20 Healthy Muffin Recipes That Make Awesome Snacks

Muffins are the ultimate convenience food. But thanks to the mass-produced, plastic-wrapped garbage that masquerades as muffins, these baked delights have gotten a bad reputation.

When you make your own at home, though, you can get all the gooey goodness with ingredients you actually should be eating, like high-quality flour, mashed fruit, Greek yogurt, butter, and healthy oil.

Each of these healthy muffin recipes makes enough to share with gym buddies or to freeze and defrost later.

They’ll keep well in the freezer for two to three months but they may come out a bit dry. Nothing that a spread of butter, fruit spread, or melted coconut oil can’t take care of though!

Enjoy the muffins!

Peanut Butter & Banana Muffins

Picture courtesy of Two Peas & Their Pod

These muffins taste like the classic after-school snack: peanut butter and banana sandwiches. However, these are much better portions for those of us who aren’t in the middle of a growth spurt.

Each peanut butter muffin contains less than 150 calories, whereas a simple sandwich with two slices of whole-wheat bread, a few tablespoons of peanut butter, and a couple teaspoons of honey will add up to nearly 500 calories.

Serves 15

Ingredients

2 cups white whole-wheat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 3/4 cup mashed bananas (about 4 large bananas)

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup pure honey

1 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted and cooled

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 135

Protein: 4 grams

Carbs: 23 grams

Fat: 4 grams

 

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Chocolate Truffle Pumpkin Muffins

Picture courtesy of Amy’s Healthy Baking

These healthy pumpkin muffins are hiding a chocolate surprise inside, making these a tasty compromise if you’re trying not to bake a batch of cupcakes.

You can even slather them with pumpkin protein frosting. Mix together 3 tablespoons of pumpkin puree, a scoop of vanilla protein powder, and a tablespoon of almond butter. Add cinnamon to taste.

Serves 8

Ingredients

Truffle Filling:

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce

1 1/2 Tbsp. agave syrup

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Pumpkin Muffins:

1 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. coconut oil (or butter), melted

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup milk

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 159

Protein: 4 grams

Carbs: 32 grams

Fat: 3 grams

 

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Sweet Potato Almond Butter Muffins

Picture courtesy of Minimalist Baker

These vegan treats have an equal amount of fat and protein – 8 grams apiece. However, all the fat comes from healthy sources: flax seed, coconut oil, and almond butter.

Throw in some sweet potato puree, and the final result is a great muffin to toss in your gym bag as pre-workout fuel.

Serves 9

Ingredients

1 flax egg

3/4 cup sweet potato puree

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp canola oil (or melted coconut oil)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup oat flour (ground from rolled oats)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup roasted salted almond butter

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 179

Protein: 8 grams

Carbs: 19 grams

Fat: 8 grams

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Double Fudge Banana Muffins

Picture courtesy of Yammie’s Noshery

Get your chocolate fix in only 100 calories – less than half of what you’d consume in a serving of dark chocolate.

These muffins may look like chocolate chip brownies, but they’re lightly sweetened banana oat muffins in disguise. Then applesauce stands in for the oil, and ground oats are used instead of all-purpose flour to add more fiber and a bit more protein.

Serves 12

Ingredients

1 large egg

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)

1 cup oat flour (or all-purpose flour)

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 98

Protein: 2 grams

Carbs: 17 grams

Fat: 3 grams

 

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Pulled Pork Cornbread Muffins

Picture courtesy of Kevin is Cooking

Not all muffins have to be sweet, and this recipe will even help you turn one into a light lunch or fun appetizer.

Cornbread is easy to make whether you use muffin mix or a recipe, and if you don’t have leftover pulled pork, you can simply stick a roast in a slow cooker. With the two main ingredients done, all you need are some toppings like sour cream.

If you want to get fancy, this recipe will also show you how to make candied jalapeno slices.

Serves 18

Ingredients

3 cups pulled pork

1 cup orange sauce

3 packages (8.5 oz. each) cornbread muffin mix

3 large eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup sour cream

2 jalapeno peppers

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 285

Protein: 13 grams

Carbs: 45 grams

Fat: 7 grams

 

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Clean Blueberry Protein Muffins

Picture courtesy of Eat Yourself Skinny

It’s not always possible to swap out all the flour in a recipe for protein powder because it can heavily (and I mean heavily) affect the texture, making muffins too dense to eat.

And that’s what makes this recipe so great. With one muffin packing a total of 17 grams of protein, this is an awesome homemade replacement for store-bought protein bars.

Serves 12

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups Whey+ protein powder

1 1/2 cups eggs whites

3 Tbsp almond flour

2 Tbsp ground flax-seed

3 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk

2 Tbsp water 1 mashed banana

1/4 cup organic (no sugar added) applesauce

2 Tbsp coconut oil (melted)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon

3 tsp. baking powder

Pinch of sea salt

1/2 cup blueberries

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 154

Protein: 17 grams

Carbs: 7 grams

Fat: 8 grams

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Apple Muffins with Vanilla Glaze

Picture courtesy of Little Spice Jar

Applesauce is a common ingredient in baked goods, but that’s in part because the flavor can be so mellow. These healthy apple muffins make fruit the star with big chunks of diced apple.

If you want to make sure the apples are discernible in the muffins, don’t bake with a soft variety. Look for firm apples that are full of flavor like honeycrisp, pink lady, and gala.

Serves 16

Ingredients

Apple Muffins:

1/4 cup old-fashioned oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup coconut oil

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 large eggs, room temp.

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups diced apples

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Vanilla Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 Tbsp. milk

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 201

Protein: 3 grams

Carbs: 25 grams

Fat: 10 grams

 

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 Zucchini Banana Walnut Muffins

Picture courtesy of Imma Eat That

Zucchini and banana are both classic quick breads in their own right, but they’re even better when paired together. Crushed walnuts make the muffins richer and add a bit of protein and healthy fat.

Serves 12

Ingredients

2 cups oat flour, packed

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 cup stevia in the raw

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 cup yellow crookneck squash, grated

1/2 cup banana, mashed (~1 medium to large banana)

2/3 cup almond milk

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup walnut, chopped + additional walnuts to top

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 152

Protein: 8 grams

Carbs: 22 grams

Fat: 3 grams

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Healthy English Muffins

Picture courtesy of Pancake Warriors

Make English muffins at home in minutes using your microwave.

You can make these with a combo of pea protein and brown rice flour, two reasons the nutritional profile is an improvement over standard toast. Then there’s also flax seed, hemp hearts, and coconut oil to offer plenty of healthy fats.

Slather with fruit preserves, or use to make a breakfast sandwich with scrambled eggs and bacon.

Serves 1

Ingredients

1/2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed

3 Tbsp. hot water

1/2 Tbsp. tapioca flour

1 Tbsp. brown rice flour (or flour of choice)

1 Tbsp. pea protein

1/2 tsp. coconut oil

1/2 tsp. baking powder

Pinch of salt

1 Tbsp. hemp hearts (optional)

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 176

Protein: 11 grams

Carbs: 14 grams

Fat: 9 grams

 

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Healthy Cornbread Muffins

Picture courtesy of nosh and nourish

Cornbread is a staple of American cooking, but it isn’t always the most nutritious option. Aside from the cornmeal, which adds fiber and trace minerals to your diet, there’s often just white flour and butter (or oil).

You can make cornbread not only more nutrient dense, but also tastier with a few additions. Mashed avocado can replace half of the oil with heart-healthy fats, and whole corn kernels keep the muffins from drying out while adding more antioxidants.

Serves 12

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cornbread mix

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/4 cup mashed avocado

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

2 large eggs

1 Tbsp. dark amber maple syrup (optional)

1 cup sweet corn kernels

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 132

Protein: 4 grams

Carbs: 15 grams

Fat: 7 grams

 

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Berry & Ricotta Muffins

Picture courtesy of A Thought for Food

For berry muffins that taste like cheesecake, just add ricotta to the batter. It’ll also make the muffins rich and tender.

These are every bit as amazing as berry muffins from a bakery or café, but they aren’t greasy since there’s no butter or oil. Instead they’re a lean dessert, or a sweet breakfast for those who are about to run out the door and burn off those carbs before lunch.

Serves 12

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

1/4 cup pure honey

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. milk

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Zest of 1 lemon

1 1/2 cups mixed berries

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 170

Protein: 5 grams

Carbs: 33 grams

Fat: 2 grams

 

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Banana Nut Zucchini Muffins

Picture courtesy of The Realistic Nutritionist

When you’re baking healthy muffins, the trick to making them taste like they belong in a café is to compromise.

Instead of replacing all the oil with applesauce, there are equal amounts of each. Same goes for incorporating whole-wheat flour – or protein powder, if that’s more your style – both of which can make the muffins denser. To get those complex carbs with less impact on the final product, look for whole-wheat pastry flour or white whole-wheat flour.

Serves 16

Ingredients

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 large egg, room temp.

1 cup mashed bananas

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup shredded zucchini

1/2 cup chopped almonds

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 169

Protein: 3 grams

Carbs: 27 grams

Fat: 6 grams

 

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Mocha Chocolate Chip Muffins

Picture courtesy of Hummusapien

Need an extra bite and another jolt of coffee in the morning? Grab one of these mocha muffins as you head out the door.

You’ll get to enjoy more coffee without worrying about spilling a hot beverage on-the-go, and one mocha muffin is like eating a handful of almonds with some slices of banana, sweetened with Medjool dates and a touch of coconut sugar.

Serves 12

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 Tbsp. coconut oil

8 large Medjool dates, pitted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 Tbsp. coffee grounds

1 cup almond flour

1/3 cup old-fashioned oats

3 Tbsp. coconut sugar

3 Tbsp. cacao powder

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 193

Protein: 3 grams

Carbs: 28 grams

Fat: 9 grams

 

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Moist Bran Muffins

Picture courtesy of Food52

Bran muffins are the epitome of a healthy muffin because they’re high in fiber, but the potential problem when baking with bran is it can easily make the muffins dry. One way to make sure muffins are moist is to add plump raisins to the batter, but that doesn’t always cut it.

This recipe instead has you first soak the raisins in simmering water, then puree them to ensure there’s some in every bite.

Serves 10

Ingredients

2 cups unprocessed bran

1 1/2 cups raisins, divided

1 1/2 cups water, divided

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tsp. orange zest, finely chopped

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 extra-large egg

1 extra-large egg white

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup whole-wheat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 223

Protein: 4 grams

Carbs: 34 grams

Fat: 10 grams

 

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Blueberry Coconut Muffin

Picture courtesy of 12 Tomatoes

Blueberry muffins are a classic, and while they’re never going out of style, you can update them every once in a while with a single step. Mix in another flavor, and your blueberry muffins may suddenly seem gourmet.

This recipe adds shredded coconut, but you could use other dried fruit like strawberries. Or, double up the blueberries with a handful of dried blueberries, winding up with some that are chewy and others that burst in your mouth.

Serves 16

Ingredients

2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour

1 cup wheat bran

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1/2 cup raw honey

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

2 large eggs

2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 150

Protein: 3 grams

Carbs: 25 grams

Fat: 5 grams

 

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Almond Flour Muffins

Picture courtesy of Elana’s Pantry

It only takes five ingredients to whip up these almond muffins, and you’ll be surprised by what’s not on the list: flour, butter, oil, and oats.

Instead these paleo muffins start with finely ground almonds and eggs. Baking soda and apple cider vinegar are used for leavening, and there’s just a tablespoon of honey for sweetness.

These simple muffins make a great base for your favorite mix-ins: dried fruit, chopped nuts, spices, or a swirl of almond butter.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup blanched almond flour

2 large eggs

1 Tbsp. pure honey

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

Nutrition Facts (per Serving)

Calories: 219

Protein: 9 grams

Carbs: 11 grams

Fat: 16 grams

 

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Carrot Raisin Quinoa Muffins

Picture courtesy of Well Plated by Erin

Ok, these don’t have a ton of protein, but they have so many other good ingredients they had to make the list.

The whole batch is sweetened with just 1/4 cup brown sugar thanks to the natural sugars of apples, oranges, carrots, and raisins. And they get a little protein boost if you replace half the flour with whey, a trick you can use with pretty much any muffin recipe you want to bake.

Serves 12

Ingredients

1 cup cooked quinoa (1/3 cup uncooked)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup Whey+ protein powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

2 eggs

3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup orange juice

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup shredded carrot, lightly pressed dry

1/2 cup raisins

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 134

Protein: 6 grams

Carbs: 24 grams

Fat: 2 grams

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No-Sugar-Added Banana Muffins

Picture courtesy of Mama Papa Bubba

Who says baked goods can’t be good for you? These banana nut muffins are full of flavor; yet they don’t use any cane sugar, honey, or stevia

Instead this recipe lets the natural sweetness of the bananas shine through. Just be sure to use bananas that are ripe or – better yet – overripe to get the optimal flavor out of them. You can also roast them in the oven in the peels to naturally caramelize the fruit’s natural sugars.

Serves 12

Ingredients

4 large bananas

1 large egg

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup walnuts, crushed

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 190

Protein: 4 grams

Carbs: 23 grams

Fat: 10 grams

 

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Prosciutto, Cottage Cheese & Chives Muffins

Picture courtesy of The Kitchn

Muffins with pork? With lots of eggs and cheese, this little pastry is a lot like a quiche. Sounds like a delicious, portable breakfast to me!

Serves 12

Ingredients

1 cup cottage cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 large eggs

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup almond meal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 ounces prosciutto, roughly chopped

1/4 cup chives, finely chopped (from about 1/2 a 2/3 ounce package)

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 108

Protein: 11 grams

Carbs: 4 grams

Fat: 6 grams

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Veggie Egg Frittata Muffins

Picture courtesy of The Skinny Chick’s Cookbook

These egg muffins are a great breakfast to make ahead of time and stash in the fridge. Then you’ll be able to eat a healthy meal in the morning no matter how late you wake up.

This recipe is also customizable, so you don’t have to worry about getting every vegetable on the list. You can use these mini frittatas as a way to use up leftover veggies and remnants of cheese.

Serves 4 / Makes 12

Ingredients

4 eggs

2 egg whites

4 oz. crumbled goat cheese

1 cup chopped baby spinach

1/4 cup chopped zucchini

1/4 cup chopped yellow squash

1/4 cup chopped tomato

1/4 cup chopped onion

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Calories: 209

Protein: 17 grams

Carbs: 3 grams

Fat: 15 grams

 

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What do you think of these healthy muffin recipes? Have anything else to share? Let me know in the comments below!