Start your day off right with these easy protein muffins. Packed with fiber, healthy fats, and 12g of protein per serving. And plenty of chocolatey goodness too!
If you follow me regularly, you know I have a deep and abiding love for keto muffins. I love creating the recipes and I love eating the results!
And these chocolate protein muffins are easily among my new favorites. They are fluffy and moist, with a rich chocolate flavor. And the added protein gives me the boost I need to tackle a tough workout or a long run.
It’s a healthy keto breakfast or snack that tastes like a cupcake. How can you say no to that?
Why you need to try them
These muffins are perfect for people looking to get more protein into their keto diet. The keto diet has evolved over the past few years and it’s no longer ALL about the fat. And it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Many people, especially women, find they do better with a little less fat and a little more protein. As we age, our bodies process protein less efficiently, so we need more of it to maintain muscle mass.
But sometimes a high protein meal like meat feels like too much work or just too heavy. So protein snacks that are easy to grab can fill that void. You can make a big batch of these keto protein muffins and sock them in the fridge or freezer.
They have 12g of protein per muffin, only 1.6g net carbs, and no added sugar. Oh and did I mention that they’re fudgy and delicious? That certainly doesn’t hurt either!
Ingredients you need:
- Nut butter: I used pecan butter for this recipe but you can really use any nut or seed butter you like best.
- Sweetener: I like Swerve Brown for these protein muffins, as it deepens the flavor. But they don’t rely on a specific sweetener for consistency so you should be able to use your favorite. Do keep in mind that allulose may make them extra soft.
- Chocolate collagen protein: You can’t have protein muffins without protein! I found that collagen protein worked best for consistency and also provides a better protein content. Whey protein works as well but they tend to be more dry. See the expert tips section for more information.
- Cocoa powder: Dutched cocoa powder gives these muffins a rich, deep chocolate flavor.
- Sugar free chocolate chips: I used the dark chocolate chips from ChocZero.
- Kitchen staples: Vanilla, eggs, baking powder, salt
Step by Step Directions
1. Combine the wet ingredients: Place the nut butter in a large bowl and stir well to mix in the oils. Whisk in the sweetener and vanilla extract until well combined, then whisk in the eggs until smooth.
2. Add the dry ingredients: Add the collagen, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and stir until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
3. Bake the muffins: Divide the mixture evenly among parchment or silicone-lined muffin cups. Bake in a 350ºF oven for 18 to 25 minutes, or until the muffins have risen and are just firm to the touch on top.
Expert Tips
I used pecan butter for this recipe only because I had some to use up. But really any nut or seed butter will work in these protein muffins. Consider almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or even peanut butter (yum!). The carb count may change somewhat depending on what you use.
I highly recommend collagen protein powder (aka collagen peptides) for these muffins. It combines really well with the nut butter and makes them both moist and fluffy.
I’ve tried whey protein but it’s not quite the same and they dry out more easily. If you do decide to go with another kind of protein, you may need to add a little liquid to thin out the batter and make it scoopable. 2 to 4 tablespoons of water or coffee should suffice. Make sure to remove them from the oven the moment they seem firm to the touch so that you don’t over bake them!
Frequently Asked Questions
Protein powder is actually very useful in keto baking, as it helps the consistency of many cakes and muffin recipes. It mimics the protein in gluten, so the baked goods rise better and become more fluffy. Check out my Keto Cake Recipes to see how it works.
Conventional chocolate muffins can have upwards of 30g of carbs per serving. Yikes, that’s a blood sugar spike waiting to happen. However, these Chocolate Protein Muffins have 5.2g of carbs and 3.6g of fiber, so they have only 1.6g net carbs per serving.
Animal protein such as fish, meat, poultry, and eggs is the most bio-available source of protein for the keto diet. So that should be the focus of much of your meals. However, easy snacks that contain added protein can help too. These protein muffins make a fabulous grab-and-go breakfast or snack.
Chocolate Protein Muffin Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecan butter (or any nut/seed butter)
- ½ cup Swerve Brown
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup chocolate collagen protein
- 3 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips, sugar-free
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with 12 silicone or parchment paper liners.
- Place the nut butter in a large bowl and stir well to mix in the oils. If it is very stiff, you can microwave it or heat it gently in a pan until it is more liquid.
- Whisk in the sweetener and vanilla extract until well combined, then whisk in the eggs until smooth.
- Add the collagen, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and stir until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Divide the mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups and bake 18 to 25 minutes, or until the muffins have risen and are just firm to the touch on top.
- Remove and let cool in the pan.
Video
Notes
Kerry Paden says
Love the recipe. I use peanut butter and add about a tablespoon of oil. They turned out great. How can we turn this into a brownie recipe? Any ideas?
Rhoda Lagerquist says
Question: Can these be baked in an air fryer? If so, what temperature and for how long? Thank you.
Carolyn says
I am sorry, I haven’t tried, so you will need to experiment.
Joan Hampel says
Not sure what I did wrong. I followed the recipe, using peanut butter that I had rather than pecan butter. I thought it said any nut butter was usable. I used Orgain collagen, protein powder, Dutch process cocoa, everything that the recipe called for. The batter was sooo thick, I could’ve rolled it into balls. Did I miss a liquid that I was supposed to add? I still want to be able to make these. Any information on how I can make them and they don’t come out like dry hockey pucks as they just did would be greatly appreciated!
Carolyn says
You clearly needed more liquid… if your batter was that thick, you should always add liquid. You can see from my photos that mine is not that thick at all. Could be your peanut butter, could be your choice of collagen, hard to say.
Joan says
Thank you. Tried a more “natural” peanut butter this time and added some coconut oil (approx 3 tablespoons). Still quite thick. 🤷🏼♀️ In the oven now, I am so hoping these turn out right!
Carolyn says
Hi Joan… I think you should have added some other liquid as well. Again, the batter should be like a batter, as you can see from my photos. I am going to amend the recipe with a note for people using peanut butter. It seems to make things too thick.
Terri says
I made these with unsalted natural peanut butter (no additives) this afternoon and had the same issue. I added about 1/3 cup of water and it was still thick, but more batter-like. I ended up pulling them from the oven around the 25 minute mark and had a hard time waiting for them to cool before digging in. 😉 They were AMAZING! Definitely thinking of adding some toasted coconut the next time.
Carolyn says
It’s gotta be the peanut butter! I need to address that as a note in the recipe, I think.
Nancy Smith says
These look amazing! There’s no almond or coconut flour?
Miri says
I eat these muffins every morning. The have the highest amount of protein in one muffin that I have found so far. I use homemade pecan butter, add some sour cream (to make them more tender) and unsweetened coconut (for a german chocolate muffin). With my additions they have 220 calories, 15g fat, 13g protein, 6g carbs, 5 g fiber, 1g net carbs (per Carb Manager). Would love more muffins with this amount of protein! Thanks for all of your hard work. Your keto recipes are definitely my favorite.
Valerie says
Love these and make them frequently. I’m currently somewhere where I can’t get good, sugar-free collagen protein. Could I use unflavoured and simply add more chocolate powder and sweetner? I brought sugar-free chips with me as I know they are tough, if not impossible, to find here.
Many thanks – we enjoy so many of the recipes you share with us.
Valerie
Carolyn says
Yes, use another tbsp of cocoa powder and another tbsp of sweetener. You may also need some more liquid to offset the dryness of these.
Valerie says
Thanks! Cranking up the oven right now to give it a go!
Cheers!
Shannon N. says
Love these protein muffins. They come together in under 5 minutes and taste delicious! I make a batch every week. Thanks again for another wonderful recipe.
Catherine Young says
I absolutely love these muffins. I have made them for several different occasions. I share your recipes all the time. I have recently purchased a lemon collagen powder. I’m not the best baker outside of following others recipes. Could this recipe be made without the cocoa/ chocolate ingredients? Or do you have another protein muffin recipe that is similar? Thank you in advance!
Marie says
I have unflavored protein powder and unflavored collagen. What ratio should I use if the two, plus more cocoa powder?
Carolyn says
What kind of protein powder is it?
Carole G. says
Absolutely THE BEST recipe. I make this regularly and it’s perfect every time. Thank you Carolyn! Also have all your cookbooks which are spot on. I’ve tried alot of keto recipes but your recipes are always consistently good.
Chuck says
In the video you refer us to the written recipe if we are using plain collagen powder. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find any reference to plain collagen in the article. You do talk about using whey protein instead, but that is not the same thing. Am I just blind, or is it not there?
Carolyn says
Add one additional tablespoon of cocoa powder, a bit more sweetener, and an additional tablespoon of oil.
Georgia says
Girl these were insane. Well done!
Kristina says
I only have unflavored collagen. What could I sub for the chocolate flavoring? I’m assuming more cocoa powder would change the dry to wet ratios. Help!
Carolyn says
Yes, add another tablespoon cocoa, another tablespoon sweetener, and additional water until the batter is liquid enough to spoon into the cups like mine is in the photos.
Connie says
Do you think I could bake these in a ninja foodie XL? Might only have room for a muffin tin of 6. What temp and how long do you think? Thanks!
Carolyn says
I don’t own one so I really can’t say… guess you need to experiment!
Vicky Price says
I want to make these but only have Vanilla collagen powder on hand. Do you think that will change the flavor too much?
Carolyn says
No, but don’t add any more vanilla.
Kim says
could I sub egg white protein for the collegen?
Carolyn says
Please read the expert tips section… What I say about whey protein will apply to egg white protein.
Mandy says
Cant wait to try these. Is the serving size 6 or 12 for this recipe?
Carolyn says
It makes 12 muffins, so 12 servings. Don’t be fooled by my pics of 6… I just happen to have two muffin tins that hold 6 each. They are easier to fit into photos!
Virginia C says
This recipe is very tasty. Toasting the nuts brings a deeper flavor.
Cheryl R Taylor says
Make these twice, nope, 3x now! The 3rd time I made a double batch, used a large 9×12 for bars. OMG, they are fantastic bars as well as muffins.
Kate says
followed this recipe to a T and ended up with dry disgusting muffins after only 17 minutes of baking. kind of disappointed i wasted ingredients on this .
Carolyn says
So something went very wrong on your end but without more info I can’t say what. What I need to know is EXACTLY what brands of ingredients you used? Also, please don’t toss them. You can crumble them up and add some peanut butter or such and turn them into truffles!
Nicole says
What? Tell me more please! How do you do that?
Carolyn says
Watch this video! https://youtu.be/Cdei8tZ5-Yc