If you’re looking to increase your protein intake, you’re probably looking at savory ways to pack it into your regular meals. But with a high-protein dessert, you get the protein you need, along with a little sweet treat, too.
To boost your protein intake—while still enjoying a delicious sweet—try these protein-packed dessert recipes.
How Much Protein Should You Eat Each Day?
Your protein intake is dictated by your weight and activity level. In general, an average adult needs about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of weight—though you may need slightly more if you’re weightlifting and highly active, or if you’re over 50 and at risk of loss of muscle mass. For a 165-pound person, that means you’ll need between 60 to 90 grams of protein.
High-Protein Dessert Ingredients
There are certain ingredients that feature often in high-protein desserts. So if you’re on the search for a dessert that’ll boost your protein intake, look for some of these common ingredients:
- Eggs Each large egg features six grams of protein—so egg-filled desserts like custards and meringues are a great choice for a protein-rich dessert.
- Nuts and Nut Butters Both nuts and nut butters offer plenty of protein. For instance, a cup of peanuts offers more than seven grams of protein.
- Dairy Products Dairy is a common ingredient in desserts—and Greek yogurt and dairy milks all contribute a great protein boost to your desserts.
- Almond Flour Almond flour is a common ingredient in gluten-free desserts—and it boosts the protein content of your dessert. There are 24 grams of protein per cup of almond flour.
- Oats Oats are one of the highest protein grains, with six grams of protein per cup. They can be ground up as a flour or used whole in cookies or other treats.
- Chickpeas Chickpeas can be turned into a dessert, too—and a cup of chickpeas features 14.5 grams of protein.
- Seeds Chia seeds offer four grams of protein in just two tablespoons of seeds—and they help create a creamy pudding that’ll be a delicious breakfast (or a high-protein dessert).
High-Protein Dessert Recipes to Try
If you’re looking for a high-protein dessert, these delicious ideas will definitely be a good place to start.
Pistachio Pudding
If your only experience with pistachio pudding is the boxed instant variety, this easy-to-make homemade version will be a dessert revelation. Pistachios are a great source of protein, with 25 grams per cup of nuts—and this recipe also calls for milk and eggs to create the custard, making it a protein-packed and delectable dessert option.
Orange Clove Basque Cheesecake
If you’re looking for a fresh take on the traditional cheesecake, consider this Basque version, which is lighter, crust-free, and features a tasty caramelized outer layer. This recipe is heavy on the cheese (two pounds of cream cheese!), eggs, and cream—and you can swap in almond flour for the all-purpose flour to up the protein intake. Each of the 12 servings of this cake offers more than eight grams of protein.
Chocolate Almond Cake
Greg DuPree
Gluten-free desserts are often a great choice if you’re looking to increase your protein intake. They usually call for almond flour, which features 24 grams of protein per cup. The airy texture of this cake comes from whipped egg whites, which also pack in the protein.
Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough
Fotografia Basica/Getty Images
Yes, cottage cheese has been having a big moment. (Hello, viral cottage cheese bread!) But it also can make an amazing sweet treat, too, as this TikTok-famous, safe-to-eat cookie dough can attest. (P.S. This is meant to be eaten in its dough form, so don’t try to bake it!)
The whole recipe features 50 grams of protein from the cottage cheese, plus additional protein from the vanilla protein powder and almond flour that also feature in the recipe.
Apple Cinnamon Chia Pudding
Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Food Stylist: Claire Spollen
This sweet treat is a healthy dessert option that really packs in the protein, thanks to its chia seeds (10 grams per recipe), plus the nut butter, Greek yogurt (20 grams per recipe), and your choice of milk (opt for pea milk or dairy to get the most protein per treat).
Pistachio-Walnut Cheesecake
Greg DuPree
This high-protein dessert features both pistachios and walnuts in the crust and as a decorative garnish to add a little additional protein to a traditional cheesecake. It calls for honey in lieu of sugar, if you’re looking for a less-processed sweet.
Cranberry Ricotta Cake
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
You don’t have to wait until after dinner for a sweet treat with this dessert, which features ricotta cheese and tart cranberries for a pretty cake you can enjoy for a brunch, too. It provides 14 grams of protein per serving.
Gluten-Free Almond Macaroon Cake
Another gluten-free goodie that’s packed with protein, this one features both almond flour and sliced almonds, along with eggs. Even the coconut adds almost five grams of protein to the recipe.
Sweet Tahini and Date Truffles
Victor Protasio
Medjool dates add a healthy touch of sweetness to these sweet treats—and just two of the truffles contain four grams of protein.
White Chocolate Pomegranate Cheesecake
Victor Protasio
If you’re looking for high-protein desserts and love cheesecake, you are in luck, as the cheesecake base of cheese, eggs, and milk packs in plenty of protein-laden ingredients—plus there’s always the opportunity to include nuts in the crust or topping. There’s 12 grams of protein per serving of this tasty recipe, thanks to the dairy-rich, creamy cake and the sprinkling of pistachios to top it off.
Chickpea “Cookie” Bites
Love cookie dough? Chickpeas may seem like a nontraditional choice for a dessert, but they lose their “beany” flavor when they’re mixed in with pecans, oats, and warming spices. The recipe features more than 103 grams of protein.
Tahini S’Mores Blondies
Antonis Achilleos
Tahini gives these s’mores-inspired sweets an extra punch of protein—and they offer seven grams of protein per serving.
Sheet Pan Pavlova
Egg whites and a whipped sour cream combine to add a bit of protein to every serving—and the fresh fruit makes it a healthy, vitamin-packed dessert.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Overnight Oats
This sweet and creamy overnight oats dish makes a delicious and easy high-protein dessert, too. Among the protein all-stars in this recipe: Greek yogurt, peanut butter, chia seeds, oats—and a sprinkling of peanuts, too.
Lemon Pistachio Bars
Antonis Achilleos
At eight grams of protein per serving, these sweet and tart bars are a perfect high-protein dessert idea. Pistachios serve as the crust and get sprinkled on top, while eggs and condensed milk create a creamy, custardy filling.
Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies
You’ll get four grams of protein in every single delicious cookie. And what can beat a peanut butter cookie for a classic sweet? (You can also sandwich in ice cream or whipped cream cheese between a pair of the cookies to up the protein count for this dessert!)
