DAIRY-FREE HIGH PROTEIN COOKIE DOUGH YOGURT CUPS
on Oct 26, 2023, Updated Jul 25, 2024
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Made with coconut yogurt, protein powder, and nut butter, these cute little cups are the perfect afternoon pick-me-up. Best of all, they boast over 9 grams of protein! That’s definitely a win for a snack.
In terms of snacking, grain-free chips and crackers may be satisfying but they don’t boast a ton of protein. And there’s only so much hummus any one human can eat every day! That’s where these Dairy-Free Cookie Dough Protein Yogurt Cups come in hand.
Protein has become the latest cool kid on the block. Everyone, and I mean everyone, seems to be talking about the importance of getting enough protein into your day. Now, this may feel like a trend to many, but protein has been a building block of my nutrition plan for the last decade.
Prioritizing protein has helped me build a strong, resilient body while also boosting my metabolism. When my plate is protein-centric, I feel more satiated and ready to take on whatever the day throws my way.
Speaking of, while I’m not a fan of counting calories or macros, I do like to have a general sense of how much protein I eat daily. Depending on your goals, a general aim is one gram of protein per pound of body weight. Eating a diverse diet full of lean meats and fish, vibrant vegetables, colorful fruits, and whole grains will help get you there.
For more high-protein inspiration, be sure to check out my first ebook, Protein Empowered! I’ve laid out a week’s worth of wholesome breakfasts, lunches, and dinners (plus snacks!) so you can streamline your meal planning and focus on giving your body more of what it needs.
Get the Protein-Empowered digital cookbook!
And while you peruse the ebook, go ahead and make these yogurt cups. They’re satisfyingly delicious and will keep you full during those in-between meal times. Enjoy!
Key Ingredients for Cookie Dough Protein Yogurt Cups
Incorporating more protein into your diet doesn’t have to be boring! These fun cookie dough yogurt cups are just as fun to make as they are to eat. Here’s what you’ll need.
- Yogurt: Thank goodness for all the dairy-free yogurt options available these days! Anytime I go to Whole Foods, I’m blown away by the choices. My favorite coconut yogurt is from @cocojune_organic or @culinayogurt. Feel free to use your favorite yogurt, whether that’s another dairy-free alternative or regular yogurt.
- Protein Powder: The number of protein powders on the market today can be slightly overwhelming. Looking for a gluten-free and dairy-free option that not only tastes great but has simple ingredients is tough. That’s why @ritual is my go-to protein for this recipe. It’s pea protein and has 20 grams of protein per serving. While I don’t always rely on protein powder to get me to my daily protein goals, it’s definitely a way to boost my intake.
- Nut Butter: Just as good by the spoonful as it is in a treat like this, nut butters are a healthy fat and also provide a bit of protein. I used @fixandfogg cashew butter for this recipe. You can use any nut butter you want, such as almond or peanut. If you are nut-free, try using tahini which is made from ground sesame seeds or sunflower seed butter.
- Chocolate: Ok, this may not move the needle protein-wise but it plays a supporting role in making these yogurt cups so tasty! I’m a huge fan of @hukitchen dark chocolate and their baking gems are sweetened with coconut sugar.
- Maple Syrup: Adding this is optional, but if you have a sweet tooth or are using an unflavored protein powder then I suggest using it.
How to Make Cooke Dough Yogurt Cups
To start, make the yogurt cup filling. In a small mixing bowl, stir together your yogurt of choice and your favorite protein powder. Mix in the nut butter, vanilla extract, ⅓ cup of chocolate chips, pinch of salt, and maple syrup, if using. Set aside while you making the chocolate coating.
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt 1 ½ cups of chocolate chips and two tablespoons of coconut oil. The coconut oil keeps the chocolate from seizing up when heated and provides a glossy finish. Remove from the heat once the chocolate is fully melted.
Take a parchment muffin liner and layer it with a thin coating of the melted chocolate. I like to tip the muffin liner in a circle so the entire interior is coated evenly. Repeat with all 6 muffin liners.
Put the liners in the muffin tin so you can transfer them easily to the freezer. Keep in the freezer for 30 seconds, just so the chocolate can harden. Coat each liner with another thin layer of chocolate. Then, return to the freezer for 1 minute.
Using either a spoon or a small ice cream scoop, divide the cookie dough protein
mixture between the 6 liners. Top each one off with more chocolate. Yum!
Place back in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes. Drizzle with additional melted chocolate (optional) and sprinkle with flaky sea salt to finish.
When ready to eat, I like to take a big bite out of the cup but if you want to be more dainty, you can cut them in half too! Enjoy!
Recipe Substitution and Tips
Coconut yogurt is my favorite, but you can swap for another dairy-free option such as almond milk-based yogurt. If you aren’t dairy-free, you can use Greek yogurt. This has much more protein than nut-based yogurts – typically 17 to 20 grams!
I’d recommend using oat flour. The flour just helps provide some stability to the cookie dough yogurt mixture.
These will last for up to four days in the fridge. Keep them in the muffin liners until you’re ready to eat!
Other Sweet Non-Dairy Snack Recipes:
- High Protein Yogurt Bowls
- Protein Chia Pudding
- Chocolate Hazlenut Fudgesicle
- Cinnamon Apple Breakfast Quinoa
DAIRY-FREE HIGH PROTEIN COOKIE DOUGH YOGURT CUPS
Ingredients
For the Yogurt Cups:
- 1 cup coconut yogurt (or Greek yogurt if not dairy-free)
- 2 scoops of vanilla protein powder
- ¼ cup cashew butter (or a different nut butter of choice)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)
- ⅓ cup dairy-free chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons almond flour
- Pinch of salt
For the Chocolate Ganache Coating:
- 1 ½ cups dairy-free chocolate chips
- 2 tablespooons coconut oil
For Topping:
- Flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- MAKE THE YOGURT CUPS: In a small mixing bowl, stir together the coconut yogurt, protein powder, cashew butter, vanilla, ⅓ cup of chocolate chips, a pinch of salt, and maple syrup. Set aside.
- MAKE THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE: Melt 1 ½ cups of chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a small sauce pot over low heat, stirring often. Remove from the heat once the chocolate has fully melted.
- ASSEMBLE: Take a muffin liner and layer it with a thin coating of melted chocolate. Tip the muffin liner and spread it out evenly. Repeat with all 6 muffin liners.
- Freeze the muffin liners for about 30 seconds, just so the chocolate has a chance to set.
- Coat each liner with another layer, then freeze for 1 minute.
- Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, divide your cookie dough protein yogurt mixture between the 6 cups. Top each liner off with chocolate.
- Freeze for 15 to 20 minutes. Drizzle with additional melted chocolate (optional) and flaky sea salt to finish.
- To enjoy, remove the muffin liners and slice or bite into the cups.
- ENJOY!
I quadrupled this recipe because I was having guests stay with me and they’re as protein focused as me. I wanted something they could snack on for their sweet tooth that also had protein. This was SUCH a hit. My 2 year old also loves them. Will be a staple for us.
So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment/review!