High-Protein Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
Soft, cozy pumpkin cream cheese muffins made with pumpkin purée, warm fall spices, oat and almond flour, and vanilla protein powder. Each muffin is filled with a lightly maple-sweetened cream cheese center and topped with crunchy pepitas for the ultimate high-protein fall breakfast or snack.
Ingredients
Dry
- 1 cup oat flour
- ¾ cup almond flour
- ½ cup vanilla protein powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
Wet
- 2 whole eggs
- ¾ cup pumpkin purée
- ½ cup unsweetened plant-based milk
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Filling
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Topping
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease a silicone muffin pan or line a standard muffin tin with liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oat flour, almond flour, protein powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin purée, plant milk, maple syrup, applesauce and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Because protein powders absorb liquid differently, the batter should be thick but easily scoopable.
- Make the cream cheese filling by beating the softened cream cheese, maple syrup and vanilla until smooth.
- Divide the pumpkin batter evenly among 10 muffin cups. Add a small spoonful or piped dollop of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each muffin. Sprinkle with pepitas.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the muffin portion springs back when gently touched. Because the cream cheese center stays soft, test for doneness slightly off-center rather than directly through the filling.
- Let the muffins cool completely in the pan before removing them. This is especially important with the almond flour, pumpkin and cream cheese center, the muffins continue to set as they cool and can fall apart if removed while warm.
- Once completely cooled, gently remove from the pan and enjoy.
Notes
A little sinking around the cream cheese center is completely normal, the filling is heavier and stays softer than the surrounding pumpkin muffin.
Calories: 214kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.001g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 251mg, Potassium: 170mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 3016IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 135mg, Iron: 1mg