Learn to make Kodiak Cakes blueberry muffins without protein powder! These Kodiak blueberry muffins are packed with tons of blueberries and have a bright lemon flavor. You’ll love how easily you can sneak extra protein into work lunches, kid’s lunches, and post-workout snacks with these. Aside from having lower sugar and higher protein than a typical muffin, these blueberry protein muffins are only about 100 calories each!
Sooooo good. The lemon makes these!
– Kelly
Kodiak Cakes blueberry lemon muffins? Sounds like a DELICIOUS addition to breakfast to me!
Tastiness isn’t the only good thing about this protein muffin recipe, however. It’s also low sugar, with no added sugar aside from what’s in the Kodiak mix. That means no white sugar, but also no honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, agave, etc.
Unlike most muffins without sugar added, these Kodiak cakes muffins have no banana. I mean, I like banana, but it gets boring to always use it as the sweetener in no sugar snacks. I do like a little more flavor variety in my baking, you know?
These blueberry muffins with protein pancake mix will probably fit your macros a little better than regular muffins if you’re into fitness and bodybuilding. Some might call these blueberry “muscle muffins.” Hahaha
In truth though, muffins and other baked goods wouldn’t be my top pick for muscle building. I really think it’s a better strategy to get most of our nutrition from whole foods (meats, veggies, fruits, etc.) instead. For those including grains, I’d typically recommend more minimally processed whole grains than flours.
Don’t get me wrong though- these Kodiak protein muffins DO offer some advantages over your everyday muffin. (And of course, we’ll cover them below!)
📋 Calories, Net Carbs, Protein
One Kodiak Cakes muffin has 103 calories, 9.7 grams net carbs, and 4.9 grams protein. Nutrition information is for a muffin made with half butter and half apple sauce. Using all butter gives you a muffin with 126 calories, 9.3 grams net carbs, and 4.9 grams protein.
⭐ Kodiak Blueberry Muffins Benefits
Why make this Kodiak Cakes muffins recipe? Here are some nutrition benefits (and other reasons):
- Protein dense: Your 500-calorie bakery muffin might have more grams of protein than these. Where these blueberry protein muffins probably win though is protein density. You’re getting a decent amount of protein per calorie (about 5g per 100-ish calories) with these muffins.
- Packed with fruit: These muffins are packed with phytochemical-rich blueberries! If you’re looking to increase the fruit intake of fruit-resistant family members, try these!
- Whole grains: Unlike most muffins, these are whole grain muffins. The Kodiak Cakes waffle mix we’re using here is made with a combination of whole wheat flour and whole oat flour.
- Short prep time: I can make a batch of protein muffins in very little time. They’re great for busy people! (And isn’t that most of us?)
- No chalky taste: Most recipes made with protein powder have a chalky taste that I can’t stand. Kodiak Cakes buttermilk pancake mix uses a blend of wheat protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, and milk protein concentrate. However, I found the hidden protein undetectable; there was no weird aftertaste at all.
- Delicious: It’s subjective, but I think these aren’t just “good for a healthier muffin.” They’re truly delicious on their own merits. When I make a batch of Kodiak protein muffins, they never last long!
🥘 Kodiak Cakes Blueberry Muffins Ingredients
What do you need to make Kodiak Cakes muffins? Here’s the roundup:
- 1 cup Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes Buttermilk Flapjack & Waffle Mix (126 grams)
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 4 tablespoons softened butter
- 2 tablespoons applesauce (optional; for lower fat muffins replace half the butter with this)
- ½ cup Granular Swerve (or your favorite 1:1 sugar substitute)
- ½ cup milk
- Large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest (from Meyer lemons, if possible)
- Cooking spray
I tested 2% milk and unsweetened calcium-fortified soy milk in this recipe. Both work very well.
Kodiak Cakes makes a wide variety of baking mixes. I chose the buttermilk pancake mix because it is one of the options that is lowest in added sugar.
The buttermilk pancakes mix has only 3 grams of added sugar per half cup (63g mix). The Kodiak Cakes muffin mixes are much higher in sugar. For example, the Kodiak Cakes blueberry muffin mix contains 17 grams of added sugars per 58g mix. (Big difference!)
It’s pretty easy to find the Kodiak Cake baking mixes at stores in the U.S. I’ve seen them at Costco, Walmart, Target, and Amazon. Regular grocery stores usually carry them as well.
There are other products that appear to be similar, but have very different nutritional profiles. For example, Krusteaz protein pancake mix (in blueberry, now discontinued) had 14g protein per half cup, similar to the buttermilk Kodiak mix.
Unfortunately, the Krusteaz mix had over three times the added sugar (11g versus 3g). Their buttermilk protein pancake mix has less added sugar than their blueberry flavor (7 grams), but more than the Kodiak mix.
Krusteaz protein muffin mix (wild blueberry flavor, now discontinued) is even worse, with 22g added sugar per half cup mix. In short, I’d consider the Kodiak Cakes buttermilk pancake mix to be the best choice if you want a lower sugar mix.
🍽 Equipment
You only need a few basic pieces of kitchen equipment to make these muffins with added protein. Here they are:
- Metal muffin tin (light-colored metal)
- Hand mixer (electric beaters make fast work of mixing the batter!)
- Paper liners for the muffin tin
- Toothpicks (our doneness testing tool)
If you tend to have difficulty getting baking recipes to work, I also highly recommend a food scale. Weighing the dry ingredients will help to ensure you have consistent results every time.
We’ll be making 8 muffins. If your muffin tin only has 6 muffin cups, you’ll need two of them.
🔪 How to Make Kodiak Blueberry Muffins
Let’s learn how to make blueberry protein muffins! Start by preheating the oven to 425F (218C).
Put muffin papers into 8 spaces in your muffin pan. Spray the papers well with cooking oil spray. I hate it when my muffins stick to the paper!
Put one teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice into the milk. Give it a stir and let it sit for five minutes. (This is essentially a substitute for buttermilk that adds a little extra lemon flavor.)
Set aside ¼ cup of blueberries. Toss the rest of the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of the Kodiak mix. (This will help keep them from all sinking to the bottoms of the muffins.)
Using the electric mixer, beat the softened butter and Swerve together until fluffy. (You can also add the applesauce, if using.) Mix in the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest.
Next, slowly mix in the Kodiak Cakes mix. After incorporating it all, add the milk mixture. Your batter should be fairly liquid-y at this point.
It’s best to use the mixer to add in the Kodiak mix and milk. That said, I’ve used a spoon before when I was in a rush, and it was fine. Just don’t overmix the batter.
Now’s the time to gently fold in the floured blueberries with a spoon.
Fill your prepared muffin papers with the batter. You should completely fill all 8 papers.
Remember the blueberries we didn’t coat in Kodiak mix at the beginning? Gently press those into the tops of the muffins. Don’t they look nice?
️⏲ Kodiak Cakes Blueberry Muffins Cooking Time and Temperature
Kodiak Cakes Muffins bake for 20 minutes in oven preheated to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218C). Put them on a rack about one-third of the way down in the oven.
Check the muffins for doneness by sticking a toothpick in one of them. The toothpick should come out clean if you have a fully cooked muffin. (It’s ok if some blueberry juice or some muffin crumbs end up on the toothpick.)
These muffins are best enjoyed chilled. Let them cool on a baking rack before putting them in the fridge.
🥣 Tips on how to make muffins fluffy
There are a few things you can do to help ensure the fluffiest muffins possible. For one, make sure your batter is at room temperature. The softened butter is going to be easier to incorporate into the sugar, which brings me to point two… don’t overmix the batter!
Finally, use baking powder rather than baking soda in your muffin recipes. I know that it appears like there’s no baking powder or baking soda in this recipe. However, the Kodiak Cakes mix we’re using contains all of the components of baking powder. They are:
➡️ Baking soda
➡️ A weak acid (monocalcium phosphate in this case)
➡️ Starch (prevents the mixture from reacting prematurely)
️🌡️ Leftovers
How long are Kodiak Cakes muffins good for? These blueberry protein muffins should last about 3 days in the refrigerator. Wrap them in plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container to keep them from getting stale.
🥶 Can you freeze Kodiak Cakes muffins?
Fresh muffins are best, but these blueberry Kodiak Cakes muffins do freeze fairly well. Wrap them in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer bag with the air pressed out in the freezer. Thaw them in the fridge for 1-2 days when you’re ready to eat. If you used big blueberries, your muffins may be a little soggier than with small wild blueberries.
🍯 Blueberry Muffins Toppings
What do you put on a Kodiak cake muffin? They’re great plain, and that’s probably my favorite way to enjoy them! If you want toppings for protein muffins, here are some yummy suggestions:
- Fruit spreads
- Peanut butter and seed or nut butters (such as almond butter)
- Honey, maple syrup, or sugar-free syrup
- Whipped cream
- Butter
Some of these are a little more indulgent than others! My favorite toppings for muffins tend to be peanut or almond butter (but maybe not on blueberry muffins).
🍫 Kodiak Cakes Muffins Flavors
Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes Buttermilk Flapjack and Waffle Baking Mix has a very neutral flavor. That means you can use this protein baking mix to make tasty muffins with endless flavor combinations! I’m partial to these lemon blueberry muffins, but here are some other ideas:
- Lemon and poppy seeds
- Peaches and cinnamon
- Apple cinnamon
- Carrot cake (use shredded carrots and raisins)
- Cranberry orange
- Pumpkin
- Strawberry
- Cherries and mini chocolate chips (can use sugar-free chocolate chips)
- Banana chocolate chip
- Savory muffins (perhaps with zucchini, sausage, and sun-dried tomatoes)
Kodiak makes a Chocolate Chip Power Cakes baking mix (as well as other flavors). You can reduce the added sugar by using the buttermilk baking mix (one of their lowest sugar options) and flavoring it yourself.
Kodiak Blueberry Muffins Recipe (Kodiak Cakes Blueberry Muffins)
Make Kodiak Cakes blueberry muffins without protein powder! These Kodiak blueberry muffins are under 10g net carbs and about 100 calories each!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 103 kcal
Please leave a comment below 😊
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Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C).
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Line your muffin tin with 8 of the paper liners. Spray the papers well with cooking oil spray.
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Put the freshly squeezed lemon juice into the milk. Give it a stir and let it sit for five minutes.
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Set aside ¼ cup of blueberries. Gently mix the rest of the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of the Kodiak mix.
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Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter, applesauce (if using), and Swerve together until fluffy. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest.
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Next, slowly mix in the Kodiak Cakes pancake mix. After incorporating it all, add the milk and lemon juice mixture. Don’t overmix your batter!
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Gently fold the floured blueberries into the batter with a spoon. Fill your prepared muffin papers with the batter. You should completely fill all 8 papers.
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Gently press the blueberries you set aside in the beginning (the ones not coated in dry Kodiak mix) into the tops of the muffins.
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Bake the muffins for 20 minutes in the heated oven. I had them on a rack about ⅓ of the way from the top of the oven.
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Check the muffins for doneness by sticking a toothpick in one of them. The toothpick should come out clean if you have a fully cooked muffin. (It’s ok if some blueberry juice or some muffin crumbs end up on the toothpick.)
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For the best texture, let your blueberry protein muffins fully cool and chill before enjoying.
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💭 Expert Tips from Dietitian Summer Yule
This is a level 3 recipe (weight maintenance and active lifestyles). Though these muffins are only around 100 calories each, flour means they get the bump to level 3. Keep in mind though that this doesn’t mean these protein blueberry muffins are “bad.” The answer to whether Kodiak Cakes muffins are good for you ultimately depends on what your needs and goals are.
Are Kodiak Cakes muffins healthy?
I’d consider these low-calorie blueberry protein muffins to be healthy blueberry muffins, depending on what they replace. Do you typically eat big blueberry muffins from the bakery that are loaded with white flour and table sugar? In that case, these Kodiak blueberry muffins are a more nutritious choice.
On the other hand, what if your usual healthy breakfast consists of whole foods like yogurt, fruit, vegetable omelets, or egg frittatas? In that case, I (in general) wouldn’t consider switching to these muffins to be better.
Even though these have a smidge more protein and lots more berries than most muffins, they’re still easy to overeat. If you’re trying to gain weight or having trouble maintaining a healthy weight, that might be a good thing. For the average sedentary adult in the United States, this attribute is probably not a positive.
That brings me to another set of questions…
Are Kodiak Cakes muffins good for weight loss? What makes muffins so high in calories and fat?
In general, I don’t consider muffins (even these blueberry protein muffins) the best choice for weight watchers. The flour, added fats or oils, and (in some muffins) sugar can pack a lot of calories into a small volume. Most muffins are very energy-dense foods.
What that means is that the portions for muffins tend to be very small. It can be difficult to maintain the calorie deficit needed for weight loss if your diet includes a lot of muffins. This may be particularly true if you are a “volume eater,” needing to eat large portions of food to feel full.
If you want to lose weight, use half butter and half applesauce in this recipe rather than all butter. That’s a really simple way to knock off 20-25 calories per muffin without much change in taste or texture.
To create a breakfast that will fill you up a little better, make 1-2 blueberry muffins a breakfast side dish. Serve them up with some scrambled eggs and a glass of milk for more protein. Add more fruit (strawberries would be nice) for low calorie volume.
If you want to bump up the protein in your blueberry protein muffins a bit more, you could substitute egg whites for the egg. You could also try using non-fat plain Greek yogurt in place of the milk and lemon juice. (Keep in mind I haven’t tested either of these swaps, so try them at your own risk!)
Nutrition information is for one muffin. Nutrition information is for a muffin made with half butter and half apple sauce. Carbohydrates listed are net carbs (total carbs minus the fiber).
nutrition info disclaimer
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be inaccurate, so please don’t sweat the numbers too much.
“To taste” means to your preferences, which may have to be visual to follow food safety rules. Please don’t eat undercooked food x
Calories: 103kcalCarbohydrates: 9.7gProtein: 4.9gFat: 4.2gSaturated Fat: 2.1gVitamin A: 3.6% DVVitamin C: 3.7% DVCalcium: 6% DVIron: 3.3% DV
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🥞 Recipes using Kodiak Cakes Mix
Need other Kodiak Cakes recipes? Here are a few more ideas for ways to use Kodiak Cakes:
You may also enjoy these Kodiak Cakes Peanut Butter Cookies. I have plans for more recipes with Kodiak Cakes mix in the future, so definitely stay tuned! I’d also like to experiment with some of the higher protein flours more, such as quinoa flour.
FAQs
How to make gluten free Kodiak Cakes muffins?
The Kodiak Buttermilk Power Cakes mix I’m using in this recipe contains whole wheat flour and is not gluten-free. Kodiak Cakes Frontier Oat Mix is a gluten-free alternative to the other Kodiak mixes and uses oat flour. You can experiment with that mix in this recipe if you’d like gluten free blueberry protein muffins.
How to make blueberry protein muffins vegan?
The Kodiak Power Cakes mix used here contains whey protein and is not vegan. To make vegan blueberry protein muffins, you could try the Plant Based Kodiak Cakes mix in this recipe. Substitute the dairy milk for soymilk (or protein-fortified almond milk), butter for coconut oil, and make it egg-free with a flax egg.
Can you use frozen blueberries?
According to the King Arthur Baking Company, you can substitute frozen blueberries for fresh blueberries in recipes. However, you should rinse the frozen berries well in cool water and dry them thoroughly with paper towels before use. This will help keep the berries from bleeding their purple hue into the muffin batter.
How long to bake muffins in a silicone pan?
Silicone muffin pans are not recommended for this recipe, because they may only be oven safe up to 375F (190C). Additionally, baking muffins in silicone may impede their browning.
How to make blueberry protein muffins low carb?
With under 10 grams of net carbs per muffin, this recipe will fit some moderately low carb diets. For a very low carb (keto) muffin, try using almond flour or coconut flour in place of the Kodiak mix and add baking powder for leavening. Replace the dairy milk with calcium-fortified soy milk.
👩🏻🍳 Other Healthy Muffin Recipes
Looking for more healthy recipes for muffins? I’ve got you! Check these out next:
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Hello! I’m Summer, a registered dietitian and home chef who loves to cook, eat, and create recipes for you! Every recipe on this site has been tested by me to help ensure your success in the kitchen. All eaters are welcome here 🙂
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