I love protein powder, it’s a big part of my nutrition and has been such for years. Being a sportsman, I couldn’t picture a proper recovery - after the daily strenuous workouts I put myself through - without protein powder delivering the much needed aminoacids to my strained muscles.
At the beginning I would use protein powder only in smoothies. Over the last year or so I’ve learned new ways to incorporate protein powder in my diet that do not only involve a blender.
I discovered that baking with protein powder is quite fun indeed. Brownies, cookies, muffins, oatmeal, pancakes, etc. What a huge learning curve it has been so far.
First thing I realized is that protein powder resembles a lot to flour; in that it’s “grainy” and does react similarly in recipes. It’s dry, absorbs liquids and gives a likewise texture to baked goods.
However, protein powders can be quite different. Some mix very well in smoothies but coagulate when cooked. Some are flour-like but tend to form lumps when blended with liquids.
After many failed attempts and some deserved successes, I got some experience under my belt.
If you’re interested, here’s my two cents’ worth.
The different types of protein powders available
The most popular types of protein powder are whey, soy, soy/whey blend and rice.
I‘ve baked with all of them and always got the best results from pure whey or soy/whey blend.
Rice protein powder is very delicate but also very dry and sometimes fails to blend smoothly with the other ingredients. I tried two different brands and both yielded similar (yet very different) results.
Soy reacts pretty well but has a powerful aftertaste. I can always feel it, even when I’ve used unflavored kind.
Also, I’m not very keen on using soy that it’s not 100% certified organic (because of the whole GMO thing) and it’s not always easy to find organic soy protein powder.
My go-to choice when baking with protein powder has to be whey. It’s a decent flour substitute that delivers best results when used together with some flour or (better yet) oat flour.
Whey gives an almost exact cake-like flour texture to baked goods. However, when used alone the finished product tends to be more drier than its counterpart baked with flour.
That’s why I like to use in my recipes a combination of protein powder and flour.
However, with goods with a high fat content (such as cookies or brownies) whey protein alone works just fine.
Potential reactions
Protein powder can react when exposed to high heat and especially extended high heat. As baking uses lower temperatures than pan or deep frying, it’s pretty safe and can be considered an ideal way to heat protein powder.
Keep in mind that protein powder tend to toughens baked goods, that’s why it’s very important to never overmix batters. Mix only until ingredients are sufficiently mixed, that’s about it.
Flavored or unflavored?
When it comes to choosing between flavored or unflavored protein powder it’s all about personal preferences.
I recommend using unflavored protein powder.
Even though companies have really made an effort to improve the taste of protein powders, I still find that flavored powders have a chemical aftertaste that I find off putting in baked goods.
Some of my friends loved it, I kind of hate it. I’d rather use unflavored protein powder and add the flavors myself (vanilla, chocolate, peanut butter, fruit, etc.)
There are already million variables that should be taken into account when baking with protein powder: texture, raising, moisture, reaction with other ingredients, etc. If you can take at least one factor out of the equation makes your life easier.
Want to bake protein brownies? Use real chocolate (or cocoa) and unflavored protein powder instead of chocolate flavored protein powder.
Feeling like have protein vanilla cookies? Use real vanilla extract and unflavored protein powder instead of vanilla flavored protein powder. And so on.
Vegan (and raw) protein powder
Lately I’ve fallen in love with one particular brand of vegan (and raw) protein powder made from sprouted whole grain brown rice. It’s the real deal and works perfectly in baking.
I’ve completely ditched whey for this raw and vegan protein powder.
Considerations
If you don’t have a favorite brand I suggest you try out some samples until you’ll find the one that works best for you.
Keep trying, the key to acquiring proficiency in any task is repetition.
The Iron You
FAQs
What are the rules for baking with protein powder? ›
this means that if your recipe requires 1 ½ cup of flour, you can use up to ½ cup of protein powder instead of flour. To simplify things a bit, think about it in these terms: Your batter should not be more than ½ protein powder. Don't Fear Fat – Remember, fat is a macronutrient – meaning that you need it.
Is it good to bake with protein powder? ›Protein powder is a good choice for crafting desserts like cake or cookies or other kinds of baked goods such as bread, pastries, pizza dough, or even pasta. It's not a 1:1 substitution, though. Flour and protein powder have different properties.
What does protein powder replace in baking? ›Protein powder can be used as a substitute for flour when baking. So whether you're looking for an alternative due to dietary restrictions or just want something different from your usual baking routine—swapping out regular flours for protein powder is definitely worth trying at least once!
What does protein do in baking? ›Protein's vital role in baking. Like any good actor, protein can play many parts. First, it's an essential component of a healthful diet. But especially important in bakery applications, protein performs as a dough conditioner, structuring agent and moisture controller as well as in myriad other roles.
What are the rules for baking powder? ›Baking powder is a fast leavening agent, and it is easy to generate a lot of gas when it encounters water. Therefore, when using baking powder, you need to put the baking powder in before mixing with the flour. After mixing evenly, add water to make the flour fluffy.
Does protein powder lose nutrients when baked? ›Heating up protein powder can alter its structure a bit, but the good news is that the nutritional value remains largely unchanged. This means you can still get the benefits of the protein, even if you mix it into hot foods like soups or bake it into treats.
What is the best kind of protein powder to bake with? ›Whey protein powder is great for baking bars, brownies, cookies, pancakes or energy balls. It is not the best option for baking fluffy desserts, instead. For fluffy cakes and pastries, casein protein powder comes into play.
Can I mix protein powder with eggs? ›Eggs are already filled with protein, but adding some protein powder can help give them even more of a punch.
Does protein powder make baked goods dry? ›Baking with protein is very different to normal baking, especially baking with whey protein powder because it causes the baked items to become dry if not counteracted with other ingredients.
Can you add protein powder to bread dough? ›Whey protein does well in most baked goods. Try adding it to your pancakes, muffins or waffles. It's an amazingly easy way to turn your favourite sweet foods into something healthy. And why not try adding whey protein next time you bake bread.
How to add protein to all-purpose flour? ›
It can be used to bake good breads, though they won't have quite the same structure and texture as bread made from higher-protein bread flour. Add vital wheat gluten, which is primarily made up of wheat proteins, and you can bump your all-purpose flour's protein percentage.
What happens when you bake with protein powder? ›use in moderation
Never ever bake a batter that's mostly protein powder, especially for pancakes or protein muffins/cakes. If more than half of your batter is protein powder, your food will come out super dry and like rubber, especially if you're using whey or casein powder.
Yes! You may need to slightly tweak the amount of sweetener, protein powder, or liquid ingredients in the recipe, but it should still turn out fairly close to the taste and texture of the protein powder that I used.
Which flour is the highest in protein? ›Thus, high gluten flour — also called hard wheat — is a high protein flour ( 2 ). According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), high gluten flour contains the highest amount of protein among wheat flours, at 12.5–14.5% — compared with 12–14% in bread flour 8.7–11.8% in all-purpose flour (3).
What not to mix protein powder with? ›The addition of real milk powder may lead to bloating, constipation and probably dysentery because of it's high lactose and sugar level. Don't add ingredients such as soy protein which contains chemical compounds that can lead to hormonal disturbance in some people. Avoid mixing vegetable oils that contain trans fats.
How does protein in flour affect baking? ›The higher the concentration of the simple proteins, the stronger the gluten bond in the flour. Gluten bonds influence the cell structure or 'crumb' of the bread and its ability to rise or trap gas produced from yeast activity.
Does heat destroy whey protein? ›Your body is still absorbing the same amount of protein, whether you're eating it cooked or not. More specifically, cooking or heating protein powder at or above 160 degrees Fahrenheit is when whey starts to break down, according to research published in the Journal of Dairy Research.
How do you mix protein powder in baking? ›Don't add the protein powder directly to the dry ingredients. Basically, add the protein powder to the liquid in the recipe and dissolve it into a hom*ogenous liquid; you can then treat that just like the wet ingredients rather than keeping the protein powder with the dry ingredients.