Price: $23.35 for 3 bags ($1.55 per serving)
Nutrition Facts (for 6 cookies): 140 Calories, 11g Fat, 7g Carbs (4g Fiber, 1g Sugar Alcohol), 8g Protein
Sometimes you just want cookies. Unfortunately, most protein cookies fall incredibly flat.
They’re often too dry, too artificial-tasting, or just plain disappointing. So when I came across Atkins Bite-Size Crunchy Protein Cookies, I was excited at the possibility for something a little bit different.
While crunchy cookies aren’t necessarily a new category, they are very under-utilized in the protein space. Lenny & Larry’s currently offers crunchy protein cookies, but other major players stick with soft-baked, way-too-dry protein cookies.
These little cookies offer decent macros overall. A serving of 6 small cookies contains 140 calories, 11g fat, 2g net carbs (4g sugar and 1g sugar alcohol), and 8g protein. Compared to Lenny & Larry’s crunchy protein cookies (160 calories and 6g protein per serving), Atkins is pretty impressive.
I’ve had Atkins Protein Cookies in the past, and they were surprisingly decent. They reminded me a lot of Quest Cookies, which is nothing mind-blowing, but certainly respectable. So, my hope here is that the crunchy cookies will follow suit.
These crunchy protein cookies are certainly bite-size, but they’re a bit larger than I was expecting. They seem a bit larger than mini Chips Ahoy cookies, but they do look nearly identical to the real thing.
The first thing that struck me about these cookies was the crunch. It’s genuinely satisfying and surprisingly reminiscent of cookies like mini Chips Ahoy. They do break down to be a bit chalky as you chew, but the initial crunch is spot-on.
If you’re craving a crunchy chocolate chip cookie, the texture alone might do the trick.
Flavor-wise, these cookies are better than I expected. Atkins managed to make them without an insane amount of sugar alcohol, which is often a concern with low-carb treats. As a result, they don’t taste overly artificial.
That said, they definitely taste like protein cookies. There’s a distinct vanilla whey protein flavor that comes through, making it easily distinguishable from regular cookies.
I was surprised to learn that protein is the main ingredient of these cookies, with no flour used at all. Given this, I’m impressed with how satisfying the crunch is. They could easily taste much worse considering the ingredients.
When I first tried these cookies, I wasn’t super impressed. While I loved the crunch, I felt the protein taste was simply too prominent.
But I kept these on my desk after my initial review, and I found myself contiineuing to reach into these bag day after day as a quick bite of something sweet. And the more I ate them, the more I enjoyed them.
These crunchy protein cookies won’t be replacing regular cookies in my diet, but I did enjoy them way more than I expected to. The texture is perfect and satisfying, even if the flavor doesn’t quite match up to a traditional cookie.
These Atkins Bite-Size Crunchy Protein Cookies are not going to fool you into thinking you’re eating the real deal, but they do a pretty good job of satisfying that cookie craving without going overboard on calories or sugar.
If you’re following a low-carb or keto diet and missing your crunchy cookie fix, these are absolutely worth trying. If you’re simply looking for a higher-protein alternative to regular cookies, even if you’re not concerned about keeping things low-carb, I still think they’re worth a shot.
However, if you’re sensitive to the taste of protein powder or expecting something that tastes exactly like a traditional cookie, these might not be for you.
The perfect crunch, decent macros, and not-too-artificial taste make them a contender in a category (protein cookies) dominated by mediocrity.
While they wouldn’t be a staple in my regular snack rotation, they’re a solid option for those times when you want something sweet and crunchy with a little extra protein.
