Protein-packed chocolate cottage cheese oat muffins

Who says you can’t have rich, fudgy chocolate for breakfast and feel incredible about it? These chocolate cottage cheese oatmeal muffins are packed with protein, complex carbs, and whole-food goodness to keep you going!

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup small-curd cottage cheese
• 2 large eggs
• ⅓ cup avocado oil or light olive oil
• ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt

Topping

• ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon coarse sparkling sugar optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Add the old-fashioned oats to a food processor and process until they resemble a fine flour. Transfer the oat flour to a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the cottage cheese, eggs, avocado oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla to the now-empty food processor. Process until smooth and creamy.
3. Add the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl with the oat flour and whisk until well combined. Pour the blended wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Do not overmix.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 90–95% full.
5. Sprinkle the tops with the mini chocolate chips and coarse sparkling sugar, if using.
6. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 15–17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
7. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

• Process the cottage cheese for a full minute until silky smooth so no white specks show in the chocolate batter.
• Fold wet and dry ingredients just 12–15 times until streaks disappear; a few small lumps keep the muffins tender.
• Fill liners 90–95% full (an ice cream scoop works great) to get tall, bakery-style muffin tops.