Pumpkin Protein Muffins (10g Protein, 5g Fiber)
These warmly spiced muffins pack vanilla protein powder and an entire can of pumpkin into every batch, with whole grains for extra fiber. Add chocolate chips if you like a little melty goodness with your morning coffee. I certainly do!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour, see notes for swaps
- ½ cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 scoops vanilla protein powder, about ½ cup
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin purée, (about 1¾ cups; not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, or other neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup mini semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, optional
- 2 tablespoons pepitas, shelled pumpkin seeds, optional, for topping
- Nonstick oil spray
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Liberally mist 10 cups of a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray, or use silicone liners. You’ll only fill 10 compartments.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, oats, protein powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt until no clumps of protein powder remain.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, eggs, maple syrup, oil and vanilla until smooth.
- Combine and rest. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir gently. At first it will look dry and shaggy, but keep folding and it will come together into a thick batter. Stop as soon as no flour streaks remain. Fold in the chocolate chips, if using. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes so the oats soften and the flour hydrates. It will be thick but scoopable.
- Fill and bake. Divide the batter among the 10 cups. I like to mist a ½-cup measuring cup with nonstick spray and scoop a scant ½ cup of batter into each compartment. The spray keeps the batter from sticking, so it slides right out. The cups will be filled to the top and mounded slightly, which is what gives you big domed tops. Sprinkle with pepitas, pressing them in lightly. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake 15 to 17 minutes more (start checking at 15), until the tops spring back when gently pressed and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool. Let the muffins rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and transfer to a rack.
Notes
• The whole can, on purpose. Pumpkin does double duty here, adding moisture and subtle sweetness in place of extra oil or sugar. Using the full can also means no leftovers to find a home for.
• Any rolled oats work. Quick-cooking oats melt into the batter for a softer crumb, while old-fashioned oats add a little more chew. Just skip steel cut oats, which won’t soften in time.
• Flour swaps. All-purpose flour swaps in cup for cup for the lightest texture. For gluten-free muffins, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour and certified gluten-free oats. You can also replace up to ½ cup of the flour with almond flour for extra tenderness (more than that and the muffins may rise less and turn delicate).
• About the protein powder. I tested these with whey protein powder. Plant-based should work too, though it may need a splash of milk.
• Don’t overbake. Protein muffins dry out quickly, and they keep setting from the heat of the pan. Pull them as soon as a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
• Why no paper liners? Protein muffins love to stick to paper. A well-misted tin or silicone liners give you a clean release.
• No pumpkin pie spice? You can simply use 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or make your own blend: combine 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg and a pinch of ground cloves.
• Mix-in swaps. Trade the chocolate chips for chopped walnuts or pecans, or dried cranberries.
• Dairy-free option. Use a plant-based protein powder and dairy-free chocolate chips.
• Storage. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap each cooled muffin individually and freeze for up to 2 months. Rewarm briefly in the microwave.
Nutrition Information per serving
Serving Size: 1 muffinCalories: 190Carbohydrates: 29gProtein: 10gTotal Fat: 5g— Unsaturated Fat: 4g— Saturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 200mgFiber: 5gTotal Sugar: 8g— Natural Sugar: 2g— Added Sugar: 6g
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.