Description
These Cottage Cheese Carrot Cake Muffins are moist, flavorful, and packed with wholesome ingredients like shredded carrots, rolled oats, and cottage cheese. Featuring a crunchy walnut streusel topping and a creamy cottage cheese drizzle, these muffins offer a delightful balance of textures and a hint of warm spices. Perfect for breakfast, snack time, or a healthy dessert, they bring a nutritious twist to the classic carrot cake flavor.
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons vanilla protein powder
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts (raw)
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Muffin Batter
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1.5 cups shredded carrots
Wet Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- ½ cup 2% blended cottage cheese
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Cottage Cheese Drizzle
- ½ cup 2% blended cottage cheese
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Muffin Tin: Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175℃) and line a muffin tin with paper liners to prevent sticking and make clean-up easier.
- Make Streusel Topping: In a mixing bowl, combine rolled oats, flour, vanilla protein powder, brown sugar, chopped walnuts, cold butter, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Use a fork to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until a crumbly streusel texture forms. Set aside for later use.
- Drain Shredded Carrots: Place the shredded carrots in a paper towel or clean tea towel and twist it over the sink to squeeze out any excess moisture. This helps keep the muffins from becoming too soggy.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, salt, and the drained shredded carrots. Stir until well combined.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla extract, brown sugar, avocado oil, blended cottage cheese, eggs, almond milk, and maple syrup until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Fold gently using a rubber spatula until just combined to avoid overmixing, which can make the muffins tough.
- Fill Muffin Cups and Add Streusel: Scoop approximately 3 tablespoons of batter into each lined muffin cup. Then generously top each with 1-2 tablespoons of the prepared streusel topping for a crunchy finish.
- Bake the Muffins: Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake for about 18 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin; it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool and Prepare Drizzle: Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the blended cottage cheese with maple syrup in a small bowl to create a creamy drizzle.
- Serve: Remove the muffins from the tin and drizzle each with the cottage cheese mixture before serving to add extra moisture and flavor.
Notes
- Removing excess moisture from shredded carrots prevents soggy muffins and helps maintain the right texture.
- You can substitute the vanilla protein powder with additional flour if desired, but it adds flavor and protein.
- The cottage cheese drizzle adds a creamy tang; you can adjust the maple syrup quantity to taste.
- Use 2% blended cottage cheese for best texture in both batter and drizzle.
- These muffins freeze well; store in an airtight container and reheat gently before serving.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
