These healthy blueberry muffins are a great low-calorie, gluten-free, protein-packed breakfast to help kick start your metabolism.
START YOUR MORNING OFF WITH A HEALTHY PROTEIN BREAKFAST.
A great way to jumpstart your day is to have breakfast. A breakfast that is low calorie, packed full of fiber and high protein is the best, and these easy blueberry muffins fit the bill.
The right breakfast will fill you up and give you energy throughout the morning, but research also suggests that having a significant amount of protein within 30 minutes from waking ignites your body and you burn more calories.
I usually opt for oatmeal or scrambled egg whites in the morning, but these muffins are a nice switch. I usually have two, which total 252 calories and are enough to sustain me through my morning and my morning workout.
After fueling your body in the morning you will feel an instant energy boost, so skip the breakfast options that slow you down. Take my advice and learn from my mistakes; whip up these delicious muffins asap!
PROTEIN MUFFINS YOU LOOK FORWARD TO EATING!
Protein muffin recipes that I have tried in the past have a rubber texture and not a lot of flavor. I never wanted to make the recipe again, which was a disappointment.
I wanted to come up with a recipe that I would enjoy eating while keeping it gluten-free and low in calories. After experimenting with several batches, I decided to add in almond meal, orange zest, and a few tablespoons of honey to give the muffins more weight, flavor, and a better texture. Now that I have perfected my recipe, my refrigerator usually contains a container of these muffins.
When I am craving something a bit less fruity and a bit nuttier, I adore banana peanut butter protein muffins (or leave out the peanut butter for classic banana protein muffins) for breakfast or a healthy snack. They have plenty of protein, and you can grab the recipe here. You could even throw in some chia seeds for a superfood boost!
Protein Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup oatmeal flour quick oats ground in food processor
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 3 egg whites
- 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 medium banana peeled and mashed
- 3 scoops Vanilla Whey Protein Powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon orange zest or lemon zest
- 1 cup fresh organic blueberries or frozen blueberries
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°.
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Place liners in one muffin pan and lightly spray with organic baking spray.
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In a large bowl combine egg whites, yogurt, applesauce, honey, vanilla extract and mashed banana.
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In a second bowl combine oatmeal flour, almond meal, vanilla whey protein powder, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and orange zest.
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Combine flour mix and egg mix together until smooth.
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Fill each tin 3/4 of the way full, spreading evenly.
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Place about 8 blueberries on top spreading evenly over top of each filled muffin batter. Do NOT push blueberries down into batter.
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Bake for 20 minutes.
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Store in the refrigerator.
Another great breakfast using Oatmeal and Blueberries.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Gluten-Free Banana Peanut Butter Bread
Double Chocolate Protein Muffins
Healthy Coconut Frosted Lemonade
Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Feta and Mint
I love love love your video. You have inspired me.
I’m loving all the delicious and healthy ingredients in this – bananas, oatmeal, yogurt, blueberries, almond flour… can’t wait to try this!
Enjoy Joelen. It makes a great go to breakfast on the run.
OH! I love a gluten-free muffin recipe. This looks delicious!
Julianne,
It is one of our favorites around here, enjoy.
Amy
I want to try these but need egg and gluten-free. I can use egg-replacer or some soya flour instead of egg, hemp protein powder instead of whey protein, but not sure what to use instead of the yoghurt. Any ideas?
Julia,
If you need to go dairy free, replace the 1/2 cup yogurt for 1/2 cup Safflower Oil.
Let me know how they turn out with the replacements.
Amy
Added coconut oil to replace yogurt, and it was way to wet….baked and extra 15min too… :(. Have to find a different replacement.
Gretchen, coconut oil is not a replacement for yogurt. Were you looking for a dairy free alternative? If so, you could use coconut cream in place of yogurt.
Hi Amy ! 🙂 Can’t wait to try these, I just landed a windfall of Blackberries!
For the person who needed dairy AND gluten free, Whole Foods has coconut yogurt, and there is also soy yogurt. Hope that helps!
Thanks for sharing Sybil, good luck with those blackberries. I LOVE blackberries, have several bushes and always make up jam. Amy
These are really good! I am always skeptical of using protein powder in baking, but these turned out great. I used frozen blueberries.
These were absolutely amazing! Especially topped with some warm butter! I loved the hint of cinnamon and all the great ingredients! Another recipe I found used soy milk, sugar, canola oil ect. Not what I’d like.
Christine,
So happy you like them. If you like these you have to try my oatmeal superfood blueberry bars, they are my new addiction.
xo Amy
Do you think you can substitute quinoa flour for the almond flour? An allergy issue is the problem.
Joy,
I don’t think that would be a problem. You could also try a gluten free flour mix? I would love to hear how they turn out.
Amy
Hi Amy!
I am about to try to make these yummy sounding muffins,
though I was wondering how much 3 scoops of protein powder
is in tablespoons or ml? I live in Sweden and I dont know if my
scoop for my powder is the same size as yours:)
X Elisabet
Hi Elisabet, I measured two different scoops and they average about 1/4 cup a scoop, so I would use 3/4 cup for this recipe. Good luck with the recipe, one of our favorites around here. xo Amy
Hi, thank you so much for that! They turned out really good!
I have tried some other ones, but they turned out quite flavorless and really really dense.
So this one got a golden star from both me and my boyfriend!
x Elisabet
Hi Amy,
Do you mind clarifying the size of your protein scoop? I am planning to use Vanilla Rice Protein powder (I’m sensitive to whey). The serving size on the container is only 1 Tbsp which equals 12g protein. Should I only use 3 Tbsp total in this recipe? I would like to maximize the amount of protein but I don’t want to overdo it on the dry ingredients. I noticed in one of your previous replies you said 1 scoop is approximately 1/4 c but in another reply you said 1 scoop is closer to 2 Tbsp (1/8 c).
Thank you!
Beth
Hi Beth, measure out 1/2 cup of protein powder. The whey protein I used measures 10.5 grams of protein per scoop. Hope this clarifies the amount. I also made the notation in the recipe itself. Thank you! Amy
Hi Amy! I made your muffins last night and had two this morning. They are delicious and the texture is perfectly muffin-y – not rubbery at all! Thank you so much for giving us the benefit of your experimentation. 🙂
Hi Kellie Sue,
I am so glad you like the muffins, and thank you SO much for sharing with me. It always makes me happy to hear people are trying the recipes and enjoying them. xo Amy
These look amazing. Do you think they would freeze well? I’d love to make a big batch and freeze them for future snacks!
Jody,
Yep you can freeze them. Enjoy! Amy
This is my go to protein muffin recipe; I can’t begin to explain how delicious these are I’ve made these on numerous occasion all of which turned out delicious ….I’m especially fun of the hint of or orange that hits the taste buds….I always follow the recipe to a T an always will( need no changes).
Thanks for such a great clean recipe
Hi Aniker,
So glad you like the recipe. It took many tries to get the recipe to where I liked it, so I am thrilled that you are enjoying the recipe. There always seems to be a batch in my fridge. xo Amy
Made these this morning; turned out great! Always looking for high-protein and gluten-free breakfast options for on the go! They stuck a bit to my paper wrappers so I’ll try something different next time. Planning to freeze these so i have them handy when i need them.
Any other flavors in the works? I was wondering about omitting the blueberries, replacing half of the applesauce with pumpkin and adding pumpkin pie spice? Or trying raspberries instead of the blueberries and upping the lemon zest?
Thanks for the great recipe!
Does anyone know if I can fold in the blueberries into the mix at the end instead of just putting them at the top of the mix in the pan?? I would like the blueberries to be throughout the whole muffin.
Hi Kelsie, The reason you want to put the blueberries on the top is because they sink while baking. They will end up more evenly distributed in the batter. If you mix them in the batter before baking they will all end up at the bottom of the muffin. Best, Amy
Kelsie, i wasn’t paying attention when i made them and mixed my frozen blueberries in the batter. I didn’t notice if the sank. They were still yummy!
I was really hoping that these would be good. But they didn’t work for me. The texture is a little coarser than what I’d like in a muffin, but that could be because my oatmeal wan’t ground finely enough. Also, it is barely sweet, to the point that my husband had to eat them with jam/honey on the side. Maybe the taste will improve with refrigeration.
Veena,
Sorry to hear you didn’t like my muffins. Not sure why they were “coarse” the oatmeal should be a powder consistency after being ground up, and the blueberries should offer plenty of sweetness. Amy
Hi! Are you measuring the oats after they have been ground or adding a cup of whole oats to the processor and then taking those as the cup? Just wondering what order to work with! Also, my protein powder is without flavor so how much vanilla extract would you consider adequate to get the flavor benefit?
Thank you!
Brittany, You measure the oats, then process. Best, Amy
Can I substitute anything for the almond flour?
Hi Katie,
You could use gluten free flour (which I would recommend), or you can substitute a mix of 2 tablespoons tapioca flour and 2 tablespoons of coconut flour. Both substitutes will change the flavor of the muffins. Hope one of these work for you. Amy
I tried the recipe. I need to read labels more thoroughly though. My whey protein and yogurt had sucralose in them, which I don’t mind so much for me, but my kids are begging for some. I found a different recipe for them. Hopefully it works out. These didn’t turn out so well for me. I’m not good at baking. They were a little burnt around the edges. What I did taste after peeling off the edges was okay. I’m not used to oat flour and whey.
Hi these look awesome! Can I substitute the almond flour with oat flour to make it all oat flour?? Thank you!
Hi Alexis,
You can substitute and use all oat flour, but it will change the flavor and consistency of the muffins. When I wrote this recipe I was trying to get rid of that “spongey” consistency and I need the Almond flour to do that + I liked the added flavor. If you don’t mind that consistency, substitute away. Amy
Hi Amy,
How would you modify the recipe if you wanted to use unflavoured protein powder?
Thanks,
Audrey
Audrey, No modification. You could add a 1/4 teaspoon more of vanilla extract to ensure the flavor, but otherwise you will have no problems with consistency. Best, Amy
Thanks, Amy! I wondered if I would need to add more sweetner as most vanilla flavoured protein powder is sweetned whereas unflavoured is not.
Hi- how would I make these muffins without the Banana? Do you have to have it? I would also like to increase the protein per muffin. How many more scoops do you recommend? Thank you!!
Hi Becky, I wrote this recipe using the banana to act as a binder in place of eggs, so yes you need to include the banana or try it with 2 eggs. Though using eggs with change the consistency considerably. If you increase the amount of protein you will end up with muffins that have a sponge like consistency. I would stick with the original recipe if possible.
Best, Amy
So while I admit I’m not the pickiest person nor a muffin expert, but I made the recipe as is without the bananas purely by accident. I didn’t notice until i saw the extra bananas I my cupboard.
Making these again today with the bananas and white whole wheat flour instead of almond flour and I’m looking forward to even better muffins!
Hi Sara, don’t you just love it when you leave an ingredient out after all that work! I am glad they still turned out for you, and hopefully you love them even more with the banana! xo
Cam I sub the protein powder with instant dry milk powder?
i made these today but had to convert everything to grams… It didn’t go too well 🙁 it was really watery.
I’ve not tried them yet so I can’t comment but they feel a little too soft and sinking. They smell really nice though so fingers crossed they taste good 🙂
Sarah,
Not sure if your measurements were correct, but I hope they tasted okay. Best, Amy
Hi Amy
is there anything i can use instead of applesauce? ive never seen this in SA stores but must admit, have also never looked.
Do you have other high protein yummy muffin recipes?
Thanks
Lubna
Lubna,
The applesauce was used in place of having oil in the recipe. You could try substituting 1/2 cup melted coconut oil and 1 egg. I can not tell you that the muffins will taste the same or the consistency will work since I have not tested this substitution. Let me know if it works.
Amy
I’ll for sure have to make these this coming summer!
These sound so yummy! They’d go so well with a cup of coffee, too!
High protein breakfast cleverly disguised as a blueberry muffin. Love it!
There are very good muffins. you’d never know they are GF. Not heavy like some I’ve attempted to make. Thank you ! I’ll be adding this recipe to the ‘keeper’ folder!
That is awesome Marlo. Thank you so much for stopping back and letting me know.
Hi Amy – About your Blueberry Protein Muffins!
I alternated a cup of ripe avocado instead of applesauce and doubled up the fruit by adding one cup of thawed or fresh cranberrires (I stir them right in). Increases calories a little but the good fat from the avocado adds great texture and more protein and nutrition. I also let the mixture stand for 15-20 minutes after blending and they puff up nicely. And then I sprinkle the tops with chopped walnuts. Hope you try them with avocado, no one would know unless you told, my son’s friend assumed the occasional green speck was pistachios because of the walnuts.
These are now a weekly staple for my adult children who love to workout and eat well.
Look forward to more recipes.
P.S. Do you have a syrup recipe for high protein pancakes?
Hi Amy, I tried but they didn’t pop out as I was expecting, they are tasty, but the dough is heavy… don’t know what was wrong :/ maybe more baking powder??
Sorry to hear that Richie, not sure what went wrong. I have made this recipe several times without any problems. Maybe a miss measurement?
Thanks for the recipe. These turned out delicious. Even my nephew, a very picky eater, loved them. He told his mom “you can make these for me”. LOL.
Thanks for letting me know Darlene. That made my night! Hope you have a Merry Christmas!
Amy, These muffins are absolutely wonderful. I was wanting to sweeten the deal a little. What would you recommend for adding sweater content without taking away from the nutritional value? My husband is asking. Men and their love for sweets. Also, what might be the fiber count on one of these muffins?
Thank you for your time.
Hi Jessica, thanks for stopping and letting me know that you enjoyed the muffins. Totally get the hubby and the sweet tooth, I have one who is the same. How about sprinkling the tops with some raw sugar, like Turbinado? That way he will get a bit of sweetness with each bite without changing the consistency of the cupcake. Let me know if this works for him.
Could I use whole eggs instead of egg whites?
Katie, I have never made this recipe with whole eggs, but yes you can substitute, 1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk.
I should’ve read the comments about the oat flour; I ended up measuring out a cup of oat flour (because that’s what it said) instead of 1 cup oats, made into flour. Oh well, it just ended up making 16 muffins instead of 12. But I baked mine for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven and they are undercooked! I have to zap them in the microwave to finish cooking them in the morning. But they are tasty and don’t have a protein aftertaste.
Sorry you had trouble, but it sounds like you ended up with some yummy muffins in the end.
These are THE BEST healthy muffin recipe I have tried!! So delicious!
Thanks so much Abbey, so glad you like them!
How much is a “scoop” of protein powder?? 1 tablespoon? 2 tablespoons???
Carol, measure out 1/2 cup of protein.
Thank you!! The muffins turned out great… even just guessing a “scoop-ish” approximation. I was looking for an alternative to the usual sandwich in my daughter’s lunch… She loves them too!
is it possible to make without the Greek yogurt. I have all the ingredients except that 🙁
Hi Ruthie, You can substitute with Coconut cream, sour cream or creme fraiche.
Thank you for this recipe. The banana flavor is a bit too strong for me. Any suggestions on a substitute (I am guessing that it, in part, is there as a binder)?
Candigirl, The banana is included for a binder. Use 1 large egg in place of the banana and you should end up with the same consistency. Let me know how it turns out.
These are amazing!! Hubby and i love them! Ill top em with some dark choc chips too! What is the best way to store them?
Julia, I would store them in the refrigerator for up to a week… if they last that long! 🙂
I never ruined a batch of muffins until I tried there. They were watery and uncookable.
I am not sure why you had trouble ARoy. I have made these numerous times with no problem. Could you give me more details on how you made them?
Hi Amy!
I really want to try these out, but I don’t have any protein-powder.. Is there anything I can use as a substitute for the protein-powder? And also, do you have measurements in grams for the ingredients, where you use ‘cups’ as measurement?
And last but not least: my oven can’t go any higher than 300 degrees – how long would you suggest the baking-time to be then?
Amalie,
You can substitute flour for the protein powder. I do not have measurements in grams. I am sorry but I do not know how long you would need to bake for. I would add 10 minutes but there is no guarantee that the muffins will bake properly. Good luck!
Complete fail I’m afraid, they sank and the consistency when baked were very soft and ‘eggy’ in the middle. Had to throw the lot away 🙁
Sorry to hear that JH.
So excited to try these!! The nutrition facts are per muffin?
Yes!
I have oat flour that I bought from the co-op. It says in the comments to weigh out the 1 cup of oats and grind them, but how much do I use of just oat flour? I just tried a batch and they are soggy, which I’m thinking has to do with using one cup of oat flour. Thanks!
Lauren, 1 1/2 cups of oats gives you a little over 1 cup of flour, so you would have used more flour than I did. Not sure why you had soggy muffins.
GOOD FOR GARBAGE. Wrong recipe ingredients. Too much wet ingredients vs dry. They never cooked. Mushy and gross.
Hi Amy,
I am planning to use wild blueberries that grow naturally in my area; however, these blueberries are more tart and sour than blueberries bought at the grocery store. What would you suggest? Make the recipe as is or add sweetener to the blueberries? What kind of sweetener would you suggest?
Thanks,
Samantha
Hi Sam,
I think you should just make the muffins with you wonderful blueberries and enjoy their tartness. Amy
I love these little guys, but my last batch got scooted to the back of the fridge and forgotten. I hate to toss them out! How long do they keep in the refrigerator?
Can you make these without the banana (hubby is allergic)! If so, would it need to be substituted with something?
Thanks! 🙂
Yummy! I forgot the honey but they did need it… next time I will remember to add it!
I’ve made these twice and they were delicious, especially with a few adjustments. Firstly, I subbed the applesauce for an extra cup of Greek yogurt to lower the carbs and up the protein. This one you can take or leave depending on your protein/carb intake goals. Aside from that I followed the recipe the first time. The second time, I made 4 more adjustments I think VASTLY improve this recipe. 1. Cut the oat flour in half. 2. Add an extra mashed banana. 3. Double the blueberries. 4. Combine everything but the egg whites and blueberries and, before filling your cups and adding the blueberries, whip the egg whites into stiff peaks, adding 1/4 cup stevia and 1/4 tsp baking powder. Then gently fold egg whites into mixture. This is probably the biggest one. It makes your muffins insanely fluffy! Hope this helps.
Made these with my 9 y.o. son and they turned out great. Only change I’d make is a pinch of salt (okay, maybe 1/4 tsp) and to mix some blueberries into the batter. I used frozen Maine wild blueberries, and they didn’t sink one bit. I can see fresh ones sinking, though. As it stands, all the blueberries are on the very top. We might also sub lemon extract for the vanilla since my son loves lemon. We used the recommended 3/4 cup of protein powder. We found this recipe because he has severe ADHD and we’re looking for high protein/low carb snacks right before bed and right after he wakes up to try to tamp down on the issues he has controlling his body/focusing/not going totally bonkers in the morning. Here’s hoping!
Hi there, I’d like to try this recipe. The macros look amazing! Question re: the Vanilla Whey – did you use whey protein isolate? I am nervous to bake with it because I have heard that it can make baked goods rubbery. Thanks, looking forward to your reply!
I followed your recipe exactly. After 28 minutes in the oven, they still sank and were very goopy in the middle. Any tips for next time?