Protein cake pops! Peanut butter pumpkin cake pops to be precise. Need I say more?! While these are definitely not your traditional cake pop recipe, it’s the best way to describe the texture and how they taste!
I am a sucker for a good piece of cake. And then when cake pops became all the rage, what’s not to love? A perfect bite-size piece of cake on a stick, yes, please! While they are absolutely delicious, traditional ones can be pretty heavy in sugar. Of course, they can be enjoyed in moderation, but something to think about if you have specific goals.
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So today, we are making a much easier and healthier spin on them! The cake batter requires no baking, is made with only 4 ingredients, and then is covered in chocolate! You totally don’t have to coat them in chocolate if you don’t want either and just eat them as is.
Each ball is 95 calories per ball with 5 grams of protein, 8 grams of carbs, and 6 grams of fat. They are ready in about 30 minutes for a quick and healthy treat you can enjoy all week long.
What are cake pops?
Cake pops or cake balls are bite-sized balls made from mixing crumbled cake and frosting and traditionally coated in icing or chocolate and stuck on a lollipop stick, giving them their name. The texture is moister than your traditional cake, almost resembling cookie dough. They have become super popular with tons of different flavor combos.
Why we love these protein cake pops
- easy to make – no baking required!
- made from 6 simple ingredients
- protein boost – each one has 5 grams of protein!
- macro friendly – a good balance of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats for stable blood sugar and energy levels
Ingredients
- pumpkin puree
- peanut butter
- vanilla protein powder – any flavor will work though
- pumpkin pie spice
- chocolate chips – melted down and will be the coating for the cake balls
- coconut oil – optional, but helps the chocolate be a little more fluid to help roll the balls
- salt
How to make pumpkin protein cake pops
- Make the dough. In a medium-sized bowl, add pumpkin, peanut butter, protein powder, pumpkin spice, and salt. Mix well to combine. It will get crumbly at first but then comes together – the texture is like cookie dough.
- Form into balls. Using a tablespoon as a scoop, form into 12 equal-sized balls. Place on a parchment paper lined plate or baking sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes to harden.
- Melt the chocolate. Add chocolate chips and coconut oil to a small-medium bowl. Microwave in 15-20 second increments until melted. Make sure to stir after every time so the chocolate doesn’t burn.
- Coat cake pops. Dip the cake ball into the bowl of melted chocolate and use a spoon to roll it around to evenly coat. Repeat with the remaining balls. If desired, sprinkle with a little salt. Let cool in the fridge until the chocolate hardens.
- Enjoy! Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice once cooled and enjoy!
Protein powder tips
- use a thicker protein powder – the protein powder is what absorbs the liquid and is the flour of the recipe. You do not want one that dissolves easily in things (like collagen), or the dough will not form. I used the brand Orgain and it works really well. You can try whey protein but might need the addition of flour.
- if your batter comes out wet – I suggest adding a little coconut flour, oat flour, or almond flour to help absorb the moisture. Slowly add until you reach the desired consistency as each one has different absorbencies (coconut flour has the most).
Storage
- refrigerator – store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Cake pops should stay fresh for a week.
- freezer – place in a storage bag for up to 3 months. Let defrost in the fridge when ready to enjoy.
Substitutions or additions
- pumpkin puree – mashed banana, canned sweet potato, or unsweetened applesauce should work instead of pumpkin. These will change the flavor some.
- peanut butter – any kind of nut butter or seed butter will work. Try almond butter, cashew butter, sunbutter (sunflower seed butter), or tahini (sesame seed paste).
- vanilla protein powder – any kind of flavor will work. If you don’t want to use protein powder, almond flour or coconut flour might work, but the ratios would be different as I haven’t tried it. This will also change the protein content in each pop.
- chocolate chips – any kind of chip will work (white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips…). You can also leave out the outside coating if desired.
- coconut oil – if using, I do not suggest another oil as coconut oil hardens when it is chilled.
Here are some additions to spice up protein cake balls:
- vanilla extract or almond extract
- sweetener – if you want them a little sweeter, add a tablespoon or two of maple syrup or honey. You will need to add a tad more protein powder to adjust.
- sprinkles – sprinkle on top of the melted chocolate for a fun coating!
More protein snack recipes
- pumpkin protein bars
- apple cinnamon protein cookies
- oatmeal raisin protein bars
- homemade gummies
- chocolate peanut butter protein balls
- sweet potato blueberry protein muffins
If you love quick and easy meals and want to learn how to build a balanced plate, check out our FREE How to Build a Balanced Plate Guide!
Pumpkin Protein Cake Pops
ingredients
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (122 grams)
- 1/4 cup natural peanut butter (64 grams)
- 1/2 packed cup vanilla protein powder (66 grams)
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
- pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips (75 grams)
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
instructions
- Make the dough. In a medium-sized bowl, add pumpkin, peanut butter, protein powder, pumpkin spice, and salt. Mix well to combine. It will get crumbly at first but then comes together – the texture is like cookie dough. See notes if the batter is too wet and not coming together.
- Form into balls. Using a tablespoon as a scoop, form into 12 equal-sized balls (about 21 grams each). Place on a parchment paper lined plate or baking sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes to harden.
- Melt the chocolate. Add chocolate chips and coconut oil to a small-medium bowl. Microwave in 15-20 second increments until melted. Make sure to stir after every time so the chocolate doesn't burn. The coconut oil helps the chocolate be a little more liquid and easier to roll in.
- Coat cake pops. Dip the cake ball into the bowl of melted chocolate and use a spoon to roll it around to evenly coat. Repeat with the remaining balls. If desired, sprinkle with a little salt and place a toothpick in the balls. Let cool in the fridge until the chocolate hardens.
- Enjoy! Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice once cooled and enjoy!
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notes
- use a thicker protein powder – the protein powder is what absorbs the liquid and is the flour of the recipe. You do not want one that dissolves easily in things (like collagen), or the dough will not form. I used the brand Orgain and it works really well. You can try whey protein but might need the addition of flour.
- if your batter comes out wet – I suggest adding a little coconut flour, oat flour, or almond flour to help absorb the moisture. Slowly add until you reach the desired consistency as each one has different absorbencies (coconut flour has the most).
nutrition
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Great
Glad you enjoyed them!
I made these for my kids and they both liked them. I did have to add quite a bit of oats and freeze for 15-20 to be able to roll. I also made some without chocolate on the outside- perfect for lunch boxes!
So glad they were a hit, Shannon, thanks for trying them!
Love pumpkin and chocolate can’t wait to try
You will love them!
I woke up today with an itch to make something with pumpkin and found these. The limited ingredient list gave me hope that it wouldn’t be too tricky. I struggled with the batter consistency being too wet and missed the note about adding oat flour and just continued adding protein powder LOL. I even added a handful of whole oats. I still ended up with a pretty wet batter but firm enough to form into balls. I only got about 9 as I made them a little larger and rolled them in dark chocolate. Even with all these hiccups they turned out AMAZING. Seriously what a fun snack. And the suggested sprinkle of sea salt at the end is a MUST!! Thanks for sharing!!
These are so delicious & festive! I added a bunch of oat flour & protein powder as well to get the right consistency . I worried that I may have put too much of one thing or the other but they turned out soo delicious! Thank you for providing such amazing recipes that taste indulgent yet are healthy!!
So happy to hear they turned out Stacy! Glad you liked them and thanks for trying them!
Ah, I’m sorry they didn’t come together that well. It definitely depends on the protein powder being used, but I’m glad they still turned out! Thanks for trying them Christina and glad you enjoyed them!