Late-night cravings threatening to ruin your otherwise clean day? Next time the munchies hit, reach for one of these protein-rich desserts.
When late-night cravings strike, it can be easy to indulge. Beat the lure of junk food with these tasty protein treats.
1. Chocolate Protein Cupcakes
You can never go wrong with chocolate. These cupcakes may taste super decadent, but each is less than 100 calories with only 4 grams of fat and 2 grams of sugar! Not to mention they’re high in protein, making them the perfect post-workout snack.
Being a raving chocoholic, I made these cupcakes full of intense chocolate flavor! If you find them too rich, maybe try using a couple tablespoons less cacao powder or adding less sweetener.
Cupcake Ingredients
- Chocolate protein powder, 80 g
- Stevia-erythritol blend, 6 tbsp
- Unsweetened cacao, 1/3 cup
- Coconut flour, 1/4 cup
- Baking powder, 1/2 tsp
- Egg whites, 1/3 cup
- 100% pure pumpkin, 1/4 cup
- Unsweetened applesauce, 1/4 cup
- Nonfat plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup
- Brewed coffee, 1/4 cup
- Vegetable oil, 2 tbsp
- Vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp
- Salt (optional), 1/4 tsp
Frosting Ingredients
- Fat-free cream cheese, 4 oz.
- Chocolate protein powder, 40 g
- Stevia-erythritol blend, 1/4 cup
- Unsweetened cocoa, 2 tbsp
- Unsweetened almond milk, 2 tbsp
- Vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
- Blend together wet ingredients, then mix into dry ingredients until combined.
- Line nine wells of a muffin pan with paper or foil cupcake liners, and spray the insides with cooking spray. Alternatively, spray the insides of the wells with cooking spray and omit liners.
- Divide cupcake batter between prepared wells and bake for 20-25 minutes, until set in the center.
- While cupcakes cool, blend together frosting ingredients until smooth
- Spoon frosting into a piping bag or sealed baggie with one corner cut off, and frost cupcakes.
These cupcakes will keep in the fridge up to one week or in the freezer (without frosting) up to one month. If frozen, thaw them at room temperature, then add the frosting.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving size: 1 cupcake
- Recipes yields 9 servings
- Calories: 95
- Fat: 4.2 g
- Carbs: 7 g
- Protein: 10 g
2. Peanut Butter Banana Protein Bread
I love banana bread, and I love bananas with peanut butter, so this healthy peanut butter banana protein bread just needed to happen! It’s super moist with a hint of cinnamon, and it’s packed with protein while still being relatively low in fat. Most importantly, it’s delicious. It’s so delicious you’ll eat one slice and just have to go back for another. With these macros, that’s no problem. But don’t expect it to be easy to stop!
Ingredients
- Vanilla protein powder, 80 g
- Spelt flour, 6 tbsp
Stevia-erythritol blend, 1/4 cup - Ground cinnamon, 1 tsp
- Baking soda, 3/4 tsp
- Very ripe bananas, mashed, 1 cup (2 medium)
- Nonfat plain Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup
- Egg whites, 1/2 cup (4 large)
- Cinnamon peanut butter, 1/4 cup
- Salt (optional), 1/4 tsp
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Whisk together dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Add in mashed bananas and remaining ingredients and mix until just combined (overmixing will result in a less tender texture).
- Lightly coat a bread pan or muffin tin with cooking spray and pour in batter.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean (cupcakes should only need 25-35 minutes).
Freeze the leftovers for up to one month. Simply microwave for 1 minute to thaw.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving size: 1 slice
- Recipes yields 8 servings
- Calories: 146
- Fat: 4.7 g
- Carbs: 16 g
- Protein: 12 g
3. No-Bake Cookies-And-Cream Protein Bars
These no-bake protein bars will satisfy your cookies-and-cream cravings and leave your taste buds dancing for joy! The base layer tastes just like the cookie part of an Oreo, while the cream layer is like frosting with cookies-and-cream bits scattered throughout. It might be hard to believe, but each bar has only 4 grams of sugar—that’s including the mini Oreos—and a whopping 17 grams of protein. These make the perfect protein-packed dessert or anytime snack. Just be careful—they are addictive!
Cookie Layer Ingredients
- Chocolate or cookies & cream protein powder, 40 g
- Almond flour, 1/4 cup
- Cacao powder, 2 tbsp
- Granulated erythritol, 2 tbsp
- Water, 2 tbsp
- Coconut oil, melted, 1 tbsp
Cream Layer Ingredients
- Vanilla or cookies & cream protein powder, 80 g
- Confectioner’s erythritol, 3/4 cup
- Coconut flour, 1/4 cup
- Fat-free cream cheese, 8 oz.
- Cottage cheese, 1/2 cup
- Vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp
- Oreos, 10 mini
- Almond extract, 1/8 tsp (optional)
Directions
- Combine ingredients for cookie layer until a crumbly dough forms.
- Press into the bottom of a 7×5 baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray.
- Combine all ingredients for cream layer (except cookies) in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- Add cookies and pulse blender or food processor until distributed throughout batter.
- Pour cream layer over base and place in the freezer for 2-3 hours until set.
- Cut into eight pieces and enjoy!
Store any leftovers in the fridge up to one week or in the freezer up to one month.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving size: 1 bar
- Recipe yields 8 servings
- Calories: 174
- Fat: 7 g
- Carbs: 11 g
- Protein: 17 g
4. Blackberry Protein Cheesecake
This blackberry protein cheesecake is low in carbs, fat, and sugar—but it sure doesn’t taste like it! As a matter of fact, it’s my husband’s favorite thing I make—he swears this is just as good as Cheesecake Factory!
All I can tell you is that all the “non-healthy eaters”—even the kids—gobbled it right up at our last dinner function. The flavor is lightly sweet with just a hint of tartness from the blackberries, while the texture is dense, creamy, and oh-so-dreamy!
Crust Ingredients
- Vanilla protein powder, 40 g
- Almond flour, 6 tbsp
- Spelt flour, 6 tbsp
- Stevia-erythritol blend, 1 tbsp
- Coconut oil, melted, 2 tbsp
- Egg white, 2 tbsp (1 large)
- Salt, 1/4 tsp (optional)
Cheesecake Ingredients
- Fat-free cream cheese, 1 cup (8 oz.)
- Nonfat plain Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup (4 oz.)
- Egg whites, 1/4 cup (2 large)
- Vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp
- Vanilla protein powder, 40 g
- Stevia-erythritol blend, 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp
- Blackberries, fresh or frozen, 1 cup
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine crust ingredients to form a crumbly mixture that sticks to itself (add 1 tablespoon water if mixture is too dry).
- Lightly coat an 8″ or 9″ pan with cooking spray, and press crust mixture into bottom.
- Bake for 10 minutes and set aside.
- Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
- Blend together cream cheese and yogurt until smooth.
- Add egg whites, protein powder, sweetener, and vanilla; blend again until smooth.
- Pour cheesecake mixture into pan over baked crust.
- Mash berries (thaw in microwave if frozen), and stir in sweetener to taste.
- Drop berry mixture over cheesecake one tablespoon at a time, then swirl through with a knife.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes until center is set. Cracking indicates overbaking.
- Let cheesecake cool at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, then chill in fridge for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight.
- Cut into eight pieces and enjoy!
Store the cheesecake in the fridge for up to one week.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving size: 1 slice with crust
- Recipe yields 8 servings
- Calories: 167
- Fat: 7 g
- Carbs: 11 g
- Protein: 16 g
