By After rounds of testing and perfecting my muffin base, I can guarantee these orange cranberry yogurt muffins are bakery-worthy. They are easy to whip up, maybe with a bit more ingredients than you're used to, and have 8g of protein. But because of that, they work just as great with gluten-free flour as they do all-purpose. We had to freeze them because we couldn't stop eating them!
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These muffins have been a labor of love. I can't even count how many batches I went through to get them just right. Actually, I can! I've been testing these cranberry yogurt muffins since last fall!
We went through iterations that only had a glaze, others with oat flour, some with whole cranberries, until finally settling on this version. It has that perfect crackle topping that mimics my viral blueberry protein muffins and a totally soft and tender crumb. These muffins are a testament to how delicious high-protein baking can be, just like all our other high-protein breakfast recipes.
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the secret to suspended cranberry!
Chop your cranberries! This not only keeps them light enough to stay suspended but also ensures you have cranberries in every bite.
ingredient notes & substitutions
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted. See the recipe card for quantities.
- Almond flour: Adds a nutty flavor, a tender texture, and a bit of extra protein and healthy fats. If you have a nut allergy, you can just use extra hemp seeds.
- All-purpose flour: Provides the main structure for our muffins.
- Baking basics: Grab baking soda, powder, and salt.
- Hemp hearts: These little powerhouses add a subtle nutty flavor, a boost of protein, and healthy fats.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and depth of flavor.
- Maple syrup: You could substitute honey or agave, but the flavor will be slightly different.
- Greek yogurt (plain, non-fat): The star for protein and moisture! It makes the muffins tender and adds a lovely tang that complements the cranberries. If you like these, you'll also love our raspberry Greek yogurt donuts!
- Eggs: For protein and to act as a binder. Feel free to use flax eggs.
- Fresh cranberries: Provide those delightful bursts of tartness. You can use frozen, but don't thaw them first.
- Orange: We need the juice and the zest.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
blending the cottage cheese
I prefer to blend mine with the wet ingredients so not there are no visible curds in the muffins. But the recipe works just fine not blending the cottage cheese.
step by step: how to nail this protein muffin recipe
Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for the full muffin recipe!
- Mix in separate bowls (the wet and dry ingredients) so you aren't at risk of overmixing the batter.
- A blender or food processor will save you time! You can use it to chop the cranberries and to mix the wet ingredients.
- Line your muffin tin if it's not silicone. And even then, line it with foil liners or lightly spray the liners so the muffins don't stick.
- Bake in high heat, then drop the temperature. This helps set those mile-high domes.
- Bake in every other muffin spot so that the muffins have space to rise up high! If you bake in every single one, the tops tend to spread.
quick recipe video
expert tips
- Fresh is Best (Usually!): While you can use frozen or dried cranberries, fresh ones tend to have a brighter flavor. If using frozen, don't thaw them and don't chop them; add them straight from the freezer to prevent them from bleeding too much into the batter.
- Zesty tip: When zesting your orange, be sure to only get the colorful outer layer, not the white pith underneath, which can be bitter. The zest holds all those amazing essential oils that give your muffins that fantastic orange aroma and flavor.
making mini muffins
You can totally use this batter to make 24 mini muffins. Just bake them at 350 degrees and don't worry about baking in every other muffin spot (bake all 24 at once). Bake for 12-15 minutes.
troubleshooting & testing notes
Cranberries Sinking
In an early version, all our cranberries sank to the bottom! Chopping them up prevents this.
Gummy muffins
In one of our tests, these muffins were gummy and slightly sunk. The issue was over-mixing and needing an ingredient with texture. The solution was to not over mix and to add a bit of almond flour to stabilize the batter.
how to store & meal prep it
The best way to store these is in the freezer or on the counter. But the key is to make sure they are completely cool before storing!
more protein muffins to try
Recipe
Cranberry Yogurt Muffins (protein packed)
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour (gluten free 1:1 works)
- ½ c almond flour (or hemp seeds or whole wheat)
- ½ c flax seeds (or hemp seeds)
- 2.5 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ c fresh cranberries (chopped up in a food processor or blender)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ¼ c cottage cheese (blended to avoid any curds, low fat )
- Zest from 1 orange (zest before juicing)
- 2 tablespoon orange juice (juice from 1-2 oranges, zest first)
- ½ c melted butter (unsalted)
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ c monk fruit maple syrup (can go up to ¾c or use regular maple syrup)
- ⅓ c greek yogurt (low fat)
- ⅓ c avocado oil
Before you start!
If you make this recipe, please take a moment to leave us a review. We love to hear from you!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a muffin tin with 12 liners (or use a silicone muffin tin).Use a blender or food processor to roughly chop the 1 ½ c fresh cranberries (measured before chopping).
- Mix together the 2 cups all purpose flour, ½ c almond flour, ½ c flax seeds, 2.5 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ¾ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add in your cranberries but wait to mix.
- Next, to a blender, add the 1 ¼ c cottage cheese, 2 tablespoon orange juice, Zest from 1 orange, ½ c melted butter, 3 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ½ c monk fruit maple syrup, ⅓ c greek yogurt, and ⅓ c avocado oil.Add this to your dry ingredients and gently fold together, being careful not to overmix.
- Mix the zest from 1 orange and ¼ c sugar with your hands (rubbing it together to release the citrus oils) until fragrant. Top your muffins with this sugar mixture.
- Add the batter to the muffin tins, alternating each one for maximum muffin height. You'll have to bake in 2 batches. Bake for 10 minutes at 425, then reduce the heat to 350 and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.The tins should be really full! If you're nervous about overfilling, this recipe will make 14-16 muffins.
- Once done baking, let the muffins cool for a few minutes before removing. Bump the oven temperature up again to 425 and then remove the first batch of muffins and repeat with the second batch.
Video
Notes
Looking for more information?
Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
These taste amazing!! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
So happy to hear that!
Terrific! Thanks!