5-Ingredient Protein Muffins {20 grams} - The Big Man's World ® (2024)

This recipe for protein muffins will be your new favorite use of protein powder! No eggs, refined sugar, or grains are needed, each muffin has 20 grams of protein!

Love high protein desserts? Try my protein brownies, protein mug cake, protein banana bread, and protein cookie dough.

Stop buying expensive pre-packaged high protein muffins from health food stores and start making your own! Adding protein powder to muffins is my sneaky and healthy way to get more protein into my diet, and it also keeps me satisfied for way longer. Win!

My foolproof recipe uses wholesome and simple ingredients, and it’s also affordable…they also taste delicious!

Why I love this recipe

• Perfect texture. Moist and fluffy, and taste like any good muffin out there.
• 5 healthy ingredients. No white flour or sugar. There aren’t any eggs either, so perfect if you are vegan and/or gluten-free.
• 20 grams of protein. These are perfect for a high-protein snack or guilt-free dessert.
• It’s easy to customize. Think of my muffin batter as a blank slate on which you can change up the flavors. I’ve included a few of my favorites below.

Ingredients needed

• Almond flour. Blanched almond flour, not almond meal. Using the blanched variety ensures the muffins have a lovely light and tender crumb.
• Baking powder. Just a pinch to help the muffins rise (as much as they can do) and give the muffins some stability.
• Protein powder. Brown rice protein powder, casein protein powder, or a whey protein powder blend. Do NOT use a strict whey protein powder or else your muffins will turn into hockey pucks.
• Peanut butter OR alternative. Smooth and creamy peanut butter with no added sugar. Use a cheap store-bought brand, like Skippy’s or Teddy’s peanut butter, because these are naturally thinner and mix seamlessly into the batter.
• Unsweetened applesauce. Adds some moisture to the muffins without needing any oil or butter. You can also use Greek yogurt.
• Chocolate chips. A must for any good muffin. Use sugar free chocolate chips to keep these muffins completely sugar free.

How to make protein muffins

I’ve includedstep-by-step photosbelow to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to therecipe cardat the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Make the batter. Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together. Add the peanut butter and unsweetened applesauce and mix until completely combined. Fold through the chocolate chips at the end.

Step 2- Bake. Distribute the batter amongst 8 large muffin liners in a muffin pan (or 12 in a mini muffin tin) and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until a skewer comes out mostly clean.

Arman’s recipe tips

• Do not overbake the muffins, as they can go from fluffy to dense VERY fast. Once they are ‘just’ done on top, remove them from the oven, and they will continue to cook as they cool.
• If you notice the tops of muffins going brown too soon, cover them with tin foil after the 8-minute mark.
• Feel free to swap out the chocolate chips for other mix-ins, like blueberries, chopped chocolate, or even some chopped nuts.

Storage instructions

To store: Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

To freeze: Place leftovers in a freezer bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.

More protein powder recipes to try

• Protein donuts
• Protein cookies
• Protein pudding
• Protein granola
• Protein granola bars

Originally published February 2017, updated 2021, and republished April 2024