Keto and low carb protein muffins are made with almond flour. Wonderfully fluffy, the best thing about them is how very filling they are!
Even though I usually prefer an egg-based breakfast, sometimes it’s nice to have a baked good that doesn’t just taste great but also keeps you going for several hours.
These protein muffins are delicious! They are light and fluffy and each of them contains 13 grams of protein and 4 grams of net carbs, making them ideal for a low carb or keto diet. The best thing about them is how filling they are. When I have two of them for breakfast, I’m not hungry for at least five hours!
The ingredients you’ll need
These are the ingredients you’ll need to make these tasty muffins (the exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below):
Eggs: I use large eggs in most of my recipes, this one included.
Greek yogurt: Whole-milk yogurt has the best flavor. Sour cream works too, but it has less protein.
Butter: I love using creamy European butter, but any butter will be great.
Sweetener: I use stevia. You can probably use a granulated sweetener instead, although I haven’t tested that. You might need to add a bit of water if you do.
Vanilla: Try to use the real thing – pure vanilla extract – and not the artificially flavored stuff.
Almond flour: This flour substitute bakes exceptionally well. I use blanched finely ground flour. I don’t recommend using a coarse almond meal in this recipe.
Whey protein powder: I provide a link to the brand I use in the recipe card below.
Baking powder: Make sure it’s fresh. And if needed, also make sure it’s gluten-free.
Dark chocolate chips: As dark as you can go and still enjoy them!
How to make protein muffins
It’s so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
1. Whisk everything (except for the chocolate chips) together in a big bowl. I usually start with the liquid ingredients, then add the dry.
2. Fold in the chocolate chips.
3. Spoon the mixture into greased muffin liners.
4. Bake the muffins for about 17 minutes in a 350°F oven.
One of the best things about this recipe: it’s very easy to make. When not baking with wheat flour, you don’t need to worry about over-mixing.
Over mixing develops the gluten which results in tough and rubbery baked goods. But here we don’t need to worry about that. So you simply mix all your ingredients in one bowl, pour into a muffin pan, and bake.
You can also make the batter the night before, pour into the muffin pan, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate, then bake in the morning.
My thoughts on protein powders
I used to object to using protein powders. My thought was that if one wants protein, one should eat meat or eggs (these fluffy scrambled eggs are amazing, by the way). If one wants a muffin, well, one should eat a muffin.
I changed my mind after trying these muffins. They are delicious, and SO FILLING. I never ate such filling baked goods. They keep me full for hours!
So now I’m a convert. Although I still believe that one should use protein powders carefully and not overdo it.
Are they tasty?
They are. However, they are keto and very high in protein, and so they cannot possibly have the same texture as regular muffins. The protein powder affects both the flavor and the texture.
Still, I think that for their kind, they are excellent and as close as can be to regular almond flour muffins.
How to store leftovers
You can easily double the recipe and bake 12 muffins at a time. They keep fairly well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 4-5 days can be gently warmed up in the microwave.
Although they do slightly dry out when stored, more so than regular muffins, so they are best in terms of texture when freshly baked.
These protein muffins also freeze well in freezer bags. You can thaw them directly in the microwave.
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Protein Muffins
INGREDIENTS
- Avocado oil spray for muffin liners
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon stevia glycerite (equal to about 1/3 cup sugar)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup blanched finely ground almond flour (2 oz)
- 2 scoops unsweetened whey protein powder (46 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (gluten free if needed)
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips divided (2 oz)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 6-cup muffin tin with liners and lightly spray them with oil. Foil liners work best to prevent sticking.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, yogurt, melted butter, stevia and vanilla.
- Mix in the almond flour, followed by the protein powder, and finally the baking powder. Whisk until very smooth.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, reserving 24 chocolate chips to sprinkle on top of the muffins.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them almost full. Top each muffin with 4 chocolate chip.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in one of the muffins comes out clean, 17-19 minutes. They will not brown even when ready.
- Cool 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack, then 10 more minutes directly on the rack. It's best to peel paper liners off while the muffins are still warm. Otherwise, they tend to slightly stick to the muffins. Greased foil liners don't stick.
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, Reader's Digest, and Better Homes and Gardens.