High Protein Cottage Cheese Muffins are healthy, easy, naturally protein-packed, and just SO DELICIOUS!
Made with easy ingredients you probably already have at home like ripe bananas, peanut butter, whole wheat flour (or all purpose flour), blueberries, protein-rich cottage cheese and a few others, you’ll be making these blender cottage cheese blueberry muffins over and over.
Also they are easy to make ahead for the entire week which is always a plus for busy parents like me!
And make sure to check out my High Protein Cottage Cheese Pancakes.
Jump to Recipe- Why You'll Love This High Protein Cottage Cheese Blueberry Muffins Recipe
- Ingredients for High Protein Cottage Cheese Muffins
- Step-by-Step Instructions to Making High Protein Cottage Cheese Muffins
- Tips for Making Fluffy Cottage Cheese Muffins
- Popular Substitutions and Additions
- How to Store Cottage Cheese Muffins
- How Long High Protein Cottage Cheese Muffins Last in the Fridge
- How to Freeze Blueberry Cottage Cheese Muffins
- Thawing and Reheating
- Frequently Asked Questions
- High Protein Cottage Cheese Muffins (Blueberry)
Why You’ll Love This High Protein Cottage Cheese Blueberry Muffins Recipe
Naturally High Protein: These blender high protein cottage cheese bluebbry muffins are packed with protein from cottage cheese, providing a nutritious boost without protein powder. Perfect for a protein-rich breakfast or snack.
Quick and Easy: This easy blueberry cottage cheese muffin recipe comes together in no time with the help of a blender. Just blend, pour, and bake! Ideal for busy mornings or when you need a quick baking solution.
Minimal Clean-Up: Using a blender means fewer dishes to wash, making this a simple and convenient recipe. Enjoy delicious muffins without the hassle of a big clean-up.
Meal prep Friendly: These make-ahead blueberry cottage cheese muffins can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge or freezer. Have a healthy breakfast or snack ready whenever you need it.
Nutritious and Delicious: The combination of blueberries and cottage cheese not only makes these muffins tasty but also provides essential vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein.
Versatile: Customize this blender muffin recipe with different berries or add-ins like nuts or seeds to suit your taste preferences. Make it your own with endless variations. I also love adding chocolate chips to this recipe.
Kid-Friendly: These healthy blueberry cottage cheese muffins are a great way to sneak extra protein and fruit into your kids’ diet. They’re sure to love the taste and you’ll love the nutrition.
Ingredients for High Protein Cottage Cheese Muffins
Cottage Cheese: Adds protein and moisture to the muffins. You can substitute with Greek yogurt if desired. You will not taste the cottage cheese in the recipe!
Ripe Bananas: The more yellow or brown and spotty, the better. Ripe bananas add natural sweetness and moisture to the muffins. Avoid green bananas, as they are not sweet enough for this recipe.
Nut butter: Adding nut butter like peanut butter increases protein and healthy fats, improves moisture and texture, and helps you stay full longer.
Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and provide structure to the muffins.
Maple Syrup: Adds natural sweetness and a rich flavor to the muffins. It’s a great alternative to light brown sugar.
Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the muffins, a must-have in baking.
All-Purpose Flour or Whole-Wheat Flour: Choose between all-purpose or whole-wheat flour for a healthier option.
Baking Soda: Helps the muffins rise and become fluffy.
Salt: Enhances the flavor of the muffins.
Hemp Seeds (optional): Boosts fiber, healthy fats, and protein. A great addition for added nutrition.
Fresh or Frozen Blueberries: Fresh blueberries work best, but you can also use frozen. If using frozen, thaw them before adding to the batter to ensure even cooking.
Step-by-Step Instructions to Making High Protein Cottage Cheese Muffins
Step 1 – Blend the Cottage Cheese
To ensure a smooth texture without curds, blend the cottage cheese until smooth. This works well in both a blender and food processor. Once smooth, you can add the remaining ingredients directly, eliminating the need for extra bowls.
Step 2 – Add the Remaining Wet Ingredients
Add 2 over-ripe bananas, creamy peanut butter, coconut oil or melted butter, maple syrup for sweetness, eggs, and vanilla extract. Blend until the bananas are mostly pureed, leaving a few chunks for texture.
Step 3 – Mix in the Dry Ingredients
Mix in whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until just combined. Avoid over-mixing to keep the muffins tender. Gently fold in the blueberries using a spatula.
Step 4 – Scoop and Bake
Line a cupcake mold with paper liners. Use an ice cream scoop to evenly distribute the batter into the molds or the muffin tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.
I like to top mine with some Greek yogurt for a delicious contrast in mouth feel between warm and moist muffins and cold, creamy Greek yogurt.
Tips for Making Fluffy Cottage Cheese Muffins
Measure your flour correctly. The best way to measure flour is to fluff it up in the bag with a spoon, and then spoon the fluffed flour into the measuring cup. Avoid tamping down or packing the flour into the cup—that will result in too much flour being added to the recipe, and you’ll end up with dense, dry muffins!
Use Fresh Ingredients: Ensure your baking soda is fresh and not expired, as this will help your muffins rise properly and become fluffy.
Blend the Cottage Cheese Smooth: Blend the cottage cheese until completely smooth to avoid any lumps, creating a uniform batter that bakes evenly.
Don’t Over-Mix the Batter: Mix the dry ingredients until just combined with the wet ingredients. Over-mixing can lead to dense muffins, as it develops the gluten in the flour too much.
Incorporate Air into the Wet Ingredients: When blending the wet ingredients, blend a little longer to incorporate more air, which helps create a lighter batter.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Use room temperature eggs and cottage cheese to ensure they blend smoothly and help the muffins rise better.
Do Not Open the Oven Door: Avoid opening the oven door during baking, as this can cause the muffins to collapse. Wait until the last few minutes to check for doneness.
Rest the Batter: Allow the batter to rest for a few minutes before baking. This can help the flour hydrate and result in a better texture.
Tossing the fresh blueberries in flour before adding to the batter prevents them from sinking to the bottom during baking time.
Popular Substitutions and Additions
Replace the flour with almond flour. Almond flour does tend to yield denser muffins and doesn’t rise as much as regular flour, but you can switch them out at a 1:1 ratio.
Omit the blueberries. This recipe makes great banana muffins! If you don’t have any blueberries on hand or prefer not to use them, simply leave them out.
Omit the maple syrup. Since this recipe calls for both bananas and blueberries, you can omit the maple syrup if you prefer low-sugar muffins.
How to Store Cottage Cheese Muffins
To keep your high protein cottage cheese muffins fresh and delicious, follow these storage tips:
Cool Completely: Allow the muffins to cool completely on a wire rack before storing. This prevents condensation, which can make the muffins soggy.
Airtight Container: Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container to maintain their moisture and prevent them from drying out.
Paper Towels: Line the bottom of the container with a paper towel and place another paper towel on top of the muffins to absorb any excess moisture.
How Long High Protein Cottage Cheese Muffins Last in the Fridge
When stored correctly in the refrigerator, your high protein cottage cheese muffins will stay fresh for up to 5-7 days. Place the muffins in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
How to Freeze Blueberry Cottage Cheese Muffins
Freezing blueberry cottage cheese muffins is a great way to extend their shelf life and have a convenient snack or breakfast ready at any time. Here’s how to freeze them properly:
Cool Completely: Allow the muffins to cool completely on a wire rack before freezing.
Pre-Freeze: Place the cooled muffins on a baking sheet in a single layer and put them in the freezer for about an hour. This step prevents them from sticking together.
Wrap Individually: Once pre-frozen, wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. This helps protect them from freezer burn.
Freezer Bag: Place the wrapped muffins in a large, resealable freezer bag or an airtight container. Remove as much air as possible from the bag before sealing.
Freeze: Store the muffins in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Thawing and Reheating
To enjoy your frozen cottage cheese muffins:
Thaw: Remove the muffins from the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature for about an hour, or overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheat: For a warm muffin, reheat in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! More than 70% of the calories in cottage cheese come from protein. A 4-ounce serving of cottage cheese contains 13 grams of protein, and a 5.3-ounce cup contains 16–19 grams, which is more than two eggs. Cottage cheese is also a complete protein meaning it contains all the essential amino acids.
You can substitute almond flour for all-purpose flour, however, the texture will be different. A good rule of thumb is to use 1/2 to 3/4 cup of almond flour for every 1 cup of wheat flour in a recipe. You may need to experiment a little to find the right balance. Gluten is the protein-based structural element in all-purpose flour that allows muffins to rise. Therefore, replacing all-purpose with almond flour eliminates some of this structure and your muffins may not rise as well.
Feel free to replace the flour with a gluten free option!
Some substitutes to eggs in baking are applesauce, mashed banana, ground flaxseed, baking soda and vinegar, chia seeds or a commerical egg replacer.
Looking for other recipes? Here are some favorites:
Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough Recipe
High Protein Banana Bread Recipe: No Added Sugar
Strawberry Shortcake Protein Shake Recipe
This high protein cottage cheese muffin recipe is easy, quick and protein-packed. It makes the best breakfast muffins or mid-day snack. You can also add in your own mix ins and additions to turn this sweet recipe to a savory cottage cheese recipe if you prefer. Simply omit the blueberries, bananas and maple syrup and add in savory options like shredded zucchini and shredded cheddar cheese. The options are endless!
If you make these High Protein Cottage Cheese Muffins, please leave a comment and rate the recipe! I love hearing from you and do my best to respond to every comment. And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram with your creations so I can repost on my stories!
High Protein Cottage Cheese Muffins (Blueberry)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese I like Good Culture
- 2 bananas
- 1/2 cup nut butter
- 2 tablespoons melted butter or coconut oil
- 1/4 cup maple syrup optional
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or whole-wheat flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons hemp seeds optional
- 1 cup blueberries
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and prepare a muffin tin by greasing it or lining it with muffin liners.
- In a blender, blend the cottage cheese until almost whipped, about 1 minute.
- Add the bananas, nut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla. Blend to fully combine.
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt and hemp seeds. Blend again until just combined. Do not over blend. Fold in the blueberries.
- Divide the batter among the prepared muffin tins. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until just set. Serve with Greek yogurt (if desired) on top.
Notes
- Toss the fresh blueberries in flour before adding to the batter prevents them from sinking to the bottom during baking time.
- Do not over blend the batter.
- Makes around 12 muffins.