Pumpkin Protein Muffins

Pumpkin Protein Muffin with cottage cheese drizzled with cream cheese icing.

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Soft and fluffy Pumpkin Protein Muffins made with pumpkin, cottage cheese, and whey protein powder. Each lightly sweet muffin has 11g protein and cozy pumpkin spice flavor. Add the optional cream cheese drizzle for a sweeter finish!

Prep Time10

Cook Time18

Total Time28

Servings:

Author: Bri Beaudoin

Ingredients

1⅓ cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup cottage cheese (see note 1)
2 large eggs
⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
6 tablespoons neutral oil (e.g. grapeseed, canola, vegetable)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
60 grams plain whey protein isolate (⅔ cup, unsweetened & unflavored, see note 2)
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat: Preheat oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line a muffin pan with baking cups (see note 3).
Wet ingredients: In a blender container, combine 1⅓ cup pumpkin puree, 1 cup cottage cheese, 2 large eggs, ⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar, ¼ cup maple syrup, 6 tablespoons neutral oil, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Blend until smooth.
Dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 60 grams plain whey protein isolate , 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt.
Combine & Scoop: Pour wet ingredients over dry. Stir until just combined. Divide into 12 muffin cups. Mound the batter in the middle. For a more centered split, gently press a butter knife into the top of each mound (see note 4).
Bake: Bake for about 18 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Let muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle with optional Cream Cheese Icing, if desired (see note 5).

Notes

Cottage cheese: I recommend 2% or 4%. If you have a choice, look for a short ingredient list with mostly milk, cream, cultures, and salt. In Canada, this can be harder to find. Dry-pressed cottage cheese loosened with milk works well. I've also tested mainstream brands with added stabilizers successfully, but results can vary by brand.
Whey protein isolate: I tested this recipe with unflavored, unsweetened whey isolate. I strongly recommend weighing 60 grams rather than measuring by volume. I haven't tested this recipe with plant-based protein powder, so I don't recommend a 1:1 swap.
Muffin liners: Parchment liners tend to release the most easily.
Muffin tops: In testing, I found that mounding the batter and gently pressing a shallow line into the top with a butter knife helped the muffins crack closer to the center, instead of splitting lower down the sides. You don't need to cut the batter too deeply—just creating a weak spot on top.
Cream cheese icing (optional): Microwave 4½ tablespoons (65 g) cream cheese in a small bowl for 15 to 20 seconds to soften. Add 4 tablespoons (30 g) powdered sugar, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon milk. Stir until smooth. Add more milk, if needed, until the icing is easy to drizzle. Drizzle over completely cooled muffins. (Icing adds ~30 calories, 2g fat, 3g carbs, and 0.4g protein per muffin).
Storage tips: Let muffins cool completely before storing. Keep un-iced muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 1 week. Muffins with cream cheese icing should be refrigerated. For longer storage, freeze muffins without icing for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or overnight in the fridge, then add icing before serving.

Nutrition