How to Make Homemade Protein Powder
Here's the dietitian's recipe for simple homemade protein powder - using a surprise budget-friendly protein source and a natural thickener.
This recipe was originally published in 2014 - and has become our most popular recipe. I've updated the post with new photos and recent information (and side note: people often ask me what blender I use - here's the $40 Black & Decker Blender I've used for decades now! [affiliate link].
So, over the years, dozens of friends have told me this homemade protein powder is a favorite for their kids and even for sick relatives. Here's how it all began...
My sister wanted a grab-and-go breakfast for herself and her teenager; she thought a fruit smoothie with a scoop of protein powder would combine all the components of a balanced breakfast. But...she wanted a more affordable option than most store-bought varieties - and she doesn't care for the artificial sweeteners in lots of the powders.
Here's the recipe she texted me for my dietitian approval: "dry oats + brown rice + raw lentils: grind to powder"
Yikes. I texted back "breakfast #bellyache" as raw lentils are indigestible. In fact one of the reasons you cook them is to destroy some of the anti-nutritional factors that makes them inedible when raw.
So, instead, here's the wholesome recipe I came up with using an under-utilized, convenient and super-nutritious item in the supermarket: instant nonfat dry milk - it's actually just milk with the water removed - thus powdered milk. So, just like a glass of liquid milk, it contains whey. And according to a growing group of researchers, high-quality protein like dairy (whey) and eggs yield the best results in terms of muscle growth, muscle recovery, and may be beneficial for weight loss.
Each ½ cup-scoop of my Homemade Protein Powder has 180 calories and 12 grams of protein. To make it I combined:
- Dry milk powder: A ⅓ cup serving has just 80 calories, a whopping 8 grams of protein, including whey protein, AND 8 essential nutrients.
- Dry oats: A natural thickener because oats 'plump' in liquid. All oats are a healthy whole grain with significant amounts of fiber. Plus some researchers have show oatmeal has a special type of fiber that helps you feel fuller longer.
- Almonds: Contains fiber and heart-healthy fats.
[bctt tweet="A dietitian's recipe for the simple way: How to Make Homemade Protein Powder via @TspCurry" via="no"]
Combine my Homemade Protein Powder (recipe below) in the following quick recipes for a protein-packed grab-and-go-breakfast that will do your body good plus keep you going all morning. These are also some of this dietitian's favorite ways to refuel after a workout. Use a ½-cup scoop (46.2 gm) of Homemade Protein Powder:
- Berry Berry Smoothie: 1 scoop Homemade Protein Power + ½ cup plain (or flavored) Greek yogurt + 1 cup milk + 1 cup berries = 31 g protein
- Extra Creamy Chocolate Smoothie: 1 scoop Homemade Protein Power + 1 cup milk + ¼ avocado +1 tablespoon cocoa powder = 18 g protein
- Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie: 1 scoop Homemade Protein Power + 1 cup milk + ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice + ¼ cup canned sweet potatoes = 17 g protein
Homemade Protein Powder
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
Description
Here's the dietitian's recipe for simple homemade protein powder - using a surprise budget-friendly ingredient.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (240 gm) instant nonfat dry milk, divided
- 1 cup (80 gm) old fashioned or instant dry oats
- 1 cup (142 gm) almonds
- Sweetener of your choice
Instructions
- Place 1 cup instant dry milk, 1 cup oats, 1 cup almonds in blender. Pulse until smooth.
- Place remaining instant dry milk in blender and pulse just a few times until blended.
- Place in container and cover tightly. Keep at a cool room temperature if you use within 2 weeks - if storing longer store in the refrigerator so the nuts don't go rancid.
- To use, scoop ½ cup into ½-1 cup liquid in a blender; if possible let set 5-10 minutes for oats to plump. Add additional fruits, flavorings, yogurt or milks of your choice. Vanilla or almond extract is especially delicious.
Do you use protein powder? Have you ever made your own?
If you like this recipe, check out more of our Healthy Kitchen Hacks series here.
If you like this recipe you may like to slurp these recipes with a scoop of my Homemade Protein Powder:
Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Bowl
Now, check out my review: WHICH PROTEIN POWDER IS BEST FOR BAKING? And see the results when baking this Protein Banana Bread.
Thanks for this recipe- what can I substitute for almonds as I have a nut allergy? Someone mentioned pumpkin seeds but what about chia seeds or flax seeds etc?
Thanks
You could substitute flax or chia seeds, and they would 'plump' up and make the shake to which you added the powder even thicker. However, they would not have the same amount of protein as almonds. Are you allergic to peanuts too? (As you probably know, they are a ground nut/legume and not a tree nut.) Peanuts have a similar amount of protein as almonds.
Hi, I am trying to find a good protein powder for use during the Insanity program. Is there a substitute for the dry milk? I do not consume dairy, and was just wondering if there was an alternative for this in your fantastic recipe. Thank you!
If you removed the dry milk powder, you would be removing the leucine-rich source of amino acids - and the major source of protein - which would not be recommended. But you could make a protein powder of blender-ground almonds and oatmeal - then add a scoop to a dairy-free milk in the blender to make a smoothie. Thanks for reading Valerie!
That sounds like a great option! Thank you!
Hello is this safe.. For a teen 18yrs old one.. Hmm just read it somewhere if the doctor prescribed then only can these be taken. I didn't prescribe anything just read that protein powders may help you in weight gain.. Is it true..?? Thanks in advance.
Cheers..
KT
Yes, it's safe for kids. In fact it's the only protein powder I give my kids. Thanks for commenting.
I was wondering...how much would I need after a session of strength training?
After strength training, you should get about 20-30 g protein depending on your weight. This protein powder has a good balance of protein and carbohydrates. If you need more protein, add Greek yogurt to your smoothie made with this protein powder.
This looks great but sadly not for someone like me who is lactose intolerant. Is there an alternative I could use that would give me the same amount of protein without the dairy component?
There is no substitute for the dairy component with the similar amount of protein or the valuable leucine found in dairy. However, you could make this Homemade Protein Powder with just almonds and oatmeal. Then you could make a smoothie using a dairy free milk beverage. And then eat an egg on the side, as eggs have leucine which is important for muscle preservation.
They do make powdered coconut milk. I use it when I make homemade vegan hot cocoa mix. I can't tell you the nutritional info, as I don't have a package of it now, but it would be something to look into.
Good to know Heather! Thanks for sharing!
Hey, can we take this protein powder in one glass of soy milk post workout for losing weigbt?
Yes, this protein powder it great in soy milk. But you may want to blend it with a blender for the smoothest drink.
I am going to use your homemade protein powder as a base for my smoothies. The thing that I run into with a lot of smoothie recipes is that they call for frozen banana. I absolutely loathe the taste of frozen bananas! It's way too strong and overpowers everything else in my smoothies. What do you recommend as a substitute for frozen bananas to add the creamy texture to smoothies?
Frozen berries are great to add volume, sweet taste, good fiber and thickness to smoothies. I like frozen raspberries best - but blackberries work very well too. And blueberries are tasty too!
I have an allergy to casein, the protein in dairy, that causes a terrible rash. Is there a diary free version of this recipe?
Yes, you can make this protein powder dairy-free by leaving out the dry milk powder. But you will be also cutting out a major source of protein, so make your smoothies with a soy milk instead of almond or another dairy-free milk. As soy milk has more protein than other dairy-free milks.
Hi Serena, glad I found your recipe. I've always detested the Sucralose sweetner added to most every protein powder available, so this is great. One question though. I'm trying to go very low carb, so I'd like a substitute for the Oats. Any suggestions? Thanks. 🙂
Oats are a key part of this recipe because they are the natural thickener. They plump up and make smoothies thicker. But of course you can leave them out. The protein content will be slightly lower too, but not significantly. Thanks for visiting Robert!
UH...what about vitamins, minerals, AMINO acids? No good for anyone trying to prevent or to build any amount of muscle. This is a "milk shake"!
Correction to my previous post. It should read not good for anyone trying to PREVENT muscle loss or for those who are trying to build muscle during a weight loss program. Thanks
The amino acid leucine (found in the whey protein of dry milk powder) is also one of the best to help prevent sarcopenia - or muscle loss occurring with age.
Actually, the leucine amino acid found in dry milk powder is one of the best amino acids for building muscle.
Interested to try. Protein powder has high whey protein. just wondering since dry milk contain higher casein than whey protein, will adding the almond increase the whey protein level in the overall mixture?
Almonds add plant-based proteins and healthy fats. Thanks for visiting Anna.
i am a teenager with impropered growth of body,can this help me in gaining some height as my parent's height is good but i lacked the right amount of protein which should be consumed.can a teenager drink protein shake.can this shake help me in doing so
Check with your doctor or schedule an appointment with a registered dietitian to check about growth, Saurabh. But yes, this is a good protein powder for a teen.
Serena
You are correct but it is only ONE. We need more than that.
What if I use fresh skim milk? What are the ratios and proportions of each ingredient?
1/3 cup of dry milk powder + 1 cup milk = 1 cup skim milk. So if you want to make 1 smoothie, use 1 cup skim milk, about 1.5 Tablespoons ground oats and 1.5 tablespoons ground almonds.
What would be a good sweetener for this recipe? I plan on making this today, but I want to make it as healthy as possible and I'm not exactly sure what sort of sweetener to use. Any ideas?
Angie, I just use sugar or honey. I add both when I make my smoothies because if you make a banana smoothie, you won't need sweetener. If you make a vanilla one (with only vanilla extract, milk and protein powder, you probably will. You can also use artificial sweetener or stevia.
It makes sense!!! my mother used to feed us the powder milk blended with fruit, and it was delicious. I will definitely be trying this recipe and will add a cup of spinach for more fiber and extra protein.
Spinach in a smoothie with fruit would be great with my protein powder! Thanks for the idea Maria.
Can you used this homemade protein powder in bake goods or pancakes/ waffles recipes???
Yes! Thanks for asking Jay! Check out my post on Which Protein Powder is Best for Baking? You may sub my Homemade Protein Powder for any of the powders mentioned in this post. The results will be very good.
HI
thank you so much for this recipe. i was looking for cheaper options for protein powder.
can i use this powder with water after workout?
or should it be used with milk?
Yes, Jessica. You could mix this into water after a workout. To make it tastier, I would add a bit of sweetener and maybe a few berries you could pack. Shake everything together in a portable smoothie shaker, or wide-mouthed water bottle, and add ice if they have it at your gym. Thanks for stopping by!
Am I the only one who's name brand blender doesn't mix the dry mix together wel when prepping the mix? Finding I have to pulse & stir repeatedly.
Thanks for visiting Frank. So sorry for your troubles. I have an inexpensive blender, but have never had this issue. You may try roughly chopping the almonds first, before blending with the oats and dry milk.
It is high carb?
18 carbs per serving.