Growing up in Northern California, my family drove down to Anaheim at least every other year for a short Disneyland vacation. After our 7-hour drive down the monotony of I-5, we pulled into the parking lot of the hotel just off the freeway, the place we always stayed because of its inexpensive prices and close walking-distance proximity to the park.
As early morning risers, my brother and I bounded out of bed with the sun every morning, practically bouncing off of the walls in excitement. We headed over to Disneyland well before 8 am to be the first ones in when it opened so that we could ride Dumbo, It’s a Small World, and the Tea Cups until we got dizzy and before the park filled with other guests.
Because Disneyland set their food prices as high as baseball stadiums, Mom crammed a backpack full of water bottles, apples, fruit gummies, crackers, and peanut butter for us to munch on as we walked around the park. Bringing our own snacks also meant we could maximize our time on the rides instead of standing in restaurant lines!
Since hotel meals usually cost and arm and a leg like Disneyland’s food, our parents packed breakfast things as well to eat in our room. Although my brother and I usually started our days with cereal and milk, we never knew if the hotel would have a mini fridge, so Mom brought nonperishable treats instead.
We absolutely loved it when she surprised us with the humongous jumbo-sized lemon poppy seed muffins. They were the only flavor we’d eat as kids (yes, we were picky!), and we’d always pick off the slivered almonds on top to hand over to our parents.
However, we usually pouted a little bit when Mom cut our jumbo muffins in half to make us share, but when she reminded us that a smaller portion mean we’d finish and get to go to Disneyland sooner, she turned those frowns upside down. (Smart lady!)
Now that I’m older and could easily polish off an entire jumbo-sized muffin by myself, most of the temptation has disappeared. I know I’d have a sugar crash an hour or two later, and I’d much rather eat something with a little protein to power me through the morning instead. That’s where these Lemon Poppy Seed Protein Muffins come in! They have the same sweet, sunshiny flavor as my childhood favorite, but they’re lower in carbs and have a big protein boost.
Let’s break down these healthier muffins, shall we? They start with pure coconut flour to lower the carbs. Don’t worry; they don’t have an overwhelming coconut flavor! There’s a tiny tropical taste in the background, but my guy said that he wouldn’t have noticed if I didn’t point it out. (And yes, he actually tried one!! Mainly because he loves all things lemon, but still… I’ll take any tiny victory I can get!)
It’s important to remember that coconut flour is about 3 times as absorbent as regular flour, so we’ll use a third of the amount. Coconut flour takes a little while to absorb the extra liquid, so after mixing it with the wet ingredients, let the batter sit for about 10 minutes while the oven preheats. When you come back, the batter will be as thick as normal.
The big protein boost comes from Jamie Eason’s Lean Body® for Her 100% Whey Concentrate vanilla protein powder. It has very little sugar and a sweet vanilla taste. Although I’m normally sensitive to the aftertaste of whey, I couldn’t detect it at all in these muffins! Just a bright, sunshiny lemon flavor.
Thanks to Greek yogurt, these muffins are some of the most tender I’ve ever eaten! It adds lots of moisture for a fraction of the fat and calories of oil. These muffins practically have the texture of cupcakes, and healthy protein-packed “dessert” for breakfast is something I’d be happy to eat every single day!
Wouldn’t you?
| Lemon Poppy Seed Protein Muffins | | Print |
- ½ c + 2 tbsp (56g) coconut flour (measured correctly)
- 1 tsp (3g) xanthan gum
- ¾ tsp (2g) baking powder
- ¾ tsp (2g) baking soda
- ¼ tsp (2g) salt
- 1 tbsp (8g) poppy seeds
- 1 tbsp (5g) lemon zest (about one medium)
- 1 tbsp (14g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp (5mL) vanilla extract
- ¼ c (60g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- ¼ c (60mL) agave
- 2 tbsp (30mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice (about one medium)
- ½ c (120mL) unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 2 scoops (84g) Jamie Eason’s Lean Body® for Her vanilla protein powder
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly coat 8 standard-sized muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk together the coconut flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt, poppy seeds, and lemon zest in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil or butter, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the Greek yogurt until no large lumps remain. Stir in the agave, lemon juice, and almond milk. Mix in the protein powder. Add in the coconut flour mixture, stirring until fully incorporated. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
- Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. Bake at 350°F for 21-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before carefully turning out onto a wire rack.
These muffins freeze really nicely. To thaw quickly, place individual muffins in the microwave for 40-50 seconds on 40% power.
For more tips and answers to all other questions, including substitutions, see my Protein Powder Recipes: Tips & FAQ page.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie, lower carb, high protein}
This post was sponsored by Labrada Bodybuilding Nutrition, Inc. As always, all opinions, text, images, and recipe are my own.
Excellent recipe Amy! I am new to southern California and have a lemon tree bursting with lemons. I have made a spectacular pie and now these muffins will be added to my bake-often list. Also REALLY looking forward to trying your lemon gingersnap cheesecake bars next. So appreciate of creative minds out there like yours making healthier baking easy.
I’m so glad you enjoyed these muffins Meredith! That means a lot to me — thanks for taking the time to let me know! 🙂 I’m excited to hear what you think of the cheesecake bars too!
We are dairy free at our house, what can I replace the Greek yogurt with? The DF yogurts have different constancy and less protein. Any thoughts?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Amy! In my muffin recipes, including this one, dairy-free yogurts typically work really well in place of Greek yogurt. Their consistency is close enough (aka they’re much thicker than water or milk!), and since there’s only ¼ cup of yogurt, that small difference in the yogurt’s consistency shouldn’t be noticeable in this muffin batter’s consistency.
However, if you’re a dairy-free household, does that mean that you don’t consume whey-based protein powder?
Thanks for your quick response! Yes, I will be using a plant based protein powder when I try your recipe. I hope that is ok?
It’s my pleasure, Amy! I generally don’t recommend using plant-based protein powder as a 1-for-1 substitute to make these muffins. I’ve covered why that is on my Protein Powder FAQ Page, and there’s a link to that FAQ Page in the Notes section of the recipe (located directly underneath the Instructions!). I know it can be easy to miss! 🙂
Hi….if I made these muffins in jumbo muffin pan…how long would I bake them for?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Alicia! I haven’t tried making these in a jumbo muffin pan, so I’m not personally sure. They’ll most likely take a bit longer to bake though! I’d recommend to start checking on them after the 21-24 minute mark given in the recipe and continue baking them until the tops feel firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached.
I’d love to hear what you think of these lemon poppy seed protein muffins if you end up making them!