Strawberry Protein Muffins
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Strawberry Protein Muffins are gluten free and packed with 9g of protein! Easy to make for a healthy breakfast or snack.
If you’re looking for a protien packed breakfast or snack, look no further than these delicious Strawberry Protein Muffins!
Easy to make in under 10 minutes of prep – these muffins have 9g of protein per muffin while being fluffy and tasty!
Liz’s Tips for the Best Strawberry Protein Muffins
- Dry the strawberries off with a paper towel to prevent the batter from being too thin.
- Dice the strawberries fairly small. If topping the muffins with extra fruit, only use tiny pieces and avoid placing them in the center of the muffins because they might prevent the tops from doming.
- Use the right protein powder. This was our favorite protein powder in this recipe, but this one also worked well!
Ingredients:
It will also be helpful to have a nonstick muffin tin or silicone muffin liners.
Substitutions
Greek Yogurt – I used non fat plain Greek yogurt, but I also tested whole milk Greek yogurt. Any fat percentage of plain Greek yogurt will work. I haven’t tried dairy free yogurt in this recipe so I don’t know how that would work.
Honey – Maple Syrup or even granulated sugar can be used instead of honey in this recipe. Granulated sugar seemed to brown a little faster and required a slightly shorter cooking time due to the change in moisture.
Eggs – I did not test any egg replacements in this recipe. If you try one, we would love to know how it worked in the comments below!
Avocado Oil – Any neutral flavored cooking oil can be used in this recipe, including light olive oil, or melted (and slightly cooled) coconut oil. If using coconut oil, allow eggs and Greek yogurt to come to room temperature before starting the recipe to prevent the coconut oil from solidifying.
Oat Flour– Store-bought oat flour or homemade oat flour can be used. I tested a variety of brands in this recipe, and all seemed to produce the same fluffy muffins. If using homemade oat flour, ensure the oats are processed into a very fine flour with no visible oats. Check out our post on how to make homemade oat flour for tips and tricks. If you need this recipe to be gluten-free, be sure to select gluten-free oat flour or gluten-free old-fashioned oats to make oat flour with.
Vanilla Whey Protein Powder – I tested two types of vanilla vegan protein powder in addition to vanilla whey protein and unflavored whey protein (with additional sweetener). While the vegan pea protein option functionally worked, I wouldn’t recommend using it because it tasted quite chalky, almost grassy, when paired with the oat flour. Review the notes on protein powder below to achieve the best for best results.
Baking Powder & Baking Soda – Both leavening agents are used in these protein muffins because Greek yogurt is acidic. With additional acid in the recipe, it requires an additional base to achieve a good rise.
Strawberries – Make sure to dice the strawberries fairly small. Only use very small pieces if you plan to top the muffins with berries. You can try our Blueberry Protein Muffin recipe if you want to try this with different berries or Apple Protein Muffins with another fruit.
How to Make Strawberry Protein Muffins
- Combine yogurt, honey, eggs, and oil. In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients then slowly mix into the wet. Fold diced strawberries into the batter.
- Scoop batter evenly into a lined muffin tin.
- Bake at 350° for 16-20 minutes. Allow them to cool for about 10 minutes before enjoying.
Tips for selecting the best protein powder:
I found that whey protein will generally work better for baking compared to vegan alternatives. Whey protein tends to have a simpler ingredient list and act more predictably when adding to a baking recipe. Vegan protein powders can be made from a variety of protein sources, so ingredients can vary quite a bit between brands. This is our favorite whey protein powder for baking.
When selecting a protein powder, look for one that contains whey protein, flavor, sweetener and maybe salt. Additional ingredients beyond that list will add additional variables to the recipe and you can expect slight variations in taste and texture.
Vegan Protein for baking:
We recommend this vegan protein powder in this recipe. The flavor was good and the muffins were a little prettier using this option!
Unsweetened/unflavored protein powder can be used, but you will want to add additional sweetener and vanilla extract to the recipe. I tested using an additional 1/3 cup of honey plus 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract with unflavored whey and that worked, but because of the additional moisture, this batch took longer to bake and was not as pretty but tasted good.
Storage
Storing: These muffins can be stored in a gallon-size resealable zipper bag or container at room temperature. Allow muffins to cool fully before storing them in an airtight container to prevent condensation. Enjoy within 4 days for freshness.
Freezing: These strawberry protein muffins freeze really well. This is optional but I prefer to flash freeze them for about 20 minutes to prevent them from sticking together. You can do so by freezing the muffins inside the muffin tin after they have cooled at room temperature. Once partially frozen, place the muffins in a resealable freezer bag and store sealed for up to 1 month.
To Thaw: Simply pull the muffins from the freezer and thaw on the counter for about 24 hours, or pop one in the microwave directly from the freezer and microwave for about 30 seconds on high.
Reheating: You can reheat these muffins in the microwave or toaster oven.
Other high protein recipes:
If you want to eat more protein, get our free high protein meals guide. Here are some of our favorite high protein recipes:
Strawberry Protein Muffins
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt 180 g
- 2/3 cup honey 220 g
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup avocado oil
- 2 cups oat flour 210 g
- 1/2 cup packed vanilla whey protein powder 40 g but will vary based on brand
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup diced strawberries rinsed and thoroughly dried (145 g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 12-count muffin tin with paper or silicone liners, and set aside.
- Dice the strawberries into small pieces, about 1/4-inch cubes. Place the diced strawberries on a paper towel to absorb some of the moisture and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, honey, eggs, and oil. Whisk together until smooth.
- In a smaller mixing bowl, add the oat flour, vanilla protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together.
- Pour the dry ingredients in a bowl with the wet ingredients and stir together until there are no lumps or streaks of dry ingredients.
- Use a rubber spatula to fold the diced strawberries into the batter.
- Using a 2-ounce scoop or large spoon, divide the batter between the muffin wells.
- Place the muffins in the oven and bake for 16-20 minutes (17 minutes was perfect for my oven), or until the tops are golden and they can pass the toothpick test.
- Remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool for about 10 minutes before enjoying.
could I swap collagen powder for the whey protein?
Thanks!
Collagen powder and whey protein will bake totally differently. The muffins will be flat and may not cook correctly. I would not recommend it!
Is there a Vanilla Whey Protein Powder you like to use? I have yet to find one I like.
Yes, it’s linked in the blog post 🙂 . This is our favorite whey protein powder for baking.
made it this morning, absolutely delicious. smells like strawberry shortcake. my husband couldn’t believe it’s healthy! swapped honey for agave (only cuz I ran out) and got 16 muffins out of the batter
Would it taste okay to use chocolate whey protein powder in the strawberry protein muffins?
Barbara
I think it would be fine! I can’t be sure because I haven’t tried it. Hope you love them!