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These cottage cheese pumpkin muffins are light, fluffy, and bursting with the flavors of fall. They’re made from wholesome simple ingredients and are lower sugar than traditional pumpkin muffins too.
Easy Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
It’s that time of year and there’s just nothing better than a delicious pumpkin muffin to celebrate pumpkin season! These muffins are even better because they’re made with nutrient-packed ingredients like whole wheat flour, cottage cheese and real pumpkin puree.
These are my all time favorite right next to my Kodiak Pumpkin Muffins! Here’s why you’ll love these:
- Packed with pumpkin flavor. Real pumpkin, pumpkin spice and cinnamon gives these muffins the perfect amount of fall flavor.
- Made with healthier ingredients. Traditional pumpkin muffins can be pretty high in sugar and low in nutrients. These are made with wholesome ingredients and less sugar for a muffin you can feel good about enjoying and sharing with your family. Each muffin has 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber!
- Moist and fluffy. These delicious pumpkin muffins are perfectly moist with a light and fluffy interior. And you’d never guess they have cottage cheese.
- Great for busy mornings. Fall in my house means busier mornings and afternoons. I love having muffins ready to go for easy snacking or a quick breakfast addition.
Craving more pumpkin recipes? Try my Pumpkin Protein Overnight Oats or Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Dip next! And if you want a non pumpkin version of these muffins, try my Cottage Cheese Blueberry Muffins!
Ingredients
For full recipe instructions and complete list of ingredients for these pumpkin cottage cheese muffins, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Wet Ingredients
- Cottage cheese: Creamy cottage cheese adds extra protein and keeps the muffin batter incredibly tender. My favorite is Good Culture whole milk cottage cheese.
- Pumpkin puree: For fiber, flavor and the signature pumpkin color I use canned 100% pumpkin puree. Do not use pumpkin pie filling.
- Milk: A splash of milk adds moisture.
- Avocado oil: Any neutral vegetable oil will work. I like avocado oil for the healthy fats without a strong flavor (like olive oil).
- Honey: Or maple syrup!
- Eggs: Eggs help to give these muffins a light, fluffy texture.
- Vanilla extract: A hint of vanilla pairs nicely with the warm spices of these healthy pumpkin muffins.
Dry ingredients
- Whole wheat flour: I like to use white whole wheat or “golden wheat” flour but you can use regular whole wheat, all-purpose flour or a blend of the two.
- Pumpkin pie spice + cinnamon: For just the right amount of classic fall flavor I use this spice combination.
- Baking soda, baking powder + salt: For the perfect texture!
- Mini chocolate chips (optional): Chocolate chips are optional but are always a great addition. Regular or dark chocolate chips are both good swaps.
Variations
- Nuts: Swap the chocolate chips for ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans to add even more protein, fiber and healthy fats.
- Cinnamon sugar topping: Leave out the chocolate chips and add a sprinkle of turbinado sugar and cinnamon to each muffin top.
- Greek yogurt swap: Swap the cottage cheese for full fat Greek yogurt.
- Mini muffins: Use a mini muffin pan and reduce baking time to 13-15 minutes checking frequently.
How To Make Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Muffins
- Whisk dry ingredients. Add all dry ingredients (except chocolate chips) to a large bowl, whisk to combine, set aside.
- Blend wet ingredients. To a high speed blender or food processor add cottage cheese, milk, oil, honey, eggs and vanilla. Blend until smooth. You can also do this in a separate bowl with an immersion blender.
- Mix. Pour wet ingredients into bowl with dry ingredients and mix until combined well.
- Add chocolate chips. If desired, fold in mini chocolate chips. Or keep them out and sprinkle muffins with turbinado sugar and a sprinkle of sugar.
- Pour into muffin pan. Divide batter evenly into muffin tin lined with liners or silicone muffin pan.
- Bake. Bake for 18-22 minutes at 350 degrees F. Tops will be golden brown and a toothpick should come out clean.
How to Store
Cool to room temperature on a wire rack and store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or freeze muffins in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months.
Jamie’s tips
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the blending. The cottage cheese must be blended first, so don’t skip that step.
- Line your muffin pans. Use paper liners or make your life super easy by using a a silicone muffin pan or silicone muffin cups. There’s nothing worse than muffins sticking to your pan!
- To make gluten free. Swap your flour with equal parts of your favorite gluten-free flour. I like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour.
- Don’t over-bake. Watch the muffins to make sure they don’t over bake.
More Pumpkin Recipes
If you’ve made and loved these Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Muffins or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and comments below!
Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients
Wet ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup avocado oil, or any neutral oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry ingredients
- 1 2/3 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, optional, more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, arrange rack to middle position. Prepare a 12-muffin pan with muffin liners.
- Add all dry ingredients (except chocolate chips) to a large bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- In a high speed blender add cottage cheese, milk, oil, honey, eggs and vanilla. Blend until smooth.
- Pour wet ingredients into the large bowl with dry ingredients and combine. Use a rubber spatula to make sure you get all of the batter out of the blender.
- Fold in chocolate chips if desired.
- Divide muffin batter evenly into prepared tins and top with extra chocolate chips. If you're leaving out chocolate chips, sprinkle with turbinado sugar and cinnamon before baking.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an estimate.
Food photography by Marie-Catherine Dubé.
