Delicious & Nutritious: Healthy High-Protein Muffins for a Energizing Start
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins are a great grab-and-go breakfast option. Made with peanut butter, cottage cheese, and loaded with mini chocolate chips, they’re moist, fluffy, and so delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- Quick to Make: These muffins come together in under 30 minutes, making them perfect for busy mornings.
- Loaded with Flavor: The rich peanut butter and creamy cottage cheese give these muffins a wonderful texture.
- Perfect Texture: The muffin tops are slightly crisp, while the center remains soft, chewy, and moist.
- Great for Breakfast or Snacks: Perfect for a quick breakfast or an afternoon snack. If you love these, be sure to try my Cottage Cheese Blueberry Muffins for another tasty breakfast idea!
Ingredients and Substitutions:
These are the main ingredients for the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins, along with some options for substitutions:
- Coconut Oil: Coconut oil helps create a moist muffin. If you don’t have coconut oil, you can substitute with olive oil, ghee, butter, or vegetable oil. Keep in mind that each oil has its own distinct flavor, so choose what you prefer.
- Coconut Sugar: I prefer using coconut sugar because it has a slight caramel-like flavor. However, cane sugar will work just as well. If you want a lower-carb option, you can also substitute monk fruit sweetener.
- Peanut Butter: I recommend using a natural peanut butter (like the kind from Trader Joe’s with just peanuts and salt). This type of peanut butter gives the muffins a great texture without being too oily. However, if you use a more processed peanut butter, you might need to add a little extra oil to soften the batter.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract is essential for any baked goods, so don’t skip it!
- Cottage Cheese: Cottage cheese is key to making these muffins moist and soft. If you don’t have cottage cheese, you can substitute with Greek yogurt. However, I recommend leaving the yogurt whole, rather than blending it, to avoid making the batter too thick and the muffins dry.
- Milk: A small amount of milk is used to help soften the batter. You can use whole milk, almond milk, or any milk alternative of your choice.
- Mini Chocolate Chips: These are the fun part! I love using mini chocolate chips because they distribute more evenly throughout the muffins. You can use regular chocolate chips if that’s what you have on hand, or even chopped chocolate if you prefer.
How to Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins:
- Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Muffin Tin:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease it with coconut oil or cooking spray. - Mix Wet Ingredients:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the coconut oil, peanut butter, and coconut sugar. Stir until smooth. Add the cottage cheese, milk, and vanilla extract to the mixture, and whisk until everything is well combined. - Combine Dry Ingredients:
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring gently to combine. - Fold in Chocolate Chips:
Once the batter is mixed, fold in the mini chocolate chips. Be careful not to over-mix so the muffins stay light and fluffy. - Fill the Muffin Tin:
Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full with the batter. You should get about 10-12 muffins, depending on the size of your tin. - Bake:
Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean (or with just a few crumbs). The tops should be golden brown and slightly firm to the touch. - Cool and Enjoy:
Let the muffins cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy warm, or store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Recipe Tips:
- Adjust the sweetness: If you prefer sweeter muffins, feel free to add a little more sugar, or increase the amount of chocolate chips.
- Vary the mix-ins: You can substitute the chocolate chips with other add-ins like dried fruit, nuts, or even a swirl of Nutella for an extra chocolate-peanut butter kick.
- Make them gluten-free: To make these muffins gluten-free, simply swap out the regular flour for a gluten-free flour blend.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I use a different nut butter?
Yes, you can use almond butter, cashew butter, or even sunflower seed butter as a substitute for peanut butter. Keep in mind that the flavor of the muffin will change depending on the nut butter you use.
Can I freeze these muffins?
Yes! These muffins freeze well. After they’ve cooled completely, place them in a freezer-safe container or bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, just pop them in the microwave for a few seconds or warm them in the oven.
Can I make this recipe without cottage cheese?
Cottage cheese is key to making these muffins moist, but if you don’t have it, you can replace it with Greek yogurt. Be sure to use plain yogurt and leave it whole to maintain the proper texture.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins are the perfect combination of rich peanut butter, soft cottage cheese, and sweet chocolate chips. These muffins are the ideal breakfast treat or snack and can be customized to suit your tastes!
Enjoy baking these delicious muffins, and don’t forget to check out my other recipes for more breakfast inspiration!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut oil melted. may sub any other oil or butter
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar may sub cane sugar or monk fruit sweetener
- 1/2 cup runny natural peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup plain low fat cottage cheese I used Good Culture
- 1/4 cup milk may sub Greek yogurt, sour cream, or any nut or seed milk
- 2 eggs
- 1.5 cups all purpose flour may sub a 1:1 gluten free flour blend
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F and line a muffin tin with muffin liners.
- In a bowl, combine melted coconut oil, coconut sugar, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and eggs. Whisk until well combined.
- Then, whisk in cottage cheese and milk.
- In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Then mix in the mini chocolate chips into the flour.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and mix with a spatula until just combined. Don’t over-mix batter.
- Use a double cookie scoop and add two scoops to muffin liners. Top with more chocolate chips if desired and bake for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool for 5 minutes, remove from muffin tin and enjoy warm.
Notes
- I used an all natural peanut butter for this recipe which is runny and drippy. If you are using one that is thick and contains palm oil, you may need to add more oil to create the same consistency batter.
- Peanut butter tends to absorb liquid which is why oil in this recipe is extremely important.
- Cottage cheese is best used whole in this recipe and not blended. The curdles melt during baking which helps provide a moist muffin.
- Mix the chocolate chips in the flour before adding into the wet ingredients. This allows for less mix time which will insure not create a dense muffin if your batter is over-mixed.
- Use a double cookie scoop to create large muffins, or a single cookie scoop to create standard size. Reduce the time by 1-2 minutes if creates standard sized muffins.
Hi, I’m Emily Hart, a 32-year-old chef with a lifelong passion for cooking that goes far beyond just a career—it’s the heart and soul of who I am. From the moment I was old enough to hold a spoon, I’ve been enchanted by the way food brings people together, how flavors can tell stories, and how a simple dish can evoke powerful emotions. The kitchen is my sanctuary, where the sizzle of pans and the aroma of fresh ingredients inspire me to create something special every day.
For me, cooking isn’t just about following recipes; it’s about experimenting, pushing boundaries, and blending culinary traditions to create something new and exciting. Whether I’m preparing an elegant five-course dinner or a comforting bowl of homemade soup, I pour my heart into every detail. I believe that food has the power to connect us all—whether through shared meals or teaching others how to find joy in cooking.
Over the years, I’ve honed my skills not only in crafting delicious meals but also in understanding what makes people feel at home when they sit down at the table. I love sharing my passion with others through cooking classes, collaborations with fellow food enthusiasts, and simply bringing people together one plate at a time. Cooking is my art form, and every dish is an opportunity to share a piece of myself with the world.
