Soft and sweet Peanut Butter Protein Cupcakes with a peanut butter topping and melted chocolate, like Girls Scout Tagalong Cookies! These healthy tagalong cupcakes use peanut butter powder and protein powder for a low calorie and sugar free recipe!
Jump to RecipeI was actually not expecting these Tagalong inspired protein cupcakes to turn out this good. So soft, I was shook! And a really good peanut butter flavor throughout, and in that topping too.
No actual girls scouts cookies used in these cupcakes though. I made a peanut butter mix and coated it with sugar free chocolate for a healthy protein powder dessert.
Ingredients for Peanut Butter Protein Cupcakes
These peanut butter protein cupcakes are made with healthy ingredients, sweetened with protein powder, and topped with a protein ‘Tagalong Cookie’. Here’s what you need for these healthy cupcakes:
- Vanilla Protein Powder needed for a high protein cupake and also replaces most of the ‘sugar’.
I used Vanilla protein powder from Quest Nutrition since it’s a whey-caesin and works best for baking - Gluten Free (All Purpose) Baking Flour – or a regular all purpose flour
- 1:1 Zero Calorie Sugar Substitute – I use Lakanto, to keep this recipe sugar free; (code HAYLSKITCHEN for a discount here too)
- Peanut Butter Powder, also known as Powdered Peanut Butter. I recommend Lakanto for a sugar free version (the code HAYLSKITCHEN gives you a discount). Or you could use the one from PbFit too.
- Non-fat Greek Yogurt contributes to the oil-free part of these high protein low calorie protein cupcake since it adds the moisture, and also extra protein
- Creamy Peanut Butter
- Almond Milk or regular milk
- Baking Soda
For the Tagalong Girls Scout Cookies Cupcake effect:
- More Peanut Butter Powder
- Creamy Peanut Butter; I used American Dream Nut Butter Mistletoe Kisses Peanut Butter since it’s lower in fat and high in protein too,
(Code HAYLSKITCHEN for a discount here too) - Chocolate Protein Powder – this is what replaces the sugar here. I used Quest here again.
- Some Water
- And then Sugar Free Chocolate Chips – I use sugar free ones from Lakanto here too (same discount again). Lily’s is another sugar-free option!
Tips for the perfect Peanut Butter Protein Powder Cupcakes Recipe
While this protein powder peanut butter cupcake recipe is easy, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Grease the cupcake liners if they aren’t silicon.
This will allow the protein powder cupcakes to come off easily.
- Use room temperature yogurt and milk;
This is so the wet ingredients and dry ingredients can mix well.
- Use Creamy Butter so that it mixes well into the healthy cupcake batter.
- Don’t over-mix the batter!
If you over-mix it, the protein powder – will make it tough, dense and gummy.
- Taste the batter and see if you need some extra sweetener. I’d recommend using stevia powder to maintain the consistency of the batter and have sugar free protein cupcakes.
- Let stuffed cupcakes cool completely before adding the topping, or the frosting will melt away.
How to Store Protein Tagalong Cupcakes
These protein tagalong cupcakes recipe is a good meal prep snack or dessert and can be stored on the counter, in the fridge or freezer too.
Place protein peanut butter cupcakes in an airtight container and you can keep them on the countertop for 2-3 hours, fridge for 5 days or freezer for 2-3 months.
To defrost frozen girls scouts cookies cupcakes, leave them on the countertop or place them in the fridge overnight. I would not recommend using the microwave.
Alternatives for Healthy Peanut Butter Cupcakes
I made these healthy peanut butter cupcakes low fat, low calorie and sugar free with the set of ingredients above, but here’s some options to try. I havn’t given them all a go yet, so I can’t say how they all would work.
- 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour: All purpose flour or Whole Wheat Pastry Flour; The same amount by weight, not cups.
- Greek Yogurt: Coconut Yogurt
- Almond Milk: Any other milk
- 1:1 Zero Calorie Sugar Replacement: Regular confectioners sugar or coconut sugar (this won’t be sugar free though, and also higher in calories)
- Peanut Butter Powder: 2 Tbsp Regular Peanut Butter, but reduce the milk to about ¼ cup (I haven’t tried this yet though)
- Peanut Butter: Almond Butter, or Cashew Butter, Hazelnut Butter or Tahini
Options for the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake Topping
- Peanut Butter Powder: Use ¼ cup Peanut Butter, but also avoid the water. Add it a little at a time if needed.
A Vegan Tagalong Cupcakes Recipe
For the perfect Vegan high protein cupcake, make sure you use a plant based protein powder, coconut yogurt, and melted coconut oil.
ProteinWorld has a Vegan protein blend what might work well (HAYLSKITCHEN for a discount here too).
Some Unique Cupcake Recipes with Protein Powder
- Stuffed Protein Cupcakes!
- Protein Apple Cupcakes with Protein Peanut Butter Frosting
- Mini Chocolate Protein Cakes
Or some Peanut Butter Protein Powder Desserts:
- Peanut Butter Protein Mousse
- Protein Millionaire Shortbread – Healthy, Low Calorie, Amazing!
- Fluffernutter Protein Cookie for One
- Peanut Butter Blueberry Protein Cake
- Fudgy Peanut Butter Protein Mug Cake
- Peanut Butter Protein Cinnamon Rolls
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Cookie
Peanut Butter Protein Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 60 g 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour, see post for subs
- ½ cup Vanilla Protein Powder, Whey-caesin, 45g, about 1½ scoops
- ¼ cup Zero Calorie 1:1 Sugar Replacement, 48g
- 3 Tbsp Peanut Butter Powder, 18g
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- 1 cup Non-fat Greek Yogurt, 225g
- ½ cup Unsweetened Almond Milk, 120ml
- 1½ Tbsp Creamy Peanut Butter, 24g
Peanut Butter Topping:
- 6 Tbsp Peanut Butter Powder, 36g
- 2½ Tbsp Creamy Peanut Butter, 40g
- 2 Tbsp Vanilla Protein Power, Whey-caesin, 11g
- 3 Tbsp Water, 45ml
Chocolate Topping:
- 3 Tbsp Chocolate Chips, Sugar-free recommended below, 42g
- ¼ tsp Coconut Oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F, line 10 cups of a muffin pan with cupcake lines, and lightly spray insides with cooking spray (or use non-stick pan).
- In a bowl, whisk gluten free baking flour, vanilla protein powder, zero calorie sugar replacement, peanut butter powder and baking soda.
- In a large bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt and almond milk.
- Add dry mix to wet, and gently fold until just combined.DO NOT OVER-MIX or protein powder will make the cupcakes gummy.
- Add peanut butter and fold until completely mixed. (Do not over-mix)
- Divide batter among cupcake cavities filling ⅔ way to the top.Smoothen tops with back of spoon or small spatula.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes. A toothpick inserted into center comes out dry.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan.Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 15 minutes.
Peanut Butter Topping:
- In a bowl, mix peanut butter powder, peanut butter, protein powder.Add water (little at a time) until a dough-like mix is formed.
- Divide into 10 pieces, roll into balls and flatten down to disks.
- Place a piece on each cupcake.
Chocolate topping:
- Place chocolate chips and coconut oil in a large microwave safe bowl and microwave about 45 seconds, stirring halfway, until completely melted.
- Spread chocolate on peanut butter piece, use back of spoon to smoothen, and drizzle on more chocolate.
Notes
- Taste the batter and see if you need some extra sweetener; I’d recommend stevia if needed.
- Nutrition value is calculated using products recommended below.
- See post for alternate ingredients, tips and storage options.
- Quest Nutrition Vanilla Milkshake Protein Powder
- Lakanto Peanut Butter Powder
- Use code HAYLSKITCHEN for 15% off your order
- American Dream Nut Butter Peanut Butter
- Use code HAYLSKITCHEN for 10% off your order
- Lakanto Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Use code HAYLSKITCHEN for 15% off your order
- Servings: 10 cupcakes | Serving size: 1
- Calories: 129cal
- Fat: 5.1g | Saturated fat: 1.1g
- Carbohydrates: 16.6g | Fiber: 2.6g | Sugar: 1.5g
- Protein: 11.9g
Hey! I'm Haylee
Google Software Engineer
I use my passion for baking (and eating) to create healthy, high-protein, good-for-you and diet-friendly desserts and sweet treats that are actually delicious.
Come join me in Hayl's Kitchen and let's eat high protein, sweet and guilt free!