These soft and tender Apple Protein Muffins are packed with cozy cinnamon flavor and little pieces of fresh apple in every bite. Made with oats, Greek yogurt, eggs, and protein powder, each muffin has 6 grams of protein while still tasting like a classic apple cinnamon muffin! The whole batch freezes beautifully, so you always have a quick grab-and-go option on hand. {Gluten-free-friendly}
Table of Contents
Easy High Protein Apple Muffins
Elysia’s Recipe Recap
After blogging about healthy recipes for years and years, I’ve come to realize that muffins are life, and these apple protein muffins are no exception! They are a cozy, kid-friendly apple cinnamon muffin, with oats standing in for flour, plenty of real apple flavor, and just enough natural sweetness from the applesauce, protein powder and maple syrup. The batter comes together almost entirely in a blender for easy cleanup.
One batch makes 16 soft and tender muffins that freeze beautifully so I always have some on hand for busy mornings. Pair one or two with homemade raspberry yogurt, a mini crustless quiche, or a protein shake for a more filling breakfast!
Before You Begin:
- Don’t expect a bakery-style sweet muffin. These apple protein muffins are intentionally lightly sweetened. If you’d like them sweeter, replace 3-4 tablespoons of the applesauce with additional maple syrup (see Recipe Variations below for more ways to switch things up).
- Keep the apple pieces small. Finely diced apple distributes more evenly through the batter and prevents large, wet pieces of fruit from weighing down the muffins.
- Don’t skip the cooling time. Protein muffins can be more delicate while they’re hot. Giving them time to fully cool makes them easier to remove from the pan (or from the liners) without breaking.
- Keep in mind that protein powders vary. Plant-based, whey, and other types of protein powder don’t always behave exactly the same way in baked goods. For the most consistent results, use a protein powder you’ve already had success baking with.
- If you need the muffins to be gluten-free, use certified gluten-free oats and double-check that your protein powder and other packaged ingredients are also certified gluten-free. Alternatively, you can check out these coconut flour apple muffins!
For more fan-favorite protein muffins, check out these Banana Protein Muffins, Blueberry Protein Muffins, and Banana Chocolate Protein Muffins!
Ingredient Notes
- Oats: Quick oats or rolled oats both work well. The oats are blended first to create a flour-like consistency, so there’s no need to purchase oat flour separately.
- Vanilla protein powder: I’m partial to the vegan protein powder from Good protein. Other protein powders may work, but different formulations can absorb moisture differently, so the finished texture may vary slightly. I recommend using a flavored and sweetened protein powder rather than an unflavored variety for the best flavor.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Added so that the muffins rise when they’re baked and have a light and fluffy texture.
- Cinnamon: For that warm, cozy flavor.
- Unsweetened applesauce and plain Greek yogurt (0%): Applesauce adds moisture, natural sweetness, and extra apple flavor without requiring a large amount of added fat. Along with the Greek yogurt, it’s a big part of what keeps these muffins soft and tender rather than dry.
- Maple syrup: Use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup, which is usually made with corn syrup.
- Eggs: Provide structure and additional protein.
- Fresh apples: These need to be shredded and finely diced for two different textures.
- Optional toppings: Extra apple chunks, sprinkle of cinnamon, sprinkle of coconut sugar or brown sugar, pecans or walnuts.
How to Make Apple Protein Muffins
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a regular-sized muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray or line muffin tin with silicone liners or paper liners sprayed with cooking spray.
- Place the oats in a food processor and pulse until the oats are finely ground into a flour-like consistency.
- Add the protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Blend to combine.
- Next, add in the applesauce, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla. Blend until smooth and combined. You may need to use a spatula to scrape down the sides to ensure everything is combined.
- Remove the blade of the food processor and fold in the shredded apple and chopped apple. Alternatively, you can transfer the mixture to a bowl and fold in the apples in the bowl.
- Divide batter equally among 16 muffin cups, filling each cup about 3/4 of the way full. Place muffin tin on the bottom oven rack and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. They should be slightly firm to the touch and lightly golden in some places. Let the muffins cool fully before removing them from the tin.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Recipe FAQs
Each muffin contains approximately 6 grams of protein based on the ingredients used in this recipe. For a higher-protein breakfast, I recommend pairing the muffins with another protein-rich food such as Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, creamy scrambled eggs, or a protein shake rather than relying on the muffin alone.
It’s easiest to start with a recipe that is formulated for higher protein content, as you’ll get much more consistent results. I often use Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, egg whites, and/or protein powder in my high-protein muffin recipes, which are wonderful sources of protein. But I also usually incorporate extra fiber and healthy fats while minimizing the sugar, which makes the muffins much more nutritious and wholesome. There are many healthy muffin recipes on the blog, so be sure to check them out!
Although you can sometimes use wheat flour as a replacement for oat flour, it’s not a perfect swap. Your muffins may end up either slightly too wet or on the dry side. It’s best to use the oat flour as recommended, unless you’re open to a little experimenting!
It really depends on your preference. I often use a vegan protein powder, which are often made from pea protein. You can also use a whey protein powder. I do recommend using a sweetened and flavored one, as this gives the muffins an extra boost of flavor and sweetness.
Storage Guidelines
Allow the muffins to cool completely before storing. Because these muffins contain fresh apple and plenty of moisture, make sure they’re completely cool before sealing them in a container to help prevent excess condensation from collecting inside.
Refrigerator: Refrigerate for up to approximately one week.
Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or bag; thaw individual muffins as needed.
Recipe Variations
- Use apple pie spice: Apple pie spice has ginger, cloves, and other warming spices that give these muffins an even cozier flavor.
- Try pumpkin or banana: You can replace the unsweetened applesauce with an equal amount of mashed banana or pumpkin puree. Just keep in mind that this will noticeably change the flavor of the muffins.
- Add nuts: Fold chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter or sprinkle them over the muffins before baking for extra crunch.
- Use egg whites. You can replace the whole eggs with egg whites to increase the proportion of protein and reduce the fat content. Since the egg yolks contribute fat and moisture, the muffins may turn out slightly drier. Adding an extra tablespoon of applesauce or yogurt can help offset that.
More Higher Protein Recipes
- High Protein Banana Bread
- Kodiak Cakes Muffins
- 3-Ingredient Protein Waffles
- Cottage Cheese Protein Bagels
- Protein Powder French Toast
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Apple Protein Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups oats (can use quick or rolled)
- 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon cinnamon (depending on how much cinnamon flavor you like)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup plain 0% Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup shredded apple
- 1 cup finely diced apple (diced in 1/4 inch pieces)
Optional Toppings
- Extra apple chunks
- Sprinkle of cinnamon
- Sprinkle of coconut sugar or brown sugar
- Chopped pecans or walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray regular sized muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray or line muffin tins with silicone liners or paper liners sprayed with cooking spray.
- Place the oats in a food processor and pulse until the oats are finely ground into a flour-like consistency.
- Add the protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Blend to combine.
- Next, add in the applesauce, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla. Blend until smooth and combined. You may need to use a spatula to scrape down the sides to ensure everything is combined.
- Remove the blade of the food processor and fold in the shredded apple and chopped apple. Alternatively, you can transfer the mixture to a bowl and fold in the apples in the bowl.
- Divide batter equally among 16 muffin cups, filling each cup about 3/4 of the way full. Place the muffin tin on the bottom oven rack, and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. They should be slightly firm to the touch and lightly golden in some places. Let the muffins cool fully before removing them from the tin.
Notes
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- These muffins are lightly sweetened. If you prefer a sweeter muffin, replace 3-4 tablespoons of the applesauce with additional maple syrup.
- You can also add a topping to the muffins before baking. They taste delicious with extra apple chunks, a sprinkle of cinnamon, chopped pecans or walnuts and a sprinkle of coconut sugar.
- My favorite protein powder to use for these muffins is Good Protein powder. It’s so delicious and comes in lots of different flavors!
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in January 2025 and the text, formatting and some photos were updated in October 2026.
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