Vanessa’s Kitchen: Pumpkin Protein Muffins

October 11, 2024

I love baking in the fall. The smell of fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom are so nostalgic, and pumpkin is a must! I love a heartier muffin for snack time.

Vanessa Mack RD, LD

Diabetes Care Center

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup powdered collagen peptides (unflavored)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup avocado oil
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • Raw green pepitas (pumpkin seeds) chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
  2. Combine flour, protein powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt.
  3. Make a well in the center. Add pumpkin puree, sugar, eggs, oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Stir until blended.
  4. Pour ¼ cup batter into each muffin cup. Sprinkle pepitas over the batter.
  5. Bake 18-20 minutes. Cool for a few minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Dietitian Tip

A protein powder can be used to substitute a partial amount of flour in a recipe. Adjustments to the amounts of liquid, fat and baking time are necessary for preventing a dried-out or overcooked product, so it is best to use recipes that already include it as an ingredient. Protein helps make our meals and snacks heartier, and blood sugars more stable.

Go ahead and sprinkle some mini semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate chips over the tops along with the seeds to make these muffins extra-special.  I would pair this treat with a hot, spiced brew tea like Chai or Vanilla Spice, and add a splash of low-fat milk or unsweetened alternative milk if desired.

This recipe is from The Real Food Dietitians at therealfooddietitians.com/pumpkin-protein-muffins/.