Who here loves blueberry muffins?! The kind that are soft, melt in your mouth and are packed with juicy, big blueberries! There is nothing better than a blueberry muffin that is still fresh out of the oven.
These blueberry protein muffins contain a special ingredient: Greek Yogurt. The Greek Yogurt adds moistness to the muffin, allows us to decrease the amount of oil used, and adds a little bit extra protein!
These muffins are moist, packed with juicy berries, rise very well and taste really good! As an added bonus, these are considered protein muffins, because they have more protein than a typical muffin.
They are slightly different from your normal blueberry muffin, as they are more dense and a little bit more moist. This is because of the Greek yogurt. Leave a comment and let me know if you do make these muffins!
Which Type of Yogurt Should Be Used?
Greek yogurt should be used for this muffin recipe. The Greek yogurt is a good source of protein. Additionally, it helps create a moist texture to the muffins.
The recipe has not been tested with regular yogurt, however it is not recommended to use regular yogurt, as it would make the recipe too watery.
This recipe was made with non-fat plain Greek yogurt, however it can also be made using 2% low fat Greek yogurt or regular Greek Yogurt. Plain Greek yogurt is recommended for flavor purposes.
Should Blueberries Be Fresh or Frozen?
Blueberries should be at room temperature prior to mixing into the batter. This recipe works best with fresh blueberries, however frozen blueberries will also work.
Fresh Blueberries: Remove all stems. Rinse in a strainer under cold water and pat dry prior to use.
Frozen Blueberries: Defrost the blueberries by letting them thaw overnight or by heating them in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Thoroughly rinse the thawed blueberries using a strainer and rinsing under cold water. Rinse until the water is clear. This step is key and will prevent the blueberries from turning your batter blue! Pat dry before using.
Blueberry Protein Muffin Variations
This healthy protein muffin recipe is versatile and can easily be adjusted to meet dietary needs and food preferences. Common modifications are listed below.
Gluten Free Muffins
The blueberry protein muffins can easily be made gluten free. The flour and oatmeal must be adjusted in order to make them gluten free.
Flour: Use gluten free flour 1:1 measure for measure. This recipe was tested using the King Arthur brand of gluten free measure for measure flour. The muffins held up well with great consistency and were not at all dry!
Oatmeal: If adding the streusel topping, use gluten free old fashioned oatmeal. If not wanting to purchase oatmeal, another option is to replace the oatmeal with pecans, walnuts or crushed rice chex cereal.
Changing the Fruit Flavor
Tired of blueberries? Or maybe they are out of season? Feel free to switch up the fruit. Use the exact same measurements as the blueberries, and make sure the fruit is cut into small pieces. Alternatives to blueberries are strawberries, apples, raisins or raspberries.
How To Add Protein To Muffins
Adding protein to muffins can be beneficial if you are trying to increase your protein intake, or if looking for an easy protein source that can be eaten on the go. The main source of protein found in this muffin recipe is from the Greek yogurt. Below are some additional ways to add in extra protein to muffins.
- Greek Yogurt: some brands provide up to 23 grams of protein per cup (FAGE brand is a high protein option).
- Cottage Cheese: Puree until there are no lumps and use in place of oil (this would work best if not already using Greek Yogurt)
- Protein Powder: Consider mixing with oatmeal and using as a streusel topping. Some recipes also use protein powder in the muffin mix in place of part of the flour.
Muffin Storage
Store the muffins in an airtight container. I recommend refrigerating them to help them last longer. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Prior to serving, microwave for ten seconds.
Freezing muffins: Freeze the cooked muffins by placing them in an air tight gallon sized freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Do Muffins Made with Yogurt Need to Be Refrigerated?
Once yogurt has been cooked in a baked good, there is no need to keep it in the refrigerator. While fresh yogurt must be refrigerated, muffins with yogurt are perfectly fine to be left out at room temperature! The only thing to note is that these will not last very long if left out at room temperature. I recommend refrigerating the muffins, however if you do leave them out on the counter, keep it to a maximum of 3 days.
Nutrition Information
- These blueberry protein muffins contain 145 calories/serving. If looking for a lower calorie option, leave off the streusel topping (125 calories/serving).
- The muffins contain 5 grams of protein per serving. While this is more protein than a normal muffin, it would be recommended to add an additional protein source if eating this muffin as a meal. For example, if eating for breakfast, add a couple scrambled eggs to the side for an extra boost of protein!
- The muffins contain 27 grams of carbs and 14 grams of sugar. Decrease the sugar content by leaving off the streusel topping, or simply omitting the brown sugar from the streusel topping.
Tips to Make the Best Blueberry Protein Muffins:
- If using frozen blueberries, thaw and rinse prior to using to prevent batter from turning purple.
- If using frozen blueberries, consider adding 1 tbsp of flour to the blueberries prior to adding to the batter. This prevents them from turning the batter blue.
- Rotate the muffins half way through to make sure all muffins are evenly cooked.
More Delicious Recipes
- Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins (gluten free)
- Flourless Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
- Healthy Homemade Granola
Protein Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp butter softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups plain Greek yogurt nonfat
- 1 3/4 cup cake flour or gluten free flour if using gluten free flour, use 1:1 measure for measure
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups blueberries fresh
Streusel Topping
- 1/2 cup oatmeal old fashioned
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Line 16 muffin tins with liners. Grease with non stick spray and set aside.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar using an electric mixer. Mix on medium speed until creamed (about 3 minutes.)
- Add in eggs and vanilla, mix on medium speed for 1 minute.
- Add Greek yogurt, mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix until combined.
- Add the flour mixture into the Greek yogurt mixture. Mix with electric mixer until just combined.
- Gently fold in blueberries using a rubber spatula.
- Fill prepared muffin tins 3/4 the way full. Top with 1 tsp of streusel if desired. (See below recipe for streusel).
- Bake in oven for 18-20 minutes. Toothpick should come out clean when inserted into center of muffin.
Streusel Instructions
- Combine the oatmeal, brown sugar, cinnamon and oil in a medium bowl. Mix until combined.
Notes
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