Chocolate Hazelnut Bear Hug Protein Cookies

The cutest protein cookies you'll ever make! Chocolate Hazelnut Bear Hug Protein Cookies!

I was first inspired to make these bear hug cookies after seeing these online. But I had a hard time finding the right cookie cutter! Once I found this bear cookie cutter on Amazon, I was set! The trick is to find one that is sized proportional to whatever you'd like the bear to hold, and with arms that are shaped well enough to bend in.

I made these cookies with the Vitamin Shoppe's new Plnt vegan protein, and they came out great! It is a pea protein blend that is great for cookies and pie crusts, also for making fluffy protein cake! To sweeten these Chocolate Hazelnut Bear Hug Protein Cookies, I used some date sugar and Plnt stevia. The cookies still aren't super-sweet, though. You can always increase those amounts, if you like!

I used an egg in this recipe to bind the dough well and keep it from crumbling apart. (The photo above was my first draft, without egg. You can see it's a bit crumbly.) A flax egg should also work well, so these cookies can be made vegan, too!

However you make them, be sure to give them a try! These Chocolate Hazelnut Bear Hug Protein Cookies are adorable, high-protein, gluten-free, and delicious! Thanks to the Vitamin Shoppe for sending over the ingredients! Wait until you see what else we have in store for you! #teamvitaminshoppe

Enjoy!

🥣 Recipe

Chocolate Hazelnut Bear Hug Protein Cookies

Makes 14 cookies (7 servings).

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Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 9 minutes minutes

Total Time: 39 minutes minutes

Servings: 7 servings (2 cookies each)

Calories: 123kcal

Author: Andréa Marchese

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Ingredients

• ⅓ cup hazelnut butter 75g (made from processing hazelnut meal in a food processor)
• 1 whole large egg or flax egg
• 1 tablespoon date sugar 9g
• 2 scoops Plnt stevia or sweetener to taste
• ⅓ cup Plnt chocolate protein powder pea protein blend (37g)
• 14 whole hazelnuts

Instructions

• Mix hazelnut butter and egg until well combined.
• Add date sugar and stevia. Mix well.
• Add protein powder. Mix to combine. You may need to use your hands to get the ingredients combined well.
• Roll or press the cookie dough (about ¼ inch thick) onto a piece of parchment paper.
• Set the dough in the freezer for about 5 minutes to chill.
• Remove the dough from the freezer, and preheat oven to 325F (163C).
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Using your bear cookie cutter, press and cut one bear. Before you place it on the cookie sheet, place a hazelnut in the center of the cookie, and wrap the arms around the nut. Then place on cookie sheet.
• Once all cookies are cut, use a toothpick to make eyes and a nose for each bear.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, until cooked and firm.
• Let cool, and enjoy! These should stay well at a cool room temperature, or in the refrigerator.

Notes

A note about substitutions: because each type of protein powder has a distinct flavor and texture when baked, the only substitution I would recommend would be rice protein or another pea protein (or pea blend). See my Recipe Basics video for examples of what goes wrong when you use the wrong kind of protein powder.

To make hazelnut butter, process a bag of hazelnut meal in your food processor. It will approximately half in volume (2 cups hazelnut meal makes 1 cup hazelnut butter).

Nutrition

Serving: 2cookies | Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g

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