We Found the Best Tasting Chocolate Protein Powder

Google’s DeepMind has made groundbreaking progress mapping proteins, busting open doors to drug discovery and development, and disease research. Who cares? The question we have about protein: What is the best chocolate protein powder?

Why trust me?

I drink a protein shake every day. I have for a long time. At this point, I don’t know if it’s Stockholm Syndrome or if I genuinely love the taste. What I do know is that every day, I look forward to my shakeable sweet treat, something people keep begging me to stop saying out loud and out of context. 

By zero rubrics am I the world’s fittest person, but I do acknowledge that if I indulge a little bit too much on cake or ice cream, then I’ll face the next day not feeling so hot (and not just because the ice cream is cold). But, I’m also not one to deny my sweet tooth, and I’m definitely not about to blend cottage cheese with honey and call it a dessert. 

How I tasted and evaluated chocolate protein powder

For a lot of people, protein powders are an easy, quick way to hit their protein goals, and a lot of them actually taste pretty darn decent. With a flavor range as wide as that lat spread you might be going for, it can be tough to parse through the overwhelming amount of reviews and options to find a simple, chocolate protein drink. 

So, I went ahead and tested a bunch of chocolate protein powders to find the best tasting chocolate protein powder that fits your fancy. I mixed each one with unsweetened vanilla almond milk. I used the powder to liquid ratios on all of the packages. I broke six keyboards writing this because I just didn’t know my new found, protein fueled strength. 

I did that all for you. Read on to find the best chocolate protein powder available. 

Best tasting chocolate protein powder, ranked

Best All Natural Ingredients

Kencko Chocolate (12g protein per serving)

Walmart

A little lower in protein and higher in carbs, you can tell that this one is naturally sweetened with fruit instead of artificial sweetener. The full ingredients list consists of: banana, pea protein, dates, cacao, sunflower seed protein, pumpkin seed protein, and cinnamon. From the get-go, it smells like banana chips and subtly of cocoa, and it absolutely tastes like a lifestyle guru in linen pants would have this for breakfast as the sun comes up. If you’re looking for the synthetic sweetness of almost every other protein powder, you will throw this at the wall. If you are willing to open your mind and take a few more sips past the initially surprising natural taste, you may find that you like its subtle sweetness. You will discover that patience and openness usher in great reward. Look at me, I’m talking like a yogi already. Also, you can buy individual packets of this chocolate protein powder for less than $3 a pop—so you can test it out before committing to a full shipment.

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Super Sweet

Iso100 Cocoa Pebbles Hydrolyzed Whey Isolate Protein Powder (25g protein per serving)

Walmart

We’ve all stopped lying to ourselves about cereal being breakfast, right? It’s dessert. So, we expect unapologetic sweetness from Cocoa Pebbles and boy, does this chocolate protein powder deliver. Even for me, it’s sweet. Really sweet. Punch me in the mouth sweet. Eyes popping out of my head sweet. Don’t get me wrong, it is still some of the best tasting chocolate protein powder. It tastes like you poured a bowl of Cocoa Pebbles and then didn’t put quite enough milk in it, so you’re left with super concentrated chocolate sludge. Fantastic, if you’re into it.

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Not Super Sweet

Isopure Dutch Chocolate Protein Powder (25g protein per serving)

GNC

The smell is misleading. Upon first whiff, it smells like the inside of a GNC: barely like chocolate, and definitely like the air of a store full of products where the accepted reality is that nutrition is paramount and being palatable is secondary. I was skeptical as I took a sip, but was incredibly pleasantly surprised by the taste. It’s definitely on the less sweet side of things, but it has a refreshingly layered flavor compared to the other shakes. It doesn’t have the cloying, artificial sweetness or lingering aftertaste, and actually has some deeper flavor notes that remind me of butterscotch or malted milk. I found this chocolate protein powder positively scrummy—and it’s some of the best chocolate protein powder if you don’t want something super sweet.

Credit: Liv Averett / GNC

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Sun Warrior Chocolate Protein Powder (16g protein per serving)

Walmart

Finally. A chocolate protein powder with a smell that rivals real brownie batter. Not to mention it’s a plant-based, vegan chocolate protein powder. It doesn’t taste like pure chocolate, per se, and it’s a little thinner relative to the other powders, but that’s especially good if you’re looking for a lighter beverage instead of something that feels like a meal replacement. It’s a touch lower in protein than the whey-based powders, but with comparable carbs and fats. It was definitely easier on my belly. It’s the best chocolate protein powder for vegans, for sure.

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Other chocolate protein powders we tried:

Optimum Nutrition Double Rich Chocolate, Orgain, Garden of Life, ISO100 Cocoa Pebbles, Vega Protein and Greens

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