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.
Do you think I could sub the protein powder with oat or wheat flour?
I haven’t tried it and can’t vouch for the results Shannon. If you wanted regular lemon poppy seed muffins, I’d recommend using this recipe of mine and baking it into muffin tins instead of a loaf pan. 🙂
I tried making these today, I followed the recipe as directed. I feel like I may have missed a step, the batter is very thick and as a cookie like consistancy. Is this how it is supposed to be? It smells amazing!
I’m sorry about the confusion Roxanne! It’s not supposed to be quite that thick, and I’m guessing it has to do with the protein powder you used since not all powders absorb the same amount of liquid. I haven’t tried any others besides the one I linked. You can always add a little milk (1 tablespoon at a time) until it reaches a more batter-like consistency. The batter should be thick, not thin, but not as thick as cookie dough. I hope that helps and the muffins turn out well for you!
Mine was the same.. I baked them and they had this wet polymer consistency in the middle ? As if I couldn’t bake them long enough. I doubled the recipe and wandered if doubling the xanthan gum could have cause that? The house smells wonderful though!
Yikes! What brand of protein powder did you use Monica? These were specifically designed for whey-based protein powders, so the strange texture could have been a result of a plant-based protein powder. (As an organic chemist before a baking blogger, I got a kick out of your “wet polymer” description! 😉 ) Hopefully we can figure out what happened together so your next batch turns out better!
mine was same. tried 3 times 🙁
I’m sorry that the muffins didn’t turn out for you Trish; that must have been disappointing. What protein powder did you use?
I want to try this recipe with pea protein powder, not whey, do you have any idea if it would turn out right or if I would need to make other alterations to compensate? Thank you!
You would definitely need to make modifications to use your pea protein powder. Plant-based protein powders absorb more liquid than whey-based protein powders, so you’d either need to (a) add half the amount of protein powder, or slightly more, than is called for in the Ingredients list or (b) add more milk until the muffin batter is no longer dry but still very thick and scoopable. I hope you enjoy the muffins if you try them Kassidy!
I am posting your recipe as one of 3 featured recipes on our blog! We are a small, independent health food store in Atlanta, GA promoting our new line of protein powders, and are linking to your awesome recipe for people who want a new way to get their protein. Thank you for sharing!
https://www.peachvitamins.com/blog/
Thanks for including my recipe Diana!
If I use unflavored protein powder, should I add vanilla extract? How much? i’m not used to how these ingredients react. thanks!
Yes, you should add an additional ½ teaspoon of vanilla, and you’ll also need to add more sweetener since vanilla protein powders are sweeter than unflavored. I’d recommend another 1-2 tablespoons of the sweetener of your choice. I hope you enjoy the muffins Dylan!
ah, glad to find some lemony recipes using coconut flour! I’ve been collecting healthy recipes both my baby and I can enjoy (trying to teach him healthy eating habits from the start :)). Have you tried psyllium seeds vs xanthan gum (“Flohsamen” are a bit easier for me to find in my neck of the woods)? Do you know if an egg or two would work ok (seeing as I’m not a vegan)? Also, I’m curious if you’ve tried to bake something with lemon and parsnips together. Recipes I’ve dug up are too sweet but I’m going to try to add some roasted chopped up parsnips to this recipe (hiding veggies in food is apparently a maternal instinct)
You’re so sweet to feed your baby homemade healthy foods! He’s really lucky to have you as his mother. I haven’t tried psyllium seeds instead of xanthan gum, so I can’t guarantee the results. I hope you enjoy the muffins if you try them Pipa!
hey amy, i was wondering if I can replace the coconut flour for almond flour or another one! I would love to make this muffins
This muffin recipe was specifically designed for coconut flour, but you’re welcome to try substituting a different flour. Coconut flour is around 3 times as absorbent as other flours, so you may need anywhere between 2-4 times as much of any other flour. I recommend starting with 1 cup of the flour of your choice and increasing as needed until the batter is fairly thick, but not as thick as cookie dough. I’d love to hear what you try and how the muffins turn out for you Maria!