Blueberry Protein Muffins

The muffin that earned its macros. Soft inside, golden edge, loaded with real blueberries and 13g of Primal Core whey clean protein per muffin.

I developed this recipe because most protein baked goods share a common problem: they taste like protein baked goods. Dry, dense, and faintly chemical from artificial sweeteners, they are the kind of thing you eat because you should, not because you want to. These muffins are genuinely good. My clients request them. My family eats them. They disappear from the kitchen counter within hours, and most people cannot tell they contain protein powder.

The secret is the cottage cheese. It provides moisture, structure, and an additional protein boost that keeps the crumb soft and tender rather than dry and crumbly. Combined with oat flour and almond flour, the texture is closer to a bakery muffin than anything you would expect from a "protein recipe."

Why These Muffins Work Nutritionally

Each muffin delivers approximately 13 grams of protein from three complementary sources: grass-fed whey protein, cottage cheese, and eggs. This multi-source approach provides a blend of fast-digesting (whey) and slow-digesting (casein from cottage cheese) proteins, creating a sustained amino acid release that supports recovery over several hours.

The oat flour and almond flour base provides complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and fiber that slow digestion and stabilize blood sugar -- preventing the spike-and-crash cycle that refined flour causes. Blueberries add natural antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins, which research has linked to reduced exercise-induced oxidative stress and improved recovery.

These muffins work as a pre-workout snack (eaten 60 to 90 minutes before training), a post-workout recovery option, or a grab-and-go breakfast paired with a protein coffee. They store well in the fridge for up to four days and freeze beautifully for up to a month.

Ingredients

Dry Mix:

Oat flour: 40g (1/2 cup)
Almond flour: 20g (3 tbsp)
Mindful Crumb Grass-Fed Whey Protein: 30g (1 scoop or 3 tbsp)
Baking soda: 2g (1/2 tsp)
Ground cinnamon: 0.5g (Pinch or 1/8 tsp)
Sea salt: 1g (Pinch)

Wet Mix:

Cottage cheese (strained): 240g (1 cup)
Eggs: 100g (2 medium eggs)
Agave syrup: 50g (2 1/2 tbsp)
Lemon zest: Zest of 1 lemon
Vanilla extract or Vanilla from Madagascar: 4g (1 tsp)
Blueberries: 100g (2/3 cup)
Lemon juice (for blueberries): 5g-10g (Juice of 1/2 lemon)

Glaze/Blueberry Prep:

Sea salt: 1g (Pinch)
Lemon juice: 10g (2 tsp)
Agave Syrup: 5g (1 tsp)

The quality of your ingredients defines the quality of your result. Use organic whenever possible. Fresh blueberries are ideal when in season; frozen work well in the off-season but should be thawed and drained before macerating.

Directions

Preheat oven (top and bottom) to 170C/338F (fan). Grease or line 6 muffin cups with silicone molds and paper liners.

Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl: oat flour, almond flour, protein powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk to combine and break up any lumps in the protein powder.

Blend wet ingredients (cottage cheese, eggs, agave, lemon zest, vanilla) until smooth using a high-powered blender. You want the cottage cheese completely smooth with no visible curds.

Macerate the blueberries: Combine with lemon juice and a pinch of salt; let sit 10-15 minutes. This step draws out the natural juices and intensifies the blueberry flavor throughout the muffin rather than leaving it concentrated in isolated pockets.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture; stir until just combined. Do not overmix -- a few small lumps are fine and actually preferable. Overmixing develops gluten and produces a tough, dense muffin.

Gently fold in the macerated blueberries with a spatula, using broad strokes to distribute evenly without crushing.

Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups, filling three-quarters full. This leaves room for the muffins to rise without overflowing.

Bake 20-22 minutes until golden tops spring back when touched. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

Mix lemon juice and agave syrup for the glaze; brush over warm muffins immediately after removing from the oven. The warm surface absorbs the glaze and creates a subtle sheen.

Cool in pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack completely before storing.

Tips for Perfect Results

Strain the cottage cheese well. This is the single most important step. Excess moisture is the enemy of a good muffin texture. Press through a fine mesh strainer for at least 10 minutes, or wrap in cheesecloth and squeeze.
Do not overbake. Protein powder absorbs moisture during baking, so these muffins continue to set as they cool. Pulling them at 20 minutes when the tops are barely golden will yield a moist, tender crumb. At 25 minutes, they become noticeably drier.
The lemon is essential. Lemon zest and juice serve three purposes: they brighten the blueberry flavor, balance the sweetness of the agave, and react with the baking soda to create lift. Do not skip them.
Storage: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze, wrap individually in parchment paper and store in a freezer bag for up to one month. Thaw in the fridge overnight or microwave for 20 seconds.

Meal Prep Suggestion

I batch these every Sunday. Six muffins lasts through the work week as pre-workout fuel or afternoon snacks. Paired with a protein coffee in the morning, one of these muffins turns a rushed weekday into a 35-gram protein breakfast with zero cooking required.

Que rico! Enjoy.

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