Pumpkin Muffins with Protein Powder
One of the ways I use up protein powder is in recipes. I recently got the seasonal Pumpkin Spice Latte Protein Smoothie and decided to make pumpkin muffins with protein powder. Each muffin is only 5 Weight Watchers points and 172 calories each. While typically you can use Bizzy15 to save 15% off your Flavcity order, seasonal varieties (such as the Pumpkin) do not apply.
How to figure out if a recipe is high protein
Is this a high protein muffin? Nope! One way to to find out if a recipe is high protein is to add a zero to the end of the amount of protein in the recipe. If that number is higher than the total calories, it’s considered a high protein recipe. For example: this muffin has 8 grams of protein. Add a zero and you get 80. 172 calories is higher than 80, so it’s not considered high protein. Fun fact, while eggs are touted as high protein, they actually are not.
However, let’s say the total protein in the muffin was 18. Add zero to the end, that’s 180, which is higher than 172, so it would be considered a high protein muffin. Hopefully that makes sense?
Ingredients
- self-rising flour (although all purpose flour is fine)
- non calorie sweetener (Splenda, monkfruit – whatever you like)
- salt
- baking powder
- cinnamon
- Flavcity Pumpkin Spice Latte Protein Smoothie
- sugar free cheesecake pudding mix
- whipped butter (less points for some reason!)
- nonfat Greek yogurt
- unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
- canned pumpkin
- egg and egg whites
- pumpkin seeds (optional for topping)
While this may seem like a lot of ingredients, most of these are pantry/fridge staples for me. While I used apple pie spice (which has a combination of cinnamon, ginger and allspice), cinnamon is fine. Side note: make sure to get 100% pure canned pumpkin, because pumpkin pie filling has added sugar.
Mix the batter just until combined
It’s crucial not to overmix your muffin batter because the more you stir, the more the gluten in the flour develops. Overmixed batter can lead to dense, tough muffins instead of light and fluffy ones. The goal is to gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together until you no longer see streaks of flour. Lumps are totally fine! A few folds with a spatula is all it takes for tender, bakery-style muffins.
Warning!
I bought roasted and salted pumpkin seeds for the top of these muffins. However, first rule of thumb when cooking is typically taste as you go, and sadly I did not realize the pumpkin seeds were way too salty. So either switch out with pepita seeds, or top with granola or leave off the topping entirely.
Space Out the Muffins
I follow Beth from The First Year for my muffin-baking method, and it’s been a game changer. Instead of filling the cups just ¾ full like most recipes suggest, she recommends filling the batter all the way to the top for a bakery-style rise. The trick is starting the bake at 425°F for the first 7 minutes to get that gorgeous dome top, then lowering the heat to 350°F to finish baking. Beth also suggests only filling half the muffin tin at a time so each muffin has plenty of space to fully rise, and the result is the most beautiful muffin tops every time.
I also added 1/2 teaspoon of gold sugar on the top of my muffins, but that is completely optional and only adds 8 calories to the total calories.
Pumpkin Muffins with Protein Powder
Sweet, pumpkiny, only 5 Weight Watchers points and 172 calories each. Side note: the pumpkin seeds I bought were very salty, so you may want to substitute pepitas for the topping, or leave it off completely.
Ingredients
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 1 cup Splenda (or no calorie sweetener)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 scoop pumpkin protein powder
- 1 package sugar-free cheesecake pudding mix
- 2 tablespoons whipped butter, melted
- ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup liquid egg whites
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds (for topping)
Instructions
Prepare the Batter
Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease or line a muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, Splenda, salt, baking
powder, cinnamon, protein powder, and pudding mix.
In a separate bowl, whisk together melted butter, Greek yogurt, almond milk, pumpkin, egg, and egg whites until smooth. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and gently fold until just combined. Do not overmix.
Fill the Pan
Fill muffin cups to the very top with batter. For best results, only bake 6 muffins at a time to give them space to rise. Sprinkle
with reserved pumpkin seeds.
Bake
Bake at 425°F for 7 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce heat to 350°F and continue baking for 7–10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool & Enjoy
Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Serve warm or store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
As of the date of this publication, each muffin is 5 Weight Watchers points. Click here for the WW tracker to track directly to your app. If you count calories or macros: 172 calories, 3 fat, 33 carbs, 2 fiber and 8 grams of protein.
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If you are new here, welcome to My Bizzy Kitchen! I started this blog 16 years ago to document my recipes and daily life, never imagining it would one day become my full-time career. After losing my husband nearly 10 years ago, I navigated the hardest chapter of my life while still finding joy in cooking and sharing my journey.
In December 2020, I took a leap of faith and left my 30-year career as a legal secretary to pursue My Bizzy Kitchen full-time, a decision that changed my life.
Two years later, in October 2022, I was able to hire my daughter, Hannah, full-time, which brings me so much joy. Now, My Bizzy Kitchen is more than just recipes. It’s about embracing life, finding balance, and making healthy living sustainable and fun.
Follow along for delicious recipes (mostly Weight Watchers friendly!), realistic weight loss tips, and my daily adventures on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook (@mybizzykitchen). Let’s get bizzy in the kitchen together!
Looking for more Weight Watchers inspiration? Check out my breakfast recipes!
The pumpkin seeds make these muffins look like mushrooms. How cute!