Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins made in the blender with oats, pumpkin, Greek yogurt, protein powder, pumpkin spice, and chocolate chips! High protein and low carb and only 122 calories with 7 grams of protein per muffin!
Pumpkin protein muffins!! It’s officially that time of year for all the things pumpkin and I am here for it! From these protein muffins to protein bars and pumpkin pie butter.
Why we love these pumpkin protein muffins:
- made with simple ingredients – kitchen staples that you probably already have at home
- they couldn’t be easy to make – made in the blender and that’s it!
- very forgiving! – I have used both whey protein and plant-based and both work great
- have a great macro breakdown – they have a good balance of complex carbs, healthy fats, fiber, and 7 grams of protein in each one!
And they make an easy make-ahead breakfast, snack, or healthy dessert and definitely hit the spot when you are craving a baked good and don’t want to derail your nutrition goals!
Pumpkin protein muffins
This protein muffin recipe couldn’t be easier. Made in the blender with just 10 ingredients. They are made with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen and are packed with protein!
Pumpkin chocolate chip protein muffins ingredients:
- old fashioned rolled oats
- pumpkin puree
- Greek yogurt
- eggs
- natural or vanilla flavored protein powder – I like using vanilla
- pumpkin pie spice
- cinnamon
- baking powder
- baking soda
- chocolate chips
- salt
First, make the oat flour. You could easily buy oat flour, but all you have to do is add rolled oats to your blender and blend for 30 seconds or so until it is broken down into a flour-like consistency. Voila, oat flour!
Next, add the rest of the ingredients (except the chocolate chips) – pumpkin, yogurt, eggs, protein powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder and soda, and salt. Blend it up until combined.
The batter will be THICK, but it’s okay. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips. I just add them to the blender and carefully stirred them instead of dirtying another bowl.
PRO TIP – only stir in about 1/3 cup of the chocolate chips and then sprinkle the rest of them on the top of the muffins after they are in the liners. This makes for pretty muffins.
Once the batter is combined, evenly distribute the batter between 12 muffin tins and bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. I used silicone muffin liners so after they cool, they will pop right out!
Gluten-free protein muffins
Rolled oats are naturally gluten-free, but they can be one of the most cross-contaminated products. To ensure this recipe is gluten-free, look for certified gluten-free oats.
Pumpkin protein muffins substitutions
This recipe is pretty forgiving and you can change it up to fit your needs. I have made it with a few different protein powders and they work. That is the only substitution I’ve tried, but I think these others will work as well!
- protein powder – you can use whey protein or plant-based. I would assume that most work, except collagen, as the protein helps thicken the batter.
- no protein powder – if you don’t want to use protein powder, try 1/3-1/2 cup more of oats. This will change the nutritional breakdown though.
- non-dairy yogurt – I haven’t tried it, but you could probably use non-dairy yogurt. Just make sure the batter is thick and if you need to, add more oat flour.
- cottage cheese – I would think this would work the same
- flax eggs – if you can’t have eggs, try 2 flax eggs instead
More healthy protein snacks
- Pumpkin Protein Bars
- No-Bake Protein Cookies
- Perfect Bar Recipe
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls
- Apple Cinnamon Protein Cookies
- Sweet Potato Blueberry Protein Muffins
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins
ingredients
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats (100 grams)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (244 grams)
- 1 cup Greek yogurt (227 grams - I used Siggis 0%)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 packed cup vanilla flavored protein powder (~50-60 grams)*
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add the oats to a Vitamix, blender, or food processor and process until a flour forms (about 20 seconds).
- Add the pumpkin, Greek yogurt, eggs, protein powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and blend again until well combined. Try not to overprocess it if you can. Stir in the chocolate chips**.
- Distribute into 12 silicone muffin liners (or regular muffin liners that are greased).
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 25 minutes will be a little moister while 30 minutes won't be as moist. Enjoy!
video
notes
nutrition
Recipe by Kelly Nardo, Eat the Gains | Photography by The Mindful Hapa
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Yvonne Watson says
I noticed the amount of salt isn’t in the list of ingredients however it says to add the salt in the directions.
Can you tell me how much salt.?
Kelly says
Hi Yvonne, thank you for pointing that out. I usually just do a pinch of salt (maybe 1/8 teaspoon), but you can adjust according to your taste.
Jessica Loyd says
These are AMAZING!!! One of my favorite new recipes this year. I used pumpkin protein powder and it’s phenomenal. I made a bunch for my husband and son to take on their hunting trip. I love that it sneaks in some protein in a nice snack for my picky son . This was so easy to make and not hard to clean up. Thank you for sharing!
Kelly says
So glad to hear that Jessica! Love the idea of pumpkin protein powder too!! Thank you for trying them and glad y’all enjoyed.
Jake Vanover says
My wife and I made these and they turned out amazing! Thanks, Kelly!
Kelly says
So glad you enjoyed them Jake! Thanks for trying them!
Gina B. says
I typically enjoy your recipes and am accustomed to clean eating, but this one is not a winner. I followed the recipe to a “T” using a food scale. The texture turned out gummy and the flavor was bland. I left the muffins in the oven for exactly 26 minutes and they stuck to the pan, even after being generously greased. Small tweaks would not have helped either.
In my experience baking, I think 25 minutes may have been overkill. Typically oat-based muffins can go in for 18-22 minutes. Perhaps the double egg combined with the Greek yogurt threw off the texture too. I hate leaving negative feedback, but I was so disappointed with how these turned out. I wish I had better comments or tips for improvement 🙁
Kelly says
Hey Gina, sorry to hear they didn’t work out for you. Not sure what kind of protein powder you used, but that could change the outcome (I have used both whey and plant-based, and both work though). I will say, they definitely aren’t your typical muffin and are pretty moist rather than crumbly. With the greek yogurt, pumpkin, and eggs, I found they needed to be baked a little longer. I’m not sure what tips to add but watching the video to see the texture of the batter (it’s pretty thick) could help. I do appreciate your feedback though!
Dawn says
These are by far my favorite muffins! My teen daughter loves them too. I use chocolate protein powder. I use silicone muffin liners & they freeze well too.
Kelly says
Oh I love the idea of using chocolate protein powder! So glad they are a hit with everyone – thanks for tyring them Dawn!
Dancia Wieners says
Made today! Amazing! Always looking for great protein snacks. I’ll definitely be making again!
Kelly says
So glad to hear you liked them Dancia – thanks for trying them!
Dan says
They were really a tasty treat
Kelly says
Glad you enjoyed them!!
Casey Colodny says
So easy and simply made in the blender!! These were a great addition to a yogurt bowl in the morning!
Kelly says
The blender does make it so easy! Glad you enjoyed Casey!