Who doesn’t love a freshly baked muffin? Lyle loves banana bread muffins and Sara frequently asks for lemon poppyseed. The only problem is that I’m a dietitian and just happen to know that traditional muffin recipes are typically full of processed carbohydrates and sugar (some should be called cupcakes!). My poor family…

But fear not! The good news is that flour and sugar replacements are plentiful and easy to find these days — perfect for transforming muffins into satisfying protein-rich snacks.

Several years ago, I found Elena’s Pantry basic muffin recipe and it quickly became my go-to for a few reasons: 

1. It calls for almond flour instead of all-purpose flour, upping the protein content

2. It substitutes refined sugar with just a touch of honey, which is sweeter than sugar (so you can use less) and is more friendly to your blood sugar

3. It makes 4-5 muffins which is the perfect amount for our family — I often whip them up a couple of times throughout the week

I’ve taken this foundational recipe and played around with different flavors. Here are the recipes for Honey Vanilla, Lemon Poppyseed, and Banana Bread muffins:

Honey Vanilla Almond Flour Muffins:

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup almond flour

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

• Pinch of salt

• 2 eggs

• 3 Tablespoons honey

• ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º Fahrenheit and line 4-5 spots of a muffin tin with paper or silicone muffin liners.

2. Combine almond flour, baking soda, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl.

3. Mix the eggs, honey, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl.

4. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, until combined.

5. Put approximately ¼ cup of the batter into the lined muffin tin, you should get 4-5 muffins

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean

Lemon Poppyseed Almond Flour Muffins:

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup almond flour

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds

• Zest from 1 medium lemon

• Pinch of salt

• 2 eggs

• 3 Tablespoons honey

• Juice from 1 medium lemon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º Fahrenheit and line 4-5 spots of a muffin tin with paper or silicone muffin liners.

2. Combine almond flour, baking soda, poppy seeds, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl.

3. Mix the eggs, honey, and lemon juice together in a small bowl.

4. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, until combined.

5. Put approximately ¼ cup of the batter into the lined muffin tin, you should get 4-5 muffins

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean

Banana Bread Almond Flour Muffins:

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup almond flour

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

• Pinch of salt

• 1 overripe banana, mashed

• 2 eggs

• 2 Tablespoons honey

• ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit and line 4-5 spots of a muffin tin with paper or silicone muffin liners.

2. Combine almond flour, baking soda, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl.

3. Mix the mashed banana, eggs, honey, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl.

4. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, until combined.

5. Put approximately ¼ cup of the batter into the lined muffin tin, you should get 4-5 muffins.

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cost Per Serving (for a recipe that makes 4 muffins)

Cost per Muffin: $0.82

As you can see, these recipes make for a delicious budget-friendly snack or breakfast. What other flavor combinations should I try? Leave a like and a comment below!