Need a little sweet something at 4 p.m. to carry you until dinner? Cosmic brownie protein bites are here for you. Made with a handful of pantry ingredients plus your favorite protein powder, these simple stir-together protein bites will become as integral to your adult snacking life as their namesake was to your childhood. Here are some tips on how to make them.
The protein powder:
These protein bites should work with any standard chocolate protein powder. For best results, choose a protein powder you love the taste of. I am a lifelong lover of Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard 100% Whey protein powder, specifically the Extreme Milk Chocolate flavor (NOT an advertisement, just the truth), so if you don’t have a go-to protein powder already, I’d highly recommend starting there.
The decorating:
In testing, I found these bites to be firm enough to dip as soon as they were rolled; however, if for some reason they seem too sticky or loose (which might be the case if your kitchen is warm or your almond butter is a little looser), pop them in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up before dipping.
Some dipped truffles or cookie dough bites (such as buckeyes) are speared with a toothpick so they can be more easily dipped in chocolate. These bites, on the other hand, are not solid enough for a toothpick to be helpful. Instead, I recommend dropping the balls one at a time into the bowl of melted chocolate, spooning chocolate over them, then using a fork to lift the bites back out and transfer to the baking sheet. Wait a minute or so (depending on how cool your kitchen is) before sprinkling with the rainbow chips. If the chocolate is too warm, they’ll just slide off the top of the bites!
Storage:
These bites should keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can also freeze them, if you like, for up to 1 month. If you do freeze, I recommend allowing them to thaw in the refrigerator before eating.
Did you try making these? Let us know how it went in the comments!