The “Whey” to Bake and Cook with Protein Powder

Heidi Cannon
May 8, 2015
3 min read

Protein powder is not just about shakes and pancakes people! Let me introduce myself. My name is Heidi Cannon and I LOVE food. Coming from a Norwegian/Danish background, our family has always enjoyed eating, and I’m no exception!

Ever since I started my fitness journey 4 years ago, I have completely switched up my eating and food habits. I don’t eat perfect all the time – let’s get that straight - but I do know my limits and am conscious of what are in treats and different foods. That being said, what’s the fun when you’re in full contest prep mode when you can’t enjoy something like a cookie or a piece of cake? Well, that’s how my journey using protein powder all started. I never used it in my diet until I started taking my training to the next level. To me, protein powder was for the hard-core body builders... not true...it’s for anyone wanting to build and maintain muscle and tone, satisfy hunger, and maintain energy levels.

Here are some guidelines to consider when baking or cooking with protein powder as a base instead of white flour.

Tip 1: Finding a good protein powder. There are so many choices on the market from whey protein, whey isolates, whey concentrates – there’s even soy, and the list goes on and on. And let’s not forget about the taste and the list of ingredients included. Be sure to take in the demos on protein products provided at the various supplement stores all over the country. Be sure to read the labels and know what you’re buying. I’ve had my best luck baking with proteins that are a whey isolate blend which are less heavy than full whey protein. If you haven’t tried Magnum Quattro, I strongly recommend it! This isolate blend is the perfect baking tool in my kitchen :)

Tip 2: Using Cooking Spray. Protein can be sticky to bake with at times, so I would suggest either using cooking spray on your baking dishes or use parchment paper to ensure there’s no sticking. For me, I use either coconut oil or low-fat cooking spray. A great investment too is having rubber re-useable baking tins – most department stores sell these beauties!!

Tip 3: Watching your Baking Time. Baking with protein can be a bit tricky – the outcome can either make you feel like a baking rock star or it can result in a rock solid mess! Even if a recipe says 10-15 minutes, watch your baking time. Not all ovens bake or cook the same. Using a tooth pick or fork is helpful to ensure whatever you’re baking isn’t too dry.

Tip 4: Freezing your “leftovers”. Whenever you’re baking or cooking, it’s always nice to make extras that can be popped into the freezer for use at a later date. And, you’ll find that when you thaw an isolate protein, it is very moist.

Tip 5: Follow the Recipe! Don’t use too much protein powder. If a recipe calls for 2 scoops – then that’s what you use. Too much protein powder can make recipes turn out very dry. As well, I’ve found that using alternative ingredients into your baking like apricots, coconut flour, or rice flour, can really enhance a recipe.

Tip 6: Have Fun!! Baking and cooking with protein powder is limitless! Be creative and have fun with it!! And, the next time you’re online, check out my APP “Mrs Cannons Baking” in the App Store. There are bi-weekly added recipes for all your protein cooking and baking treats!