Name: Apple Cinnamon Protein Muffins
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1½ cups Protein Pancake Mix (I used Kodiak Cakes Buttermilk Pancakes Mix.); ½ cup almond flour; ¾ cup light brown sugar (packed); 1 tsp baking powder; ¼ tsp salt; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; ⅓ cup avocado oil; 1 large egg (room temperature); 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; ½ cup Greek yogurt; ¼ cup oat milk; 1 cup green apple (peeled and diced); ½ tbsp granulated sugar; ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

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Everybody loves muffins, but muffins with a little something extra are even better! These Apple Cinnamon Protein Muffins are nutty, warm, and packed with protein. They are perfect for an easy weekday breakfast or a lovely afternoon snack with coffee.

Protein Pancake Mix Muffins

I don’t know who the first person was that turned protein pancake mix into muffins, but it makes sense. For years, people have been using pancake mix to make muffins, but now that we have brands adding protein to their mix we have the addition of needed nutrition.

Are protein muffins healthy?

Muffins may not be the healthiest snack of them all, but if you are going to have a muffin it might as well have the added benefit of protein and whole grains. Depending on the protein pancake mix you use, depends upon the ingredients and their ratios. Typically these protein pancake mixes will be made from whole wheat, almond, or oat flour. And they will have the addition of a protein blend which could include protein isolates, whey protein, or another form of protein powder.

What’s in these Apple Cinnamon Protein Muffins?

Protein Pancake Mix: I am sure you have seen some variation of protein pancake mix on the shelves at the grocery store. The brand I used in this recipe was Kodiak Cakes: Power Cakes, Flapjack and Waffle Mix (buttermilk flavor.) While you can certainly use this mix to make pancakes and waffles, it is fun to play with it in baking recipes too.
Almond Flour: Though most of the flour body of this recipe comes from the pancake mix, it does call for a small amount of almond flour as well. This bumps up the protein even more and adds a lovely nuttiness to the batter.
Avocado Oil: Instead of canola oil or melted butter, I added avocado oil to this recipe. I like it for it’s health benefits, but also for its neutral flavor.
Dairy: This recipe calls for Greek yogurt and oat milk. The Greek yogurt adds even more protein to these muffins, while the small amount of oat milk assists in the moisture of the batter. You can certainly substitute with sour cream and regular whole milk too.
Apples: One large green apple is all you need for this muffin batter. The apple should be peeled before you chop it into small pieces. I enjoy the tartness of Granny Smith apples, but you can use bake friendly red apples as well, such as Braeburn or Red Delicious.
Ground Cinnamon: Lots of it!
Vanilla Extract
Salt

a tray of Apple Cinnamon Protein Muffins

How to make these protein muffins:

The first step is to preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Grease or line the cups of a 12-cup muffin tin, set aside.
For the muffin batter: In a large bowl or bowl of standing mixer with paddle attachment, mix together the protein pancake mix, brown sugar, almond flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until thoroughly combined. Remove 1/2 tbsp of this dry mix and sprinkle it over the chopped apples in a small bowl. Toss the apples to coat and set aside until needed.
In a small bowl, whisk the avocado oil, egg, and vanilla extract together. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix only until combined. Do NOT over-mix. Add the Greek yogurt and oat milk, again mixing just until combined. Fold in the apples.
Fill each muffin tin about 3/4 the way full.
For the cinnamon sugar: In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with the cinnamon sugar.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before eating.

*Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days, or in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Can you freeze these protein muffins? Yes, you can. Tightly wrap the muffins in plastic film or foil and then place the wrapped muffins into a freezer safe bag. Make sure to mark the bag with the name of the muffins as well as the date, so you don’t forget when they were made.