Pumpkin Protein Muffins are the best macro-friendly treat for Fall. This easy recipe packs all the delicious pumpkin flavors into moist muffins that are healthy and gluten-free. Over 8 g protein each!
It’s been no more than 2 years since I discovered pumpkin. For some strange reason, up until then I was convinced that I didn’t like it. Well, a good restaurant meal was enough to challenge my beliefs and turn Matteo into a Pumpkin Addict.
Ever since then it’s been true love. Now, every year when September sets in, I look forward to the first pumpkins as a kids awaits Santa Claus. Be it for bowls, for cookies or for dessert breads, here at home we eat pumpkin everyday.
Craving something sweet and balanced, last weekend I decided to put some leftover pumpkin purée to use and made these super easy pumpkin protein muffins. They are great for post workout snacks, protein breakfasts and guilt-free desserts...Needless to say that the whole batch lasted less than 2 days!
6 reasons to love these protein muffins
- Moist and delicious. Soft and moist in the mouth, each muffin is loaded with irresistible pumpkin flavors and warm spices.
- Healthy and nutritious. Made with protein powder, pumpkin and oats, this Fall dessert recipe is rich in dietary fibers, vitamins, mineral and nutrients. No oil, no refined flour and no refined sugar required!
- High protein and macro-friendly. Boasting over 8 g of protein each, these fit pumpkin muffins provide the perfect balance of macronutrients that the body needs to fuel your workouts.
- Diet-and allergy-friendly. This recipe is vegan, eggless, dairy-free, gluten-free (if using GF oats) and even keto friendly. Further, it is perfect for nut allergies provided that you substitute nut butter with tahini or sunflower seed butter.
- Quick and easy to make. You only need a handful of simple ingredients, a bowl and under 30 minutes of your day to whip up a batch of moist protein chocolate chip pumpkin muffins.
- Customizable and versatile. Whether enjoyed with protein ice cream as dessert or whether served for breakfast, these pumpkin protein bombs are perfect for any occasion. And don't forget to have fun with mix-ins: chocolate chips, walnuts, pecans or bits of protein bar..The sky is the limit!
Ingredients for pumpkin protein muffins
- Pumpkin purée. Make sure you use natural pumpkin purée made entirely from pumpkin, without added sweeteners or spices. Pumpkin pie fillings do not work. Out of convenience I like using canned puree from the store but you are free to make it at home by blending cooked pumpkin.
- Protein powder. For the moistest protein muffins, I recommend vegan protein powder, casein or a mix of casein and whey. Using only whey protein powder is not suggested because it dries when exposed to heat.
- Oat flour. For healthier muffins without refined flours, I prepared my muffins with oat flour. You can buy it from the store, make it at home (just blend rolled oats to flour), or replace with a flour of your choice.
- Maple syrup. The maple syrup adds sweetness without the need for refined sugars. As an alternative you can utilize honey, agave syrup, date syrup or sugar-free options such as sugar-free maple syrup. Granular sweeteners (for example erythritol) will not work.
- Nut butter. I like almond butter, but you are free to choose peanut butter, cashew butter, walnut butter, hazelnut butter or sunflower seed butter.
- Spices and flavors. A mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla extract will give your pumpkin protein dessert the traditional flavors of Fall.
- Preferred milk. Choose the type of milk you mostly like, either dairy or dairy-free. My recommendations are unsweetened soy milk, unsweetened almond milk, oat milk and semi-skimmed milk.
Substitutions and adaptations
- Gluten-free pumpkin 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: Choose sugar-free syrups instead of maple syrup.
- Protein powder-free muffins: Substitute protein powder with more oat flour or almond flour.
How to make pumpkin protein muffins?
- Mix wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin puree, maple syrup, nut butter, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Stir the mixture until smooth.
- Add dry ingredients. Add oat flour, protein powder and 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.
- Bake protein muffin. Fill ⅔ of each muffin liner with batter, sprinkle with chocolate chips if you desire and bake in hot oven for about 20 to 22 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool over a wire rack for about 15 minutes.
Which protein powder for muffins?
Plant based protein powder, whey isolate, casein and blends. When it comes to protein powders there are many options, and not all are created the same. Some are better for baking, some are better for shakes and shall not be heated.
If you are now wondering what's the best choice, keep on reading. In the next lines I am going to tell you what are the best protein powders for making muffins that are moist and not dry.
- 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 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 are great for baking.
Recipe tips
- Choose the right protein powder. As mentioned before, not all types of protein are equally good for baking. If possible, opt for vegan protein powder, casein or blends.
- Prefer flavored protein powder. I recommend preparing pumpkin muffins with vanilla protein powder. The vanilla pairs exceptionally well with the cinnamon flavors of this recipe.
- Do not overmix batter. Mix just until all ingredients are well combined and no lump is left in the batter. Excessive mixing will give the muffins a dense texture.
- Do not overbake. Following the right cooking time becomes even more important when it comes to protein baking. Overbaking makes protein desserts dry.
FAQ - Frequently asked questions
Yes, they are provided that you use certified gluten-free oat flour, grain-free protein powders and GF baking powder.
I do not recommend whey protein powder because it tends to dry when baked. Desserts prepared with whey are characterized by a dry and rubbery texture, definitely not the best.
The best types of protein powder for baking are plant based protein powders (such as soy protein, pea protein or vegan blends), casein protein powder and blends.
No, unfortunately these pumpkin protein muffins cannot be cooked in the microwave. You will need to bake them in hot oven, or they won't get moist and fluffy as desired.
One pumpkin muffin provides about 132 calories and 8 g of protein.
Remember that this is just an estimate, as the precise nutritional values will depend on many factors such as size of the muffins and specific ingredients used.
More high protein snacks and desserts
- Cookie dough protein bars
- Protein frozen dessert
- Low calorie protein brownies
- Protein chocolate cake
- Chocolate protein muffins
- Moist protein banana bread
- Chocolate protein bites
- Greek yogurt protein brownies
- Protein ice cream
- Fudgy flourless protein brownies
- Protein chocolate ice cream
Pumpkin Protein Muffins
Ingredients
- 120 grams (½ cup) pumpkin puree
- 60 ml (4 tbsp) maple syrup or honey
- 60 grams (¼ cup) nut butter peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter or sunflower seed butter
- 100 grams (1 cup) oat flour or preferred flour
- 50 grams (½ cup) protein powder vegan protein or casein are recommended, see notes*
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- a pinch of nutmeg use very little
- a pinch of salt
- 1 to 4 tbsp milk of choice see notes*
Optional Ingredients
- chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) and prepare a muffin mold with muffin liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin puree, maple syrup, nut butter, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Stir the wet mixture until smooth.
- Add oat flour, protein powder and 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 if you desire and bake in hot oven for about 20-22 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool over a baking rack for about 15 minutes.
Notes
- This protein muffin recipe uses vanilla flavored vegan protein powder. You can replace with casein protein powder or casein/ whey blends, I do not recommend whey because it tends to dry when exposed to heat.
- The quantity of milk depends on the type of protein powder you use. Casein and vegan protein powder will require more milk. Start with little and add as much milk as you need to get a smooth batter.
- Nutritional values do not consider the optional addition of chocolate chips.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are based on third-party calculations and should be considered approximations. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. We do not overtake any responsibility.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Leave a review!