prep breakfast.

No-Bake & Quick Treats

19. Peanut Butter Truffles

134 cal · 6g protein per truffle

These peanut butter chocolate truffles are rich, sweet, and filled with 6g of protein per ball! They use Greek yogurt and peanut butter powder to add more protein and less fat.

Keep them in the fridge to enjoy this protein treat for up to two weeks.

20. Protein Chocolate Mousse

271 cal · 15g protein per serving

This protein chocolate mousse is a bit unique, but if you give it a chance, I promise you won't regret it! It uses hard-boiled eggs as a base that gives it 15g of protein per serving.

It's thick, rich, and full of sweet chocolatey flavor. The secret is using store-bought hard-boiled eggs because they use a precise cooking process that makes sure they don't have an eggy or sulfur flavor. Honestly, you can't even tell this mousse is made from eggs if you do it right!

21. Silky Cottage Cheese Chocolate Mousse

351 cal · 10g protein per serving

Made with just 5 simple ingredients, this rich and decadent chocolate cottage cheese mousse recipe is easy to make in just 5 minutes. Whether you're craving a post-workout treat or a healthy late-night snack, this easy protein mousse recipe packs in 10g of protein and is about to become your new go-to dessert!

22. Protein Tiramisu

332 cal · 10g protein per slice

With bold coffee-dipped lady fingers and a sweet, protein-filled custard, this protein tiramisu recipe packs in 10 grams of protein per slice. It has no protein powder, so it actually tastes like a real tiramisu, thanks to cottage cheese, despite no mascarpone.

This no-bake dessert comes together in about 20 minutes and makes the perfect summer or anytime, easy dessert.

23. Smores Cottage Cheese Protein Cookie Dough

291 cal · 13g protein per serving

This smores cottage cheese protein cookie dough is ready in just 5 minutes and uses no protein powder but still has 13g of protein per serving!

Easy to make with just a blender or some really strong whisking, it's the perfect dip for graham crackers and fruit. Best of all, there are 8 basic ingredients needed to make this edible cottage cheese cookie dough!

24. Strawberry Greek Yogurt Icebox Cake

339 cal · 8g protein per slice

This cake is fruity, creamy, and surprisingly high in protein at 8g per slice. It uses Greek yogurt to load up the protein and strawberries and graham crackers to load up the flavor.

It's the perfect summer dessert that's so refreshing on a hot day!

25. Protein Puppy Chow

261 cal · 9g protein per serving

If you need a quick, portable protein dessert, then this protein puppy chow has your name on it. It takes just 5 minutes to make with 4 ingredients, and has 9g of protein per serving.

Puppy chow is the perfect sweet snack to pop in a bag and take on the go. Enjoy it on a hike, at a game, or while watching a movie at home!

Frozen Treats

26. Frozen Yogurt S'mores Clusters

349 cal · 6 protein per 2 clusters

Greek yogurt, marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate - frozen into clusters you can grab straight from the freezer. 6g of protein per serving and ready in about 10 minutes of active work. These are so fun to snack on.

27. Caramel Apple Yogurt Bark

170 cal · 6g protein per serving

Made with just 7 ingredients, this yogurt bark has 6g of protein and 2g of fiber. With a caramel and chocolate drizzle, it's like a caramel apple turned into ice cream. Keep it in the freezer for months!

Protein Balls & Bites

28. Fudgy Cottage Cheese Brownies

242 cal · 7g protein per brownie

These fudgy chocolate brownies have over double the protein (7g) of traditional brownies. That's thanks to cottage cheese, which adds creaminess and moisture.

They make a great dessert for a get-together or party!

29. Monster Cookie Protein Balls

266 cal · 10g protein per serving (2 bites)

Made with sweet and colorful chocolate candies and just the right amount of peanut butter flavor, this monster cookie protein bites recipe is the perfect, easy snack. They pack in 5g of protein per bite (which is 10 per serving because you can't just eat one!).

These protein bites are super kid-friendly, and if your family is anything like mine, they will devour them within a few days!

30. Chocolate-Filled Zucchini Muffins

371 cal · 16g protein · 5g fiber per muffin

These protein zucchini chocolate muffins will keep you fueled and happy! These have a chocolate ganache filling that is to die for, packs in 16g of protein, and 5g of fiber.

You just need 30 minutes to whip these moist muffins up, and you'll enjoy a gluten-free snack or dessert all week.

31. Apple Cider Donut Holes

190 cal · 5g protein per serving

You don't need any protein powder or a doughnut pan to have high-protein baked apple cider donut holes at home! All you need is a mini muffin tin and some Skyr or Greek yogurt. Each serving is just 190 calories and has 5 grams of protein and 2g of fiber.

Ingredients That Add Protein to Desserts (Without Protein Powder)

You don't need a scoop of powder to add protein to your sweet treats! Here are the whole-food ingredients we use across all of these recipes:

• Cottage cheese: ~14g protein per ½ cup. Blends completely smooth for brownies, mousse, cheesecake, and cookie dough. This is probably our most-used protein ingredient on the entire site.
• Greek yogurt: ~10-15g protein per ½ cup. Adds creaminess to cakes, pies, and parfaits.
• Hemp hearts: ~10g protein per 3 tablespoons. Tiny seeds that disappear into cookie and bar batters. You won't taste them.
• Almond flour: ~6g protein per ¼ cup. A gluten-free flour that naturally boosts protein.
• Eggs: ~6g protein per egg. Adds structure, moisture, and protein to baked goods.
• Peanut butter: ~7g protein per 2 tablespoons. The base for truffles, bars, no-bake treats, and basically anything chocolate-peanut butter.

For a deeper dive into how to add protein to all of your meals, check out our Protein 101 guide!

What desserts are high in protein?

Desserts made with ingredients like cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, eggs, nut butters, and hemp seeds can pack serious protein. Our highest-protein desserts include protein pancake coffee cake (18g per slice), lemon ricotta rolls (18g per roll), and chocolate-filled zucchini muffins (16g per muffin).