Chocolate Protein Muffins

Rich and moist, these Chocolate Protein Muffins will satisfy your sweet tooth without guilt. Packed with protein, these chocolate muffins are great as dessert or post-workout snack. Bonus tip: they are vegan and gluten-free!

From bars to cookies, in the past I would buy all kinds of protein snacks and desserts from the store. I was kind of addicted, up until my girlfriend and I said “No, not anymore. Enough is enough”. We had enough of expensive products loaded with artificial sweeteners, hidden sugars and chemicals. So we started making our own. Protein cookies, protein cake or protein cookie dough, it is was time to add chocolate muffins to my collection of homemade protein desserts.

The ingredients

This recipe is very simple, I promise. It only calls for a handful of basic ingredients that you probably already have at home. And as these are vegan protein muffins, there is no need for eggs or dairy.

• Bananas: The bananas add natural sweetness and improve the texture of homemade protein muffins. Further, they replace the use of eggs in a recipe that is vegan. As an alternative you can use unsweetened applesauce.
• Nut butter: This recipe requires a creamy nut butter of your choice, preferably without added sugars. For more protein and convenience, I used smooth peanut butter but also almond butter, cashew butter or sunflower seed butter work.
• Maple syrup: The maple syrup acts as sweetener while providing additional health benefits. You can replace with any liquid sweetener, such as honey, agave syrup, date syrup or coconut syrup.
• Flour of choice: For gluten-free muffins packed with fibers and nutrients, I used oat flour. But you can replace with any other flour, such as whole wheat flour, all purpose flour or even almond flour for fewer carbohydrates.
• Protein powder: For moist protein muffins, I recommend vegan protein powder or casein. Whey protein powder, instead, is not the best option because it dries when exposed to heat.
• Cocoa powder: Use unsweetened cocoa powder to enhance the nutritional profile of your muffins. Or replace with dutch cocoa powder, if you prefer.
• Milk of choice: This recipe can be prepared with any type of milk you like, dairy or dairy-free. My recommendations are unsweetened soy milk, unsweetened almond milk, oat milk or semi-skimmed milk.
• Baking powder: Working as leavening agent, baking powder helps the muffin rise.
• Coffee powder: This is optional, but I highly recommend including a hint of coffee powder because it enhances the chocolate flavor.
• Sea salt: The salt serves two purposes; it balances the sweetness and enhances the taste profile of your chocolate protein muffins.
• Chocolate chips: Dark or white, sugar-free or sweetened, pick and choose the chocolate chips you have on hand.

Which protein powder for baking?

If you struggle with dry protein cakes and desserts, make sure you keep on reading because I have the solution. Essentially, it all comes down to the type of protein powder you use. This choice is a key factor in determining whether your muffins are going to be moist and fluffy or dry.

Here are the top three types of protein powder for baking.

• Vegan protein powder: Plant-based protein powders include pea, hemp, rice, and soy protein. These work very well in baking because they preserve softness. As some products may have a strong plant taste, I recommend flavored protein powders (such as chocolate or vanilla).
• Casein protein powder: Similar to whey, casein protein is also derived from milk. But as it is less refined, it does not dry out when exposed to high temperatures and therefore is perfect for baking.
• Blends: Protein powder blends combine different protein sources to offer a wider range of amino acids and optimize texture and taste. Blends often include a combination of whey, casein, pea protein powder or other plant-based proteins, and sometimes even collagen protein. Provided that whey is not the main component, blends can be used for this recipe.

Dietary adaptations

Do you follow any particular diet or lifestyle? Here is how to adapt this recipe to your dietary needs and preferences:

• Vegan protein muffins: These chocolate muffins are already vegan, no adaptations required.
• Gluten-free protein muffins: Opt for certified gluten-free oat flour and gluten-free protein powders, such as casein, soy protein or pea protein.
• Low carb protein muffins: Use almond flour instead of oat flour and sugar-free syrups instead of maple syrup.
• Nut-free protein muffins: Replace nut butter with sunflower seed butter or tahini.
• Sugar-free protein muffins: Substitute maple syrup with sugar-free syrups.

How to make chocolate protein muffins

In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas. Add the maple syrup, the nut butter, the coffee powder (if you want) and a pinch of salt to the banana mixture. Whisk to combine the wet ingredients until smooth.

Add the flour, the protein powder, the cocoa powder and the baking powder, then stir to combine while gradually pouring in the milk. The quantity of milk depends on the protein powder you use, adjust with more milk if the batter is too dry or with more flour if it is too wet.

Fill ⅔ of each muffin mold with the protein batter, sprinkle with chocolate chips and bake in hot oven at 170°C (340°F) for 20-25 minutes.

Storage instructions

Let the protein muffins cool completely before storing, preferably over a baking rack. Once they have cooled, place in an airtight container and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or refrigerate for a longer storage; in the fridge they will last for 5 days.

You can also seal the chocolate muffins in airtight zipping bags and freeze. Frozen, they will last for up to 3 months. Before serving, remove from the freezer and pop in hot oven for a couple of minutes. 

Serving ideas

This recipe makes chocolate protein muffins that are healthy and delicious. As dessert or post-workout snack, the ways how you can enjoy your guilt-free protein treat are endless. And if you still need inspiration, here are some ideas for you:

• Plain: Enjoy the rich chocolate flavor and all the nutritional benefits by eating each muffin as it is.
• Warm: Warm up in the oven or microwave for moist protein muffins with gooey chocolate chips.
• Topped with nut butter: Spread a dollop of your favorite nut butter on top of the muffin for an unforgettable taste experience.
• Fresh berries: Serve alongside fresh berries like strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries for a refreshing dessert or snack.
• With yogurt: Pair the macro-friendly dessert with a serving of your favorite yogurt; for more protein I like Greek yogurt, especially as a post-workout snack.
• In parfaits: Crumble the protein muffin into small pieces and layer in a bowl with Greek yogurt, fresh berries, and a drizzle of honey. Repeat the layers and create a nourishing parfait.
• With tea or coffee: Serve alongside a cup of coffee or tea, dipped or on the side.

Recipe tips

Making chocolate protein muffins is quick and simple. But yet, there are a couple of things to keep in mind if you want to make protein cupcakes that are moist and fluffy. Here are some golden tips:

• Do not substitute bananas. In this recipe, the bananas add sweetness, moisture and texture; a non-negotiable ingredient for irresistible chocolate protein muffins.
• Use vegan protein powder or casein. Avoid whey protein powder because it tends to dry when it is heated.
• Use flavored protein powder. My suggestion is vanilla or chocolate protein powder; if opting for unflavored options, make sure you add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to enhance the taste of your muffins.
• Don’t overmix the batter. When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix until just combined as overmixing can lead to dense and tough muffins.
• Keep an eye on baking time and temperature. Desserts with protein powder requires lower baking time and temperatures because they tend to dry when over-baked.

More protein dessert recipes

• Low calorie protein brownies
• Protein chocolate cake
• Moist protein banana bread
• Protein mug cake
• Greek yogurt protein brownies
• Protein ice cream
• Greek yogurt protein cheesecake
• Fudgy flourless protein brownies
• Protein chocolate ice cream