These high protein pumpkin muffins are a great breakfast or snack during pumpkin season! This easy protein muffin recipe is filling, flavorful, and comes together in one bowl.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review
“I love the maple syrup sweetener and the fall spices… Yummy!” – Victoria
These pumpkin protein muffins are the ideal fall breakfast or snack when you want all the cozy flavors of the season in something that will actually keep you full. What makes our recipe special is that every ingredient is pulling double duty: oats for structure and fiber, maple syrup for natural sweetness, Greek yogurt for moisture and protein, plus protein powder for an extra boost.
I’ve developed over 50 breakfast recipes for this website, and easy muffin recipes are where I spend a lot of my testing time because they’re such a reliable grab-and-go breakfast or snack. These pumpkin ones have been in our fall rotation for years.
Baking with protein powder is its own thing, and that’s where most of the work went here. Protein powder doesn’t behave like flour. It absorbs liquid differently depending on the brand, it browns faster in the oven, and it can get sticky as it bakes. Once I understood that, the recipe came together into a muffin that’s tender and fluffy rather than dry and chalky, which is the usual fate of protein baked goods.
These are also easy to make ahead. They store well for a few days and freeze beautifully, so it’s a great candidate for making a double the batch to stash some in the freezer for later in the season.
I’ll be honest, I love a pumpkin muffin. So much so that I’ve developed a whole lineup of them over the years, and if the protein boost isn’t what you’re after, there’s probably one here for you. Our 3 ingredient pumpkin muffins are about as easy as baking gets, our pumpkin streusel muffins are the ones I make when I want something bakery-worthy without leaving the house, our mini pumpkin muffins are great for lunchboxes and snack trays, and our chocolate pumpkin muffins are for when chocolate is a must and you want to bring a little wow-factor to the table.
Jump to:
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review
- Why You’ll Love These High Protein Pumpkin Muffins
- Protein Pumpkin Muffin Recipe Ingredients
- How to Make Pumpkin Protein Muffins
- Tips for Baking with Protein Powder
- Variations of Protein Pumpkin
- Making Your Own Oat Flour
- How to Store These High Protein Pumpkin Muffins
- Recipe FAQs
- Love This Recipe? Check Out These Pumpkin Recipe Ideas Next!
- Pumpkin Protein Muffins Recipe
Why You’ll Love These High Protein Pumpkin Muffins
8 grams of protein per muffin. Greek yogurt, eggs, and protein powder all contribute, so these actually keep you full rather than leaving you hungry an hour later.
One bowl, 35 minutes. Wet ingredients, dry ingredients, into the tin. No creaming, no mixer, no separate bowls.
Tender, not chalky. Protein muffins have a reputation for being dry and dense. The combination of pumpkin puree and Greek yogurt keeps these soft and moist.
Naturally sweetened with maple syrup. Real maple flavor that works with the pumpkin spice rather than just adding sweetness.
Gluten free as written. Oat flour means these work for gluten free diets, as long as your oats and protein powder are certified gluten free.
Great for meal prep. They keep for a few days on the counter and freeze for months, so one batch covers a lot of mornings.
Protein Pumpkin Muffin Recipe Ingredients
- Canned Pumpkin Puree. Make sure you grab 100% pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling, which has added sugar and spices. Pumpkin does double duty here, bringing the fall flavor and keeping the muffins moist.
- Nonfat Greek Yogurt. Adds protein and moisture, plus a slight tang that balances the maple syrup. You can use plain or vanilla Greek yogurt.
- Large Eggs. Bind everything together and give the muffins structure. They also contribute to the protein count.
- Pure Maple Syrup. Sweetens the muffins and adds a warm flavor that pairs naturally with pumpkin spice.
- Oat Flour. The base of these muffins and what makes them gluten free. You can buy oat flour or make your own by blitzing rolled oats in a food processor, which is cheaper and probably already in your pantry. There’s a whole section on that below.
- Vanilla Whey Protein Powder. This is the ingredient that most affects how your muffins turn out, so use one you actually like the taste of. Different brands absorb different amounts of liquid, so see the tips section below before you bake.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice. A premixed blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice. Using the blend saves you measuring five spices separately.
- Baking Soda. Our leavening agent, giving these muffins their rise.
- Salt. Enhances all the other flavors and keeps the muffins from tasting flat.
- See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make Pumpkin Protein Muffins
Mix together wet ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together eggs, yogurt, pumpkin puree, and maple syrup until combined.
Add in dry ingredients: Add the oat flour, vanilla protein powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt and whisk to combine.
Distribute batter into greased muffin tin: Spoon batter into a greased muffin cups (or use cupcake liners), filling each cup ¾ of the way full.
Bake: Bake at 350°F for 23-27 minutes, until browned and a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool: Allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes then transfer them muffins to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Serve and enjoy! Eat as a quick breakfast or snack. Option to add butter or other favorite spread on top!
Tips for Baking with Protein Powder
Protein powder doesn’t behave like flour, and knowing a few things up front makes the difference between great muffins and disappointing ones.
Your protein powder brand matters more than you’d think. Different powders absorb different amounts of liquid. Whey tends to need less than plant-based protein. If your batter looks runny, add oat flour a tablespoon at a time until it looks right. One of our readers ran into this using fresh pumpkin from the farmers market, which has more water than canned, and two extra tablespoons of ground oats sorted it out.
Grease your liners or your pan well. Protein powder gets sticky as it bakes, and these will cling to paper liners more than a regular muffin does. Spray the liners, or grease the tin directly if you’d rather skip liners.
The tops will brown faster. That’s the protein powder, not a sign that they’re overdone. Go by the toothpick rather than the color.
Don’t overmix. Overmixing any muffin batter makes for tough muffins, and protein batters are especially prone to it. Stir until JUST combined and stop.
Pick a protein powder you’d drink. Whatever your powder tastes like in a shake, it will taste like in these muffins. A chalky or artificial-tasting powder won’t improve in the oven.
Variations of Protein Pumpkin
- Add chocolate. Stir in up to ½ cup of your favorite chocolate chips. Hold a few back to press into the tops after you’ve filled the tins so they’re visible when they come out.
- Top with nuts or seeds. Sprinkle chopped pecans, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds over the batter before baking for a little crunch and a prettier muffin.
- Add nut butter. Stir ¼ cup of almond or peanut butter into the wet ingredients for extra richness and a bit more protein. You may need slightly less oat flour since this adds moisture.
- Make them mini. Use a mini muffin tin and start checking around 12 to 14 minutes. Great for lunchboxes and little hands.
- Try chocolate protein powder. Swap the vanilla for chocolate for a pumpkin chocolate muffin.
- Add shredded coconut. Stir in up to ⅓ cup for extra texture and a subtle sweetness.
Making Your Own Oat Flour
Making your own oat flour is super easy to do and very inexpensive (I’m always down for a good cost-saving tip!). This is a great option if you do not do a lot of gluten-free baking because you are likely to have regular old-fashioned oatmeal in your cabinets already vs. a special flour.
What is the Ratio of Rolled Oats Needed to Make Oat Flour?
It is 1-to-1. You will need the same amount of rolled oats / old fashioned oats to make your oat flour as it calls for in your recipe. For instance, if your recipe calls for 1 cup of oat flour, you will need 1 cup of old fashioned oats.
How to Make Oat Flour
Place your rolled oats in a food processor or high-power blender and blend to pulverize. Continue until you’ve reached a flour consistency. You may need to scrape down the sides or bottoms of your processor or blender mid-way through to make sure all the oats are getting blended.
How to Store These High Protein Pumpkin Muffins
Store fully cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 3 days
Can You Freeze Muffins to Enjoy Later?
Yes! Freezing muffins is a great option for a quick breakfast or snack at a later date. Below you will find instructions to freeze and reheat frozen muffins.
How to Freeze Muffins
- Cool muffins completely
- I recommend individually wrapping each muffin in plastic wrap, and storing in a large size ziploc bag. Squeeze out any excess air before storing in the freezer
- TIP: Write what they are and the date they were baked on the bag for reference
- TIP: Write reheating instructions right on the bag for easy eating
Reheating Frozen Muffins
- How to reheat frozen muffins: Unwrap individual muffins and place on a microwave safe plate (optionally lined with a paper towel). Microwave for approximately 30 seconds.
- Thaw at room temperature: If you have more time, you can also thaw your muffins at room temperature. Remove the number of individually wrapped muffins you would like from the freezer and place on your countertop. Muffins will be thawed in about 1-2 hours.
How Long Can You Freeze Muffins For?
Frozen muffins will keep in a standard freezer for 2-3 months after they are baked.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. However, please check your rolled oats or oat flour to make sure the label specifically notes that it is gluten free. Oatmeal can be cross-contaminated depending on where it is processed. It is also good practice to double-check that your protein powder does not contain gluten.
Yes. Substitute the eggs with flax eggs, use a vegan-friendly yogurt, and select a vegan-friendly protein powder in lieu of whey protein. Please note, I have not made these substitutions myself. Doing so may affect the texture of these muffins.
My personal favorite used to be Simply Tera’s because it has minimal ingredients (4 total!) and it tastes great, but it’s gotten pretty expensive. My new go-to is Pure Choice Farms which is also clean (3 ingredients!). If you are looking to make this into a vegan snack recipe, select a plant-based protein powder like this one from Vega.
Generally almond flour swaps 1-for-1 in quick breads and muffins, but keep an eye on the batter texture. Because of its fat content, almond flour doesn’t absorb as much liquid as oat flour, so you may need to reduce the liquid slightly. It’s also heavier and nuttier, which will change the flavor and give you a denser muffin. I haven’t tested this swap myself, so if you try it I’d love to hear how it goes.
Usually the protein powder. Some brands absorb much more liquid than others, so if yours soaks up more than this recipe accounts for, you’ll need to add more liquid to compensate. Stir in a tablespoon of Greek yogurt or milk at a time until the batter is thick but still scoopable. Overbaking will dry them out too, so start checking with a toothpick at 23 minutes.
Of course you can, but just note that fresh pumpkin puree usually holds more water than canned, so your batter may be runnier. If this is the case, add oat flour a tablespoon or two at a time until it looks right. A reader who used farmers market pumpkin needed two extra tablespoons of ground oats.
Not with this recipe as written. The protein powder is doing structural work alongside the oat flour, so leaving it out without replacing it would throw off the ratios. If you want an easy pumpkin muffin without protein powder, our 3 ingredient pumpkin muffins are a better fit.
Love This Recipe? Check Out These Pumpkin Recipe Ideas Next!
Pumpkin Protein Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 C pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 C non-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ C pure maple syrup
- 1 C + 6 tablespoon oat flour
- ½ C vanilla whey protein powder
- 1 + ½ tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- In a large bowl, mix together eggs, yogurt, pumpkin puree, and maple syrup until combined
- Add the oat flour, vanilla protein powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt and whisk to combine
- Spoon muffin batter into a greased muffin tin (or use cupcake liners), filling each cup ¾ of the way full
- Bake for 23-27 minutes, until browned and a toothpick comes out clean
- Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for a few minutes then remove the muffins from the tin and place onto a cooling rack to finish cooling
- Serve and enjoy!
- Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 3 days
Fifi says
Can I use Almond flour instead?
Meredith says
Hi Fifi, I have not done this substitution myself, but generally almond flour can be swapped 1-for-1 for baking, especially in quick breads and muffins. But please note, you may need to adjust/reduce the amount of liquid used (keep an eye on the batter texture… due to the fat content, almond flour doesn’t absorb quite as much liquid as oat flour). Also note that almond flour is a bit heavier and nuttier which will alter the taste. If you give this a try, I’d love to hear how it turns out.
Anonymous says
While I have not made these muffins. I did sample these tasty treats!
Delicious satisfying and great with a warm fall cup of tea. I will make a point of trying this recipe!
ourlovelanguageisfood says
I’m so glad your enjoyed the taste-test! Excited to see how making these goes for you next!
Victoria says
Thank you for a healthier muffin! I’m always looking for a way to add more oatmeal and fiber to my diet. I love the maple syrup sweetener and the fall spices. The batter seemed runny maybe because I used farmers market pumpkin, so I added two more tablespoons of ground oatmeal. Yummy!
ourlovelanguageisfood says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!! Good call on adding the extra oatmeal – even different brands can have different consistencies! Thank you for making my recipe