Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Muffins
When fall comes around, the first thing I want to do is start baking, preferably something pumpkin. There’s nothing more comforting than waking up on a fall morning and having a healthy pumpkin breakfast waiting for you. That’s why I developed these pumpkin cottage cheese muffins. Not only are these muffins packed with healthy protein from the cottage cheese, but the pairing this great ingredient with pumpkin puree adds wonderful hydration to the batter, creating a muffin that is moist and fluffy.
Are pumpkin muffins healthy? Yes, pumpkin cottage cheese muffins are packed with nutrition to start off your day right, including protein from the cottage cheese and fiber from the pumpkin puree.
What are the benefits of using cottage cheese when baking? Cottage cheese is beneficial to baking recipes because it adds essential moisture to the batter, resulting in a fluffy and hydrated muffin. One of the main issues chefs encounter when baking muffins is keeping them from drying out, so cottage cheese is a great addition to keep the batter moist.
How to store pumpkin cottage cheese muffins? I recommend storing pumpkin cottage cheese muffins in the refrigerator in a sealed container or covered in plastic wrap to keep them at peak freshness.
Can you freeze pumpkin cottage cheese muffins? Yes, you can definitely freeze pumpkin cottage cheese muffins after baking them. To do so, bake the muffins per the recipe instructions, let them cool completely, then put the muffins in a gallon-size, freezer-safe zipper bag and store for up to 3 months. When it’s time to eat the muffins, you can easily defrost them in the microwave in short intervals until they’re warmed.
How long do pumpkin cottage cheese muffins last? Pumpkin cottage cheese muffins last for about a week if stored properly in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. If you choose to store the muffins at room temperature, I recommend consuming them within the first few days of baking.
How long does it take to bake pumpkin cottage cheese muffins? Typically, this recipe will take about 30-35 minutes to bake the muffins all the way through. The best way to test if pumpkin cottage cheese muffins are fully baked is by inserting a toothpick into the center of each muffin, looking for it to come out clean, without any batter clinging to it. This signals that the batter of the muffin has fully cooked and is no longer wet or raw in the interior of the muffin. If you’re not sure if the muffin is fully baked, air on the side of caution and put them back in the oven for a few minutes — an under-baked muffin is always the worst outcome.
How to tell when pumpkin cottage cheese muffins are done? The best way to tell if pumpkin cottage cheese muffins are finished baking is by observing browning on the tops and sides of the muffins and the center being fluffy. You can test the doneness of the center by using a fork or toothpick to insert into the muffin and see if it comes out free of any raw batter.
Can you substitute pumpkin pie mix for canned pumpkin? No, you can’t substitute pumpkin pie mix for pure canned pumpkin mix because the pie mix is already sweetened and flavored, so it will make the muffins overly sugary and spiced. Sometimes canned pumpkin pie mix can have chemical additives that will impact the texture of the muffins as well. We recommend sticking to classic, 100% canned pumpkin puree.
Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin? While I don’t recommend going this route because of the time and effort it takes to deconstruct and roast a whole pumpkin, you can definitely do this from scratch. To make your own pumpkin puree, preheat your oven to 350, cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out and discard the pumpkin seeds, roast until the pumpkin is very soft and tender, scoop the cooled pumpkin from the skin, and blend it until smooth.
What is pumpkin spice? Pumpkin pie spice is a mixture of warm spices, typically including cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. I recommend buying a high-quality, pre-made mixture from the grocery store instead of making your own as there are so many great pumpkin spice blends on the market.
How to make Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Muffins:
Pumpkin Cottage Cheese Muffins
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- 1 ½ cup flour
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice
- Pinch salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray.
- Put the cottage cheese in a food processor and puree until smooth.
- Combine wet ingredients (butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, canned pumpkin puree and pureed cottage cheese) in a stand mixer on medium speed for about 3-5 minutes. You’re looking for the cottage cheese to break up slightly and for the batter to become light and airy.
- In a separate, small bowl combine the dry ingredients (flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, baking powder, oats) until mixed.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet in the stand mixer on low speed until the batter is fully cohesive.
- Spoon 1/4 cup of batter into each muffin section of the pan. This recipe makes 8 muffins.
- Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until the tops are golden and the middle is moist but light and cakey. Enjoy!
Notes
Use unsweetened canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix or pumpkin pie filling.
