Protein Muffins
Published Jan 25, 2026
Protein muffins with 8 grams of protein each, made with oats, cottage cheese, and protein powder for a moist, tender texture.
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Make high-protein muffins for breakfast!
These protein muffins are what I make when I want something baked for breakfast that I can grab in the morning (and send with my kids to school) that actually keeps me full. There are three sources of protein built in, and each muffin has 9 grams of protein, which makes a bigger difference than it sounds, as it’s 3x the amount of a regular muffin! Texture-wise, they’re moist, tender, and slightly dense in that good, bakery-style way, not dry, not fluffy-cake pretending to be a muffin. I like that they work as a snack or a quick breakfast, and they hold up well for a few days without getting weird. These are the kind of protein muffins I keep on repeat once I make a batch.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Protein Muffins Ingredients
- Rolled oats: Old-fashioned oats work best for these protein muffins. I wouldn’t use quick oats, because they don’t hold up well in the oven.
- Cottage cheese: I prefer full-fat cottage cheese. If you use low-fat, the muffins won’t be as tender or as moist. You can also substitute with plain, full-fat Greek yogurt at 1:1 ratio but that will change the protein amount in the muffins.
- Protein powder: I use vanilla protein powder, but you can use plain. I haven’t tested this recipe with chocolate protein powder, but I am sure it would work for a double chocolate protein muffin!
- Mini chocolate chips: I like mini chips for bite-sized sweetness. You can use any kind, semi-sweet is what I prefer, or just skip them.
- Dry ingredients: Baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Wet ingredients: Eggs, maple syrup, avocado oil, and vanilla extract.
How to Make Protein Muffins
Protein Muffin Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups cottage cheese
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vanilla protein powder
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the oats to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend into a fine flour.
- Add the eggs, cottage cheese, maple syrup, oil, vanilla extract, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Blend until smooth.
- Add the protein powder and blend briefly, just until combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips using a spatula. Let the batter rest at room temperature for 5 minutes.
- Use an ice cream scooper to scoop the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each almost to the top.
- Bake at 375°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (without opening the oven) and continue baking until the muffins are set and lightly golden, 15–17 minutes more.
- Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Equipment
- High Speed Blender or food processor
Notes
- My Top Tip: Before you scoop the batter into the muffin pan, let it rest in the bowl. This rehydrates the oats, makes the batter thicker, and makes your muffins more tender. 5 minutes makes a big difference!
- Storage: Store the muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for 4–5 days. Lay down a paper towel inside the container to help absorb excess moisture. Reheat in the microwave in 10-second bursts until warmed through.
- Freezing: Wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap, and place them in a freezer-safe bag. The protein muffins will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the microwave in 10-second bursts until warmed through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Add nuts: Instead of mini chocolate chips, fold chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds into the muffin batter.
- Have fun with toppings: For a rustic look, sprinkle some extra rolled oats on top of the muffins before baking. Or, try Demerara sugar or shredded coconut flakes.
- Or, make an oat topping: Before baking, sprinkle a mixture of oats, brown sugar, and melted butter on top of the muffins for a crunchy finish.
Recipe Tips
- Blend the protein powder until just combined. If you overmix it, the muffin batter will get too dense.
- Let the batter rest. Before you scoop it into the muffin pan, let the batter sit in the bowl. This rehydrates the oats, makes the batter thicker, and makes your muffins more tender. 5 minutes makes a big difference!
- Use an ice cream scooper. Your muffins will all be the same size and, more importantly, cook at the same rate.
FAQs
This recipe gives the protein muffins an initial high-heat blast at 375ºF, then reduces the temperature to 350ºF. The initial heat makes the baking powder rise quickly for tall muffin domes. Then, reducing the heat helps cook the insides of the muffins without burning the outsides.
These muffins contain cottage cheese, which spoils at room temperature. They also have a very high moisture content that can cause mold in just a few days.
You may have left them in the muffin tin for too long. When they sit for too long, the steam inside can’t escape, which can lead to soggy bottoms. I recommend taking them out of the muffin tin after about 5 minutes to cool completely on a wire rack.
